1Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites camped by the spring which is in Jezreel. 2The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish. 3Then the leaders of the Philistines said, "What about these Hebrews?" And Achish said to the leaders of the Philistines, "Isn't this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault in him since he defected to me until this day?" 4But the leaders of the Philistines were angry with him, and said to him, "Send that man back to the place where you have assigned him, and he must not go down with us to battle, or in the battle he may become an adversary. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Should it not be with the heads of these men?

5Is not this David about whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?'"

6Then Achish called David, and said to him, "As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not favor you. 7Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines." 8David said to Achish, "But what have I done? What have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" 9Achish answered David, "I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God. Nevertheless the leaders of the Philistines have said, 'He shall not go up with us to the battle.' 10Therefore now rise up early in the morning, you and the servants of your lord who have come with you, and go to the place which I allotted to you. As for evil remarks, take none to heart; for you are good in my sight. And as soon as you are up early in the morning, and have light, depart." 11So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. The Philistines went up to Jezreel.