1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek; and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is in Jezreel. 2 The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.

3 Then the princes of the Philistines said, "What about these Hebrews?"

Achish said to the princes 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? I have found no fault in him since he fell away until today."

4 But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, "Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For with what should this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Should it not be with the heads of these men? 5 Isn’t this David, of whom people sang to one another in dances, saying,

‘Saul has slain his thousands,

and David his ten thousands?’"

6 Then Achish called David and said to him, "As Yahweh 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 don’t favor you. 7 Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines."

8 David 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?"

9 Achish answered David, "I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God. Notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ 10 Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you; and as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, depart."

11 So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines; and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

1 非利士人把他们所有的军队都聚集在亚弗， 以色列人却在耶斯列的泉旁安营。

2 非利士人的首领各率领百人或千人前进； 大卫和跟随他的人也跟在亚吉的后面前进。

3 非利士人的领袖说： "这些希伯来人在这里作什么？"亚吉对非利士人的领袖说： "这人不是以色列王扫罗的臣仆大卫吗？他已经在我这里有好些年日了。自从他降服我的一天， 直到今日， 我未曾发现他有什么过错。"

4 非利士人的领袖向亚吉发怒， 对他说： "你叫这人回去， 好让他回到你为他安排的地方去。他不可与我们一同下战场， 免得他在战场上成为我们的对头。这人可用什么去得他主人的欢心呢？岂不是用我们这些人的头吗？

5 这人不就是大卫吗？从前以色列的妇女向他歌唱跳舞说： ‘扫罗杀死千千， 大卫杀死万万！ ’"

6 亚吉把大卫叫来， 对他说： "我指着永活的耶和华说， 你是正直的人， 你与我在军中出入， 我感到很满意， 因为自从你到我这里来的那一天， 直到今日， 我未曾在你身上找到什么过失； 只是各首领不喜欢你。

7 现在， 你可以回去， 平平安安走吧！ 不要行非利士人的首领看为恶的事。"

8 大卫对亚吉说： "我作了什么呢？自从我来到你面前的那一天， 直到今日， 你在仆人身上找到什么， 使我不能与我主我王的仇敌争战呢？"

9 亚吉回答大卫， 说： "我知道你在我眼中是个好人， 像 神的使者一样； 只是非利士人的领袖曾经说过： ‘他不可与我们一同上战场。’

10 所以明天早晨， 你和跟你来的人， 就是你主人的仆人都要清早起来。你们明天早晨都要早起， 天一亮你们就要离开。"

11 于是大卫和跟随他的人清早起来， 一早就离开， 回到非利士人的地去。非利士人也上耶斯列去了。