Font Size
1 Samuel 29
International Standard Version
1 Samuel 29
International Standard Version
The Philistine Leaders Reject David
29 The Philistines gathered all their troops at Aphek, while Israel was camped at the spring in Jezreel. 2 The Philistine leaders were passing in review among[a] the military units,[b] and David and his men were among[c] them in the rear with Achish.
3 The Philistine leaders said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”
Achish asked the Philistine leaders, “Isn’t this David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather[d] these years? I’ve found no fault in him from the day he deserted[e] until now.”
4 But the Philistine leaders were angry with him, so they[f] pleaded with him, “Send the man back! Let him return to the[g] place you assigned him. He mustn’t go into battle with us. Otherwise, he may become our adversary in the battle! How could there be a better way for[h] this fellow to reconcile himself with his lord? Wouldn’t it be with the heads of these men? 5 Isn’t this the same[i] David about whom the maidens[j] sang when they were dancing,
‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his ten thousands’?”
Achish Sends David Home
6 Then Achish summoned David and told him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you are trustworthy,[k] and it seems good to me for you to campaign[l] with me as part of the army. Indeed, I’ve not found any evil in you from the time you came to me until now.[m] But the leaders don’t approve of you. 7 Now return and go in peace, so you do nothing to displease the Philistine leaders.”
8 David told Achish, “What have I done, and what have you found in your servant from the time I came before you until this very moment,[n] that I shouldn’t go out and fight the enemies of your majesty?”[o]
9 Achish answered David, “I know that I’m pleased with you. You’re[p] like an angel of God. But the Philistine leaders have said, ‘He mustn’t go into battle with us.’ 10 Now, get up early in the morning along with your lord’s servants who came with you.[q] Get up early in the morning, and go as soon as you have light.” 11 So[r] David and his men got up early in the morning to return to Philistine territory, while the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 29:2 The Heb. lacks among
- 1 Samuel 29:2 Lit. the hundreds and the thousands
- 1 Samuel 29:2 Lit. were passing
- 1 Samuel 29:3 The Heb. lacks rather
- 1 Samuel 29:3 Lit. fell
- 1 Samuel 29:4 Lit. the Philistine leaders
- 1 Samuel 29:4 Lit. his
- 1 Samuel 29:4 The Heb. lacks there be a better way for
- 1 Samuel 29:5 The Heb. lacks same
- 1 Samuel 29:5 Lit. they
- 1 Samuel 29:6 Or upright
- 1 Samuel 29:6 Lit. for you to go out and come in
- 1 Samuel 29:6 Lit. until this day
- 1 Samuel 29:8 Lit. until this day
- 1 Samuel 29:8 Lit. my lord the king
- 1 Samuel 29:9 The Heb. lacks You’re
- 1 Samuel 29:10 LXX reads with you and go to the place that I’ve assigned you. Harbor no bitter thought in your heart, for you are acceptable to me.
- 1 Samuel 29:11 The Heb. lacks So
1 Samuel 29
New International Version
1 Samuel 29
New International Version
Achish Sends David Back to Ziklag
29 The Philistines gathered(A) all their forces at Aphek,(B) and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.(C) 2 As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear(D) with Achish. 3 The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?”
Achish replied, “Is this not David,(E) who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year,(F) and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.”
4 But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, “Send(G) the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn(H) against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men? 5 Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances:
“‘Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands’?”(I)
6 So Achish called David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day(J) you came to me until today, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers(K) don’t approve of you. 7 Now turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers.”
8 “But what have I done?” asked David. “What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
9 Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel(L) of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders(M) have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’ 10 Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave(N) in the morning as soon as it is light.”
11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
1 Samuel 29
King James Version
1 Samuel 29
King James Version
29 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.
3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?
4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?
5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
6 Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the Lord liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.
7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.
8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art 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 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.
11 So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
International Standard Version (ISV) 
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.