The Philistines Reject David
And the Philistines gathered all their camps to Aphek; and Israel was camped by the spring that is in Jezreel.
And the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on at the rear with Achish.
And the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me these days — or rather these years? And I have found nothing in him from the day he fell to me until this day.”
But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him; and the commanders of the Philistines said to him: “Send the man back, and let him return to his place where you assigned him. He shall not go down with us into the battle, and he shall not become an adversary to us in the battle. For with what could this fellow make himself acceptable to his master? Is it not with the heads of these men?
Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in the dances, saying, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”
And Achish called David and said to him: “As the LORD lives, you are upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the camp has been good in my eyes — for I have found no evil in you from the day you came to me until this day. But in the eyes of the lords you are not good.
Now then, return, and go in peace; and do no evil in the eyes of the lords of the Philistines.”
And David said to Achish: “But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant, from the day I came before you until this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
And Achish answered and said to David: “I know that you are good in my eyes, like an angel of God. Only, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us into the battle.’
Now then, rise early in the morning, with the servants of your lord who came with you; and when you have risen early in the morning and have light, go.”
And David rose early, he and his men, to go in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines; and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.