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1 Samuel 29
New English Translation
1 Samuel 29
New English Translation
David Is Rejected by the Philistine Leaders
29 The Philistines assembled all their troops[a] at Aphek, while Israel camped at the spring that is in Jezreel. 2 When the leaders of the Philistines were passing in review at the head of their units of hundreds and thousands,[b] David and his men were passing in review in the rear with Achish.
3 The leaders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish said to the leaders of the Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me for quite some time?[c] I have found no fault with him from the day of his defection until the present time!”[d]
4 But the leaders of the Philistines became angry with him and said[e] to him, “Send the man back! Let him return to the place that you assigned him! Don’t let him go down with us into the battle, for he might become[f] our adversary in the battle. What better way to please his lord than with the heads of these men?[g] 5 Isn’t this David, of whom they sang as they danced,[h]
‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands’?”
6 So Achish summoned David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you are an honest man, and I am glad to have you[i] serving[j] with me in the army.[k] I have found no fault with you from the day that you first came to me until the present time. But in the opinion[l] of the leaders, you are not reliable.[m] 7 So turn and leave[n] in peace. You must not do anything that the leaders of the Philistines consider improper!”[o]
8 But David said to Achish, “What have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day that I first came into your presence until the present time, that I shouldn’t go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 Achish replied to David, “I am convinced that you are as reliable[p] as the angel of God! However, the leaders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us in the battle.’ 10 So get up early in the morning along with the servants of your lord who have come with you.[q] When you get up early in the morning, as soon as it is light enough to see, leave.”[r]
11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to return[s] to the land of the Philistines, but the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 29:1 tn Heb “camps.”
- 1 Samuel 29:2 tn Heb “passing by with respect to hundreds and thousands.” This apparently describes a mustering of troops for the purpose of inspection and readiness.
- 1 Samuel 29:3 tn Heb “these days or these years.”
- 1 Samuel 29:3 tn Heb “from the day of his falling [away] until this day.”
- 1 Samuel 29:4 tn Heb “and the leaders of the Philistines said.”
- 1 Samuel 29:4 tn Heb “so that he might not become.”
- 1 Samuel 29:4 tn Or perhaps, “our men.” On this use of the demonstrative pronoun see Joüon 2:532 §143.e.
- 1 Samuel 29:5 tn Heb “in dances.”
- 1 Samuel 29:6 tn Heb “it is good in my eyes.” Cf. v. 7.
- 1 Samuel 29:6 tn Heb “your going forth and your coming in.” The expression is a merism.
- 1 Samuel 29:6 tn Heb “camp.”
- 1 Samuel 29:6 tn Heb “eyes.”
- 1 Samuel 29:6 tn Heb “good.”
- 1 Samuel 29:7 tn Heb “go.”
- 1 Samuel 29:7 tn Heb “and you must not do evil in the eyes of the leaders of the Philistines.”
- 1 Samuel 29:9 tn Heb “I know that you are good in my eyes.”
- 1 Samuel 29:10 tc The LXX and a couple of Old Latin mss include here the following words: “and you shall go to the place that I have appointed you. Don’t place an evil thing in your heart, for you are good before me.”
- 1 Samuel 29:10 tn Heb “when you get up early in the morning and you have light, go.”
- 1 Samuel 29:11 tc Heb “to go in the morning to return.” With the exception of Origen and the Lucianic recension, the Old Greek tradition lacks the phrase “in the morning.” The Syriac Peshitta also omits it.
1 Samuel 29
New Catholic Bible
1 Samuel 29
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 29
The Philistines Reject David. 1 The Philistines gathered all of their forces together at Aphek. The Israelites camped by the spring in Jezreel. 2 The lords of the Philistines were marching along with their units of hundreds and thousands while David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.
3 The lords of the Philistines said, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied to the lords of the Philistines, “Is this not David, a servant of Saul, the king of the Israel? He has been with me these days, these years. I have found no fault in him since he came to me up until the present.”
4 The lords of the Philistines were angry with him, and the lords of the Philistines said to him, “Send that man back, let him go back to the place where you have assigned him. Do not let him go into battle with us, lest he turn against us during the battle. What other way could he reconcile to his master if not with the heads of these men? 5 Is this not the David of whom they sang while they were dancing, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David has killed his ten thousands.’ ”
6 So Achish summoned David and said, “As the Lord lives, you have been upright with me. You have done well in your going out and your coming back with your army. From the day you came to me up to the present, I have found nothing wrong in you. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. 7 Therefore, go back, and leave in peace, so that you not displease the lords of the Philistines.”
8 David said to Achish, “But what have I done? As long as I have been with you, up until now, have you found anything in your servant that would explain why I am not able to go to fight against the enemies of my lord, the king?” 9 Achish answered David, “I consider you to be as good as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the lords of the Philistines have said, ‘He will not go up with us into battle.’ 10 Now, therefore, rise up early in the morning with your master’s servants who have come with you. Get up at daybreak and depart.”
11 David and his men arose in the morning, and they left for the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
1 Samuel 29
New King James Version
1 Samuel 29
New King James Version
The Philistines Reject David
29 Then (A)the Philistines gathered together all their armies (B)at Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel. 2 And the (C)lords of the Philistines [a]passed in review by hundreds and by thousands, but (D)David and his men passed in review at the rear with Achish. 3 Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”
And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me (E)these days, or these years? And to this day I have (F)found no fault in him since he defected to me.”
4 But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; so the princes of the Philistines said to him, (G)“Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, and do not let him go down with us to (H)battle, lest (I)in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of these (J)men? 5 Is this not David, (K)of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying:
(L)‘Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands’?”
6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “Surely, as the Lord lives, you have been upright, and (M)your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day (N)I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the lords do not favor you. 7 Therefore return now, and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.”
8 So David said to Achish, “But what have I done? And to this day what have you found in your servant as long as I have been with you, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”
9 Then Achish answered and said to David, “I know that you are as good in my sight (O)as an angel of God; nevertheless (P)the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ 10 Now therefore, rise early in the morning with your master’s servants (Q)who have come with [b]you. And as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light, depart.”
11 So David and his men rose early to depart in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. (R)And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 29:2 passed on in the rear
- 1 Samuel 29:10 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX adds and go to the place which I have selected for you there; and set no bothersome word in your heart, for you are good before me. And rise on your way
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.
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