¹² God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you.^(A) People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord,^(B) the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.”^(C)

¹⁵ He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged^(A) because of this vast army. For the battle^(B) is not yours, but God’s.

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:

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.

³⁶ Your servant has killed both the lion^(A) and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.

¹¹ Then Asa called^(A) to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us,^(B) Lord our God, for we rely^(C) on you, and in your name^(D) we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail^(E) against you.”

²⁶ David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace^(A) from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised^(B) Philistine that he should defy^(C) the armies of the living^(D) God?”

³ He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted^(A) or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. ⁴ For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you^(B) to fight^(C) for you against your enemies to give you victory.^(D)”