The Philistine Commanders Object to David
Study note
The Philistines assembled their entire army at Aphek while Israel camped by a spring in Jezreel. As the Philistine rulers marched past with their units, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish. The Philistine commanders noticed David's men and demanded to know what the Hebrews were doing there. Achish defended David, saying he had been loyal for over a year. But the commanders were furious, remembering the song about David killing tens of thousands. They feared David would turn on them during battle to win back Saul's favor.
1 The Philistines brought all their forces together at Aphek, while Israel set up camp near the spring at Jezreel. Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
2 The Philistine rulers marched past in units of hundreds and thousands. David and his men were bringing up the rear, marching alongside Achish. And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.
3 The other Philistine commanders noticed them and demanded, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" Achish defended David: "This is David. He used to serve Saul, the king of Israel. He has been with me for well over a year now, and I have not found a single thing wrong with him." 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 But the Philistine commanders were furious. They said, "Get him out of here! Send him back to the town you gave him. He is not going into battle with us. What if he turns on us in the middle of the fight? What better way could he win back his old master's favor than by handing him our heads?" 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 this not the same David the women sang about: 'Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands'?" Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
Achish Sends David Away
Study note
Achish reluctantly told David that although he trusted him, the other Philistine rulers did not want David in the battle. He asked David to leave peacefully. David protested, asking what he had done wrong, but Achish stood firm. This was actually God's way of saving David from the impossible situation of fighting against his own people. David and his men got up early the next morning and headed back to Philistine territory while the Philistines went up to Jezreel for the battle.
6 Achish called David over and said, "I swear by the Lord, you have been completely honest and dependable. I would love to have you fight alongside me. I have not found a single fault with you from the day you arrived until now. But the other Philistine rulers do not trust you." 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 "So please head back quietly and peacefully. Do not do anything that will upset the Philistine commanders." Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.
8 David protested, "But what have I done? What fault have you found in me from the day I entered your service until today? Why can I not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" 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 Achish answered, "Believe me, I know. In my eyes, you are as trustworthy as an angel of God. But the Philistine commanders have made up their minds: they will not let you go into battle with us." 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 "So get up early tomorrow morning, you and the men who came with you, and leave as soon as it gets light." 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 David and his men rose early the next morning and headed back toward Philistine territory. The Philistine army marched on to Jezreel. 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.