The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 Now the Philistines got all their army together at Aphek: and the Israelites put their forces in position by the fountain in Jezreel.
1
The Philistines brought all their troops together at Aphek, while the Israelites camped at the spring in Jezreel Valley.
2 And the lords of the Philistines went on with their hundreds and their thousands, and David and his men came after with Achish.
2
The five Philistine kings marched out with their units of a hundred and of a thousand men; David and his men marched in the rear with King Achish.
3 Then the rulers of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews doing here? And Achish said to the rulers of the Philistines, Is this not David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me for a year or two, and I have never seen any wrong in him from the time when he came to me till now?
3
The Philistine commanders saw them and asked, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" Achish answered, "This is David, an official of King Saul of Israel. He has been with me for quite some time now. He has done nothing I can find fault with since the day he came over to me."
4 But the rulers of the Philistines were angry with him, and said to him, Make the man go back to the place you have given him; do not let him go down with us to the fight, or he may be turned against us and be false to us: for how will this man make peace with his lord? will it not be with the heads of these men?
4
But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said to him, "Send that fellow back to the town you gave him. Don't let him go into battle with us; he might turn against us during the fighting. What better way is there for him to win back his master's favor than by the death of our men?
5 Is this not David, who was named in their songs, when in the dance they said to one another, Saul has put to death thousands, and David tens of thousands?
5
After all, this is David, the one about whom the women sang, as they danced, "Saul has killed thousands, but David has killed tens of thousands.' "
6 Then Achish sent for David and said to him, By the living Lord, you are upright, and everything you have done with me in the army has been pleasing to me: I have seen no evil in you from the day when you came to me till now: but still, the lords are not pleased with you.
6
Achish called David and said to him, "I swear by the living God of Israel that you have been loyal to me; and I would be pleased to have you go with me and fight in this battle. I have not found any fault in you from the day you came over to me. But the other kings don't approve of you.
7 So now go back, and go in peace, so that you do not make the lords of the Philistines angry.
7
So go back home in peace, and don't do anything that would displease them."
8 And David said to Achish, But what have I done? what have you seen in your servant while I have been with you till this day, that I may not go and take up arms against those who are now making war on my lord the king?
8
David answered, "What have I done wrong, sir? If, as you say, you haven't found any fault in me since the day I started serving you, why shouldn't I go with you, my master and king, and fight your enemies?"
9 And Achish in answer said, It is true that in my eyes you are good, like an angel of God: but still, the rulers of the Philistines have said, He is not to go up with us to the fight.
9
"I agree," Achish replied. "I consider you as loyal as an angel of God. But the other kings have said that you can't go with us into battle.
10 So get up early in the morning, with the servants of your lord who are with you, and go to the place I have given you, and have no evil design in your heart, for you are good in my eyes; but when there is light enough in the morning, go away.
10
So then, David, tomorrow morning all of you who left Saul and came over to me will have to get up early and leave as soon as it's 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.
11
So David and his men started out early the following morning to go back to Philistia, and the Philistines went on to Jezreel.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.