Common English Bible CEB
English Standard Version ESV
1 The Philistines assembled all their forces at Aphek, and the Israelites camped by the spring in Jezreel.
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Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel.
2 As the Philistine rulers went out marching in units of hundreds and thousands, David and his soldiers were in the rear with Achish.
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As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish,
3 "Who are these Hebrews?" the Philistine commanders asked. "That's David," Achish told them, "the servant of Israel's King Saul. He's been with me a year or so now. I haven't found anything wrong with him from the day he defected until now."
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the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here? ” 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 now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day. ”
4 But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish. "Send the man home!" they told Achish. "He can go back to the place you gave him, but he won't go with us into battle. Couldn't he turn against us in the middle of the fight? How better to please his former master than by taking the heads of our soldiers?
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But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here?
5 After all, this is the same David people sing about in their dances, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, but David has killed his tens of thousands!'"
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Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’? ”
6 So Achish summoned David and told him, "As surely as the LORD lives, you are an upstanding individual. I would very much like you to serve with me in the army because I haven't found anything wrong with you from the day you came to me until now. But the rulers don't approve of you.
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Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you.
7 So go back home now, and go in peace. Don't do anything to upset the Philistine rulers."
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So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines. ”
8 "But what have I done?" David asked Achish. "What wrong have you found in me, your servant, from the day I came to you until now? Why shouldn't I go and fight the enemies of my master the king?"
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And David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king? ”
9 "I agree," Achish answered David. "I think you're as good as one of God's own messengers. Despite that, the Philistine commanders have ordered, ‘He can't go into battle with us.'
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And Achish answered David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle. ’
10 So get up early in the morning, both you and your master's servants who came with you, and return to the place I gave you. Don't worry about this negative report, because you've done well before me. Now get up early in the morning and leave as soon as it is light."
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Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you, and start early in the morning, and depart as soon as you have light. ”
11 So David and his soldiers got up early in the morning to go back to Philistine territory, but the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
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So David set out with his men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025