1 En die Filistyne het hulle hele leër by Afek versamel, terwyl Israel laer opgeslaan het by die fontein wat by J¡sreël is.

2 Toe die vorste van die Filistyne by honderde en by duisende verbytrek, maar Dawid en sy manne in die agterhoede met Agis saam verbytrek,

3 vra die owerstes van die Filistyne: Wat soek hierdie Hebreërs? En Agis sê aan die owerstes van die Filistyne: Dit is mos Dawid, die onderdaan van Saul, die koning van Israel, wat nou al dae of al jare by my is, sonder dat ek iets in hom gevind het van die dag af dat hy oorgeloop het, tot vandag toe.

4 Maar die owerstes van die Filistyne het baie kwaad vir hom geword, en die owerstes van die Filistyne het aan hom gesê: Stuur die man terug, dat hy kan teruggaan na die plek wat u hom aangewys het, en laat hom nie met ons saam in die geveg aftrek, dat hy nie vir ons in die geveg 'n teëstander word nie. Want waarmee kan hierdie man hom aangenaam maak by sy heer? Is dit nie met die hoofde van hierdie manne nie?

5 Is dit nie die Dawid nie, van wie hulle in die koordanse gesing en gesê het: Saul het sy duisende verslaan, maar Dawid sy tien duisende?

6 Agis het Dawid toe geroep en aan hom gesê: So waar as die HERE leef, sekerlik, jy is opreg, en jou uitgang en jou ingang in die leër met my saam is goed in my oë; want ek het geen kwaad in jou gevind van die dag af dat jy na my gekom het tot vandag toe nie. Maar in die oë van die vorste is jy nie goed nie.

7 Draai dan nou om en gaan in vrede, en doen niks wat verkeerd is in die oë van die vorste van die Filistyne nie.

8 Hierop sê Dawid vir Agis: Maar wat het ek gedoen? Of wat het u in u dienaar gevind van die dag af dat ek voor u gewees het tot vandag toe, dat ek nie mag gaan veg teen die vyande van my heer die koning nie?

9 Maar Agis het Dawid geantwoord en gesê: Ek weet dat jy goed is in my oë soos 'n engel van God, maar die owerstes van die Filistyne sê: Hy mag nie met ons saam optrek in die geveg nie.

10 Maak jou dan nou môre vroeg klaar met die dienaars van jou heer wat met jou saamgekom het. Julle moet dus môre vroeg klaarmaak, en as dit vir julle lig word, trek dan weg.

11 En Dawid het vroeg klaargemaak, hy en sy manne, om in die môre heen te gaan, om terug te trek na die land van die Filistyne; maar die Filistyne het opgetrek na J¡sreël.

1 Now the Philistines got all their army together at Aphek: and the Israelites put their forces in position by the fountain in Jezreel.

2 And the lords of the Philistines went on with their hundreds and their thousands, and David and his men came after with 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?

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?

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?

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.

7 So now go back, and go in peace, so that you do not make the lords of the Philistines angry.

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?

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.

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.

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.