1 O exército filisteu concentrou-se em Afeque, os israelitas nas fontes de Jezreel.

2 Na altura em que os filisteus organizavam as suas tropas em batalhões e companhias, David e os seus puseram-se na retaguarda, com o rei Aquis.

3 Mas os comandantes filisteus perguntaram: Que estão estes israelitas aqui a fazer? Este é David, o servo do rei Saul que fugiu de Israel. Já há muito tempo que está comigo e não encontrei nele nada de culpável, desde que cá chegou, foi a resposta de Aquis.

4 Manda essa gente embora!, pediram-lhe, zangados. É evidente que não irão à batalha connosco - voltar-se-iam contra nós; haveria melhor maneira, para eles, de se reconciliarem com o seu Senhor do que nos trairem durante a luta? Não te esqueças que este é o homem de quem as mulheres israelitas diziam a dançar, 'Saul matou mil, mas David dez mil!'

6 Aquis acedeu por fim, e chamando David mais os companheiros: Juro pelo Senhor, que vocês são os melhores homens que eu já tive, e a minha vontade é que viessem lutar connosco; mas os meus chefes militares não pensam assim. Por favor, não os irritem e vão-se embora sossegadamente.

8 Que fizemos nós para merecer este tratamento?, perguntou David. Porque não posso eu combater os vossos inimigos?

9 No que me diz respeito, insistiu Aquis, tu és tão recto como um anjo de Deus. Mas é que os meus comandantes militares receiam ter-vos com eles durante a batalha. Por isso, levantem-se cedo e vão-se embora logo que amanheça.

11 Então David voltou para a terra dos filisteus, enquanto o exército deles se dirigia para Jezreel.

1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their hosts, towards Aphek,and, the Israelites, were encamping by the fountain, that is in Jezreel.

2 And, the lords of the Philistines, were passing on by hundreds, and by thousands,but, David and his men, were passing on in the rear, with Achish.

3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What are these Hebrews ? And Achish said unto the princes of the PhilistinesIs not this David, servant of Saul king of Israel, who hath been with me this year, or two, and I have found in him nothing, from the day of his coming over unto me unto this day?

4 But the princes of the Philistines raged against him, and the princes of the Philistines said unto himLet the man go back, that he may return unto the place which thou didst appoint him, and let him not go down with us, into battle, so shall he not become to us a traitor, in the battle,for, wherewith, should this fellow gain favour with his lord? Would it not be with the heads of those men?

5 Is not this David, of whom they made responses in the dances, saying,Saul, hath smitten, his thousands, But, David, his, tens of thousands?

6 So Achish called for David, and said unto himBy the life of Yahweh, surely, upright, thou art, and, pleasing in mine eyes, have been thy going out and thy coming in with me, in the host, for I have found in thee no wrong, from the day of thy coming in unto me, until this day,but, in the eyes of the lords, displeasing, thou art.

7 Now, therefore, return, and go in peace,so shalt thou not do wrong in the eyes of the lords of the Philistines.

8 Then said David unto AchishBut what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant, from the day that I came before thee, unto this day,that I may not go in and fight, with the enemies of my lord the king.

9 Then answered Achish, and said unto David, I acknowledge that, pleasing, thou art in mine eyes, as a messenger of God,notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines, have said, He shall not go up with us, into the battle.

10 Now, therefore, rise up early in the morning, thou and the servants of thy lord who have come with thee,yea, as soon as ye have risen early in the morning, and have light, then depart.

11 So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines,but, the Philistines, went up to Jezreel.