David Dismissed by the Philistine Lords
1 Samuel 29
As the Philistines muster at Aphek for war against Israel, their commanders distrust David's presence in the ranks and insist that Achish send him away lest he turn against them in battle. Achish reluctantly tells David to leave, and David and his men depart early to return to Philistine territory while the Philistines march on to Jezreel.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonTHE Philistines had now assembled all their armies at Aphek, and Israel were encamped at Endor which is in Jezrael.
BrentonAnd the Philistines gather all their armies to Aphec, and Israel encamped in Aendor, which is in Jezrael.
GreekΚαὶ συναθροίζουσιν ἀλλόφυλοι πάσας τὰς παρεμβολὰς αὐτῶν εἰς Ἀφὲκ, καὶ Ἰσραὴλ παρενέβαλεν ἐν Ἀεδὼρ τὴν ἐν Ἰεζραέλ.
KJVNow the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
JPS—
2
ThomsonNow when the lords of the Philistines were on their march, at the head of their hundreds and thousands, and David and his men were marching in the rear with Angchus,
BrentonAnd the lords of the Philistines went on by hundreds and thousands, and David and his men went on in the rear with Anchus.
GreekΚαὶ οἱ σατράπαι τῶν ἀλλοφύλων παρεπορεύοντο εἰς ἑκατοντάδας καὶ χιλιάδας, καὶ Δαυὶδ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ παρεπορεύοντο ἐπʼ ἐσχάτων μετὰ Ἀγχοῦς.
KJVAnd the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.
JPSAnd the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.
3
Thomsonthe lords of the Philistines said, Who are these marching here? And Angchus said to the generals of the Philistines, Who, but David the servant of Saul? He hath been long with us. This is the second year, and I have found no fault in him from the day he came to me to this day.
BrentonAnd the lords of the Philistines said, Who are these that pass by? And Anchus said to the captains of the Philistines, Is not this David the servant of Saul king of Israel? he has been with us some time, even this second year, and I have not found any fault in him from the day that he attached himself to me even until this day.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπον οἱ σατράπαι τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, τίνες οἱ διαπορευόμενοι οὗτοι; καὶ εἶπεν Ἀγχοῦς πρὸς τοὺς στρατηγοὺς τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, οὐκ οὗτος Δαυὶδ ὁ δοῦλος Σαοὺλ βασιλέως Ἰσραήλ; γέγονε μεθʼ ἡμῶν ἡμέρας τοῦτο δεύτερον ἔτος, καὶ οὐχ εὕρηκα ἐν αὐτῷ οὐθὲν ἀφʼ ἧς ἡμέρας ἐνέπεσε πρὸς μὲ καὶ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης.
KJVThen 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?
JPSThen 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, who hath been with me these days or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away unto me unto this day?’
4
ThomsonBut the generals of the Philistines were offended at him, and said to him, Send this man away and let him return to his place where thou hast fixed him, and let him not go with us to battle, nor be let into the councils of the army. How can he reconcile himself to his master? Will it not be with the heads of these men?
BrentonAnd the captains of the Philistines were displeased at him, and they say to him, Send the man away, and let him return to his place, where thou didst set him; and let him not come with us to the war, and let him not be a traitor in the camp: and wherewith will he be reconciled to his master? will it not be with the heads of those men?
GreekΚαὶ ἐλυπήθησαν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ οἱ στρατηγοὶ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, ἀπόστρεψον τὸν ἄνδρα, καὶ ἀποστραφήτω εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ, οὗ κατέστησας αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ, καὶ μὴ ἐρχέσθω μεθʼ ἡμῶν εἰς τὸν πόλεμον, καὶ μὴ γινέσθω ἐπίβουλος τῆς παρεμβολῆς· καὶ ἐν τίνι διαλλαγήσεται οὗτος τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτοῦ; οὐχὶ ἐν ταῖς κεφαλαῖς τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐκείνων;
KJVAnd 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?
JPSBut the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him: ‘Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us; for wherewith should this fellow reconcile himself unto his lord? should it not be with the heads of these men?
5
ThomsonIs not this the David of whom they sang the responsive song in choirs, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
BrentonIs not this David whom they celebrated in dances, saying, Saul has smitten his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
Greekοὐχ οὗτος Δαυὶδ, ᾧ ἐξῆρχον ἐν χοροῖς, λέγοντες, ἐπάταξε Σαοὺλ ἐν χιλιάσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ Δαυὶδ ἐν μυριάσιν αὐτοῦ;
KJVIs not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
JPSIs not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying: Saul hath slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands?’
6
ThomsonThen Angchus called David, and said to him, As the Lord liveth, Thou art good, and upright in my eyes, and so is thy going out and thy coming in with me in the army. Indeed I have not found anything amiss in thee from the day of thy coming to me even to this day. But thou art not in favour with the lords.
BrentonAnd Anchus called David, and said to him, As the Lord lives, thou art right and approved in my eyes, and so is thy going out and thy coming in with me in the army, and I have not found any evil to charge against thee from the day that thou camest to me until this day: but thou art not approved in the eyes of the lords.
GreekΚαὶ ἐκάλεσεν Ἀγχοῦς τὸν Δαυὶδ, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, ζῇ Κύριος, ὅτι εὐθὺς σὺ καὶ ἀγαθὸς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς μου, καὶ ἡ ἔξοδός σου καὶ ἡ εἴσοδός σου μετʼ ἐμοῦ ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ, καὶ ὅτι οὐχ εὕρηκα κατὰ σοῦ κακίαν ἀφʼ ἧς ἡμέρας ἥκεις πρὸς μὲ ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας· καὶ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς τῶν σατραπῶν οὐκ ἀγαθὸς σύ.
KJVThen 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.
JPSThen Achish called David, and said unto him: ‘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
ThomsonNow therefore return, and go in peace, that thou mayst not give offense to the lords of the Philistines.
BrentonNow then return and go in peace, thus thou shalt not do evil in the sight of the lords of the Philistines.
GreekΚαὶ νῦν ἀνάστρεφε καὶ πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην, καὶ οὐ μὴ ποιήσῃς κακίαν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς τῶν σατραπῶν τῶν ἀλλοφύλων.
KJVWherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.
JPSWherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.’
8
ThomsonAnd David said to Angchus, What have I done to thee, and what hast thou found in thy servant from the day I came to thee to this day, that I may not go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?
BrentonAnd David said to Anchus, What have I done to thee? and what hast thou found in thy servant from the first day that I was before thee even until this day, that I should not come and war against the enemies of the lord my king?
GreekΚαὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς Ἀγχοῦς, τί πεποίηκά σοι καὶ τί εὗρες ἐν τῷ δούλῳ σου ἀφʼ ἧς ἡμέρας ἤμην ἐνώπιόν σου καὶ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης, ὅτι οὐ μὴ ἔλθω πολεμήσας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ βασιλέως;
KJVAnd 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?
JPSAnd David said unto Achish: ‘But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been before thee unto this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?’
9
ThomsonAnd Angchus replied to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, but the lords of the Philistines say, He shall not go with us to battle;
BrentonAnd Anchus answered David, I know that thou art good in my eyes, but the lords of the Philistines say, He shall not come with us to the war.
GreekΚαὶ ἀπεκρίθη Ἀγχοῦς πρὸς Δαυὶδ, οἶδα ὅτι ἀγαθὸς σὺ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς μου, ἀλλʼ οἱ σατράπαι τῶν ἀλλοφύλων λέγουσιν, οὐχ ἥξει μεθʼ ἡμῶν εἰς πόλεμον.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd 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
Thomsonnow therefore rise early to-morrow morning, thou and the servants of thy lord who have come with thee, and go to the place where I have fixed thee, and harbour not an evil thought in thy heart; for thou art good in my sight. Be up betimes for the march, and soon as you have light depart.
BrentonNow then rise up early in the morning, thou and the servants of thy lord that are come with thee, and go to the place where I appointed you, and entertain no evil thought in thy heart, for thou art good in my sight: and rise early for your journey when it is light, and depart.
GreekΚαὶ νῦν ὄρθρισον τοπρωῒ σὺ καὶ οἱ παῖδες τοῦ κυρίου σου οἱ ἥκοντες μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ πορεύεσθε εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ κατέστησα ὑμᾶς ἐκεῖ, καὶ λόγον λοιμὸν μὴ θῇς ἐν καρδίᾳ σου, ὅτι ἀγαθὸς σὺ ἐνώπιόν μου· καὶ ὀρθρίσατε ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ φωτισάτω ὑμῖν, καὶ πορεύθητε.
KJVWherefore 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.
JPSWherefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of thy lord that are come with thee; and as soon as ye are up early in the morning, and have light, depart.’
11
ThomsonSo David arose early, he and his men, to go and guard the land of the Philistines, while the Philistines went up to battle at Jezrael.
BrentonSo David arose early, he and his men, to depart and guard the land of the Philistines: and the Philistines went up to Jezrael to battle.
GreekΚαὶ ὤρθρισε Δαυὶδ αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ ἀπελθεῖν καὶ φυλάσσειν τὴν γῆν τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, καὶ οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι ἀνέβησαν πολεμεῖν ἐπὶ Ἰεζραήλ.
KJVSo 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.
JPSSo David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.