1 Kad filistieši bija visus savus karapulkus sapulcinājuši Afekā un Israēls bija apmeties teltīs pie avota, kas ir Jezreēlā, 2 un filistiešu lielkungi, kas bija pavēlnieki pār simtiem un pār tūkstošiem, aizgāja garām, bet Dāvids ar saviem vīriem kopā ar Ahišu gāja viņiem pakaļ, 3 tad filistiešu lielkungi jautāja: "Ko šie ebreji te dara?" Un Ahišs atbildēja filistiešu lielkungiem: "Vai jūs to nezināt, ka tas ir Dāvids, Saula, Israēla ķēniņa, kalps, kas visus šos gadus un šīs dienas ir bijis pie manis, un es neesmu pie tā nekā aizdomīga manījis līdz šim laikam, kopš viņš man ir piebiedrojies?" 4 Bet filistiešu lielkungi sašuta par to un sacīja viņam: "Sūti šo vīru atpakaļ! Lai viņš atgriežas savā vietā, kuru tu viņam esi devis, un lai viņš tur paliek, bet lai viņš neiet kopā ar mums karā, ka viņš kaujas laukā nekļūst mūsu pretinieks. Tiešām, kā gan labāk šis vīrs varētu izpatikt savam kungam, ja ne ar mūsu vīru galvām? 5 Tas ir tas pats Dāvids, kuram par godu tie, dejodami dejas solī, dzied daudzinājuma dziesmu: Sauls ir nositis tūkstošus, bet Dāvids desmitiem tūkstošu!" 6 Tad Ahišs aicināja Dāvidu un tam sacīja: "Tik tiešām, ka Tas Kungs dzīvo! Tu esi taisns vīrs un esi bijis pret mani patiesīgs, un es tevi labprāt redzētu gan izejam, gan atgriežamies kopā ar karaspēku nometnē, jo es neesmu manījis tevī nekā ļauna kopš tās dienas, kad tu pie manis atnāci, līdz šai dienai, bet tu neesi patīkams pārējo lielkungu acīm. 7 Tad nu griezies atpakaļ un ej ar mieru, un tu nedari nekā, kas būtu ļauns filistiešu lielkungu acīm!" 8 Un Dāvids sacīja Ahišam: "Ko es īsteni esmu izdarījis, un ko tu esi ļauna savā kalpā manījis kopš tās dienas, kad es nokļuvu pie tevis, līdz šai dienai, ka es nu nevarētu iet un cīnīties pret mana kunga, ķēniņa, ienaidniekiem?" 9 Tad Ahišs atbildēja un sacīja Dāvidam: "Es zinu, ka tu esi patīkams manām acīm, tieši kā Dieva eņģelis, bet filistiešu lielkungi ir tā lēmuši, ka tev nebūs ar mums kopā doties karā. 10 Tad nu celies rītā agri, tu ar sava kunga kalpiem, kas ir tev līdzi nākuši; celieties agri un, kad gaisma būs aususi, dodieties prom!" 11 Tad Dāvids cēlās agri no rīta, viņš un viņa vīri, lai dotos ceļā un lai atgrieztos filistiešu zemē; bet filistieši devās kalnup uz Jezreēlu.
David Is Rejected by the Philistines
1 The Philistines brought all their troops together at Aphek, while the Israelites camped at the spring in Jezreel Valley. 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 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 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 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 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 go back home in peace, and don't do anything that would displease them.”
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 “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 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 started out early the following morning to go back to Philistia, and the Philistines went on to Jezreel.
