1O exército filisteu concentrou-se em Afeque e os israelitas na fonte de Jezreel.2Na 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.3Então 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 aqui chegou”, foi a resposta de Aquis.4“Manda essa gente embora!”, pediram-lhe, zangados. “É evidente que não irão à batalha connosco, pois voltar-se-iam contra nós. Haveria melhor maneira de se reconciliarem com o seu senhor do que nos traírem durante a luta?5Não te esqueças que este é o homem de quem as mulheres israelitas diziam a dançar: ‘Saul matou os seus milhares e David os seus dez milhares!’ ”6Aquis acedeu, por fim, chamando David e os companheiros: “Tão certo como vive o SENHOR, que 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.7Por favor, não os irritem e vão embora sossegadamente.”8“Que fizemos nós para merecer este tratamento?”, perguntou David. “Porque não posso combater os inimigos do rei, meu senhor?”9“No que me diz respeito”, insistiu Aquis, “tu és tão reto como um anjo de Deus. Contudo, os meus comandantes militares receiam ter-te com eles durante a batalha.10Por isso, levantem-se cedo e vão embora logo que amanheça.”11Então David voltou para a terra dos filisteus, enquanto o exército deles se dirigia para Jezreel.
1Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. (Js 12:18; Js 17:16; Jz 7:1; 1 Sm 4:1; 1 Sm 28:1)2As 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, (Js 13:3; 1 Sm 28:1)3the 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.” (1 Sm 27:7; Dn 6:5)4But 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? (1 Sm 14:21; 1 Sm 27:6; 1 Sm 29:2; 1 Sm 30:1)5Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” (1 Sm 18:7; 1 Sm 21:11)6Then 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. (1 Sm 20:3; 2 Sm 3:25; 2 Rs 19:27; Sl 121:8; Is 37:28)7So go back now; and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.”8And 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?”9And 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.’ (Js 13:3; 2 Sm 14:17; 2 Sm 14:20; 2 Sm 19:27)10Now 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.” (1 Cr 12:19; 1 Cr 12:22)11So 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. (Js 17:16)