<t /><p class="bodytext">In those days the Philistines gathered their troops<n id="1" /> for war in order to fight Israel. Achish said to David, &#8220;You should fully understand that you and your men must go with me into the battle.&#8221;<n id="2" />

But David struck them down from twilight until the following evening. None of them escaped, with the exception of four hundred young men who got away on camels.<n id="1" />

So let my lord the king now listen to the words of his servant. If the <sc>Lordsc> has incited you against me, may he take delight in<n id="1" /> an offering. But if men have instigated this,<n id="2" /> may they be cursed before the <sc>Lordsc>! For they have driven me away this day from being united with the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s inheritance, saying, &#8216;Go on, serve other gods!&#8217;

<p class="bodytext">But the leaders of the Philistines became angry with him and said<n id="1" /> to him, &#8220;Send the man back! Let him return to the place that you assigned him! Don&#8217;t let him go down with us into the battle, for he might become<n id="2" /> our adversary in the battle. What better way to please his lord than with the heads of these men?<n id="3" />