1 Samuel 27
1 David, however, said to himself, “One of these days now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me all over Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”
And Dauid seide in his herte, Sumtyme Y schal falle in o dai in the hond of Saul; whether it is not betere, that Y fle, and be sauyd in the lond of Filisteis, that Saul dispeire, and cesse to seke me in alle the endis of Israel; therfor fle we hise hondis.
2 So David set out with his six hundred men and went to Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath.
And Dauid roos, and yede, he and sixe hundrid men with hym, to Achis, the sone of Maoth, kyng of Geth.
3 David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal.
And Dauid dwellide with Achis in Geth, he, and hise men, and his hows; Dauid, and hise twei wyues, Achynoem of Jezrael, and Abigail, the wijf of Nabal of Carmele.
4 And when Saul learned that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.
And it was teld to Saul, that Dauid fledde in to Geth; and he addide no more `that he schulde seke Dauid.
5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let me be assigned a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. For why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”
Forsothe Dauid seide to Achis, If Y haue founden grace in thin iyen, a place be youun to me in oon of the citees of this cuntrey, that Y dwelle there; for whi dwellith thi seruaunt in the citee of the kyng with thee?
6 That day Achish gave him Ziklag, and to this day it still belongs to the kings of Judah.
Therfor Achis yaf to hym Sichelech in that dai, for which cause Sichelech was maad in to the possessioun of the kyngis of Juda `til in to this dai.
7 And the time that David lived in Philistine territory amounted to a year and four months.
Forsothe the noumbre of daies, in whiche Dauid dwellide in the cuntrei of Filisteis, was of foure monethis.
8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these people had inhabited the land extending to Shur and Egypt.)
And Dauid stiede, and hise men, and token preies of Gethsuri, and of Gethri, and of men of Amalech; for these townes weren enhabitid bi eld tyme in the lond, to men goynge to Sur, `til to the lond of Egipt.
9 Whenever David attacked a territory, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but he took the flocks and herds, the donkeys, camels, and clothing. Then he would return to Achish,
And Dauid smoot al the lond of hem, and lefte not man `lyuynge and womman; and he took scheep, and oxun, and assis, and camels, and clothis, and turnede ayen, and cam to Achis.
10 who would ask him, “What have you raided today?” And David would reply, “The Negev of Judah,” or “The Negev of Jerahmeel,” or “The Negev of the Kenites.”
Sotheli Achis seide to hym, `In to whom `hurliden ye to dai? Dauid answeride, Ayens the south of Juda, and ayens the south of Hiramel, and ayens the south of Ceney.
11 David did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he said, “Otherwise they will report us, saying, ‘This is what David did.’” And this was David’s custom the whole time he lived in Philistine territory.
Dauid left not quik man and womman, nether brouyte `in to Geth, and se ide, Lest perauenture thei speken ayens vs. Dauid dide these thingis, and this was his doom, in alle daies in whiche he dwellide in the cuntrei of Filisteis.
12 So Achish trusted David, thinking, “Since he has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever.”
Therfor Achis bileuyde to Dauid, and seide, Forsothe he wrouyte many yuelis ayens his puple Israel, therfor he schal be euerlastynge seruaunt to me.
