1 Samuel 27
1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me to seek me any more within all the limits of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.
And David said in his heart, Now shall I be one day delivered [for death] into the hands of Saul; and there is no good thing for me unless I should escape into the land of the Philistines, and Saul should cease from seeking me through every coast of Israel: so I shall escape out of his hand.
2 And David arose and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were with him, to Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
So David arose, and the six hundred men that were with him, and he went to Anchus, son Ammach, king of Geth.
3 And David abode with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household; David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jizreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.
And David lived with Anchus, he and his men, each with his family; and David and both his wives, Achinaam, the Jezraelitess, and Abigaia the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
4 And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath; and he sought no more for him.
And it was told Saul that David had fled to Geth; and he no longer sought after him.
5 And David said to Achish, If now I have found favour in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some country-town, that I may abide there; for why should thy servant abide in the royal city with thee?
And David said to Anchus, If now your servant has found grace in your eyes, let them give me, I pray you, a place in one of the cities in the country, and I will dwell there: for why does your servant dwell with you in a royal city?
6 And Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.
And he gave him Sekelac in that day: therefore Sekelac came into possession of the king of Judea to this day.
7 And the time that David abode in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.
And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was four months.
8 And David and his men went up and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Gerzites, and the Amalekites: for those were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, and as far as the land of Egypt.
And David and his men went up, and made an attack on all the Gesirites and on the Amalekites: and behold, the land was inhabited, (even the land from Gelampsur) by those who come from the fortified [cities] even to the land of Egypt.
9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.
And he struck the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive; and they took flocks, and herds, and asses, and camels, and raiment; and they returned and came to Anchus.
10 So Achish said, Have ye not made a raid to-day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.
And Anchus said to David, On whom have you made an attack today? And David said to Anchus, On the south of Judea, and on the south of Jesmega, and on the south of the Kenezite.
11 And David left neither man nor woman alive, to bring [them] to Gath, for he said, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David. And such was his custom as long as he abode in the country of the Philistines.
And I have not saved man or woman alive to bring them to Geth, saying, Lest they carry a report to Geth against us, saying, These things David does. And this was his manner all the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines.
12 And Achish trusted David, saying, He has made himself utterly odious among his people Israel; and he shall be my servant for ever.
So David had the full confidence of Anchus, who said, He is thoroughly disgraced among his people in Israel and he shall be my servant for ever.
