1 Samuel 27

1 And David said in his heart: I shall gone day or other fall into the hands of Saul: is it not better for me to flee, and to be saved in the land of the Philistines, that Saul may despair of me, and cease to seek me in all the coasts of Israel? I will flee then out of his hands.

David said in his heart, “I will now perish one day by Saul's hand; there is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines; Saul will give up looking for me any more within all the borders of Israel; in this way I will escape out of his hand.”

2 And David arose and went away, both he and the six hundred men that were with him, to Achis the son of Maoch, king of Geth.

David arose and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish son of Maok, the king of Gath.

3 And David dwelt with Achis at Geth, he and his men: every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each man with his own household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite woman, and Abigail the Carmelite woman, Nabal's wife.

4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Geth, and he sought no more after him.

Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, so he looked for him no longer.

5 And David said to Achis: If I have found favour in thy sight, let a place be given me in one of the cities of this country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?

David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”

6 Then Achis gave him Siceleg that day: for which reason Siceleg belongeth to the kings of Juda unto this day.

So that day Achish gave him Ziklag; that is why Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this very day.

7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines, was four months.

The number of days that David lived in the land of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

8 And David and his men went up, and pillaged Gessuri, and Gerzi, and the Amalecites: for these were of old the inhabitants of the countries, as men go to Sur, even to the land of Egypt.

David and his men attacked various places, making raids on the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those nations were the inhabitants of the land, as you go to Shur, as far as the land of Egypt. They had been living there in the land from ancient times.

9 And David wasted all 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 Achis.

David attacked the land and saved neither man nor woman alive; he took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing; he would return and come again to Achish.

10 And Achis said to him: Whom hast thou gone against today? David answered: Against the south of Juda, and against the south of Jerameel, and against the south of Ceni.

Achish would say, “Against whom have you made a raid today?” David would answer, “Against the south of Judah,” or “Against the south of the Jerahmeelites,” or “Against the south of the Kenites.”

11 And David saved neither man nor woman, neither brought he any of them to Geth, saying: Lest they should speak against us. So did David, and such was his proceeding all the days that he dwelt in the country of the Philistines.

David would keep neither man nor woman alive to bring them to Gath, saying, “So that they cannot say about us, 'David did such and such.'” This was what he did all the while he was living in the country of the Philistines.

12 And Achis believed David, saying: He hath done much harm to his people Israel: therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

Achish believed David, saying, “He has made his people Israel utterly abhor him; he will therefore be my servant forever.”