Kings I 27

1 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.

And David said, unto his own heart, Now, shall I be swept off, in a single day, by the hand of Saul, —there is nothing for me better than that I, escape, into the land of the Philistines, so shall Saul give up seeking for me any more, in any of the bounds of Israel, so shall I escape out of his hand.

2 So David arose, and the six hundred men that were with him, and he went to Anchus, son Ammach, king of Geth.

And David arose, and he and the six hundred men that were with him passed over, unto Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 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.

And David abode with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, —David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal, the Carmelite.

4 And it was told Saul that David had fled to Geth; and he no longer sought after him.

And, when it was told Saul, that David had fled to Gath, he added no more, to seek him.

5 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?

Then said David unto Achish—If, I pray thee, I have found favour in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there, —for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city, with thee?

6 And he gave him Sekelac in that day: therefore Sekelac came into possession of the king of Judea to this day.

So Achish gave him, on that day, Ziklag, —wherefore Ziklag hath pertained unto the kings of Judah, unto this day.

7 And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was four months.

And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines became a year and four months.

8 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.

And David and his men went up, and made a raid against the Geshurites and the Gizrites and the Amalekites, —for, they, were the inhabitants of the land who had been from age-past times, as thou enterest Shur, even as far as the land of Egypt.

9 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.

Now, when David would smite a land, he used to save alive neither man nor woman, —but took sheep and oxen, and asses and camels, and apparel, and returned, and came in unto Achish.

10 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.

Then said Achish, Whither have ye made a raid, to-day? And David said—Against the South of Judah, or against the South of the Jerahmeelites, or as far as the South of the Kenites.

11 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.

But, neither man nor woman, used David to save alive, to bring into Gath, for he said, Lest they tell of us, saying, —So, hath David done, and, such, his manner, all the days that he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.

12 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.

And Achish believed in David, saying, —He hath made himself, odious, unto his own people, unto Israel, therefore shall he be my servant all his life long.