< 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 saith unto his heart, 'Now am I consumed one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing for me better than that I diligently escape unto the land of the Philistines, and Saul hath been despairing of me — of seeking me any more in all the border of Israel, and I have escaped 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 riseth, and passeth over, he and six hundred men who [are] with him, 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 dwelleth with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each one with his household, [even] David and his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelitess.
4 And it was told Saul that David had fled to Geth; and he no longer sought after him.
And it is declared to Saul that David hath fled to Gath, and he hath not added any 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?
And David saith unto Achish, 'If, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, they give to me a place in one of the cities of the field, and I dwell there, yea, why doth 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.
And Achish giveth to him in that day Ziklag, therefore hath Ziklag been to the kings of Judah till 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 which David hath dwelt in the field of the Philistines [is] days 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 goeth up and his men, and they push unto the Geshurite, and the Gerizite, and the Amalekite, (for they are inhabitants of the land from of old), as thou comest in to Shur and unto 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.
and David hath smitten the land, and doth not keep alive man and woman, and hath taken sheep, and oxen, and asses, and camels, and garments, and turneth back, and cometh 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.
And Achish saith, 'Whither have ye pushed to-day?' and David saith, 'Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelite, and unto the south of the Kenite.'
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.
Neither man nor woman doth David keep alive, to bring in [word] to Gath, saying, 'Lest they declare [it] against us, saying, Thus hath David done, and thus [is] his custom all the days that he hath dwelt in the fields 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 believeth in David, saying, 'He hath made himself utterly abhorred among his people, in Israel, and hath been to me for a servant age-during.'

< Kings I 27 >