1 Samuel 27

1 And David says to his heart, “Now I am consumed by the hand of Saul one day; there is nothing better for me than that I diligently escape to the land of the Philistines, and Saul has been despairing of me—of seeking me anymore in all the border of Israel, and I have escaped out of his hand.”

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.

2 And David rises, and passes over, he and six hundred men who [are] with him, to Achish son of Maoch king of Gath;

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.

3 and David dwells 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.

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.

4 And it is declared to Saul that David has fled to Gath, and he has not added to seek him anymore.

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

5 And David says to Achish, “Now if I have found grace in your eyes, they give a place to me in one of the cities of the field, and I dwell there, indeed, why does your servant dwell in the royal city with you?”

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?

6 And Achish gives Ziklag to him in that day, therefore Ziklag has been for the kings of Judah until this day.

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

7 And the number of the days which David has dwelt in the field of the Philistines [is one year] of days and four months;

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

8 and David and his men go up, and they push toward the Geshurite, and the Gerizite, and the Amalekite (for they are inhabitants of the land from of old), as you come to Shur and to the land of Egypt,

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.

9 and David has struck the land, and does not keep alive man and woman, and has taken sheep, and oxen, and donkeys, and camels, and garments, and turns back, and comes to Achish.

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.

10 And Achish says, “To where have you pushed today?” And David says, “Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelite, and to the south of the Kenite.”

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.

11 David keeps alive neither man nor woman, to bring in [word] to Gath, saying, “Lest they declare [it] against us, saying, Thus David has done, and thus [is] his custom all the days that he has dwelt in the fields of the Philistines.”

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.

12 And Achish believes in David, saying, “He has made himself utterly abhorred among his people in Israel, and has been for a perpetual servant to me.”

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