1 Samuel 27

1 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.

David said in his heart, “I will now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel. So I will escape out of his hand.”

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

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

3 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.

David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.

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

Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, so he stopped looking for him.

5 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?

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

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

Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.

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

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

8 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.

David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those were the inhabitants of the land who were of old, on the way to Shur, even to the land of Egypt.

9 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.

David struck the land, and saved no man or woman alive, and took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned, and came to Achish.

10 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.

Achish said, “Against whom have you made a raid today?” David said, “Against the South of Judah, against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.”

11 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.

David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring them to Gath, saying, “Lest they should tell about us, saying, ‘David did this, and this has been his way all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’”

12 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.

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