1 Samuel 27

1 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.”

And David said in his heart, Now I may yet perish suddenly one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than that I should escape at once into the land of the Philistines, then Saul will abstain from me, to seek me any more in all the territory of Israel: and so shall I escape out of his hand.

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

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

3 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.

And David remained with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, also David with his two wives, Achino'am the Yizre'elitess, and Abigayil, Nabal's wife, the Carmelitess.

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

And when it was told unto Saul that David was fled to Gath, he continued no more to seek for him.

5 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?”

And David said unto Achish, If now I have found grace in thy eyes, let them give me a place in some one of the country-towns, that I may dwell there; for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?

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

Then gave Achish unto him on that day Ziklag: therefore hath Ziklag pertained unto the kings of Judah until this day.

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

And the number of the days that David dwelt in the fields of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

8 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.

And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gizrites, and the 'Amalekites; for these nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, till thou comest to Shur, and as far as the land of Egypt.

9 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.

And David smote the land, and left not alive either man or woman, and took away the flocks, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.

10 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.”

And Achish said, Whither have ye made an inroad today? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Yerachmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.

11 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.

And David left not alive either man or woman, to bring [them] to Gath, saying, That they may not tell on us, saying, So hath David done, and so is his custom all the days he hath dwelt in the fields of the Philistines.

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

And Achish had confidence in David, saying, He hath surely spoiled his odor among his people, among Israel; and he will become unto me a servant for ever.