1 Samuel 27

1 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.'

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 riseth, and passeth over, he and six hundred men who [are] with him, unto 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 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.

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 hath fled to Gath, and he hath not added any more to seek him.

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

5 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?'

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 giveth to him in that day Ziklag, therefore hath Ziklag been to the kings of Judah till 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 hath dwelt in the field of the Philistines [is] days and four months;

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

8 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,

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 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.

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 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.'

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 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.'

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 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.'

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