1 ¶ And David said in his heart, In the end I shall be killed some day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than that I should escape once and for all into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more within the borders of Israel; so shall I escape out of his hand.

And David said in his heart, I shall 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 shall I escape out of his hand.

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

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

3 A nd David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each one with his household, David with his two wives, Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, who had been the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

And David dwelt 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 A nd it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, and he sought him no more.

And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

5 A nd David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let me be given a place in one of the cities of the land that I may dwell there, for why should thy slave dwell in the royal city with thee?

And David said unto Achish, If now I have found favor 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?

6 T hen Achish gave him Ziklag that day. Therefore, Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah unto this day.

Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

7 A nd the number of days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was four months and some days.

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

8 ¶ And David and his men went up and invaded the Geshurites and the Gezrites and the Amalekites, for these had inhabited the land for a long time, from as thou goest unto Shur even unto the land of Egypt.

And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those nations were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.

9 A nd David smote 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 Achish.

And David smote the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel; and he returned, and came to Achish.

10 A nd Achish would say, Where have ye raided today? And David would say, Against the south of Judah and towards the Negev of the Jerahmeelites or towards the Negev of the Kenites.

And Achish said, Against whom have ye made a raid to-day? And David said, Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.

11 A nd David left neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David. And this was his manner all the time he dwelt in the land of the Philistines.

And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.

12 A nd Achish believed David, saying, He is making himself abominable unto his people of Israel; therefore, he shall be my slave for ever.

And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.