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.

David said to himself, “Some day Saul will kill me. There is nothing better for me than to run to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will become tired of looking for me any more in the land of Israel. And I will get away from him.”

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.

So David got up and crossed over with his 600 men to 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.

David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men. Each man had those of his family with him. David had with him his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, who had been Nabal’s wife.

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

When Saul was told that David had run to Gath, he looked for him no more.

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?

Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let me be given a place in one of the country towns, that I may live there. For why should your servant live with you in the city of the king?”

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

So Achish gave him the town of Ziklag that day. Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.

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

David lived in the country of the Philistines for a 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.

Now David and his men went up to fight the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. For they had been living in the land a long time, as you come to Shur, even as far as 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.

David destroyed the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive. He took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then 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.

Achish said, “Where have you gone to battle today?” And David said, “Against the Negev of Judah, the Negev of the Jerahmeelites, and the Negev 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.

David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “They might tell about us. They might say, ‘This is what David has done all the time he has lived 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 has made the people of Israel hate him. So he will become my servant forever.”