1 T hen David said to himself, “Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from 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 speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me to seek me any more within all the limits of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.

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

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

3 A nd David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s widow.

And David abode with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household; David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jizreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.

4 N ow it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.

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

5 T hen David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your sight, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”

And David said to Achish, If now I have found favour in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some country-town, that I may abide there; for why should thy servant abide in the royal city with thee?

6 S o Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.

And Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.

7 T he number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.

And the time that David abode in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.

8 N ow David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt.

And David and his men went up and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Gerzites, and the Amalekites: for those were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, and as far as the land of Egypt.

9 D avid attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish.

And 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.

10 N ow Achish said, “Where have you made a raid today?” And David said, “Against the Negev of Judah and against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites and against the Negev of the Kenites.”

So Achish said, Have ye not 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 D avid did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘So has David done and so has been his practice all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’”

And David left neither man nor woman alive, to bring to Gath, for he said, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David. And such was his custom as long as he abode in the country of the Philistines.

12 S o Achish believed David, saying, “He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.”

And Achish trusted David, saying, He has made himself utterly odious among his people Israel; and he shall be my servant for ever.