1 D avid said in his heart, “I will 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.”

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 D avid arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to 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 D avid lived 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.

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 S aul was told that David had fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

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

5 D avid said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?”

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 belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.

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

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

David lived in the country of the Philistines for a year and four months.

8 D avid and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, on the way to Shur, even to 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 D avid struck the land, and saved no man or woman alive, and took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he 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 chish said, “Against whom have you made a raid today?” David said, “Against the South of Judah, against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South 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 D avid saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, “Lest they should tell about us, saying, ‘David did this, and this has been his way all the time he has lived in the country 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 chish believed David, saying, “He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him. Therefore he will be my servant forever.”

And Achish believed David, saying, “He has made the people of Israel hate him. So he will become my servant forever.”