1 A nd 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, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.”

2 A nd David riseth, and passeth over, he and six hundred men who with him, unto Achish son of Maoch king of Gath;

Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men who were with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 a nd David dwelleth with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each one with his household, David and his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelitess.

So David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s widow.

4 A nd 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 had fled to Gath; so he sought him no more.

5 A nd 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?'

Then David said to Achish, “If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?”

6 A nd Achish giveth to him in that day Ziklag, therefore hath Ziklag been to the kings of Judah till this day.

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

7 A nd the number of the days which David hath dwelt in the field of the Philistines days and four months;

Now the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months.

8 a nd 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 raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. For those nations were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as you go to Shur, even as far as the land of Egypt.

9 a nd 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.

Whenever David attacked the land, he left neither man nor woman alive, but took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the apparel, and returned and came to Achish.

10 A nd 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.'

Then Achish would say, “Where have you made a raid today?” And David would say, “Against the southern area of Judah, or against the southern area of the Jerahmeelites, or against the southern area of the Kenites.”

11 N either man nor woman doth David keep alive, to bring in to Gath, saying, `Lest they declare against us, saying, Thus hath David done, and thus his custom all the days that he hath dwelt in the fields of the Philistines.'

David would save neither man nor woman alive, to bring news to Gath, saying, “Lest they should inform on us, saying, ‘Thus David did.’” And thus was his behavior all the time he dwelt in the country of the Philistines.

12 A nd 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.'

So Achish believed David, saying, “He has made his people Israel utterly abhor him; therefore he will be my servant forever.”