1 David said to himself, "One day I will perish at the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up looking for me throughout the territory of Israel, and I will be safe from him."

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 shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

2 So David arose and went over with his six hundred men to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.

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

3 David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each with their households, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from 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 When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer pursued him.

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

5 Then David said to Achish, "If I have found favor in your eyes, let me have a place in one of the country towns, so that I may live there. Why should your servant remain living in the royal city with you?"

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

6 So that day, Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since.

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

7 David lived in Philistine territory for a year and four months.

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

8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for they had been living in the land from ancient times, from the route to Shur as far as the land of Egypt.

And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.

9 David attacked the land and did not leave alive a man or woman. He took sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing, and then he returned and went 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 When Achish asked, "Where did you raid today?" David replied, "Against the Negev of Judah, against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites, and against the Negev of the Kenites."

And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road 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 David did not leave alive a man or woman to bring to Gath, for he thought, "They might inform against us, saying, 'This is what David did.'" This was his practice the whole time he lived in Philistine territory.

And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.

12 Achish trusted David and thought, "He has made himself utterly detestable to his own people Israel, and he will be my servant forever."

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