1
And David[H1732]said[H559] in his heart[H3820], I shall now perish[H5595]one[H259]day[H3117] by the hand[H3027] of Saul[H7586]: there is nothing better[H2896] for me than that[H3588] I should speedily[H4422]escape[H4422] into the land[H776] of the Philistines[H6430]; and Saul[H7586] shall despair[H2976] of me, to seek[H1245] me any more in any coast[H1366] of Israel[H3478]: so shall I escape[H4422] out of his hand[H3027].
2
And David[H1732]arose[H6965], and he passed over[H5674] with the six[H8337]hundred[H3967]men[H376] that were with him unto Achish[H397], the son[H1121] of Maoch[H4582], king[H4428] of Gath[H1661].
3
And David[H1732]dwelt[H3427] with Achish[H397] at Gath[H1661], he and his men[H582], every man[H376] with his household[H1004], even David[H1732] with his two[H8147]wives[H802], Ahinoam[H293] the Jezreelitess[H3159], and Abigail[H26] the Carmelitess[H3762], Nabal's wife[H802].
4
And it was told[H5046]Saul[H7586] that David[H1732] was fled[H1272] to Gath[H1661]: and he sought[H1245] no more again[H3254] for him.
5
And David[H1732]said[H559] unto Achish[H397], If I have now found[H4672]grace[H2580] in thine eyes[H5869], let them give[H5414] me a place[H4725] in some[H259]town[H5892] in the country[H7704], that I may dwell[H3427] there: for why should thy servant[H5650]dwell[H3427] in the royal[H4467]city[H5892] with thee?
6
Then Achish[H397]gave[H5414] him Ziklag[H6860] that day[H3117]: wherefore Ziklag[H6860] pertaineth unto the kings[H4428] of Judah[H3063] unto this day[H3117].
7
And the time[H4557] that David[H1732]dwelt[H3427] in the country[H7704] of the Philistines[H6430] was a full year[H3117] and four[H702]months[H2320].
8
And David[H1732] and his men[H582] went up[H5927], and invaded[H6584] the Geshurites[H1651], and the Gezrites[H1511], and the Amalekites[H6003]: for those[H2007] nations were of old[H5769] the inhabitants[H3427] of the land[H776], as thou goest[H935] to Shur[H7793], even unto the land[H776] of Egypt[H4714].
9
And David[H1732]smote[H5221] the land[H776], and left neither man[H376] nor woman[H802]alive[H2421], and took away[H3947] the sheep[H6629], and the oxen[H1241], and the asses[H2543], and the camels[H1581], and the apparel[H899], and returned[H7725], and came[H935] to Achish[H397].
10
And Achish[H397]said[H559], Whither[H408] have ye made a road[H6584] to day?[H3117] And David[H1732]said[H559], Against the south[H5045] of Judah[H3063], and against the south[H5045] of the Jerahmeelites[H3397], and against the south[H5045] of the Kenites[H7017].
11
And David[H1732]saved[H2421] neither man[H376] nor woman[H802]alive[H2421], to bring[H935] tidings to Gath[H1661], saying[H559], Lest they should tell[H5046] on us, saying[H559], So did[H6213]David[H1732], and so will be his manner[H4941] all the while[H3117] he dwelleth[H3427] in the country[H7704] of the Philistines[H6430].
12
And Achish[H397]believed[H539]David[H1732], saying[H559], He hath made his people[H5971]Israel[H3478]utterly[H887] to abhor[H887] him; therefore he shall be my servant[H5650] for ever[H5769].