Then David said
1to himself
, "Now
I will perish
one
day
by the hand
of Saul
. aThere
is nothing
better
for me than
2to 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
."
So David arose
and crossed
over
, he and athe six
hundred
men
who
were with him, to bAchish
the son
of Maoch
, king
of Gath
.
And David lived
with Achish
at Gath
, he and his men
, aeach
with his household
, even David
with bhis two
wives
, Ahinoam
the Jezreelitess
, and Abigail
the Carmelitess
, Nabal's
1widow
.
Now it was told Saul
that David
had fled
to Gath
, so he no
longer
searched
for him.
Then 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?"
So Achish gave
him Ziklag
that day
; therefore
aZiklag
has
belonged to the kings
of Judah
to this
day
.
The number of days
that David
lived
in the country
of the Philistines
was aa year
and four
months
.
Now David and his men
went
up and raided
athe Geshurites
and the Girzites
and bthe Amalekites
; for they were the inhabitants
of the land
from ancient
times
, as you come
to cShur
even as far
as the land
of Egypt
.
David 1attacked
the land
and did not leave
a man
or a woman
alive
, and he atook
away the sheep
, the cattle
, the donkeys
, the camels
, and the clothing
. Then he returned
and came
to Achish
.
Now Achish said
, "Where
have you amade
a raid
today
?" And David
said
, "Against
the 1Negev
of Judah
and against
the 1Negev
of bthe Jerahmeelites
and against
the 1Negev
of cthe Kenites
."
David 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
.' "
So Achish believed
David
, saying
, "He has surely
made
himself odious
among his people
Israel
; therefore he will become
my servant
forever
."