1 Samuel 27

1David, howeverH1732, saidH559 toH413 himselfH3820, “OneH259 of these daysH3117 nowH6258 I will be swept awayH5595 by the handH3027 of SaulH7586. There is nothingH369 betterH2896 for me thanH3588 to escapeH4422 toH413 the landH776 of the PhilistinesH6430. Then SaulH7586 will stopH2976 searchingH1245 for meH4480H5750 all overH3605H1366 IsraelH3478, and I will slipH4422 out of his handH3027.”

2So DavidH1732 set outH6965 withH5973 his sixH8337 hundredH3967 menH376 and wentH5674H1931 toH413 AchishH397 sonH1121 of MaochH4582,1 the kingH4428 of GathH1661. 3DavidH1732 and his menH582 settledH3427 in GathH1661 withH5973 AchishH397H1931. Each manH376 had his family with himH1004, and DavidH1732 had his twoH8147 wivesH802: AhinoamH293 of JezreelH3158 and AbigailH26 of CarmelH3761, the widowH802 of NabalH5037. 4And when SaulH7586 learnedH5046 thatH3588 DavidH1732 had fledH1272 to GathH1661, he noH3808 longerH3254H5750 searched for himH1245.

5Then DavidH1732 saidH559 toH413 AchishH397, “IfH518H4994 I have foundH4672 favorH2580 in your eyesH5869, let me be assignedH5414 a placeH4725 in oneH259 of the outlyingH7704 townsH5892, so I can liveH3427 thereH8033. For whyH4100 should your servantH5650 liveH3427 in the royalH4467 cityH5892 with youH5973?”

6ThatH1931 dayH3117 AchishH397 gaveH5414 him ZiklagH6860, andH3651 toH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117 it still belongs toH1961 the kingsH4428 of JudahH3063. 7And the timeH3117 thatH834 DavidH1732 livedH3427 in PhilistineH6430 territoryH7704 amounted toH1961H4557 a yearH3117 and fourH702 monthsH2320.

8Now DavidH1732 and his menH582 went upH5927 and raidedH6584H413 the GeshuritesH1651, the GirzitesH1511, and the AmalekitesH6003. (FromH3588 ancient timesH5769H935 these peopleH2007 had inhabitedH3427 the landH776 extending to ShurH7793 andH5704 EgyptH4714.) 9Whenever DavidH1732 attackedH5221 a territoryH776, he did notH3808 leaveH2421 a manH376 or woman aliveH802, but he tookH3947 the flocksH6629 and herdsH1241, the donkeysH2543, camelsH1581, and clothingH899.

Then he would returnH7725H935 toH413 AchishH397, 10whoH397H408 would ask himH559, “What have you raided todayH6584H3117?”

And DavidH1732H5921 would replyH559, “The NegevH5045 of JudahH3063,” orH5921 “The NegevH5045 of JerahmeelH3397,” orH413 “The NegevH5045 of the KenitesH7017.”

11DavidH1732 did not leaveH3808 a manH376 or womanH802 aliveH2421 to be broughtH935 to GathH1661, for he saidH559, “OtherwiseH6435 they will reportH5046 usH5921, sayingH559, ‘This is whatH3541 DavidH1732 didH6213.’” And thisH3541 was David’s customH4941 the wholeH3605 timeH3117 he livedH3427 in PhilistineH6430 territoryH7704.

12So AchishH397 trustedH539 DavidH1732, thinkingH559, “Since he has made himself an utter stenchH887 to his peopleH5971 IsraelH3478, he will beH1961 my servantH5650 foreverH5769.”