1 Samuel 27

David Flees to the Philistines

1Then David said 1to himself, “Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. 2There is nothing better for me than 3to 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.” 2So David arose and crossed over, he and 4the six hundred men who were with him, to 5Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, 6each with his household, even David with 7his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s 8widow. 4Now it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.

5Then 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?” 6So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore 9Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was 10a year and four months.

8Now David and his men went up and raided 11the Geshurites and the Girzites and 12the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to 13Shur even as far as the land of Egypt. 9David 14attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he 15took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish. 10Now Achish said, “Where have you 16made a raid today?” And David said, “Against the 17Negev of Judah and against the 18Negev of 19the Jerahmeelites and against the 20Negev of 21the Kenites.” 11David 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.’” 12So Achish believed David, saying, “He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.”