1 Samuel 27:2-12

2So David arose and crossed over, he and 1the six hundred men who were with him, to 2Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, 3each with his household, even David with 4his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s 5widow. 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 6Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was 7a year and four months.

8Now David and his men went up and raided 8the Geshurites and the Girzites and 9the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to 10Shur even as far as the land of Egypt. 9David 11attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he 12took 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 13made a raid today?” And David said, “Against the 14Negev of Judah and against the 15Negev of 16the Jerahmeelites and against the 17Negev of 18the 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.”