And David said
in his heart
, I shall now perish
one
day
by the hand
of Saul
: there is nothing better
for me than that
I should speedily
escape
into the land
of the Philistines
; and Saul
shall despair
of me, to seek
me any more in any coast
of Israel
: so shall I escape
out of his hand
.
And David arose
, and he passed over
with the six
hundred
men
that were with him unto Achish
, the son
of Maoch
, king
of Gath
.
And David dwelt
with Achish
at Gath
, he and his men
, every man
with his household
, even David
with his two
wives
, Ahinoam
the Jezreelitess
, and Abigail
the Carmelitess
, Nabal's
wife
.
And it was told Saul
that David
was fled
to Gath
: and he sought
no more again
for him.
And David said
unto Achish
, If I have now found
grace
in thine eyes
, let them give
me a place
in some
town
in the country
, that I may dwell
there: for why should thy servant
dwell
in the royal
city
with thee?
Then Achish gave
him Ziklag
that day
: wherefore Ziklag
pertaineth unto the kings
of Judah
unto this day
.
And the time that David
dwelt
in the country
of the Philistines
was a full year
and four
months
.
And David and his men
went up
, and invaded
the Geshurites
, and the Gezrites
, and the Amalekites
: for those
nations were of old
the inhabitants
of the land
, as thou goest
to Shur
, even unto the land
of Egypt
.
And David smote
the land
, and left neither man
nor woman
alive
, and took away
the sheep
, and the oxen
, and the asses
, and the camels
, and the apparel
, and returned
, and came
to Achish
.
And Achish said
, Whither
have ye made a road
to day
? And David
said
, Against the south
of Judah
, and against the south
of the Jerahmeelites
, and against the south
of the Kenites
.
And David saved
neither man
nor woman
alive
, to bring
tidings to Gath
, saying
, Lest they should tell
on us, saying
, So did
David
, and so will be his manner
all the while
he dwelleth
in the country
of the Philistines
.
And Achish believed
David
, saying
, He hath made his people
Israel
utterly
to abhor
him; therefore he shall be my servant
for ever
.