1 Samuel 27
1 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 escape into the land of the
Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders
of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
2 And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were with
him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3 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.
4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again
for him.
5 And David said unto Achish, If now I have found favor in thine eyes, let them
give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there: for
why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?
6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the
kings of Judah unto this day.
7 And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines
was a full year and four months.
8 And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the
Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those [nations] were the inhabitants of the
land, who were of old, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
9 And David smote the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away
the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel; and he
returned, and came to Achish.
10 And Achish said, Against whom have ye made a raid to-day? And David said,
Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and
against the South of the Kenites.
11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying,
Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so hath been his manner
all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to
abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.