David with the Philistines

27 David said to himself, “Some day Saul will kill me. There is nothing better for me than to run to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will become tired of looking for me any more in the land of Israel. And I will get away from him.” ² So David got up and crossed over with his 600 men to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. ³ David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men. Each man had those of his family with him. David had with him his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, who had been Nabal’s wife. ⁴ When Saul was told that David had run to Gath, he looked for him no more.

⁵ Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let me be given a place in one of the country towns, that I may live there. For why should your servant live with you in the city of the king?” ⁶ So Achish gave him the town of Ziklag that day. Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. ⁷ David lived in the country of the Philistines for a year and four months.

⁸ Now David and his men went up to fight the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. For they had been living in the land a long time, as you come to Shur, even as far as the land of Egypt. ⁹ David destroyed the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive. He took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish. ¹⁰ Achish said, “Where have you gone to battle today?” And David said, “Against the Negev of Judah, the Negev of the Jerahmeelites, and the Negev of the Kenites.” ¹¹ David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “They might tell about us. They might say, ‘This is what David has done all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’” ¹² And Achish believed David, saying, “He has made the people of Israel hate him. So he will become my servant forever.”