1 Samuel 27

David Flees to the Philistines

1David said in his heart, “Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I escape, escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any more throughout all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand.” 2So David arose and crossed over, he and six hundred men who were with him, to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 4It was told to Saul that David had fled to Gath, and he did not continue to seek him.

Achish Gives David Ziklag

5David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities of the countryside, and I will live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” 6So Achish gave him Ziklag on that day. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7The number of days that David lived in the territory of the Philistines was a year and four months.

David Raids Southern Peoples

8David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for those peoples had inhabited the land from ancient times as far as Shur and as far as the land of Egypt. 9David struck the land and did not keep alive man or woman. He took sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and garments and returned and came to Achish. 10Achish would say, “Where have you raided today?” David would say, “Against the Negev of Judah,” or “against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites,” or “against the Negev of the Kenites.” 11David did not keep alive man or woman to bring to Gath, saying, “Lest they tell concerning us, saying, ‘Thus David did.’” And such was his practice all the days that he lived in the territory of the Philistines. 12Achish trusted David, saying, “He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel, and he shall be my servant forever.”