1 Samuel 27:1-7

New King James Version

David Allied with the Philistines

27 And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will ^[a]despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.” ² Then David arose ^(A)and went over with the six hundred men who were with him ^(B)to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. ³ So David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, and David ^(C)with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s widow. ⁴ And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath; so he sought him no more.

⁵ Then David said to Achish, “If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” ⁶ So Achish gave him Ziklag that day. Therefore ^(D)Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. ⁷ Now ^[b]the time that David ^(E)dwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months.