1 Samuel 27:1-28:2
Holman Christian Standard Bible
David Flees to Ziklag
27 David said to himself, “One of these days I’ll be swept away by Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape immediately to the land of the Philistines.(A) Then Saul will stop searching for me everywhere in Israel, and I’ll escape from him.” 2 So David set out with his 600 men(B) and went to Achish son of Maoch,(C) the king of Gath. 3 David and his men stayed with Achish in Gath. Each man had his family with him,(D) and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel,(E) Nabal’s widow. 4 When it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.
5 Now David said to Achish, “If I have found favor with you, let me be given a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” 6 That day Achish gave Ziklag(F) to him, and it still belongs to the kings of Judah today. 7 The time that David stayed in the Philistine territory amounted to a year and four months.(G)
8 David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites,(H) the Girzites,[a] and the Amalekites.(I) From ancient times they had been the inhabitants of the region through Shur(J) as far as the land of Egypt. 9 Whenever David attacked the land, he did not leave a single person alive, either man or woman, but he took flocks, herds, donkeys, camels, and clothing.(K) Then he came back to Achish, 10 who inquired, “Where did you raid today?”[b](L)
David replied, “The south country of Judah,” “The south country of the Jerahmeelites,”(M) or “Against the south country of the Kenites.”(N)
11 David did not let a man or woman live to be brought to Gath, for he said, “Or they will inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’” This was David’s custom during the whole time he stayed in the Philistine territory. 12 So Achish trusted David, thinking, “Since he has made himself detestable to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever.”
Saul and the Medium
28 At that time, the Philistines(O) brought their military units together into one army to fight against Israel. So Achish said to David, “You know, of course, that you and your men must march out in the army[c] with me.”
2 David replied to Achish, “Good, you will find out what your servant can do.”
So Achish said to David, “Very well, I will appoint you as my permanent bodyguard.”(P)
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 27:8 Alt Hb tradition reads Gezerites
- 1 Samuel 27:10 Some Hb mss, Syr, Tg; LXX, Vg, DSS read Against whom did you raid today?
- 1 Samuel 28:1 DSS, LXX read battle
1 Samuel 27:1-28:2
New Living Translation
David among the Philistines
27 But David kept thinking to himself, “Someday Saul is going to get me. The best thing I can do is escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for me in Israelite territory, and I will finally be safe.”
2 So David took his 600 men and went over and joined Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath. 3 David and his men and their families settled there with Achish at Gath. David brought his two wives along with him—Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal’s widow from Carmel. 4 Word soon reached Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he stopped hunting for him.
5 One day David said to Achish, “If it is all right with you, we would rather live in one of the country towns instead of here in the royal city.”
6 So Achish gave him the town of Ziklag (which still belongs to the kings of Judah to this day), 7 and they lived there among the Philistines for a year and four months.
8 David and his men spent their time raiding the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites—people who had lived near Shur, toward the land of Egypt, since ancient times. 9 David did not leave one person alive in the villages he attacked. He took the sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing before returning home to see King Achish.
10 “Where did you make your raid today?” Achish would ask.
And David would reply, “Against the south of Judah, the Jerahmeelites, and the Kenites.”
11 No one was left alive to come to Gath and tell where he had really been. This happened again and again while he was living among the Philistines. 12 Achish believed David and thought to himself, “By now the people of Israel must hate him bitterly. Now he will have to stay here and serve me forever!”
Saul Consults a Medium
28 About that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with Israel. King Achish told David, “You and your men will be expected to join me in battle.”
2 “Very well!” David agreed. “Now you will see for yourself what we can do.”
Then Achish told David, “I will make you my personal bodyguard for life.”
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