David Flees to the Philistines

27 Then David said to [a]himself, “Now I will [b]perish one day by the hand of Saul. (A)There is nothing better for me than to safely escape into the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand.” So David set out and went over, he and (B)the six hundred men who were with him, to (C)Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David lived with Achish in Gath, he and his men, (D)each with his own household—David with (E)his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s [c]widow. Now it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.

Then David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your sight, have them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, so that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore (F)Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was (G)a year and four months.

Now David and his men went up and attacked (H)the Geshurites, the Girzites, and (I)the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to (J)Shur even as far as the land of Egypt. David [d]attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he (K)took the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish. 10 Now Achish said, “[e]Where did you (L)carry out an attack today?” And David said, “Against the [f]Negev of Judah, against the [g]Negev of (M)the Jerahmeelites, and against the [h]Negev of (N)the Kenites.” 11 And David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘This is what David has done, and this has been his practice all the time that he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’” 12 So Achish believed David, saying, “He has undoubtedly made himself repulsive among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.”

Saul and the Spirit Medium

28 Now it came about in those days that (O)the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Know for certain that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men.” David said to Achish, “Very well, you will learn what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Then I will assuredly make you [i]my bodyguard (P)for [j]life!”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 27:1 Lit his heart
  2. 1 Samuel 27:1 Lit be carried away
  3. 1 Samuel 27:3 Lit wife
  4. 1 Samuel 27:9 Lit struck
  5. 1 Samuel 27:10 DSS indicate Against whom
  6. 1 Samuel 27:10 I.e., South country
  7. 1 Samuel 27:10 I.e., South country
  8. 1 Samuel 27:10 I.e., South country
  9. 1 Samuel 28:2 Lit guardian of my head
  10. 1 Samuel 28:2 Lit all the days

27 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. 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. 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. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

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 [a]country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. And the number of the days that David dwelt in the [b]country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the [c]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. 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, [d]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 [e]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.

28 And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their [f]hosts together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me in the host, thou and thy men. And David said to Achish, Therefore thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my head for ever.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 27:5 Hebrew field.
  2. 1 Samuel 27:7 Hebrew field.
  3. 1 Samuel 27:8 Another reading is, Gizrites
  4. 1 Samuel 27:10 So Septuagint and Vulgate
  5. 1 Samuel 27:11 Hebrew field.
  6. 1 Samuel 28:1 Hebrew camps.