“1 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 speedily
escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me,
to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his
hand. 2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men
that [were] with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 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. 4 And it was told Saul that
David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. 5 And David
said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give
me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why
should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? 6 Then Achish gave
him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah
unto this day. 7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the
Philistines was a full year and four months.”
“8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the
Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those [nations were] of old the
inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of
Egypt. 9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive,
and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels,
and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. 10 And Achish said,
Whither have ye made a road 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
[tidings] to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did
David, and so [will be] his manner all the while he dwelleth in the
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.” (1 Samuel 27:1-12 AV)
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