1 AND David said in his heart, Now if I should fall some day into the hands of Saul, it would not be good for me, but it is better for me that I should escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of seeking me any more in the territory of Israel; so I shall escape out of his hands.

2 So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish, the son of Maachah, king of Gath.

3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men and the household of David and his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.

4 And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath; and he sought no more after him.

5 And David said to Achish, If I have now found grace in your eyes, let the people give me a place in one of the towns in the desert, that I may dwell there; so that your servant may not dwell in the royal city with you.

6 Then Achish gave him Zinklag that day; therefore Zinklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.

7 And the time that David dwelt in the land of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

8 And David and his men went up and made raids upon the Geshurites and the Gadolites and the Amalekites; for these nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, and they raided Geshur as far as the land of Egypt.

9 And David smote the land and left neither man nor woman alive, and he took away the sheep and the oxen and the asses and the camels and the apparel; then David returned and came to Achish.

10 And Achish said to David, Where have you made a raid today? And David said, Against the south of Judah and against the south of Jerahmel and against the south of Kailah.

11 And David spared neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, Thus David has done, and such was his custom all the while he dwelt in the land of the Philistines.

12 And Achish believed David, saying, He has surely displeased his people Israel; therefore he has become my servant for ever.