1 Samuel 27 David goes again to Achish, king of Gath

 1 Samuel 27

David goes again to Achish, king of Gath

1 But David said in his heart, Now some day I will perish by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than to hurriedly flee to the land of the Philistines, that Saul may lose hope of me, and cease to seek me in all the borders of Israel; and so will I escape from his hand.

2 Then David arose, and went with six hundred men who were with him to Achish the son of Maoch king of Gath.

3 And David stayed with Aquis in Gath, he and his men, each with his house: David with both his wives, Aquinoan the Jezreelite, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

4 And when Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he took no further care to look for him.

5 And David said to Achish, If I have found grace in thy eyes, give me a place in one of the cities of the earth, that I may dwell there; for why shall thy servant dwell with thee in the royal city?

6 Then Achish gave him the city of Shiklag that day (wherefore Shiklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day).

7 And it was the number of days that David dwelt in the land of the Philistines, one year and four months.

8 And David went up with his men, and they fell upon the Geshurites, and the Gersites, and the Amalekites: for of old were these dwellers of the land from as one goes to Sur unto the land of Egypt.

9 And David smote that land, and gave neither man nor woman life, and took sheep, and cows, and donkeys, and camels, and garments; and he come back, and come to Aquis.

10 And Achish saying, Where have you gone today? David said: Over the south of Judah, and over the south of the Jerameleites, and over the south of the Kenites.

11 And David gave neither man nor woman life, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest he denounce us, saying, Thus did David. And this was his custom for all the days that he dwelt in the land of the Philistines.

12 And Achish trusted in David, saying, He hath certainly made himself abhorrent to his people in Israel; wherefore you shall be my servant forever