1
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.
2
David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3
David lived 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
It was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
5
David said to Achish, If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?
6
Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: why Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah to this day.
7
The number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
8
David and his men went up, and made a raid on the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those [nations] were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as you go to Shur, even to the land of Egypt.