1 Samuel 27:4–12

⁴When it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

⁵Now David said to Achish, “If I have found favor with you, let me be given a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” ⁶That day Achish gave Ziklag ^zto him, and it still belongs to the kings of Judah today. ⁷The time that David stayed in the Philistine territory amounted to a year and four months. ^a

⁸David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, ^bthe Girzites, ^cand the Amalekites. ^dFrom ancient times they had been the inhabitants of the region through Shur ^eas far as the land of Egypt. ⁹Whenever David attacked the land, he did not leave a single person alive, either man or woman, but he took flocks, herds, donkeys, camels, and clothing. ^fThen he came back to Achish, ¹⁰who inquired, “Where did you raid today?” ^gh

David replied, “The south country of Judah,” “The south country of the Jerahmeelites,” ⁱor “Against the south country of the Kenites.” ^j

¹¹David did not let a man or woman live to be brought to Gath, for he said, “Or they will inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’ ” This was David’s custom during the whole time he stayed in the Philistine territory. ¹²So Achish trusted David, thinking, “Since he has made himself detestable to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever.”