^27:10When Achish would ask, “Where⁷ did you raid today?” David would say, “The Negev of Judah” or “The Negev of Jeharmeel” or “The Negev of the Kenites.” ^27:11Neither man nor woman would David leave alive so as to bring them back to Gath. He was thinking, “This way they can’t tell on us, saying, ‘This is what David did.’ ” Such was his practice the entire time⁸ that he lived in the country of the Philistines. ^27:12So Achish trusted David, thinking to himself,⁹ “He is really hated¹⁰ among his own people in¹¹ Israel! From now on¹² he will be my servant.”

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Footnotes

7 The translation follows the (ἐπι τίνα, epi tina) and (in quem) which assume אֶל מִי (’el mi, “to whom”) rather than the אַל (’al, “not”). The makes no sense here. Another possibility is that the text originally had אַן (’an, “where”), which has been distorted in the to אַל. Cf. the and the , which have “where.”
8 Heb “all the days.”
9 Heb “saying.”
10 Heb “he really stinks.” The expression is used figuratively here to describe the rejection and ostracism that David had experienced as a result of Saul’s hatred of him.
11 Many medieval Hebrew lack the preposition “in.”
12 Heb “permanently.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

When Achish asked, “Where have you made a raid today?” David would say, “Against the Negeb of Judah,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Jerahmeelites,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Kenites.” And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “lest they should tell about us and say, ‘So David has done.’ ” Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines. And Achish trusted David, thinking, “He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

When Achish asked, “Where did you go raiding today?” David would say, “Against the Negev of Judah” or “Against the Negev of Jerahmeel” or “Against the Negev of the Kenites.” He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, “They might inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’ ” And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. Achish trusted David and said to himself, “He has become so obnoxious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

who inquired, “Where did you raid today?”

David replied, “The south country of Judah,” “The south country of the Jerahmeelites,” or “The south country of the Kenites.”

David 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. So Achish trusted David, thinking, “Since he has made himself repulsive to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever.”

NLTNew Living Translation

“Where did you make your raid today?” Achish would ask.

And David would reply, “Against the south of Judah, the Jerahmeelites, and the Kenites.”

No one was left alive to come to Gath and tell where he had really been. This happened again and again while he was living among the Philistines. Achish believed David and thought to himself, “By now the people of Israel must hate him bitterly. Now he will have to stay here and serve me forever!”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And Achish said, “Against whom have you raided today?” David said, “Against the Negev of Judah and against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites and against the Negev of the Kenites.” And David did not leave alive a man or a woman to bring them back to Gath, thinking, “So that they will not report about us, saying, ‘David did thus and so.’ ” Thus was his practice all the days that he lived in the countryside of the Philistines. And Achish trusted David, saying, “He has made himself utterly hated among his people in Israel, and he will be my servant forever.”

KJV 1900King James Version

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. 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. And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

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