David Allied with the Philistines

27 And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will 1despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.” 2 Then David arose aand went over with the six hundred men who were with him bto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 So David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, and David cwith his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s widow. 4 And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath; so he sought him no more.

5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” 6 So Achish gave him Ziklag that day. Therefore dZiklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 Now 2the time that David edwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months.

8 And David and his men went up and raided fthe Geshurites, gthe 3Girzites, and the hAmalekites. For those nations were the inhabitants of the land from 4of old, ias you go to Shur, even as far as the land of Egypt. 9 Whenever David 5attacked the land, he left neither man nor woman alive, but took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the apparel, and returned and came to Achish. 10 Then Achish would say, “Where have you made a raid today?” And David would say, “Against the southern area of Judah, or against the southern area of jthe Jerahmeelites, or against the southern area of kthe Kenites.” 11 David would save neither man nor woman alive, to bring news to Gath, saying, “Lest they should inform on us, saying, ‘Thus David did.’ ” And thus was his behavior all the time he dwelt in the country of the Philistines. 12 So Achish believed David, saying, “He has made his people Israel utterly abhor him; therefore he will be my servant forever.”