David Among the Philistines

¹David thought to himself, "One day Saul will kill me. There is nothing better for me than to escape quickly into the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will escape from him." ²So David set out with his 600 men and went to Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath. ³David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man brought his family, and David brought his two wives—Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail from Carmel, Nabal's wife. ⁴When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he stopped hunting for him. ⁵David said to Achish, "If I have now found grace with you, let them give me a place in one of the country towns where I can live. Why should your servant live with you in the royal city?" ⁶So that day Achish gave him the town of Ziklag. That's why Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. ⁷David lived in Philistine territory for a year and 4 months. ⁸During that time, David and his men raided the Geshurites, the Gezrites, and the Amalekites — peoples who had lived in the region stretching toward Shur and down to Egypt since ancient times. ⁹David attacked the land, leaving no man or woman alive, and took the sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing before returning to Achish. ¹⁰Achish asked, "Where did you raid today?" David replied, "Against the south of Judah, the south of the Jerahmeelites, and the south of the Kenites." ¹¹David left neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, saying, 'Lest they report about us, saying, This is what David did, and this has been his practice the whole time he lived in Philistine territory.' ¹²Achish believed David, saying, "He has made his people Israel utterly abhor him; therefore, he will be my servant forever."