1 David thought to himself, "One of these days I will be swept away by Saul's hand. The best thing for me is to escape quickly to the land of the Philistines. Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel's territory, and I will be out of his reach."
2 David set out and crossed over with his six hundred men to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3 David settled with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each with his household; David had his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow.
4 Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, and he stopped searching for him.
5 David said to Achish, "If I have found favor in your sight, let me be given a place in one of the towns in the countryside, so I can live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?"
6 That day Achish gave him Ziklag; that is why Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.
7 David lived in Philistine territory for a year and four months.
8 David and his men would go up and raid the Geshurites, the Gezrites and the Amalekites, who had lived in the land from ancient times, toward Shur and as far as the land of Egypt.
9 David would attack the land and leave no man or woman alive; he took the sheep and cattle, the donkeys and camels, and the clothing, and came back to Achish.
10 Achish would ask, "Where did you raid today?" and David would say, "Against the Negev of Judah," or "Against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites," or "Against the Negev of the Kenites."
11 David left no man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, "They might report on us and say, 'This is what David did.'" That was his way the whole time he lived in Philistine territory.
12 Achish believed David. He thought, "He has made himself thoroughly hated by his people Israel, so he will be my servant for ever."