1 Samuel, 27

1. And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: [there is] nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

1. David thought, "Some day I shall die at the hand of Saul. It is better for me to escape to the land of the Philistines where I shall be beyond his reach and Saul will get tired of searching for me within the borders of Israel."

2. And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that [were] with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

2. So David went with his six hundred men to Achish, son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3. And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, [even] David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.

3. He and his men lived with Achish in Gath; each one had his family with him and David had his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow.

4. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

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

5. And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?

5. David said to Achish, "If I meet with your approval, let me have a place to live in one of the country towns. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?"

6. Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

6. That very day, Achish gave David Ziklag, which since then and up to the present time has belonged to the kings of Judah.

7. And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

7. David lived one year and four months in the country of the Philistines.

8. And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those [nations were] of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.

8. David and his men raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites - all these lived in the land extending from Telem to Shur and the land of Egypt.

9. And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.

9. David would attack the land leaving neither man nor woman alive and carrying off their sheep, oxen, asses, camels and garments. Then he would come back to Achish.

10. 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.

10. Whenever Achish asked, "Whom did you raid this time?" David would answer, "The Negeb of Judah," or "The Negeb of the Jarahmeelites," or "The Negeb of the Kenites."

11. 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.

11. David left neither man nor woman alive. For he said, "If I brought them to Gath, they could talk against us and say: This is what David did." Such was his practice as long as he lived in the country of the Philistines.

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

12. Achish trusted David and said to himself, "David is now hated by his own people. He shall be my servant forever."