﻿1 Samuel.
Chapter 27.
David said in his heart, “One day I will perish by Saul’s hand. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me throughout Israel’s territory, and I will escape from his hand.” 
So David set out and crossed over with the six hundred men who were with him to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath. 
David and his men stayed with Achish at Gath, each with his household. David had his two wives with him: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, who had been Nabal’s wife. 
When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he stopped looking for him. 
David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let me be given a place in one of the country towns to live in. Why should your servant live with you in the royal city?” 
That day Achish gave him Ziklag. That is why Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 
David lived in Philistine territory for a year and four months. 
David and his men would go up and raid the Geshurites, the Gizrites and the Amalekites. These peoples had inhabited the land from ancient times, toward Shur and as far as the land of Egypt. 
When David struck the land, he left neither man nor woman alive. He took sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels and clothing, then returned to Achish. 
Achish would ask, “Did you not raid today?” David would answer, “Against the Negev of Judah, the Negev of the Jerahmeelites and the Negev of the Kenites.” 
David left neither man nor woman alive to bring to Gath, for he said, “They might report on us, saying, ‘This is what David has done.’” This was his practice all the time he lived in Philistine territory. 
Achish trusted David, saying, “He has made himself utterly hated by his people Israel, so he will be my servant forever.” 
