1But David thought to himself, 'One day Saul will destroy me. The best thing I can do is escape to Philistine territory. Then Saul will give up searching for me in Israel, and I will be safe from him.'
2So David and his six hundred men left and went to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David brought his two wives — Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal.
4When Saul received word that David had fled to Gath, he gave up pursuing him.
5One day David asked Achish, 'If I have found favor with you, please give me a town in the country where I can live. There is no reason for me to stay in the royal city with you.'
6So Achish gave him Ziklag that day. (Ziklag has been a possession of the kings of Judah ever since.)
7David lived in Philistine territory for a year and four months.
8David and his men went on raids against the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites — people who had long inhabited the land between Telam and Shur in the direction of Egypt.
9David would attack the land, leaving no man or woman alive, and take the sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing. Then he would return to Achish.
10When Achish asked, 'Where did you raid today?' David would say, 'The Negev of Judah,' or 'The Negev of Jerahmeel,' or 'The Negev of the Kenites.'
11David never left a man or woman alive to bring back news to Gath. He reasoned, 'If we leave survivors, they will report about us and say, This is what David does.' This was his practice the whole time he lived in Philistine territory.
12Achish trusted David completely, saying, 'He has made himself so offensive to his people Israel that he will serve me forever.'