David Dwells with the Philistines
1 Kingdoms 27, verse 1. David spoke in his heart, saying, “Now the day will come when I shall die by the hand of Saul and be added to my fathers. What is best for me is to be in the land of the Philistines where I will be safe, for Saul will stop searching for me at the borders. Then I will be delivered out of his hand.” 1 Kingdoms 27, verse 2. Then David and the four hundred men with him arose and traveled to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 1 Kingdoms 27, verse 3. And David settled in Gath with Achish, he and his men, each with his family, and David with both wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite woman and Abigail the widow of Nabal, the Carmelite. 1 Kingdoms 27, verse 4. And it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath; so he no longer sought him. 1 Kingdoms 27, verse 5. Then David said to Achish, “If your servant has now found favor in your eyes, indeed offer to me a place in one of the cities in your country, and I will settle there. Why have your servant settle with you, here in your royal city?” 1 Kingdoms 27, verse 6. And that day Achish gave Ziklag to David. That is why Ziklag still belongs to the king of Judah to this very day. 1 Kingdoms 27, verse 7. Now the time David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was four months. 1 Kingdoms 27, verse 8. And David and his men went up and attacked all the Geshurites and the Amalekites, indeed even against the tribes belonging to this area, and against the inhabited cities of Gelamp Shur, from the fortified cities as far as the land of Egypt. 1 Kingdoms 27, verse 9. And he struck the land, and neither man nor woman was left alive. He took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing, and came back to Achish. 1 Kingdoms 27, verse 10. Then Achish said to David, “Where did you attack today?” And David said to Achish, “Upon the south of Judah, upon the south of the Jesmega, and on the south of the Kenites.” 1 Kingdoms 27, verse 11. And David did not leave man or woman alive to bring news to Gath, saying, “Let them not inform on us to those in Gath by saying, ‘Thus David did.’” This was David's behavior as long as he dwelt in the country of the Philistines. 1 Kingdoms 27, verse 12. So David had the full confidence of Achish, who said, “David is now thoroughly abhorred by his own people for having put Israel to shame; he will be my servant forever.”