Dual PanelDavid among the Philistines
1DAVID thought to himself, “One of these days I shall be killed by Saul. The best thing for me to do will be to escape into Philistine territory; then Saul will give up all further hope of finding me anywhere in Israel, search as he may, and I shall escape his clutches.”
2So David and his six hundred men set out and crossed the frontier to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3David settled in Gath with Achish, taking with him his men and their families and his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow.
4Saul was told that David had escaped to Gath, and he abandoned the search.
5David said to Achish, “If I stand well in your opinion, grant me a place in one of your country towns where I may settle. Why should I remain in the royal city with your majesty?”
6Achish granted him Ziklag on that day: that is why Ziklag still belongs to the kings of Judah.
7David spent a year and four months in Philistine country.
8He and his men would sally out and raid the Geshurites, the Gizrites, and the Amalekites, for it was they who inhabited the country from Telaim all the way to Shur and Egypt.
9When David raided any territory he left no one alive, man or woman; he took flocks and herds, donkeys and camels, and clothes too, and then came back again to Achish.
10Achish would ask, “Where was your raid today?” and David would answer, “The Negeb of Judah” or “The Negeb of the Jerahmeelites” or “The Negeb of the Kenites”.
11He let neither man nor woman survive to be brought back to Gath, for fear that they might denounce him and his men for what they had done. This was his practice as long as he remained with the Philistines.
12Achish trusted him, thinking that David had made himself so obnoxious among his own people the Israelites that he would remain his vassal all his life.