1SA-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.

1SA-27:2  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.

1SA-27:3  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.

1SA-27:4  And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and

he

sought no more again for him.

1SA-27:5  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?

1SA-27:6  Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag

pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

1SA-27:7  And the time that David dwelt in the country of the

Philistines was a full year and four months.

1SA-27:8  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.

1SA-27:9  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.

1SA-27:10  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.

1SA-27:11  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.

1SA-27:12  And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his

people

Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for

ever.

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