1 Samuel 27

David Hides in Enemy Territory

1 David said to himself, “One of these days Saul is going to catch me slipping. Best move, Get outta Israel, hide in Philistine land. Then Saul will stop looking for me.”

2 So David got up and dipped with his 600 men to Gath, linking up with King Achish, son of Maoch.

3 David, his crew, and their families stayed in Gath. He and his two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal’s widow from Carmel, were all there.

4 When Saul heard David ran to Gath, he stopped hunting him.

David Gets His Own Spot

5 David said to Achish, “Look, I do not need to stay in the city with you. Hook me up with a spot in the countryside.”

6 So Achish gave him Ziklag. That is why to this day Ziklag belongs to Judah’s kings.

7 David stayed in Philistine territory for a year and four months.

David Stays Active

8 During that time, David and his crew raided the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites, those were the old enemies of Israel from way back.

9 He wiped out the whole camps, men, women, everybody. Took sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothes, then came back to Achish.

10 Achish would ask, “Where did y’all raid today?” David would say, “Down in Judah,” or “the Jerahmeelites,” or “Kenites.” (He was keeping it vague on purpose.)

11 David did not leave survivors, so nobody could snitch. That is how he operated the whole time he lived in Philistine territory.

12 Achish trusted David and thought, “He has made himself stink to his own people. He will be mine forever now.”