1David said to his heart, "Now one day I will be snatched by the hand of Saul; nothing is pleasant for me, for I must surely escape to the land of the Philistines, and Saul will despair of seeking me any longer throughout all the border of Israel, and I will escape from his hand."2So David arose and crossed over, he and six hundred men who were with him, to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.3David dwelt with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each man with his house; David and his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelitess.4When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him.5David said to Achish, "If I have now found favor in your eyes, let a place be given to me in one of the cities of the field, and I will dwell there. Why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?"6Achish gave him Ziklag on that day; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah until this day.7The number of the days that David dwelt in the field of the Philistines was a year and four months.8David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for those had dwelt in the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur and as far as the land of Egypt.9David attacked the land and left neither man nor woman alive; he took flocks, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing, then returned and came to Achish.10Achish said, "You did not strip today." David said, "Upon the Negeb of Judah and upon the Negeb of the Jerahmeelite and to the Negeb of the Kenite."11David did not let a man or a woman live to bring to Gath, saying, "Lest they tell upon us, saying, 'Thus David did, and thus his justice all the days that he dwelt in the field of the Philistines.'"12Achish trusted David, saying, "He has made himself stink among his people in Israel; therefore he will be to me for a servant forever."