1 Samuel 27 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

David Flees to the Philistines

1 Then David ^H1732 said ^H559 to [fn]himself ^H3820, “Now ^H6258 I will [fn]perish ^H5595 one ^H259 day ^H3117 by the hand ^H3027 of Saul ^H7586. There ^H369 is ^H369 nothing ^H369 better ^H2896 for me than ^H3588 to safely ^H4422 escape ^H4422 into the land ^H776 of the Philistines ^H6430. Then Saul ^H7586 will despair ^H2976 of searching ^H1245 for me anymore ^H5750 in all ^H3605 the territory ^H1366 of Israel ^H3478, and I will escape ^H4422 from his hand ^H3027.”

2 So David ^H1732 set ^H6965 out ^H6965 and went ^H5674 over ^H5674, he and the six ^H8337 hundred ^H3967 men ^H376 who ^H834 were with him, to Achish ^H397 the son ^H1121 of Maoch ^H4582, king ^H4428 of Gath ^H1661. 3 And David ^H1732 lived ^H3427 with Achish ^H397 in Gath ^H1661, he and his men ^H376, each ^H376 with his own household ^H1004—David ^H1732 with his two ^H8147 wives ^H802, Ahinoam ^H293 the Jezreelitess ^H3159, and Abigail ^H26 the Carmelitess ^H3761, Nabal’s ^H5037 [fn]widow ^H802. 4 Now it was reported ^H5046 to Saul ^H7586 that David ^H1732 had fled ^H1272 to Gath ^H1661, so he no ^H3808 longer ^H3254 H5750 searched ^H1245 for him.

5 Then David ^H1732 said ^H559 to Achish ^H397, “If ^H518 now ^H4994 I have found ^H4672 favor ^H2580 in your sight ^H5869, have them give ^H5414 me a place ^H4725 in one ^H259 of the cities ^H5892 in the country ^H7704, so that I may live ^H3427 there ^H8033; for why ^H4100 should your servant ^H5650 live ^H3427 in the royal ^H4467 city ^H5892 with you?” 6 So Achish ^H397 gave ^H5414 him Ziklag ^H6860 that day ^H3117; therefore ^H3651 Ziklag ^H6860 has ^H1961 belonged to the kings ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063 to this ^H2088 day ^H3117. 7 The number ^H4557 of days ^H3117 that David ^H1732 lived ^H3427 in the country ^H7704 of the Philistines ^H6430 was a year ^H3117 and four ^H702 months ^H2320.

8 Now David ^H1732 and his men ^H376 went ^H5927 up ^H5927 and attacked ^H6584 the Geshurites ^H1651, the Girzites ^H1630, and the Amalekites ^H6003; for they were the inhabitants ^H3427 of the land ^H776 from ancient ^H5769 times ^H5769, as you come ^H935 to Shur ^H7793 even as far ^H5704 as the land ^H776 of Egypt ^H4714. 9 David ^H1732 [fn]attacked ^H5221 the land ^H776 and did not leave ^H2421 a man ^H376 or a woman ^H802 alive ^H2421, and he took ^H3947 the sheep ^H6629, the cattle ^H1241, the donkeys ^H2543, the camels ^H1581, and the clothing ^H899. Then he returned ^H7725 and came ^H935 to Achish ^H397. 10 Now Achish ^H397 said ^H559, “[fn]Where ^H575 did you carry ^H6584 out ^H6584 an ^H6584 attack ^H6584 today ^H3117?” And David ^H1732 said ^H559, “Against ^H5921 the [fn]Negev ^H5045 of Judah ^H3063, against ^H5921 the [fn]Negev ^H5045 of the Jerahmeelites ^H3397, and against ^H413 the [fn]Negev ^H5045 of the Kenites ^H7017.” 11 And David ^H1732 did not leave ^H2421 a man ^H376 or a woman ^H802 alive ^H2421 to bring ^H935 to Gath ^H1661, saying ^H559, “Otherwise ^H6435 they will tell ^H5046 about ^H5921 us, saying ^H559, ‘This ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 David ^H1732 has done ^H6213, and this ^H3541 has been his practice ^H4941 all ^H3605 the time ^H3117 that he has lived ^H3427 in the country ^H7704 of the Philistines ^H6430.’” 12 So Achish ^H397 believed ^H539 David ^H1732, saying ^H559, “He has undoubtedly ^H887 made ^H887 himself repulsive ^H887 among his people ^H5971 Israel ^H3478; therefore he will become ^H1961 my servant ^H5650 forever ^H5769.”