1. David said in his heart, “I will now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel. So shall I escape out of his hand.”
2. David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3. David lived 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.
4. Saul was told that David had fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
5. David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?”
6. Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.
7. The number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.