David and the Philistines 1 DBY 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 will despair of me to seek me any more within all the limits of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand. BSB BSB: David, however, said to himself, “One of these days now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me all over Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”
2 DBY And David arose and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were with him, to Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. BSB BSB: So David set out with his six hundred men and went to Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath.
3 DBY And David abode with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household; David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jizreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. BSB BSB: David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal.
4 DBY And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath; and he sought no more for him. BSB BSB: And when Saul learned that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.
5 DBY And David said to Achish, If now I have found favour in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some country-town, that I may abide there; for why should thy servant abide in the royal city with thee? BSB BSB: Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let me be assigned a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. For why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”
6 DBY And Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day. BSB BSB: That day Achish gave him Ziklag, and to this day it still belongs to the kings of Judah.
7 DBY And the time that David abode in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months. BSB BSB: And the time that David lived in Philistine territory amounted to a year and four months.
8 DBY And David and his men went up and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Gerzites, and the Amalekites: for those were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, and as far as the land of Egypt. BSB BSB: Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these people had inhabited the land extending to Shur and Egypt.)
9 DBY 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. BSB BSB: Whenever David attacked a territory, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but he took the flocks and herds, the donkeys, camels, and clothing. Then he would return to Achish,
10 DBY So Achish said, Have ye not made a raid to-day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. BSB BSB: who would ask him, “What have you raided today?” And David would reply, “The Negev of Judah,” or “The Negev of Jerahmeel,” or “The Negev of the Kenites.”
11 DBY And David left neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, for he said, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David. And such was his custom as long as he abode in the country of the Philistines. BSB BSB: David did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he said, “Otherwise they will report us, saying, ‘This is what David did.’” And this was David’s custom the whole time he lived in Philistine territory.
12 DBY And Achish trusted David, saying, He has made himself utterly odious among his people Israel; and he shall be my servant for ever. BSB BSB: So Achish trusted David, thinking, “Since he has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.