1Then thought David in his heart: I may perish one day or other by the hands of Israel. There is no better for me, than to flee into the land of the Philistines, that Saul of very despair to find me, may cease to seek me any more in all the coasts of Israel: for so I may escape his hand.
2And David arose and he and the six hundredth men that were with him went unto Achis, the son of Maoch, king of Geth.
3And David dwelt with Achis at Geth, both he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives: Ahinoam the Jezrahelite and Abigail Nabal's wife of Carmel.
4And when it was told Saul that David was fled to Geth, he sought no more for him.
5And David said unto Achis: If I have found grace in thine eyes, let me have a place in some town in the fields, that I may dwell there. For what should thy servant dwell in the head city of the kingdom with thee.
6Then Achis gave him Zikeleg the same day for which cause Zikeleg pertaineth unto the kings of Juda unto this day.
7And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines, was a year and four months.
8And David and his men went and ran upon the Gesurites, the Gersites and the Amalekites: which nations were from the beginning the inhabiters of the land, as men go to Sur, and so forth to Egypt.
9And David smote the land and left neither man nor woman alive, and took the sheep, the oxen, the asses, camels, and clothes, and removed and came to Achis.
10And Achis said: have ye not been a roving this day? And David answered: yes in the south of Juda, and in the south of the Jezrahelites, and in the south of the Kenites.
11And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring to Geth, for fear lest they should tell on them saying: so did David and so is his manner all the while he dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
12And Achis believed David saying: he hath made him self to stink unto his people Israel, and thereto he shall be my servant for ever.