1 Samuel 27 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

David said to himself, "One of these days, Saul is going to kill me. The best thing I can do is escape to Philistine territory. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I'll be out of his reach."

So David set out and crossed over with his six hundred men to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.

David settled with Achish in Gath — he and his men, each with their families. David had his two wives with him: Ahinoam from Jezreel, and Abigail from Carmel, Nabal's widow.

When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he stopped searching for him.

David said to Achish, "If I've found favor with you, let me be given a place in one of the outlying towns where I can settle. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?"

So that day Achish gave him Ziklag. That's why Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since.

The total time David lived in Philistine territory was a year and four months.

David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites — these were the peoples who had long inhabited the land stretching toward Shur and all the way to Egypt.

Whenever David attacked a region, he left no one alive — man or woman. He took the sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing, then returned to Achish.

When Achish asked, "Where did you raid today?" David would say, "Against the Negev of Judah," or "Against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites," or "Against the Negev of the Kenites."

David never brought back anyone alive to Gath, thinking, "They might talk about us and say, 'This is what David actually did.'" This was his pattern the entire time he lived in Philistine territory.

Achish trusted David completely, thinking, "He's made himself so despised by his own people Israel that he'll be my servant forever."