Then arose David, and fled, that day, from the face of Saul, - and came in unto Achish, king of Gath.

And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not, this, David, king of the land? Was it not, of this man, that they kept responding in the dances, saying, Saul, hath smitten his, thousands, but, David, his, tens of thousands?

And David laid up these words in his heart, - and feared greatly, because of Achish king of Gath.

Then said Achish unto his servants, - Lo! ye can see, a madman playing his pranks, wherefore should ye bring him in, unto me?

And David arose, and he and the six hundred men that were with him passed over, unto Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.

And David abode with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, - David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal, the Carmelite.

Then said David unto Achish - If, I pray thee, I have found favour in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there, - for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city, with thee?

So Achish gave him, on that day, Ziklag, - wherefore Ziklag hath pertained unto the kings of Judah, unto this day.

Now, when David would smite a land, he used to save alive neither man nor woman, - but took sheep and oxen, and asses and camels, and apparel, and returned, and came in unto Achish.

Then said Achish, Whither have ye made a raid, to-day? And David said - Against the South of Judah, or against the South of the Jerahmeelites, or as far as the South of the Kenites.

And Achish believed in David, saying, - He hath made himself, odious, unto his own people, unto Israel, therefore shall he be my servant all his life long.

And it came to pass, in those days, when the Philistines gathered together their hosts for war, to fight with Israel, that Achish said unto David, Thou must, know, that, with me, shalt thou go forth in the host, thou and thy men.

And David said unto Achish, Therefore, now, shalt thou know what thy servant can do. And Achish said unto David, Therefore, keeper of my head, will I appoint thee, all the days.

And, the lords of the Philistines, were passing on by hundreds, and by thousands, - but, David and his men, were passing on in the rear, with Achish.

Then said the princes of the Philistines, What are these Hebrews doing ? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines - Is not this David, servant of Saul king of Israel, who hath been with me this year, or two, and I have found in him nothing, from the day of his coming over unto me unto this day?

So Achish called for David, and said unto him - By the life of Yahweh, surely, upright, thou art, and, pleasing in mine eyes, have been thy going out and thy coming in with me, in the host, for I have found in thee no wrong, from the day of thy coming in unto me, until this day, - but, in the eyes of the lords, displeasing, thou art.

Then said David unto Achish - But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant, from the day that I came before thee, unto this day, - that I may not go in and fight, with the enemies of my lord the king.

Then answered Achish, and said unto David, I acknowledge that, pleasing, thou art in mine eyes, as a messenger of God, - notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines, have said, He shall not go up with us, into the battle.