And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

And the servants of Achish said to him, Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

And David laid up these words in his heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

Then Achish said to his servants, Lo, you see the man is mad. Why have you brought him to me?

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

And David lived with Achish of Gath, he and his men, each one with his household; David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's former wife.

And David said to Achish, If I have now found grace in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country so that I may live there. For why should your servant live in the royal city with you?

And Achish gave him Ziklag that day. And Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.

And David struck the land, and did not keep alive man nor woman, and took away the sheep and the oxen and the asses and the camels and the clothing, and returned and came to Achish.

And Achish said, Where have you made a raid today? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.

And Achish believed David, saying, He has made himself to be hated among his people Israel, and has become my servant forever.

And in those days it happened that the Philistines gathered their armies for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, You surely know that you shall go with me to battle, you and your men.

And David said to Achish, Surely you shall know what your servant can do. And Achish said to David, And I will make you keeper of my head forever.

And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands. But David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.

And the rulers of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews doing? And Achish said to the rulers of the Philistines, Is this not David the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years. And I have not found anything evil in him from the day he fell away until today?

And Achish called David and said to him, Surely, as Jehovah lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me until today. But you are not good in the eyes of the lords.

And David said to Achish, But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant so long as I have been with you to this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?

And Achish answered and said to David, I know that you are good in my sight, like an angel of God. But the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

And it happened at the end of three years, two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish son of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, your servants are in Gath.

And Shimei arose and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. And Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath.