1 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 shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.
4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
5 And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?
6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.
7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
9 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.
10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.
11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.
12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

1And Dauid sayd in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me, then that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shal despaire of me, to seeke me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

2And Dauid arose, and hee passed ouer with the sixe hundred men that were with him, vnto Achish the sonne of Maoch king of Gath.

3And Dauid dwelt with Achish at Gath, he, and his men, euery man with his houshold, euen Dauid with his two wiues, Ahinoam the Iezreelitesse, and Abigail the Carmelitesse Nabals wife.

4And it was told Saul, that Dauid was fled to Gath, and he sought no more againe for him.

5 And Dauid said vnto Achish, If I haue now found grace in thine eyes, let them giue mee a place in some towne in the countrey, that I may dwel there: for why should thy seruant dwell in the royall citie with thee?

6Then Achish gaue him Ziklag that day: wherfore Ziklag pertaineth vnto the kings of Iudah vnto this day.

7And the time that Dauid dwelt in the countrey of the Philistines, was a full yeere, and foure moneths.

8 And Dauid and his men went vp and inuaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, euen vnto the land of Egypt.

9And Dauid smote the land, and left neither man nor woman aliue, and tooke away the sheepe, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparell, and returned, and came to Achish.

10And Achish said, Whither haue ye made a rode to day? And Dauid said, Against the South of Iudah, and against the South of the Ierahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.

11And Dauid saued neither man nor woman aliue, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on vs, saying, So did Dauid, and so will be his maner, all the while he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistines.

12And Achish beleeued Dauid, saying, Hee hath made his people Israel vtterly to abhorre him, therefore hee shall be my seruant for euer.

II == 1st Sam 21:10 ; 25:13

 

 

 

 

 

 

III == 1st Sam 25:43

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VI == Josh 15:31 ; 19:5

 

VII == 1st Sam 29:3

 

VIII == Gen 25:18 ; Ex 17:16 ; Josh 13:2 ; 16:10 ; Judg 1:29 l 1st Sam 15:7-8

 

 

 

 

X == Judg 1:16 ; 1st Chr 2:9 , 25

1 But David said to himself: "I shall perish some day at the hand of Saul. I have no choice but to escape to the land of the Philistines; then Saul will give up his continual search for me throughout the land of Israel, and I shall be out of his reach."

2 Accordingly, David departed with his six hundred men and went over to Achish, son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 David and his men lived in Gath with Achish; each one had his family, and David had his two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.

4 When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

5 David said to Achish: "If I meet with your approval, let me have a place to live in one of the country towns. Why should your servant live with you in the royal city?"

6 That same day Achish gave him Ziklag, which has, therefore, belonged to the kings of Judah up to the present time.

7 In all, David lived a year and four months in the country of the Philistines.

8 David and his men went up and made raids on the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites-peoples living in the land between Telam, on the approach to Shur, and the land of Egypt.

9 In attacking the land David would not leave a man or woman alive, but would carry off sheep, oxen, asses, camels, and clothes. On his return he brought these to Achish,

10 who asked, "Whom did you raid this time?" And David answered, "The Negeb of Judah," or "The Negeb of Jerahmeel," or "The Negeb of the Kenites."

11 But David would not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, fearing that they would betray him by saying, "This is what David did." This was his custom as long as he lived in the country of the Philistines.

12 And Achish trusted David, thinking, "He must certainly be detested by his people Israel. I shall have him as my vassal forever."

v 1-4. Often after a mountain top experience of victory, we enter a valley of despair. Compare Elijah’s great victory over the 400 prophets of Baal, only to fall apart at the threats of Jezebel and wish he was dead, 1 Ki. 19. David knows from experience that  his own countrymen would betray him to Saul, and that Saul would go back on his word. Not only did David have his wives along, the 600 men had their households, making concealment and flight almost impossible, and provisions very difficult. He had a lapse of faith in which he failed to realize that though Saul would not keep his promise, the Lord would keep His. God had promised that David would be king, and he would continue to protect him. Without consulting the prophet Gad or Abiathar the priest, David made a determination in the flesh to go into the land of the Philistines. By now they knew David was Saul’s mortal enemy, and they would welcome David as a tentative ally instead of an enemy. Humanly speaking, it worked, and Saul quit pursuing David.

v 5-7. David apparently made a covenant of loyalty with Achish, the king of Gath, if he would grant David’s people a place in the country. This was not only an humble entreaty, but would keep the Israelites from mingling with the Philistines and falling after their gods. Achish generously gave David the remote town of Ziklag, which thereafter remained in Israel’s hands. This was David’s home a year and four months.

v 8,9. David gained valuable provisions as well as military experience for his group by attacking and annihilating Israel’s enemies south of Judah and the Philistines in the present Gaza strip and beyond, then he returned. 

v 10-12. David did not want Achish to begin to feel uneasy about his exploits, so he gave him an answer that amounted to a lie. His sortie had truly been to the south of Judah, but he left the impression it was against the south part of Judah. He had left none alive to tell, so Achish concluded that David had made himself so repulsive to the people of Judah that he would be his permanent servant. David later regretted his deception and said, “remove from me the way of lying”, Ps. 119:29.