Shmuel Alef 27

1. And Dovid said in his lev, I shall now perish yom echad by the yad Sha’ul; there is nothing tov for me than that I should speedily escape into the Eretz Pelishtim; and Sha’ul shall despair of searching for me any more in kol gevul Yisroel; so shall I escape out of his yad.

2. And Dovid arose, and he passed over with the shesh me’ot ish that were with him unto Achish Ben Maoch Melech Gat.

3. And Dovid dwelt with Achish at Gat, he and his anashim, every ish with his bais (household), even Dovid with his two nashim, Achinoam of Yizre’el, and Avigal eshet Naval of Carmel.

4. And it was told Sha’ul that Dovid was fled to Gat; and he sought no more again for him.

5. And Dovid said unto Achish, If I have now found chen in thine eyes, let them give me a makom (place) in some town in the sadeh (country), that I may dwell there; for why should thy eved dwell in the ir hamamlachah (royal city) with thee?

6. Then Achish gave him Tziklag that day; therefore Tziklag belongs unto the Melachim of Yehudah unto this day.

7. And the mispar hayamim that Dovid dwelt in the sadeh of the Pelishtim was four months and two days.

8. And Dovid and his anashim went up, and raided the Geshuri, and the Girzi, and the Amaleki; for they were of old the inhabitants of HaAretz, as thou goest to Shur, even unto Eretz Mitzrayim.

9. And Dovid attacked the land, and left neither ish nor isha alive, and took away the tzon, and the bakar, and the chamorim, and the gemalim, and the begadim, and returned, and came to Achish.

10. And Achish said, Where have ye raided today? And Dovid said, Against the Negev of Yehudah, or against the Negev of the Yarcheme’eli, or against the Negev of the Keni.

11. And Dovid saved neither ish nor isha alive, to bring [news] to Gat, saying, Lest they should inform on us, saying, So did Dovid, and so has been his mishpat (practice) all the yamim (days) he dwelleth in the sadeh of the Pelishtim (Philistines).

12. And Achish believed Dovid, saying, He hath made his people Yisroel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be eved to me olam (forever).