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.

1 大卫心里说： "总有一天， 我会死在扫罗的手里， 我倒不如逃奔到非利士人的国土， 扫罗对我就会死心， 不再在以色列全境寻索我， 我就可以逃脱他的手了。"

2 于是大卫起来， 和跟随他的六百人都越过边界， 到迦特王玛俄的儿子亚吉那里去。

3 大卫和跟随他的人， 以及他们各人的家眷， 都与亚吉一同住在迦特。大卫的两个妻子， 就是耶斯列人亚希暖和作过拿八妻子的迦密人亚比该也都住在那里。

4 有人告诉扫罗， 大卫已经逃到迦特去了， 扫罗就不再寻索他了。

5 大卫对亚吉说： "我若是在你眼前蒙恩， 求你在这地的城市中， 给我一个地方， 让我住在那里。为什么要你的仆人与你一同住在王城呢？"

6 那天， 亚吉就把洗革拉赐给大卫， 因此， 洗革拉直到今日还是属犹大王的。

7 大卫在非利士人的乡镇居住的日子， 共有一年零四个月。

8 大卫和跟随他的人上去袭击基述人、基色人和亚玛力人， 这些人自古以来就是这地的居民， 居于书珥到埃及地之间。

9 大卫攻打那地， 无论男女， 都不让一人存活， 又掳走了牛、羊、驴子、骆驼和衣服， 然后回来， 到亚吉那里去。

10 亚吉问： "你们今天袭击了什么地方呢？"大卫回答： "我们袭击了犹大的南方， 耶拉蔑的南部， 和基尼的南方。"

11 无论男女， 大卫都不让一人活着带到迦特来， 他说： "恐怕他们把我们的事告诉别人， 说： ‘大卫作了这样的事， 他住在非利士人乡镇的日子， 常常这样作。’"

12 亚吉相信了大卫， 心里说： "他在自己的族人以色列中留下了臭名， 他必永远作我的仆人了。"