Entonces David se dijo¹: Ahora bien, voy a perecer algún día por la mano de Saúl. Lo mejor para mí es huir² a la tierra de los filisteos^a. Saúl se cansará³, y no me buscará más en todo el territorio de Israel, y escaparé de su mano. 2 Se levantó, pues, David y se pasó con los seiscientos hombres que estaban con él^a a Aquis, hijo de Maoc, rey de Gat^b. 3 Y moró David con Aquis en Gat, él y sus hombres, cada cual con los de su casa^a; David con sus dos mujeres Ahinoam jezreelita, y Abigail la de Carmel^b, viuda¹ de Nabal. 4 Y le dieron la noticia a Saúl que David había huido a Gat, y no lo buscó más.

5 Y David dijo a Aquis: Si he hallado ahora gracia ante tus ojos, que me den un lugar en una de las aldeas en el campo para que habite allí; pues, ¿por qué ha de morar tu siervo contigo en la ciudad real? 6 Aquis le dio Siclag aquel día^a; por eso Siclag ha pertenecido a los reyes de Judá hasta hoy. 7 El número de los días que David habitó en el territorio de los filisteos fue un año¹ y cuatro meses^a.

8 Y subieron David y sus hombres e hicieron incursiones contra los gesuritas^a, los gezritas y los amalecitas^b; porque ellos eran los habitantes de la tierra desde tiempos antiguos, según se va a Shur, hasta la tierra de Egipto^c. 9 David atacaba¹ el territorio, y no dejaba con vida hombre ni mujer, y se llevaba las ovejas, el ganado, los asnos, los camellos y la ropa^a. Entonces regresaba y venía a Aquis. 10 Y Aquis decía: ¿Dónde atacasteis¹ hoy^a? Y David respondía: Contra el Neguev² de Judá, contra el Neguev de Jerameel^b y contra el Neguev de los ceneos^c. 11 David no dejaba con vida hombre ni mujer para traer a Gat, diciendo: No sea que nos descubran¹, diciendo: «Así ha hecho David, y así ha sido su costumbre todo el tiempo que ha morado en el territorio de los filisteos». 12 Aquis confiaba en David diciendo: En verdad que se ha hecho odioso a su pueblo Israel y será mi servidor para siempre.

Then David said ¹to himself, “Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. ^aThere is nothing better for me than ²to escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand.” 2 So David arose and crossed over, he and ^athe six hundred men who were with him, to ^bAchish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, ^aeach with his household, even David with ^bhis two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s ¹widow. 4 Now it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.

5 Then David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your sight, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” 6 So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore ^aZiklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was ^aa year and four months.

8 Now David and his men went up and raided ^athe Geshurites and the Girzites and ^bthe Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to ^cShur even as far as the land of Egypt. 9 David ¹attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he ^atook away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish. 10 Now Achish said, “Where have you ^amade a raid today?” And David said, “Against the ¹Negev of Judah and against the ²Negev of ^bthe Jerahmeelites and against the ³Negev of ^cthe Kenites.” 11 David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘So has David done and so has been his practice all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’” 12 So Achish believed David, saying, “He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.”

Then David said to ¹himself, “Now I will ²perish one day by the hand of Saul. ^aThere is nothing better for me than to safely escape into the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand.” 2 So David set out and went over, he and ^athe six hundred men who were with him, to ^bAchish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David lived with Achish in Gath, he and his men, ^aeach with his own household—David with ^bhis two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s ¹widow. 4 Now it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.

5 Then David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your sight, have them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, so that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” 6 So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore ^aZiklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was ^aa year and four months.

8 Now David and his men went up and attacked ^athe Geshurites, the Girzites, and ^bthe Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to ^cShur even as far as the land of Egypt. 9 David ¹attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he ^atook the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish. 10 Now Achish said, “¹Where did you ^acarry out an attack today?” And David said, “Against the ²Negev of Judah, against the ³Negev of ^bthe Jerahmeelites, and against the ⁴Negev of ^cthe Kenites.” 11 And David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘This is what David has done, and this has been his practice all the time that he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’” 12 So Achish believed David, saying, “He has undoubtedly made himself repulsive among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.”