1 But David thought to himself, “Saul will catch me some day. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up looking for me in Israel. That way I will escape from Saul.”
2 So David and his 600 men left Israel and went to Achish son of Maoch. Achish was king of Gath.
3 David, his men, and their families lived in Gath with Achish. David had his two wives with him—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel. Abigail was the widow of Nabal.
4 People told Saul that David had run away to Gath, so Saul stopped looking for him.
5 David said to Achish, “If you are pleased with me, give me a place in one of the country towns. I am only your servant. I should live there, not here with you in this royal city.”
6 That day Achish gave David the town of Ziklag. And Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since.