David and the Philistines
David, however, said to himself, “One of these days now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me all over Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.” Isa 40:27-31Isa 51:121Sa 16:131Sa 21:10-151Sa 23:171Sa 27:10-111Sa 28:1-2Isa 30:15-16
So David set out with his six hundred men and went to Achish son of Maoch, 1 the king of Gath. 1Sa 21:101Sa 25:131Ki 2:39-401Sa 30:8 David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal. 1Sa 25:42-431Sa 25:18-351Sa 25:31Sa 30:31Sa 30:5 And when Saul learned that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him. 1Sa 26:21
Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let me be assigned a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. For why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” Gen 46:342Co 6:17
That day Achish gave him Ziklag, and to this day it still belongs to the kings of Judah. Neh 11:28Jos 15:311Ch 12:11Ch 12:201Ch 4:301Sa 19:51Sa 30:11Sa 30:14 And the time that David lived in Philistine territory amounted to a year and four months. 1Sa 29:3
Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these people had inhabited the land extending to Shur and Egypt.) 1Sa 15:7-8Jos 13:2Jos 13:13Jdg 1:29Jos 16:101Ch 2:231Ki 9:15-171Sa 30:1 Whenever David attacked a territory, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but he took the flocks and herds, the donkeys, camels, and clothing. 1Sa 15:31Sa 15:7Deu 25:17-19Exo 15:22Gen 16:7Gen 25:18Jos 6:21
Then he would return to Achish, who would ask him, “What have you raided today?” Jdg 1:161Ch 2:251Ch 2:91Sa 30:29Gal 2:11-13Jdg 4:111Sa 15:61Sa 21:2
And David would reply, “The Negev of Judah,” or “The Negev of Jerahmeel,” or “The Negev of the Kenites.”
David did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he said, “Otherwise they will report us, saying, ‘This is what David did.’” And this was David’s custom the whole time he lived in Philistine territory. 1Sa 22:22Pro 12:19Pro 29:25
So Achish trusted David, thinking, “Since he has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever.” 1Sa 13:4Gen 34:30