David and the Philistines

1David, 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.”2So David set out with his six hundred men and went to Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath.3David 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.4And when Saul learned that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

5Then 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?”6That day Achish gave him Ziklag, and to this day it still belongs to the kings of Judah.7And the time that David lived in Philistine territory amounted to a year and four months.

8Now 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.)9Whenever 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. Then he would return to Achish,

10who would ask him, “What have you raided today?” And David would reply, “The Negev of Judah,” or “The Negev of Jerahmeel,” or “The Negev of the Kenites.”11David 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.

12So Achish trusted David, thinking, “Since he has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever.”

The Philistines Gather against Israel

1Now in those days the Philistines gathered their forces for warfare against Israel. So Achish said to David, “You must understand that you and your men are to go out to battle with me.”

2David replied, “Then you will come to know what your servant can do.” “Very well,” said Achish. “I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

3Now by this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.

4The Philistines came together and camped at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and camped at Gilboa.5When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid and trembled violently.6He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.

Saul and the Medium of Endor

7Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.” “There is a medium at Endor,” his servants replied.

8So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name.”

9But the woman replied, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has killed the mediums and spiritists in the land. Why have you set a trap to get me killed?”

10Then Saul swore to her by the LORD: “As surely as the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this.”

11“Whom shall I bring up for you?” the woman asked. “Bring up Samuel,” he replied.

12But when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out in a loud voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”

13“Do not be afraid,” the king replied. “What do you see?” “I see a god coming up out of the earth,” the woman answered.

14“What does he look like?” asked Saul. “An old man is coming up,” she replied. “And he is wearing a robe.” So Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed facedown in reverence.

15Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” “I am deeply distressed,” replied Saul. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”

16“Why do you consult me,” asked Samuel, “since the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy?17He has done exactly what He spoke through me: The LORD has torn the kingship out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David.18Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out His burning anger against Amalek, the LORD has done this to you today.19Moreover, the LORD will deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And the LORD will deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”

20Immediately Saul fell flat on the ground, terrified by the words of Samuel. And his strength was gone, because he had not eaten anything all that day and night.

21When the woman came to Saul and saw how distraught he was, she said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice. I took my life in my hands and did as you told me.22Now please listen to your servant and let me set a morsel of bread before you so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.”

23Saul refused, saying, “I will not eat.” But his servants joined the woman in urging him, and he heeded their voice. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.24The woman had a fattened calf at her house, and she quickly slaughtered it. She also took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread.25She served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. And that night they got up and left.

The Philistines Reject David

1Now the Philistines brought all their forces together at Aphek, while Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.2As the Philistine leaders marched out their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched behind them with Achish.

3Then the commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, the servant of King Saul of Israel? He has been with me all these days, even years, and from the day he defected until today I have found no fault in him.”

4But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with Achish and told him, “Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the war. What better way for him to regain the favor of his master than with the heads of our men?

6So Achish summoned David and told him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been upright in my sight, and it seems right that you should march in and out with me in the army, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until this day. But you have no favor in the sight of the leaders.7Therefore turn back now and go in peace, so that you will not do anything to displease the leaders of the Philistines.”

8“But what have I done?” David replied. “What have you found against your servant, from the day I came to you until today, to keep me from going along to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

9Achish replied, “I know that you are as pleasing in my sight as an angel of God. But the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go into battle with us.’10Now then, get up early in the morning, along with your master’s servants who came with you, and go as soon as it is light.”

11So David and his men got up early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

The Amalekites Raid Ziklag

1On the third day David and his men arrived in Ziklag, and the Amalekites had raided the Negev, attacked Ziklag, and burned it down.2They had taken captive the women and all who were there, both young and old. They had not killed anyone, but had carried them off as they went on their way.3When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned down and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.4So David and the troops with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no strength left to weep.5David’s two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken captive.6And David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of every man grieved for his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

David Destroys the Amalekites

7Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it to him,8and David inquired of the LORD: “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” the LORD replied, “for you will surely overtake them and rescue the captives.”

9So David and his six hundred men went to the Brook of Besor, where some stayed behind10because two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the brook. But David and four hundred men continued in pursuit.11Now his men found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David. They gave the man water to drink and food to eat—12a piece of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins. So he ate and was revived, for he had not had any food or water for three days and three nights.13Then David asked him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” “I am an Egyptian,” he replied, “the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me three days ago when I fell ill.14We raided the Negev of the Cherethites, the territory of Judah, and the Negev of Caleb, and we burned down Ziklag.”

15“Will you lead me to these raiders?” David asked. And the man replied, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hand of my master, and I will lead you to them.”

16So he led David down, and there were the Amalekites spread out over all the land, eating, drinking, and celebrating the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and the land of Judah.17And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man escaped, except four hundred young men who fled, riding off on camels.18So David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives.19Nothing was missing, young or old, son or daughter, or any of the plunder the Amalekites had taken. David brought everything back.20And he recovered all the flocks and herds, which his men drove ahead of the other livestock, calling out, “This is David’s plunder!”

The Spoils Are Divided

21When David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him from the Brook of Besor, they came out to meet him and the troops with him. As David approached the men, he greeted them,