David Among the Philistines
1David thought, “Some day Saul will destroy me. So the best thing I can do is escape. I’ll go to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop looking for me everywhere in Israel. His hand won’t be able to reach me.”
2So David and his 600 men left Israel. They went to Achish, the king of Gath. He was the son of Maok. 3David and his men made their homes in Gath near Achish. Each of David’s men had his family with him. David had his two wives with him. They were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail from Carmel. Abigail was Nabal’s widow. 4Saul was told that David had run away to Gath. So he didn’t look for David anymore.
5David said to Achish, “If you are pleased with me, give me a place in one of your country towns. I can live there. I don’t really need to live near you in the royal city.”
6So on that day Achish gave David the town of Ziklag. It has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since that time. 7David lived in Philistine territory for a year and four months.
8Sometimes David and his men would go up and attack the Geshurites. At other times they would attack the Girzites or the Amalekites. All those people had lived in the land that reached all the way to Shur and Egypt. They had been there for a long time. 9When David would attack an area, he wouldn’t leave a man or woman alive. But he would take their sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels and clothes. Then he would return to Achish.
10Achish would ask, “Who did you attack today?” David would answer, “The people who live in the Negev Desert of Judah.” Or he would answer, “The people in the Negev Desert of Jerahmeel.” Or he would answer, “The people in the Negev Desert of the Kenites.” 11David wouldn’t leave a man or woman alive to be brought back to Gath. He thought, “They might tell on us. They might tell Achish who we really attacked.” That’s what David did as long as he lived in Philistine territory. 12Achish trusted David. He thought, “David’s own people, the Israelites, can’t stand him anymore. So he’ll be my servant for life.”
Davide Pakati pa Afilisti
1Davide anaganiza mu mtima mwake nati, “Tsiku lina ine ndidzaphedwa ndi Sauli. Palibe chabwino ndingachite, koma kuthawira ku dziko la Afilisti. Kotero Sauli adzasiya kundifunafuna mʼdziko lonse la Israeli, ndipo ndidzapulumuka.”
2Choncho Davide ndi anthu 600 amene anali nawo anachoka napita kwa Akisi mwana wa Maoki mfumu ya ku Gati. 3Davide anakhala ndi Akisi ku Gati pamodzi ndi ankhondo ake, aliyense ndi banja lake. Davide ali ndi akazi ake awiri, Ahinoamu wa ku Yezireeli ndi Abigayeli wa ku Karimeli, mkazi wamasiye wa Nabala. 4Sauli anamva kuti Davide wathawira ku Gati, ndipo sanamufunefunenso.
5Kenaka Davide anawuza Akisi kuti, “Ngati ndapeza kuyanja pamaso panu mundipatse malo dera limodzi la dziko lanu kuti ndizikhala kumeneko. Mtumiki wanu adzakhala mu mzinda waufumu chifukwa chiyani?”
6Choncho tsiku limenelo Akisi anamupatsa Zikilagi ndipo mzindawo wakhala wa mafumu a Yuda mpaka lero. 7Davide anakhala mʼdziko la Afilisti kwa chaka chimodzi ndi miyezi inayi.
8Tsono Davide ndi anthu ake ankapita kukathira nkhondo Agesuri, Agirizi ndi Aamaleki. (Mitundu ya anthu imeneyi kuyambira kale inkakhala mʼdziko la pakati pa Suri ndi Igupto). 9Davide ankati akathira nkhondo dera lina, sankasiya munthu wamoyo, mwamuna kapena mkazi, koma ankatenga nkhosa, ngʼombe, abulu, ngamira ndi zovala, pambuyo pake nʼkubwerera kwa Akisi.
10Akisi akafunsa kuti, “Kodi lero unapita kukathira nkhondo kuti?” Davide ankayankha kuti, “Ndinapita kukathira nkhondo kummwera kwa Yuda,” mwinanso ankanena kuti, “Ndinapita ku dziko la Ayerahimeeli” kapenanso ankanena kuti, “Ndinapita ku dziko la Akeni.” 11Davide sankasiya mwamuna kapena mkazi wamoyo kuti akafotokozere anthu a ku Gati zochitikazo kuopa kuti opulumukawo akhoza kudzanena kuti “Davide watichita zakutizakuti.” Tsono izi ndi zimene Davide ankachita pamene ankakhala mʼdziko la Afilisti. 12Akisi ankamukhulupirira Davide ndipo ankati mu mtima mwake, “Davide wadzisandutsa munthu woyipa kwambiri pakati pa anthu ake omwe, Aisraeli. Tsono adzakhala mtumiki wanga mpaka kalekale.”
