David Among the Philistines
1But David thought to himself, “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”
2So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maok 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. 4When Saul was told 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 a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”
6So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. 7David lived in Philistine territory 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 peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur and Egypt.) 9Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.
10When Achish asked, “Where did you go raiding today?” David would say, “Against the Negev of Judah” or “Against the Negev of Jerahmeel” or “Against the Negev of the Kenites.” 11He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, “They might inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’ ” And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. 12Achish trusted David and said to himself, “He has become so obnoxious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life.”
Daudi Miongoni Mwa Wafilisti
1Daudi akasema moyoni mwake, “Katika mojawapo ya siku hizi nitaangamizwa kwa mkono wa Sauli. Jambo lililo bora ni kutorokea kwenye nchi ya Wafilisti. Hivyo Sauli atakata tamaa ya kunisaka popote katika Israeli, nami nitakuwa nimeponyoka mkononi mwake.”
227:2 1Sam 30:9; 2:3; 21:10; 1Fal 2:39; 1Sam 25:13Hivyo Daudi akaondoka na hao watu mia sita waliokuwa pamoja naye na kwenda kwa Akishi mwana wa Maoki mfalme wa Gathi. 327:3 1Sam 25:43; 30:3Daudi na watu wake wakakaa huko Gathi pamoja na Akishi. Kila mtu alikuwa pamoja na jamaa yake, naye Daudi pamoja na wakeze wawili: yaani Ahinoamu wa Yezreeli, na Abigaili wa Karmeli, mjane wa Nabali. 4Sauli alipokuwa ameambiwa kwamba Daudi alikuwa amekimbilia Gathi, hakuendelea kumsaka tena.
5Ndipo Daudi akamwambia Akishi, “Kama nimepata kibali machoni pako, unipe sehemu katika mojawapo ya miji katika nchi nikae huko. Kwa nini mtumwa wako akae pamoja nawe katika mji huu wa kifalme?”
627:6 Yos 15:31; 19:5; 1Sam 30:1; 1Nya 12:30; Neh 11:28Hivyo siku hiyo Akishi akampa Daudi mji wa Siklagi, nao Siklagi umekuwa mali ya wafalme wa Yuda tangu wakati huo. 727:7 1Sam 29:3Daudi akaishi katika nchi ya Wafilisti muda wa mwaka mmoja na miezi minne.
827:8 Yos 12:5; Kut 17:14, 16; 1Sam 14:48; 30:1; 2Sam 1:8; 8:12; Mwa 16:5; Kut 15:22; Yos 13:2; Amu 1:29; Mwa 25:18Basi Daudi na watu wake wakapanda na kuwashambulia Wageshuri, Wagirizi na Waamaleki. (Tangu zamani haya mataifa yalikuwa yameishi kwenye eneo lililotanda kuanzia Telemu katika njia iteremkayo Shuri hadi kufikia nchi ya Misri.) 927:9 1Sam 15:3Kila mara Daudi aliposhambulia eneo, hakubakiza hai mwanaume wala mwanamke, lakini alichukua kondoo na ngʼombe, punda na ngamia, na nguo. Kisha akarudi kwa Akishi.
1027:10 1Sam 30:29; Amu 1:16; 1Nya 2:9, 25; Za 14:3; Mit 29:25Akishi alipomuuliza, “Je leo umeshambulia wapi?” Daudi humjibu, “Dhidi ya Negebu ya Yuda,” au wakati mwingine husema, “Dhidi ya Negebu ya Yerameeli,” au “Dhidi ya Negebu ya Wakeni.” 11Daudi hakumwacha hai mwanaume au mwanamke ili apate kuletwa Gathi, kwa maana Daudi aliwaza, “Wanaweza kujulisha habari zetu na kusema, ‘Hivi ndivyo alivyofanya Daudi.’ ” Hii ndiyo ilikuwa desturi yake wakati wote aliishi katika nchi ya Wafilisti. 1227:12 Mwa 34:30; 1Sam 29:6Akishi akamsadiki Daudi na kuwaza moyoni mwake, akasema, “Daudi amekuwa kitu cha kuchukiza kabisa kwa watu wake, Waisraeli, hivi kwamba atakuwa mtumishi wangu milele.”
