David and the Philistines

1  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) דָּוִד֙ (David) אֶל־ (in) לִבּ֔וֹ (his heart), עַתָּ֛ה (Now) אֶסָּפֶ֥ה (I will be swept away) יוֹם־ (day) אֶחָ֖ד (one) בְּיַד־ (by the hand) שָׁא֑וּל (of Saul). אֵֽין־ (There is nothing) לִ֨י (for me) ט֜וֹב (better) כִּ֣י (than) הִמָּלֵ֥ט (that escaping) אִמָּלֵ֣ט׀ (I escape) אֶל־ (to) אֶ֣רֶץ (the land) פְּלִשְׁתִּ֗ים (of the Philistines). וְנוֹאַ֨שׁ (And will despair) מִמֶּ֤נִּי (of me) שָׁאוּל֙ (Saul) לְבַקְשֵׁ֤נִי (to seek me) עוֹד֙ (anymore) בְּכָל־ (in all) גְּב֣וּל (the border) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), וְנִמְלַטְתִּ֖י (and I shall escape) מִיָּדֽוֹ׃ (out of his hand).

2  וַיָּ֣קָם (And arose) דָּוִ֔ד (David), וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ר (and passed over) ה֔וּא (he) וְשֵׁשׁ־ (and the six) מֵא֥וֹת (hundred) אִ֖ישׁ (men) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who were) עִמּ֑וֹ (with him) אֶל־ (to) אָכִ֥ישׁ (Achish) בֶּן־ (son) מָע֖וֹךְ (of Maoch) מֶ֥לֶךְ (king) גַּֽת׃ (of Gath). 3  וַיֵּשֶׁב֩ (And dwelt) דָּוִ֨ד (David) עִם־ (with) אָכִ֥ישׁ (Achish) בְּגַ֛ת (at Gath), ה֥וּא (he) וַאֲנָשָׁ֖יו (and his men), אִ֣ישׁ (each man) וּבֵית֑וֹ (and his household), דָּוִד֙ (and David) וּשְׁתֵּ֣י (and his two) נָשָׁ֔יו (wives)— אֲחִינֹ֙עַם֙ (Ahinoam) הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִ֔ית (the Jezreelitess) וַאֲבִיגַ֥יִל (and Abigail) אֵֽשֶׁת־ (the wife) נָבָ֖ל (of Nabal) הַֽכַּרְמְלִֽית׃ (the Carmelitess). 4  וַיֻּגַּ֣ד (And it was declared) לְשָׁא֔וּל (to Saul) כִּֽי־ (that) בָרַ֥ח (had fled) דָּוִ֖ד (David) גַּ֑ת (to Gath). וְלֹֽא־ (No) יוֹסַף (he) ע֖וֹד (more) לְבַקְשֽׁוֹ׃ס (sought him).

5  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) דָּוִ֜ד (David) אֶל־ (to) אָכִ֗ישׁ (Achish), אִם־ (If) נָא֩ (now) מָצָ֨אתִי (I have found) חֵ֤ן (favor) בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ (in your eyes), יִתְּנוּ־ (let them give) לִ֣י (to me) מָק֗וֹם (a place) בְּאַחַ֛ת (in one) עָרֵ֥י (of the cities) הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה (of the field), וְאֵ֣שְׁבָה (that I may dwell) שָּׁ֑ם (there). וְלָ֨מָּה (And for why) יֵשֵׁ֧ב (should dwell) עַבְדְּךָ֛ (your servant) בְּעִ֥יר (in city) הַמַּמְלָכָ֖ה (the royal) עִמָּֽךְ׃ (with you)?

6  וַיִּתֶּן־ (And gave) ל֥וֹ (to him) אָכִ֛ישׁ (Achish) בַּיּ֥וֹם (day) הַה֖וּא (that) אֶת־ (-) צִֽקְלָ֑ג (Ziklag). לָכֵ֞ן (Therefore) הָיְתָ֤ה (has belonged) צִֽקְלַג֙ (Ziklag) לְמַלְכֵ֣י (to the kings) יְהוּדָ֔ה (of Judah) עַ֖ד (to) הַיּ֥וֹם (day) הַזֶּֽה׃פ (this). 7  וַֽיְהִי֙ (And was) מִסְפַּ֣ר (the number) הַיָּמִ֔ים (of the days) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) יָשַׁ֥ב (dwelt) דָּוִ֖ד (David) בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה (in the field) פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים (of the Philistines) יָמִ֖ים (a year) וְאַרְבָּעָ֥ה (and four) חֳדָשִֽׁים׃ (months).

8  וַיַּ֤עַל (And went up) דָּוִד֙ (David) וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֔יו (and his men) וַֽיִּפְשְׁט֛וּ (and raided) אֶל־ (against) הַגְּשׁוּרִ֥י (the Geshurite), וְהַגִּרְזִי (and the Girzite), וְהָעֲמָלֵקִ֑י (and the Amalekite) כִּ֣י (for) הֵ֜נָּה (those) יֹשְׁב֤וֹת (were the dwellers) הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ (of the land) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) מֵֽעוֹלָ֔ם (of old) בּוֹאֲךָ֥ (in your going) שׁ֖וּרָה (to Shur), וְעַד־ (and as far as) אֶ֥רֶץ (the land) מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (of Egypt). 9  וְהִכָּ֤ה (And whenever struck) דָוִד֙ (David) אֶת־ (-) הָאָ֔רֶץ (the land), וְלֹ֥א (not) יְחַיֶּ֖ה (he left alive) אִ֣ישׁ (a man) וְאִשָּׁ֑ה (or a woman), וְלָקַח֩ (and he took) צֹ֨אן (the sheep), וּבָקָ֜ר (and the oxen), וַחֲמֹרִ֤ים (and the donkeys), וּגְמַלִּים֙ (and the camels), וּבְגָדִ֔ים (and the apparel).

וַיָּ֖שָׁב (And he returned) וַיָּבֹ֥א (and came) אֶל־ (to) אָכִֽישׁ׃ (Achish). 10  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And would say) אָכִ֔ישׁ (Achish), אַל־ (Where) פְּשַׁטְתֶּ֖ם (have you⁺ made a raid) הַיּ֑וֹם (today)?

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And would say) דָּוִ֗ד (David), עַל־ (Against) נֶ֤גֶב (the south) יְהוּדָה֙ (of Judah), וְעַל־ (and against) נֶ֣גֶב (the south) הַיַּרְחְמְאֵלִ֔י (of the Jerahmeelite), וְאֶל־ (and against) נֶ֖גֶב (the south) הַקֵּינִֽי׃ (of the Kenite).

11  וְאִ֨ישׁ (And man) וְאִשָּׁ֜ה (and woman) לֹֽא־ (not) יְחַיֶּ֣ה (would save alive) דָוִ֗ד (David) לְהָבִ֥יא (to be brought) גַת֙ (to Gath), לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying), פֶּן־ (Lest) יַגִּ֥דוּ (they declare it) עָלֵ֖ינוּ (against us) לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), כֹּֽה־ (Thus) עָשָׂ֤ה (did) דָוִד֙ (David). וְכֹ֣ה (And thus) מִשְׁפָּט֔וֹ (was his custom) כָּל־ (all) הַ֨יָּמִ֔ים (the days) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) יָשַׁ֖ב (he dwelt) בִּשְׂדֵ֥ה (in the field) פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ (of the Philistines).

12  וַיַּאֲמֵ֥ן (And believed) אָכִ֖ישׁ (Achish) בְּדָוִ֣ד (David), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), הַבְאֵ֤שׁ (Stinking) הִבְאִישׁ֙ (he stinks) בְּעַמּ֣וֹ (among his people) בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel). וְהָ֥יָה (And he will be) לִ֖י (my) לְעֶ֥בֶד (servant) עוֹלָֽם׃פ (forever).