David

David would attack the land, leaving alive neither men nor women, but taking the sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels and clothing. Then he would return and go to Akhish.

Akhish would ask, "Where were you raiding today?" and David would answer, "Against the Negev of Y'hudah," or "Against the Negev of the Yerachme'eli," or "Against the Negev of the Keni."

The reason David spared neither men nor women to be brought to Gat is that he thought, "We don't want them telling on us, saying, 'David did so-and-so.'" That's how he conducted his raids for as long as he lived in the country of the P'lishtim.

And Akhish believed him; he said, "David has caused his own people Isra'el to despise him utterly; he will be my servant forever."

In due time the P'lishtim assembled their armies for war against Isra'el. Akhish told David, "You know, of course, that you and your men will join me and the army in battle."

David answered Akhish, "I see that you already know what your servant will do."Akhish said to David, "For that answer, I am making you my personal bodyguard for life."

ADONAI has done for himself what he foretold through me -ADONAI has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to your fellow countryman David,

The leaders of the P'lishtim were passing by with their hundreds and thousands; David and his men were bringing up the rear with Akhish.

The chiefs of the P'lishtim asked, "What are these Hebrews doing here?"Akhish answered the chiefs of the P'lishtim, "This is David, who was a servant of Sha'ul, king of Isra'el. He's been with me now for well over a year, and I haven't found anything wrong with him between the time he deserted to me and now."

This is David! They used to dance and sing about him, 'Sha'ul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands'!"

So Akhish summoned David and said to him, "As ADONAI lives, you have been upright; and I myself would be more than pleased to have you go on campaign with me; because I haven't found anything wrong with you between the day you arrived and now. However, the chiefs don't trust you.

David said to Akhish, "But what have I done? What have you found in your servant during the time I've been with you that disqualifies me from going and fighting against the enemies of my lord the king?"

Akhish answered David, "I know that you are as good, from my point of view, as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the chiefs of the P'lishtim have said, 'He is not to go up with us to the battlefield.'

David got up early in the morning, he and his men, to leave and go back into the land of the P'lishtim; while the P'lishtim continued up to Yizre'el.

Three days later, when David and his men arrived in Ziklag, they found that the 'Amaleki had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had sacked Ziklag and burned it down;

So when David and his men arrived at the city, there it was, burned down, with their wives, sons and daughters taken captive.

Then David and the people with him cried aloud until they had no more power to cry.

David's two wives had been taken captive - Achino'am from Yizre'el and Avigayil the widow of Naval from Karmel.

David was in serious trouble: the people were talking about stoning him to death, because all the people were in such deep grief, each man over his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in ADONAI his God.

David said to Avyatar the cohen, the son of Achimelekh, "Please bring the ritual vest here to me."Avyatar brought the vest to David.

Then David consulted ADONAI. He asked, "Should I go in pursuit of these raiders? Will I catch up with them?" And [ADONAI] answered him, "Go in pursuit, because you will overtake them and recover everyone and everything."

So David went, he and the six hundred men with him. They came to Vadi B'sor, where those who were to stay behind waited.

Then David continued in pursuit with four hundred men, while two hundred too exhausted to cross Vadi B'sor stayed behind.

They found an Egyptian in the countryside and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink;

David asked him, "To whom do you belong, and where are you from?" He answered, "I'm an Egyptian boy, the slave of an 'Amaleki. My master abandoned me three days ago, because I got sick.