He fled to the Philistine city of Gath. (1Sa 18:8, 9; 20:33; 21:10) There the servants of King Achish appear to have sought David’s death. But by disguising his sanity, he was able to leave the city unharmed. (1Sa 21:10-15)

Because of continually being hunted by Saul, David again decided to take refuge in Philistine territory. Received favorably by King Achish of Gath, David was given the city of Ziklag. (1Sa 27:1-6) A year or two later, when the Philistines were preparing to fight against Saul’s forces, King Achish, believing that David had become “a stench among his people Israel,” invited him to go along. But the other Philistine axis lords did not trust David, and at their insistence, he and his men returned to Philistia.