And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: {there is} nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. {perish: Heb. be consumed}
David said in his heart, “I will now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel. So shall I escape out of his hand.”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֶל־לִבּ֔וֹ עַתָּ֛ה אֶסָּפֶ֥ה יוֹם־אֶחָ֖ד בְּיַד־שָׁא֑וּל אֵֽין־לִ֨י ט֜וֹב כִּ֣י הִמָּלֵ֥ט אִמָּלֵ֣ט ׀ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וְנוֹאַ֨שׁ מִמֶּ֤נִּי שָׁאוּל֙ לְבַקְשֵׁ֤נִי עוֹד֙ בְּכָל־גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְנִמְלַטְתִּ֖י מִיָּדֽוֹ׃
vayoʾmer david ʾel-libvo ʿatah ʾesapeh yvom-ʾeḥad byad-shaʾvl ʾeyn-liy ṭvob kiy himaleṭ ʾimaleṭ ׀ ʾel-ʾereṣ plishtiym vnvoʾash mimeniy shaʾvl lbaqsheniy ʿvod bkal-gbvl yishraʾel vnimlaṭtiy miyadvo