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 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.
"And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul"  (1 Samuel 27:1).  David had been warned upon another occasion when he was in Moab to return to Judah  (1 Samuel 22:5); and it does not appear that it was God's will for David to dwell in Philistia at this time.  There is no mention of him having consulted the sacred ephod or having sought the will of God in this matter.  David's character during this sojourn in Philistia did not measure up to the high standard that would have pleased God.