1 Samuel 22

1 David therefore departed from there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.

Then David went away from there, and he fled to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all of his father’s house had heard of it, they descended to him there.

2 And every man who was in distress, and every man who was in debt, and every man who was discontented, gathered themselves to him, and he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

And all those left in distress, or oppressed by debt to strangers, or bitter in soul, gathered themselves to him. And he became their leader, and about four hundred men were with him.

3 And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.

And David set out from there to Mizpah, which is of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, “I beg you, let my father and my mother remain with you, until I know what God will do for me.”

4 And he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the stronghold.

And he left them before the face of the king of Moab. And they stayed with him for all the days that David was in the stronghold.

5 And the prophet Gad said to David, Abide not in the stronghold. Depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.

And the prophet Gad said to David: “Do not choose to stay in the stronghold. Set out and go into the land of Judah.” And so, David set out, and he went into the forest of Hereth.

6 And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.

And Saul heard that David, and the men who were with him, had been seen. Now while Saul was staying in Gibeah, and while he was in the forest that is in Ramah, holding a spear in his hand, with all his servants standing around him,

7 And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites. Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,

he said to his servants who were assisting him: “Listen now, you sons of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give to all of you fields and vineyards, and will he make all of you tribunes or centurions,

8 that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Jesse? And there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.

so that you would all conspire against me, and so that there is no one to inform me, especially when even my son has formed a pact with the son of Jesse? There is no one among you who grieves for my situation, or who would report to me. For my son has raised up my servant against me, seeking to betray me, even to this day.”

9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

Then Doeg, the Edomite, who was standing near, and who was first among the servants of Saul, responding, said: “I saw the son of Jesse, in Nob, with Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, the priest.

10 And he inquired of Jehovah for him, and gave him food, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

And he consulted the Lord for him, and he gave him food. Moreover, he gave him the sword of Goliath, the Philistine.”

11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob. And they came to the king, all of them.

Then the king sent to summon Ahimelech, the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all of his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob, and they all came before the king.

12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

And Saul said to Ahimelech, “Listen, son of Ahitub.” He responded, “Here I am, lord.”

13 And Saul said to him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me to lie in wait as at this day?

And Saul said to him: “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse? For you gave him bread and a sword, and you consulted the Lord for him, so that he might rise up against me, continuing as a traitor even to this day.”

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and is honorable in thy house?

And responding to the king, Ahimelech said: “But who among all your servants is as faithful as David? And he is the son-in-law of the king, and he goes forth at your order, and he is a glory within your house.

15 Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? Be it far from me. Let not the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father, for thy servant knows nothing of all this, less or more.

Did I begin to consult the Lord for him today? May this be far from me! Let not the king suspect this kind of thing against his servant, nor against anyone in all my father’s house. For your servant did not know anything about this matter, either small or great.”

16 And the king said, Thou shall surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

And the king said, “You shall die a death, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”

17 And the king said to the guard who stood about him, Turn, and kill the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of Jehovah.

And the king said to the emissaries who were standing around him: “You shall turn, and put to death the priests of the Lord. For their hand is with David. They knew that he had fled, and they did not reveal it to me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to extend their hands against the priests of the Lord.

18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod.

And the king said to Doeg, “You shall turn and rush against the priests.” And Doeg, the Edomite, turned and rushed against the priests. And he massacred, on that day, eighty-five men, vested with the linen ephod.

19 And Nob, the city of the priests, he smote with the edge of the sword, both men and women, sons and sucklings, and oxen and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

Then he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword; he struck down men and women, little ones and infants, as well as ox and donkey and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

But one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, whose name was Abiathar, escaping, fled to David.

21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Jehovah's priests.

And he reported to him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.

22 And David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.

And David said to Abiathar: “I knew, on that day when Doeg, the Edomite was there, that without doubt he would report it to Saul. I am guilty of all the souls of your father’s house.

23 Abide thou with me. Fear not, for he who seeks my life seeks thy life, for with me thou shall be in safeguard.

You should remain with me. Do not be afraid. For he who seeks my life, seeks your life also, but with me you shall be saved.”