1 Samuel 22

1 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.

And David goes from there, and escapes to the cave of Adullam, and his brothers hear, and all the house of his father, and they go down to him there;

2 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.

and every man in distress gathers themselves to him, and every man who has an exactor, and every man bitter in soul, and he is for head over them, and there are about four hundred men with him.

3 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.”

And David goes from there to Mizpeh of Moab and says to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come out with you, until I know what God does for me”;

4 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.

and he leads them before the king of Moab, and they dwell with him all the days of David’s being in the fortress.

5 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.

And the prophet Gad says to David, “You do not abide in a fortress, go, and you have entered the land of Judah for yourself”; and David goes and enters the forest of Hareth.

6 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,

And Saul hears that David has become known, and the men who [are] with him, and Saul is abiding in Gibeah, under the grove in Ramah, and his spear [is] in his hand, and all his servants [are] standing by him.

7 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,

And Saul says to his servants who are standing by him, “Now hear, sons of Benjamin; does the son of Jesse also give fields and vineyards to all of you? Does he appoint all of you [to be] heads of thousands and heads of hundreds?

8 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.”

For all of you have conspired against me, and there is none uncovering my ear about my son’s cutting [a covenant] with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you grieving for me, and uncovering my ear, that my son has raised up my servant against me, to lie in wait as [at] this day.”

9 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.

And Doeg the Edomite answers, who is set over the servants of Saul, and says, “I have seen the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech son of Ahitub,

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

and he inquires of YHWH for him, and has given provision to him, and has given the sword of Goliath the Philistine to him.”

11 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.

And the king sends to call Ahimelech son of Ahitub, the priest, and all the house of his father, the priests, who [are] in Nob, and all of them come to the king;

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

and Saul says, “Now hear, son of Ahitub”; and he says, “Here I [am], my lord.”

13 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.”

And Saul says to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, by your giving bread and a sword to him, and to inquire of God for him, to rise against me, to lie in wait, as [at] this day?”

14 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.

And Ahimelech answers the king and says, “And who among all your servants [is] as David—faithful, and son-in-law of the king, and has turned aside to your council, and is honored in your house?

15 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.”

Today have I begun to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Do not let the king lay anything against his servant, against any of the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, little or much.”

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

And the king says, “You surely die, Ahimelech, you and all the house of your father.”

17 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.

And the king says to the runners, those standing by him, “Turn around, and put the priests of YHWH to death, because their hand [is] also with David, and because they have known that he is fleeing, and have not uncovered my ear”; and the servants of the king have not been willing to put forth their hand to come against the priests of YHWH.

18 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.

And the king says to Doeg, “Turn around, and come against the priests”; and Doeg the Edomite turns around, and comes against the priests himself, and in that day puts to death eighty-five men bearing a linen ephod,

19 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.

and Nob, the city of the priests, he has struck by the mouth of the sword, from man and to woman, from infant and to suckling, and ox, and donkey, and sheep, by the mouth of the sword.

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

And one son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, escapes, and his name [is] Abiathar, and he flees after David,

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

and Abiathar declares to David that Saul has slain the priests of YHWH.

22 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.

And David says to Abiathar, “I have known on that day when Doeg the Edomite [is] there, that he certainly declares [it] to Saul; I have brought [it] around to every person of the house of your father;

23 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.”

dwell with me; do not fear; for he who seeks my life seeks your life; for you [are my] charge with me.”