1 Samuel 22

1 David therefore went from thence and fled to the cave of Odollam. And when his brethren, and all his father’s house had heard of it, they went down to him thither;

David therefore departed thence, and escaped, into the cave of Adullam, —and, when his brethren and all the household of his father heard it, they went down unto him, thither.

2 And all that were in distress and oppressed with debt, and under affliction of mind gathered themselves unto him: and he became their prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.

And there gathered themselves unto him—every one that was in distress, and every one that had a creditor, and every one embittered in soul, and he came to be over them as a prince, —and there were with him, about four hundred men.

3 And David departed from thence into Maspha of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab: Let my father and my mother tarry with you, I beseech thee, till I know what God will do for me.

And David departed thence, to Mizpah of Moab, —and said unto the king of Moab, I pray thee, let my father and my mother dwell with you, until that I know what God will do for me.

4 And he left them under the eyes of the king of Moab, and they abode with him all the days that David was in the hold.

So he set them before the king of Moab, —and they dwelt with him, all the days that David was in the fortress.

5 And Gad the prophet said to David: Abide not in the hold, depart, and go into the land of Juda. And David departed, and came into the forest of Haret.

Then said Gad the prophet unto David—Thou must not abide in the fortress, go and get thee into the land of Judah. So David departed, and entered the forest of Hereth.

6 And Saul heard that David was seen, and the men that were with him. Now whilst Saul abode in Gabaa, and was in the wood, which is by Rama, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him,

And, when Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him—Saul, being seated in Gibeah under the tamarisk-tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants stationed by him, —

7 He said to his servants that stood about him: Hear me now, ye sons of Jemini: will the son of Isai give everyone of you fields, and vineyards, and make you all tribunes, and centurions:

then said Saul unto his servants who were stationed by him—Hear, I pray you, ye Benjamites! What! even to all of you, will the son of Jesse give fields and vineyards? All of you, will he appoint to be princes of thousands, and princes of hundreds?

8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one to inform me, especially when even my son hath entered into league with the soil of Isai? There is not one of you that pitieth my case, nor that giveth me any information: because my son hath raised up my servant against me, plotting against me to this day.

That ye have conspired, all of you, against me, and there is none to uncover mine ear as to the covenanting of my son with the son of Jesse? And none from among you that taketh pity upon me, and that uncovereth mine ear [to this], —that, mine own son, hath stirred up, my servants, against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

9 And Doeg the Edomite who stood by, and was the chief among the servants of Saul, answering, said: I saw the son of Isai, in Nobe with Achimelech the son of Achitob the priest.

Then answered Doeg the Edomite—he, being stationed near the servants of Saul—and said, —I saw the son of Jesse coming into Nob, unto Ahimelech son of Ahitub;

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

Then enquired he for him of Yahweh, Provisions also, gave he unto him, —and, the sword of Goliath the Philistine, gave he unto him.

11 Then the king sent to call for Achimelech the priest the son of Achitob, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nobe, and they came all of them to the king.

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

12 And Saul said to Achimelech: Hear, thou son of Achitob. He answered: Here I am, my lord.

And Saul said, Hear, I pray thee, thou son of Ahitub! And he said—Behold me! my lord.

13 And Saul said to him: Why have you conspired against me, thou, and the son of Isai, and thou hast given him bread and a sword, and hast consulted the Lord for him, that he should rise up against me, continuing a traitor to this day.

And Saul said unto him, Wherefore have ye conspired against me, thou, and the son of Jesse, —in that thou gavest him bread and a sword, and didst enquire for him of God, that he might rise up against me, that he might lie in wait, as at this day?

14 And Achimelech answering the king, said: And who amongst all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son in law, and goeth forth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house?

Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, —But who, among all thy servants, like David, is, faithful, being son-in-law to the king, and, cometh near to have audience with thee, and is, honoured in thy household?

15 Did I begin today to consult the Lord for him? far be this from me: let not the king suspect such a thing against his servant, or any one in all my father’s house: for thy servant knew nothing of this matter, either little or great.

Did I, that day, begin to enquire for him of God? Far from me! Let not the king impute to his servant such a thing, nor to any of the household of my father, for thy servant knoweth nothing of all this, less or more.

16 And the king said: Dying thou shalt die, Achimelech, thou and all thy father’s house.

And the king said: Thou shalt, die, Ahimelech, —thou and all the household of thy father.

17 And the king said to the messengers that stood about him: Turn, and kill the priests of the Lord, for their hand is with David, because they knew that he was fled, and they told it not to me. And the king’s servants would not put forth their hands against the priests of the Lord.

And the king said unto the runners that were stationed by him—Turn ye round and put to death the priests of Yahweh, because, their hand also, is with David, and because they knew that he was, in flight, and unveiled not mine ear. But the servants of the king were not willing to thrust forth their hand, to fall upon the priests of Yahweh.

18 And the king said to Doeg: Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and fell upon the priests and slew in that day eighty-five men that wore the linen ephod.

Then said the king to Doeg, Turn, thou, and fall upon the priests. So Doeg the Edomite turned, and, himself, fell upon the priests, and put to death, that day, four score and five men bearing an ephod of linen;

19 And Nobe the city of the priests he smote with the edge of his sword, both men and women, children, and sucklings, and ox and ass, and sheep with the edge of the sword.

Nob also, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, —and oxen and asses and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

20 But one of the sons of Achimelech the son of Achitob, whose name was Abiathar, escaped, and fled to David,

But there escaped one son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, whose, name, was Abiathar, —and he fled after David.

21 And told him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.

So Abiathar told David, —that Saul had slain the priests of Yahweh.

22 And David said to Abiathar: I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there, that without doubt he would tell Saul: I have been the occasion of the death of all the souls of thy father’s house.

Then said David to Abiathar—I knew, that day, when Doeg the Edomite was, there, that he would, surely tell, Saul. I, am chargeable with all the lives of the house of thy father.

23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life also, and with me thou shalt be saved.

Abide with me! do not fear, for, whoso seeketh my life, seeketh thy life, —for, in safeguard, shall thou be, with me.