1 Samuel 22

1 And David departed thence, and escaped to the cave 'Adullam: and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down to him thither.

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;

2 And there gathered themselves unto him every one that was in distress, and every one that had a creditor, and every one that had an embittered spirit; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

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.

3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, go forth with you, until I can know what God will do for me.

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.

4 And he conducted them to the presence of the king of Moab: and they remained with him all the time that David was in the strong-hold.

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.

5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Thou must not remain in the strong-hold: depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Chereth.

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.

6 And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, [now Saul was sitting in Gib'ah under the tamarisk on the hill, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him; ]

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,

7 Then said Saul unto his servants that stood about him, Hear, I pray you, men of Benjamin! will the son of Jesse give, indeed, to every one of you fields and vineyards? will he appoint you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds?

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:

8 That ye have conspired, all of you, against me, and there is none that informeth me, while my son hath made a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is concerned for me, or informeth me that my son hath stirred up my servant to lie in wait against me, as it is this day?

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.

9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Achimelech the son of Achitub.

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.

10 And he asked counsel for him of the Lord, and he gave him provision, and gave him also the sword of Goliath the philistine.

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

11 Then sent the king to call Achimelech, the son of Achitub, the priest, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came, all of them, to the king.

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.

12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Achitub. And he said, here am I, my Lord.

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

13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou didst give him bread, and a sword, and hast asked counsel for him of God, that he should rise to lie in wait against me, as it is this day!

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.

14 Then answered Achimelech the king, and said, And who is among all thy servants so trusted as David, and the king's son-in-law, and freely admitted to thy private council, and is honored in thy house?

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?

15 Did I this day then begin to ask counsel for him of God? far be it from me; let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, [nor] to all the house of my father; for thy servant knew not of all this, either a little or great thing.

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.

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

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

17 And the king said unto the runners that stood about him, Turn round and slay the priests of the Lord; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he was fleeing, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the king would not stretch forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord.

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.

18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou round, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned round, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day eighty and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

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.

19 And Nob, the city of the priests, he smote with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and lambs, with the edge of the sword.

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.

20 And there escaped one of the sons of Achimelech the son of Achitub, whose name was Ebyathar, and he fled after David.

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

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

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

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

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.

23 Remain thou with me, fear nothing; for he that will seek my life will seek thy life; but thou shalt be well guarded with me.

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