< 1 Samuel 22 >
1 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;
So David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.
2 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.
Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented—they all gathered to him. David became captain over them. There were about four hundred men with him.
3 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”;
Then David went from there to Mizpah in Moab. He said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother go out with you until I know what God will do for me.”
4 and he leads them before the king of Moab, and they dwell with him all the days of David’s being in the fortress.
He left them with the king of Moab. His father and mother stayed with him the whole time that David was in his stronghold.
5 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.
Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in your stronghold. Leave and go into the land of Judah.” So David left there and went into the forest of Hereth.
6 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.
Saul heard that David had been discovered, along with 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 around him.
7 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?
Saul said to his servants who stood around him, “Listen now, people of Benjamin! 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,
8 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.”
in exchange for all of you plotting against me? None of you informs me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is sorry for me. None of you informs me that my son has incited my servant David against me. Today he hides and waits for me so he may attack me.”
9 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,
Then Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, answered, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Nob, to Ahimelech son of Ahitub.
10 and he inquires of YHWH for him, and has given provision to him, and has given the sword of Goliath the Philistine to him.”
He prayed to Yahweh that he might help him, and he gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11 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;
Then the king sent someone to summon the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob. All of them came to the king.
12 and Saul says, “Now hear, son of Ahitub”; and he says, “Here I [am], my lord.”
Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” He answered, “Here I am, my master.”
13 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?”
Saul said to him, “Why have you plotted against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have prayed to God that he might help him, so that he might rise up against me, to hide in secret, as he does today?”
14 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?
Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, “Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law and is over your bodyguard, and is honored in your house?
15 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.”
Is today the first time I have prayed to God to help him? Far be it from me! Do not let the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father. For your servant knows nothing of this whole matter.”
16 And the king says, “You surely die, Ahimelech, you and all the house of your father.”
The king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house.”
17 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.
The king said to the guard that stood around him, “Turn and kill the priests of Yahweh. Because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, but did not reveal it to me.” But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to kill the priests of Yahweh.
18 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,
Then the king said to Doeg, “Turn and kill the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests; he killed eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod that day.
19 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.
He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests; both men and women, children and infants, and oxen and donkeys and sheep he put to the sword.
20 And one son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, escapes, and his name [is] Abiathar, and he flees after David,
But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.
21 and Abiathar declares to David that Saul has slain the priests of YHWH.
Abiathar told David that Saul had killed Yahweh's priests.
22 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;
David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible for every death in your father's family!
23 dwell with me; do not fear; for he who seeks my life seeks your life; for you [are my] charge with me.”
Stay with me and do not be afraid. For the one who seeks your life seeks mine as well. You will be safe with me.”