1 Samuel 22

1 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.

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.

2 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.

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.

3 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.

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.

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

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.

5 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.

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.

6 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, —

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; ]

7 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?

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?

8 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?

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?

9 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;

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.

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

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

11 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.

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.

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

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

13 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?

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!

14 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?

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?

15 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.

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.

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

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

17 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.

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.

18 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;

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.

19 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

22 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.

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.

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

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.