1 Samuel 22

1 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.

And David departed thence, and escaped; and he comes to the cave of Odollam, and his brethren hear, and the house of his father, and they go down to him there.

2 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.

And there gathered to him every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was troubled in mind; and he was a leader over them, and there were with him about four hundred men.

3 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.”

And David departed thence to Massephath of Moab, and said to the king of Moab, Let, I pray you, my father and my mother be with you, until I know what God will do to me.

4 He left them with the king of Moab. His father and mother stayed with him the whole time that David was in his stronghold.

And he persuaded the King of Moab, and they dwell with him continually, while David was in the hold.

5 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.

And Gad the prophet said to David, Dwell not in the hold: go, and you shall enter the land of Juda. So David went, and came and lived in the city of Saric.

6 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.

And Saul heard that David was discovered, and his men with him: now Saul lived in the hill below the field that is in Rama, and his spear [was] in his hand, and all his servants stood near him.

7 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,

And Saul said to his servants that stood by him, Hear now, you sons of Benjamin, will the son of Jessae indeed give all of you fields and vineyards, and will he make you all captains of hundreds and captains of thousands?

8 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.”

That you are conspiring against me, and there is no one that informs me, whereas my son has made a covenant with the son of Jessae, and there is no one of you that is sorry for me, or informs me, that my son has stirred up my servant against me for an enemy, as [it is] this day?

9 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.

And Doec the Syrian who was over the mules of Saul answered and said, I saw the son of Jessae as he came to Nomba to Abimelech son of Achitob the priest.

10 He prayed to Yahweh that he might help him, and he gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

And [the priest] enquired of God for him, and gave him provision, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

11 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.

And the king sent to call Abimelech son of Achitob and all his father's sons, the priests that were in Nomba; and they all came to the king.

12 Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” He answered, “Here I am, my master.”

And Saul said, Hear now, you son of Achitob. And he said, Behold! I [am here], speak, [my] lord.

13 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?”

And Saul said to him, Why have you and the son of Jessae conspired against me, that you should give him bread and a sword, and should enquire of God for him, to raise him up against me as an enemy, as [he is] this day?

14 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?

And he answered the king, and said, And who [is] there among all your servants faithful as David, and [he is] a son-in-law of the king, and [he is] executor of all your commands, and [is] honorable in your house?

15 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.”

Have I begun today to enquire of God for him? By no means: let not the king bring a charge against his servant, and against you whole of my father's house; for your servant knew not in all these matters anything great or small.

16 The king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house.”

And king Saul said, You shall surely die, Abimelech, you, and all your father's house.

17 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.

And the king said to the footmen that attended on him, Draw near and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand [is] with David, and because they knew that he fled, and they did not inform me. But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to fall upon the priest of the Lord.

18 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.

And the king said to Doec, Turn you, and fall upon the priests: and Doec the Syrian turned, and killed the priests of the Lord in that day, three hundred and five men, all wearing an ephod.

19 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.

And he struck Nomba the city of the priest with the edge of the sword, both man, and woman, infant and suckling, and calf, and ox, and sheep.

20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.

And one son of Abimelech son of Achitob escapes, and his name [was] Abiathar, and he fled after David.

21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed Yahweh's priests.

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

22 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!

And David said to Abiathar, I knew it in that day, that Doec the Syrian would surely tell Saul: I am guilty of the death of the house of your father.

23 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.”

Dwell with me; fear not, for wherever I shall seek a place [of safety] for my life, I will also seek a place for your life, for you are safely guarded [while] with me.