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 to the cave 'Adullam: and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down to him thither.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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,

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 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 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 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.

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

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 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.

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

And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Achitub. And he said, here am I, 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 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, “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?

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 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.”

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

And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Achimelech, thou, and all thy 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 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 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 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 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 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 one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and 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 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed Yahweh's priests.

And Ebyathar told David that Saul had slain 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 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 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.”

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.