1 Samuel 22

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

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.

2 And every one [that was] in distress, and every one that [was] in debt, and every one [that was] discontented, resorted to him; and he became a captain over them: 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 embittered in soul, and he came to be over them as a prince, —and there were with him, about four hundred men.

3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, [and be] with you, till I know what God will do for me.

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.

4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.

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

5 And the prophet Gad said to David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and come into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.

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.

6 When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that [were] with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants [were] standing about him; )

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, —

7 Then Saul said to his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjaminites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, [and] make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

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?

8 That all of you have conspired against me, and [there is] none that showeth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and [there is] none of you that is sorry for me, or showeth to me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

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?

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 Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

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;

10 And he inquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

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

11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, 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 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.

12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I [am], my lord.

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

13 And Saul said to him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

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?

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who [is so] faithful among all thy servants as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honorable in thy house?

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?

15 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be it far from me. Let not the king impute [any] thing to his servant, [nor] to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.

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.

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

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

17 And the king said to the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD: because their hand also [is] with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not show it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

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.

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

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;

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 sheep, with the edge of the sword.

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.

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

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

21 And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests.

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

22 And David said to Abiathar, I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite [was] there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned [the death] of all the persons of thy father's house.

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.

23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou [shalt be] in safeguard.

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