1 Samuel 22

1 Dawid dwane firii Gat kɔtɛɛ ɔbodan a ɛwɔ Adulam no mu. Ankyɛre biara na ne nuanom mmarima ne ne fiefoɔ bi kɔkaa ne ho wɔ hɔ.

So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there.

2 Afoforɔ bi nso kɔkaa ne ho wɔ hɔ. Na saa nnipa no yɛ nnipa a ɔhaw da wɔn so anaa wɔn a wɔdede aka ne wɔn a asetena nkɔ wɔn yie. Wɔbaeɛ ara kɔsii sɛ Dawid bɛyɛɛ ɔkannifoɔ maa nnipa bɛyɛ sɛ ahanan.

And all who were distressed or indebted or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

3 Akyire yi, Dawid kɔɔ Mispe a ɛwɔ Moab. Ɛhɔ na ɔbisaa ɔhene no sɛ, “Wobɛma mʼagya ne me maame abɛtena ha, na woabɔ wɔn ho ban kɔsi sɛ mɛhunu deɛ Onyankopɔn bɛyɛ ama me anaa?”

From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab, where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I learn what God will do for me.”

4 Ɔhene no penee so, maa Dawid awofoɔ tenaa Moab a na Dawid nso te nʼabanbɔeɛ mu.

So he left them in the care of the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time David was in the stronghold.

5 Ɛda bi, odiyifoɔ Gad ka kyerɛɛ Dawid sɛ, “Firi abanbɔeɛ mu ha, na sane kɔ Yuda asase so.” Enti, Dawid kɔɔ Heret kwaeɛ mu.

Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Depart and go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.

6 Ɔkɔɔ Yuda hɔ no, ankyɛre na Saulo tee asɛm no. Saa ɛberɛ no, na ɔhene no te gyedua bi ase wɔ Gibea bepɔ so a ɔkura ne pea na ne mpanimfoɔ atwa ne ho ahyia.

Soon Saul learned that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with his spear in hand and all his servants standing around him.

7 Saulo tee asɛm no, ɔteaam sɛ, “Monyɛ aso, mo mmarima a mofiri Benyamin fie! Dawid ahyɛ mo mfuo ne bobe nturo ho bɔ bi anaa? Wahyɛ mo bɔ sɛ mobɛyɛ nʼasafohene wɔ nʼakodɔm so anaa?

Then Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Is the son of Jesse giving all of you fields and vineyards and making you commanders of thousands or hundreds?

8 Ɛno enti na moayɛ apam atia me yi? Na mo mu biara antumi anka biribi ankyerɛ me sɛ me ara me babarima wɔ Dawid afa. Na ɛnha mo koraa mma me. Monnwene ho! Me ara me babarima hyɛ Dawid nkuran sɛ ɔmpɛ me nku me!”

Is that why all of you have conspired against me? Not one of you told me that my own son had made a covenant with the son of Jesse. Not one of you has shown concern for me or revealed to me that my son has stirred up my own servant to lie in wait against me, as is the case today.”

9 Ɛhɔ na Edomni Doeg a na ɔne Saulo akofoɔ gyina hɔ no kaa sɛ, “Mehunuu Yisai ba no sɛ ɔbaa Ahitub ba Ahimelek nkyɛn wɔ Nob.

But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with Saul’s servants, answered: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.

10 Ahimelek bisaa Awurade deɛ Dawid nyɛ. Ɔsane maa no nnuane, na ɔde Filistini Goliat akofena no kaa ne ho.”

Ahimelech inquired of the LORD for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Ɔhene no somaa sɛ wɔnkɔfa ɔsɔfoɔ Ahimelek ne ne fiefoɔ a na wɔyɛ asɔfoɔ wɔ Nob no nyinaa mmra.

Then the king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests at Nob. And all of them came to the king.

12 Wɔbaeɛ no, Saulo kaa sɛ, “Tie! Ahitub ba.” Ɔbuaa sɛ, “Nana asɛm bɛn.”

“Listen now, son of Ahitub,” said Saul. “Here I am, my lord,” he replied.

13 Na Saulo bisaa no sɛ, “Adɛn enti na wo ne Dawid apam me tiri so, na womaa no burodo ne akofena, sane bisaa Awurade maa no. Adɛn enti na wohyɛ no nkuran sɛ ɔnyɛ dɔm ntia me na ɔmmɛto nhyɛ me so wɔ ha?”

And Saul asked him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him so that he could rise up against me to lie in wait, as he is doing today.”

14 Ahimelek buaa sɛ, “Nana, mesrɛ mebisa sɛ, wʼasomfoɔ yi nyinaa mu no, obi wɔ hɔ a ɔyɛ nokwafoɔ te sɛ wʼase Dawid anaa? Hwɛ ɔyɛ wʼawɛmfoɔ nyinaa so safohene, na wɔbu no yie wɔ wo fidua mu.

Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s son-in-law, the captain of your bodyguard who is honored in your house?

15 Ɛnyɛ saa ɛda no ne ɛda a ɛdi ɛkan a mabisa Awurade ama no. Dabi! Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔhene no de soboɔ bɔ ne ɔsomfoɔ ne ne fiefoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, wʼakoa nnim saa asɛm yi ho biribiara.”

Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of my father’s household, for your servant knew nothing of this whole affair—not in part or in whole.”

16 Na ɔhene kaa sɛ, “Ɛkwan biara so, wobɛwu. Ahimelek, wo ne wo fiefoɔ nyinaa bɛwu.”

But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”

17 Na ɔhene ka kyerɛɛ nʼawɛmfoɔ a wɔwɔ hɔ no sɛ, “Monkunkum Awurade asɔfoɔ no nyinaa, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn nso kɔ Dawid afa. Na wɔnim sɛ ɔredwane, nanso wɔanka ankyerɛ me.” Nanso, na ɔhene asraafoɔ no mpɛ sɛ wɔde wɔn nsa ka Awurade asɔfoɔ no.

Then the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.

18 Enti, ɔhene hyɛɛ Doeg sɛ, “Dane wo ho na kunkum asɔfoɔ no.” Enti, Edomni Doeg danee ne ho kunkumm wɔn. Ɛda no, ɔkumm mmarima a na wɔhyɛ serekye asɔfotadeɛ aduɔwɔtwe enum.

So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.

19 Afei, ɔkɔɔ Nob a ɛyɛ asɔfoɔ no kurom, kɔkunkumm asɔfoɔ no fiefoɔ mmarima, mmaa, mmɔfra ne mmadoma, anantwie, mfunumu ne nnwan nyinaa.

He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.

20 Na Ahitub ba Ahimelek babarima baako a wɔfrɛ no Abiatar dwane kɔɔ Dawid nkyɛn.

But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.

21 Ɛberɛ a ɔka kyerɛɛ Dawid sɛ Saulo akunkum Awurade asɔfoɔ no,

And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

22 Dawid teaam sɛ, “Na menim! Ɛberɛ a mehunuu Doeg wɔ hɔ saa ɛda no, na menim sɛ ɔbɛka akyerɛ Saulo. Seesei, mama wʼagya fiefoɔ nyinaa awuwu.

Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that Doeg the Edomite was there that day, and that he was sure to tell Saul. I myself am responsible for the lives of everyone in your father’s house.

23 Wo ne me ntena ha, na mede me nkwa bɛbɔ wo ho ban, ɛfiri sɛ, onipa korɔ no ara na ɔrehwehwɛ yɛn baanu akum yɛn.”

Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks your life is seeking mine as well. You will be safe with me.”