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.

Then David went away from there, and he fled to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all of his father’s house had heard of it, they descended 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 those left in distress, or oppressed by debt to strangers, or bitter in soul, gathered themselves to him. And he became their leader, and 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?”

And David set out from there to Mizpah, which is of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, “I beg you, let my father and my mother remain with you, until I know what God will do for me.”

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

And he left them before the face of the king of Moab. And they stayed with him for all the days that 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.

And the prophet Gad said to David: “Do not choose to stay in the stronghold. Set out and go into the land of Judah.” And so, David set out, and he went into 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.

And Saul heard that David, and the men who were with him, had been seen. Now while Saul was staying in Gibeah, and while he was in the forest that is in Ramah, holding a spear in his hand, with 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?

he said to his servants who were assisting him: “Listen now, you sons of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give to all of you fields and vineyards, and will he make all of you tribunes or centurions,

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!”

so that you would all conspire against me, and so that there is no one to inform me, especially when even my son has formed a pact with the son of Jesse? There is no one among you who grieves for my situation, or who would report to me. For my son has raised up my servant against me, seeking to betray me, even to this day.”

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.

Then Doeg, the Edomite, who was standing near, and who was first among the servants of Saul, responding, said: “I saw the son of Jesse, in Nob, with Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, the priest.

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

And he consulted the Lord for him, and he gave him food. Moreover, he 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 to summon Ahimelech, the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all of his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob, and they all came before the king.

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

And Saul said to Ahimelech, “Listen, son of Ahitub.” He responded, “Here I am, lord.”

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 said to him: “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse? For you gave him bread and a sword, and you consulted the Lord for him, so that he might rise up against me, continuing as a traitor even to this day.”

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.

And responding to the king, Ahimelech said: “But who among all your servants is as faithful as David? And he is the son-in-law of the king, and he goes forth at your order, and he is a glory within 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.”

Did I begin to consult the Lord for him today? May this be far from me! Let not the king suspect this kind of thing against his servant, nor against anyone in all my father’s house. For your servant did not know anything about this matter, either small or great.”

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

And the king said, “You shall die a death, 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.

And the king said to the emissaries who were standing around him: “You shall turn, and put to death the priests of the Lord. For their hand is with David. They knew that he had fled, and they did not reveal it to me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to extend their hands against 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.

And the king said to Doeg, “You shall turn and rush against the priests.” And Doeg, the Edomite, turned and rushed against the priests. And he massacred, on that day, eighty-five men, vested with 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.

Then he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword; he struck down men and women, little ones and infants, as well as ox and donkey and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

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

But one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, whose name was Abiathar, escaping, fled to David.

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

And he reported to him that Saul had slain 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.

And David said to Abiathar: “I knew, on that day when Doeg, the Edomite was there, that without doubt he would report it to Saul. I am guilty of all the souls of 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.”

You should remain with me. Do not be afraid. For he who seeks my life, seeks your life also, but with me you shall be saved.”