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.

David escaped and went to the cave of Adullam. When they heard where he was his brothers and all the rest of his family went and joined 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.

Everyone who was in trouble or in debt or resentful also came to him and he became their leader. He had around four hundred men 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?”

Then David went to Mizpeh in the country of Moab. He asked the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come and stay with you until I find out what God is planning for me.”

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

So he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with the king all the time David lived 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.

But then the prophet Gad told David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Go back to 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.

Saul found out that David had returned and where he was. Saul was sitting under the tamarisk tree on the hill in Gibeah. He had his spear in his hand, with all his officials surrounding 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?

Saul said to them, “Listen to me, you men of Benjamin! Is the son of Jesse going to give all of you fields and vineyards and make you commanders and officers in the army?

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 you've all plotted against me? Not a single one of you told me that my own son had made an agreement with Jesse's son. Not a single one of you has shown you cared about me, or explained to me that my son has encouraged him to try and kill me, which is what he's doing right now!”

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.

Doeg the Edomite, who was standing there with Saul's officers, spoke up, saying, “I saw the son of Jesse visit 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 asked advice from the Lord for him and gave him food. He gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine as well.”

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

The king sent a message to summon Ahimelech the priest, son of Ahitub, and all his family, who were priests at Nob. They all came to the king.

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

“Now you listen, son of Ahitub,” the king shouted. “What is it, my lord?” Ahimelech asked.

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?”

“Why have you and the son of Jesse plotted against me? You gave him bread and a sword, and asked advice from God for him so that he could rebel against me and try and kill me, which is what he's doing right now!”

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.

“Who of all your officers is as trustworthy as David, the king's son-in-law? He is in charge of your bodyguard, and highly respected in your family!” Ahimelech responded.

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.”

“And was that day the first time he asked advice from God on his behalf? Of course not! The king should not accuse me your servant or any of my family, for I didn't know anything about any of this.”

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

“You're going to die for this!” the king declared. “You and all your family!”

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 turned to his bodyguards standing there and ordered them, “Kill these priests of the Lord, because they're on David's side! They knew he was a fugitive and yet they didn't tell me!” But the king's guards refused to attack 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 kill the priests!” Doeg the Edomite attacked and killed the priests, killing eighty-five men wearing the priestly 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 went to Nob, the town of the priests, and slaughtered its men and women, children and infants, cattle, 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, managed to escape. His name was Abiathar, and he ran away and joined David.

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

He 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.

David told Abiathar, “I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he was going to tell Saul about it. It's my fault that all your family have died.

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.”

But you can stay with me and you don't need to be afraid, because the man who wants to kill you wants to kill me too. I'll take good care of you.”