1 Samuel, 22

1. David left there and took refuge in the Cave of Adullam; his brothers and his father's whole family heard this and joined him there.

1. David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.

2. All those in distress, all those in debt, all those who had a grievance, gathered round him and he became their leader. There were about four hundred men with him.

2. And every one who was in distress, and every one who was in debt, and every one who was discontented, gathered to him; and he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

3. From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, 'Allow my father and mother to stay with you until I know what God intends to do for me.'

3. And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, "Pray let my father and my mother stay with you, till I know what God will do for me."

4. He left them with the king of Moab and there they stayed all the time that David was in the stronghold.

4. And he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.

5. The prophet Gad, however, said to David, 'Do not stay in the stronghold; leave and make your way into the territory of Judah.' David then left and went to the forest of Hereth.

5. Then the prophet Gad said to David, "Do not remain in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah." So David departed, and went into the forest of Hereth.

6. When Saul heard that David and the men with him had been discovered, Saul was at Gibeah, seated under the tamarisk on the high place, spear in hand, with all his staff standing round him.

6. Now Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. Saul was sitting at Gib'e-ah, under the tamarisk tree on the height, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.

7. 'Listen, Benjaminites!' said Saul to them, 'Is the son of Jesse going to give you all fields and vineyards and make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds

7. And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, "Hear now, you Benjaminites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,

8. that you all conspire against me? No one warned me when my son made a pact with the son of Jesse; none of you felt sorry for me or warned me when my son incited my servant to become my enemy, as he is now.'

8. that all of you have conspired against me? No one discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Jesse, none of you is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day."

9. Then, up spoke Doeg the Edomite, who was in command of Saul's staff, 'I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech son of Ahitub.

9. Then answered Do'eg the E'domite, who stood by the servants of Saul, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahim'elech the son of Ahi'tub,

10. That man consulted Yahweh on his behalf, gave him provisions and also the sword of Goliath the Philistine.'

10. and he inquired of the LORD for him, and gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine."

11. The king then sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and his whole family, the priests of Nob; they all came to the king.

11. Then the king sent to summon Ahim'elech the priest, the son of Ahi'tub, and all his father's house, the priests who were at Nob; and all of them came to the king.

12. Saul said, 'Now listen, son of Ahitub!' He replied, 'Here I am, my lord.'

12. And Saul said, "Hear now, son of Ahi'tub." And he answered, "Here I am, my lord."

13. 'Why have you conspired against me,' said Saul, 'you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and consulting God on his behalf, for him to rebel against me as is now the case?'

13. And Saul said to him, "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, so that he has risen against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?"

14. Ahimelech replied to the king, 'Of all those in your service, who is more loyal than David son-in-law to the king, captain of your bodyguard, honoured in your household?

14. Then Ahim'elech answered the king, "And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house?

15. Was today the first time I ever consulted God on his behalf? Indeed it was not! The king has no grounds for bringing any charge against his servant or against his whole family, for your servant knew nothing whatever about all this.'

15. Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father; for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little."

16. The king retorted, 'You must die, Ahimelech, you and your whole family.'

16. And the king said, "You shall surely die, Ahim'elech, you and all your father's house."

17. The king said to the scouts who were standing round him, 'Forward! and put the priests of Yahweh to death, for they too are on David's side, they knew that he was escaping, yet did not warn me of it.' The king's professional soldiers, however, would not lift a hand to strike the priests of Yahweh.

17. And the king said to the guard who stood about him, "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me." But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

18. The king then said to Doeg, 'Forward, you! Fall on the priests!' Doeg the Edomite stepped forward and fell on the priests, himself that day killing eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.

18. Then the king said to Do'eg, "You turn and fall upon the priests." And Do'eg the E'domite turned and fell upon the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod.

19. Nob, the town of the priests, Saul put to the sword: men and women, children and infants, cattle, donkeys and sheep.

19. And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; both men and women, children and sucklings, oxen, asses and sheep, he put to the sword.

20. One son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub alone escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled away to join David.

20. But one of the sons of Ahim'elech the son of Ahi'tub, named Abi'athar, escaped and fled after David.

21. When Abiathar told David that Saul had slaughtered the priests of Yahweh,

21. And Abi'athar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

22. David said to Abiathar, 'I knew, that day when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would be sure to inform Saul. I am responsible for the death of all your kinsmen.

22. And David said to Abi'athar, "I knew on that day, when Do'eg the E'domite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house.

23. Stay with me, do not be afraid, for he who seeks your life seeks mine; you will be safe with me.'

23. Stay with me, fear not; for he that seeks my life seeks your life; with me you shall be in safekeeping."