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.

1. David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adulam where his brothers and his father's family came down to him.

2. And every one [that was] in distress, and every one that [was] in debt, and every one [that was] discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

2. Then those who had problems or debts or were embittered joined him there. Thus he became their chief; he had with him about four hundred men.

3. And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto 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.

3. From there, David went to Mispeh in Moab and asked the king of Moab to let his father and mother stay with him until he found out what God would do for him.

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

4. So David left them with the king of Moab and they stayed there as long as David remained in the refuge.

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

5. The prophet Gad said to David, "Do not stay in the refuge; go to the land of Judah." So David left 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;)

6. Saul heard that David and his men had been seen. Saul was in Gibeah at the time, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the high place, his spear in hand, while his servants were standing by.

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

7. Saul addressed them, "Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields of vineyards? Will he make each one of you a commander over a thousand or over a hundred men that you should all be conspiring against me?

8. That all of you have conspired against me, and [there is] none that sheweth 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 sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

8. Why, then, did no one tell me that my son made an agreement with the son of Jesse? No one among you had mercy on me and told me that my own son had stirred up my servant to conspire against me as is the case today."

9. Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

9. At this, Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with the officers of Saul, spoke up, "I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, in Nob.

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

10. Ahimelech consulted Yahweh for him, provided him with food and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine as well."

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.

11. On hearing this, the king sent for Ahimelech the priest, son of Ahitub, and all his family who were priests in Nob. They all came to the king.

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

12. Then Saul said, "Listen, son of Ahitub." He replied, "Yes, my lord."

13. And Saul said unto 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 enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

13. Saul asked him, "Why did you conspire with the son of Jesse, giving him food and a sword and consulting Yahweh for him so that he could rebel against me as is the case today?"

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

14. Ahimelech answered the king, "Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king's son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and honored in your house?

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

15. Is today the first time that I have consulted Yahweh for him? By no means! Let not the king accuse me or any member of my family of such a thing for I knew nothing at all about the entire matter."

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

16. But the king said, "You and your entire family shall die, Ahimelech."

17. And the king said unto 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 shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

17. And the king at once commanded the guards who were standing by, "Turn and kill the priests of Yahweh for having assisted David. They knew very well that David was a fugitive but they did not tell me anything at all." The king's servants, however, refused to lift their hands against 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 fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

18. And so the king turned to Doeg and commanded him, "Come and stab the priests." And so Doeg the Edomite drew near and stabbed the priests. On that day he killed eighty-five persons who were wearing the linen ephod.

19. And Nob, 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.

19. After that, Saul put Nob, the city of priests, to the sword, killing men and women, children and infants, oxen, asses and sheep.

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

20. A son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to David.

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

21. Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of Yahweh.

22. And David said unto Abiathar, I knew [it] 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.

22. David said to him, "I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. So I am responsible for the death of all your family.

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

23. Stay with me and do not be afraid for he who wants to kill you must also kill me. You will be safe with me."