1 Samuel 22
22
David at Adullam and Mizpah
1David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. His brothers and the other members of his family heard about it. So they went down to join him there. 2Everyone who was in trouble or owed money or was unhappy gathered around him. He became their commander. About 400 men were with him.
3From there David went to Mizpah in Moab. He spoke to the king of Moab. He said, “Please let my father and mother come and stay with you. Let them stay until I learn what God will do for me.” 4So David left his parents with the king of Moab. They stayed with him as long as David was in his usual place of safety.
5But the prophet Gad spoke to David. He said, “Don’t stay in your usual place of safety. Go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
Saul Kills the Priests at Nob
6Saul heard that the place where David and his men were hiding had been discovered. Saul was sitting under a tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah. He was holding his spear. All his officials were standing at his side. 7Saul said to them, “Men of Benjamin, listen to me! Do you think Jesse’s son will give all of you fields and vineyards? Do you think he’ll make some of you commanders of thousands of men? Do you think he’ll make the rest of you commanders of hundreds? 8Is that why all of you have joined together against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant with Jesse’s son. None of you is concerned about me. No one tells me that my son has stirred up Jesse’s son to hide and wait to attack me. But that’s exactly what’s happening now.”
9Doeg was standing with Saul’s officials. He was from Edom. He said, “I saw Jesse’s son David come to Ahimelek at Nob. Ahimelek is the son of Ahitub. 10Ahimelek asked the Lord a question for David. He also gave him food and the sword of Goliath, the Philistine.”
11Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelek, the son of Ahitub. The king also sent for all the men in his family. They were the priests at Nob. All of them came to the king. 12Saul said, “Son of Ahitub, listen to me.”
“Yes, master,” he answered.
13Saul said to him, “Why have you and Jesse’s son joined together against me? Why did you give him bread and a sword? Why did you ask God a question for him? Now he has turned against me. He is hiding and waiting to attack me right now.”
14Ahimelek answered the king, “David is faithful to you. In fact, he’s more faithful to you than anyone else who serves you. He’s your own son-in-law. He’s the captain of your own personal guards. He’s highly respected by everyone in your palace. 15Was that day the first time I asked God a question for him? Of course not! Please don’t bring charges against me. Please don’t bring charges against anyone in my family. I don’t know anything at all about this whole matter.”
16But the king said, “Ahimelek, you will certainly be put to death. You and your whole family will be put to death.”
17Then the king gave an order to the guards at his side. He said, “Go and kill the priests of the Lord. They are on David’s side too. They knew he was running away from me. And they didn’t even tell me.”
But the king’s officials wouldn’t raise a hand to strike down the priests of the Lord.
18Then the king ordered Doeg, “You go and strike down the priests.” So Doeg, the Edomite, went and struck them down. That day he killed 85 priests who wore linen aprons. 19He also killed the people of Nob with his sword. Nob was a town where priests lived. Doeg killed its men and women. He killed its children and babies. He also destroyed its cattle, donkeys and sheep.
20But Abiathar, a son of Ahimelek, escaped. Ahimelek was the son of Ahitub. Abiathar ran away and joined David. 21He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22Then David said to Abiathar, “One day I was at Nob. I saw Doeg, the Edomite, there. I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. Your whole family has been killed. And I’m responsible for it. 23So stay with me. Don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you wants to kill me too. You will be safe with me.”
Currently Selected:
1 Samuel 22: NIrV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Shmuel Alef 22
22
1Dovid therefore departed from there, and escaped to the me'arah (cave) of Adullam; and when his brethren and all the bais aviv heard it, they went down there to him.
2And every ish that was in distress, and every ish that was in debt, and every ish that was mar-nefesh (bitter in spirit, discontented) gathered themselves unto him; and he became Sar over them; and there were with him about arba me'ot ish (four hundred men).
3And Dovid went from there to Mitzpeh Moav; and he said unto the Melech Moav, Let avi and immi now come out, and be with you, until I know what Elohim will do for me.
4And he brought them before Melech Moav; and they dwelt with him all the days that Dovid was in the metzudah (stronghold).#22:4 i.e. Mitzpeh Moav
5And Gad HaNavi said unto Dovid, Abide not in the metzudah; depart, and get thee into Eretz Yehudah. Then Dovid departed, and came into the Forest of Cheret.
6When Sha'ul heard that Dovid was discovered, and the anashim that were with him, (now Sha'ul abode in Giv'ah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, having his khanit in his yad, and all his avadim were standing about him);
7Then Sha'ul said unto his avadim that stood about him, Hear now, ye of Binyamin; will Ben Yishai give every one of you sadot and kramim (vineyards), and make you all sarei alafim and sarei me'ot;
8That all of you have made a kesher against me, and there is none that reveals unto my ear that beni (my son) hath cut a Brit with Ben Yishai, and there is none of you that is concerned for me, or revealeth unto my ear that beni (my son) hath stirred up avdi against me, to lie in wait, as he does today?
9Then answered Do'eg the Edomi, which was set over the avadim of Sha'ul, and said, I saw Ben Yishai coming to Nov, to Achimelech ben Achituv.
10And he inquired of Hashem for him, and gave him provision, and gave him the cherev Golyat HaPelishti.
11Then HaMelech sent to call Achimelech Ben Achituv HaKohen, and kol Bais Aviv, the Kohanim that were in Nov; and they came all of them to HaMelech.
12And Sha'ul said, Hear now, thou Ben Achituv. And he answered, Hineni, adoni.
13And Sha'ul said unto him, Why have ye made a kesher against me, thou and Ben Yishai, in that thou hast given him lechem, and a cherev, and hast inquired of Elohim for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as he does this day?
14Then Achimelech answered HaMelech, and said, And who is so ne'eman (loyal) among all thy avadim as Dovid, which is the Choson HaMelech, obedient to thy bidding, and is honored in thine bais?
15Did I then begin to inquire of Elohim for him? Chalilah li! Let not HaMelech impute anything unto his eved, nor to all the Bais Avi; for thy eved knew nothing of all this, katon or gadol.
16And HaMelech said, Thou shalt surely die, Achimelech, thou, and kol Bais Avicha.
17And HaMelech said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the Kohanim of Hashem; because their yad also is with Dovid, and because they knew when he fled, and did not reveal it in my ear. But the avadim of HaMelech would not put forth their yad to strike the Kohanim of Hashem.
18And HaMelech said to Do'eg, Turn thou, and strike the Kohanim. And Do'eg the Edomi turned, and he struck the Kohanim, and slaughtered on that day fourscore and five ish that did wear ephod bad (linen robe).
19And Nov, the Ir of the Kohanim, he struck with the edge of the cherev, both ish and isha, olel and nursing infants, and shor, and chamor, and seh, with the edge of the cherev.
20And ben echad of Achimelech Ben Achituv, shmo Evyatar (his name Evyatar),#22:20 Abiathar escaped, and fled after Dovid.
21And Evyatar (Abiathar) told Dovid that Sha'ul had slain the Kohanim of Hashem.
22And Dovid said unto Evyatar (Abiathar), I knew it that day, when Do'eg the Edomi was there, that he would surely tell Sha'ul. I am mortally responsible for nefesh Bais Avicha.
23Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my nefesh seeketh thy nefesh; but with me thou shalt be mishmeret (in safeguard).
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
FOURTH EDITION © Artists For Israel Intl Inc., 2002-2011, 2021.