1 Samuel 22
22
David at Adullam and Mizpah
1David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. His brothers and other relatives heard that he was there. And they went to see him. 2Many people joined David. All those who were in trouble, who owed money or who were unsatisfied gathered around him. And he became their leader. He had about 400 men 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 is going to do for me.” 4So he left them with the king of Moab. And they stayed with the king as long as David was hiding in the protected place.
5But the prophet Gad said to David, “Don’t stay in the protected place. Go to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
Saul Destroys Ahimelech’s Family
6Saul heard that David and his men had been seen. He sat under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah. All his officers were standing around him. He had a spear in his hand. 7Saul said to them, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Do you think the son of Jesse will give all of you fields and vineyards? Will David make you commanders over thousands of men or hundreds of men? 8You have all made plans against me! No one tells me when my son makes an agreement with the son of Jesse! No one cares about me! No one tells me my son has encouraged my servant to ambush me! And David is doing this now!”
9Doeg the Edomite was standing there with Saul’s officers. He said, “I saw the son of Jesse. He came to see Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. 10Ahimelech prayed to the Lord for David. He also gave him food. And he gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub. He sent for all of Ahimelech’s relatives who were priests at Nob. And they all came to the king. 12Saul said to Ahimelech, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.”
Ahimelech answered, “Yes, master.”
13Saul said, “Why have you and Jesse’s son made plans against me? You gave him bread and a sword! You prayed to God for him. David is waiting to attack me. He is doing this now!”
14Ahimelech answered, “David is very loyal to you. You have no other servant who is as loyal as David. He is your own son-in-law and captain of your bodyguards. All the people in your house respect him. 15That was not the first time I prayed to God for David. Not at all! Don’t blame me or any of my relatives. We are your servants. I know nothing about what is going on.”
16But the king said, “Ahimelech, you and all your relatives must die!” 17Then he told the guards at his side, “Go and kill the priests of the Lord. Do this because they are on David’s side. They knew he was running away, but they didn’t tell me!”
But the king’s officers refused to hurt the priests of the Lord.
18Then the king ordered Doeg, “Go and kill the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite went and killed the priests. That day he killed 85 men who wore the linen holy vest. 19He also killed the people of Nob, the city of the priests. With the sword he killed men, women, children and small babies. And he killed cattle, donkeys and sheep.
20But Abiathar escaped. He was a son of Ahimelech, who was the son of Ahitub. Abiathar ran away and joined David. 21He told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests. 22Then David told him, “Doeg the Edomite was there at Nob that day. I knew he would surely tell Saul. So I am responsible for the death of all your father’s family. 23The man who wants to kill you also wants to kill me. Stay with me. Don’t be afraid. You will be safe with me.”
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1 Samuel 22: ICB
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
1 Kings 22
22
1David therefore went from thence and fled to the cave of Odollam. And when his brethren and all his father's house had heard of it they went down to him thither.
2And all that were in distress and oppressed with debt, and under affliction of mind gathered themselves unto him. And he became their prince. And there were with him about four hundred men.
3And David departed from thence into Maspha of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab: Let my father and my mother tarry with you, I beseech thee, till I know what God will do for me.
4And he left them under the eyes of the king of Moab: and they abode with him all the days that David was in the hold.
5And Gad the prophet said to David: Abide not in the hold. Depart, and go into the land of Juda. And David departed, and came into the forest of Haret.
6And Saul heard that David was seen, and the men that were with him. Now whilst Saul abode in Gabaa, and was in the wood, which is by Rama, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him,
7He said to his servants that stood about him: Hear me now, ye sons of Jemini: Will the son of Isai give everyone of you fields, and vineyards, and make you all tribunes, and centurions:
8That all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one to inform me, especially when even my son hath entered into league with the son of Isai? There is not one of you that pitieth my case, nor that giveth me any information: because my son hath raised up my servant against me, plotting against me to this day.
9And Doeg the Edomite who stood by, and was the chief among the servants of Saul, answering, said: I saw the son of Isai, in Nobe, with Achimelech the son of Achitob the priest.
10And he consulted the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
11Then the king sent to call for Achimelech the priest the son of Achitob, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nobe; and they came all of them to the king.
12And Saul said to Achimelech: Hear, thou son of Achitob. He answered: Here I am, my lord.
13And Saul said to him: Why have you conspired against me, thou, and the son of Isai. And thou hast given him bread and a sword, and hast consulted the Lord for him, that he should rise up against me, continuing a traitor to this day.
14And Achimelech answering the king said: And who amongst all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and goeth forth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house?
15Did I begin to-day to consult the Lord for him? Far be this from me. Let not the king suspect such a thing against his servant, or any one in all my father's house: for thy servant knew nothing of this matter, either little or great.
16And the king said: Dying, thou shalt die, Achimelech. Thou and all thy father's house.
17And the king said to the messengers that stood about him: Turn, and kill the priests of the Lord. For their hand is with David: because they knew that he was fled; and they told it not to me. And the king's servants would not put forth their hands against the priests of the Lord.
18And the king said to Doeg: Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and fell upon the priests, and slew in that day eighty-five men that wore the linen ephod.
19And Nobe the city of the priests he smote with the edge of his sword, both men and women, children, and sucklings, and ox and ass, and sheep with the edge of the sword.
20But one of the sons of Achimelech the son of Achitob, whose name was Abiathar, escaped, and fled to David,
21And told him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.
22And David said to Abiathar: I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that without doubt he would tell Saul. I have been the occasion of the death of all the souls of thy father's house.
23Abide thou with me. Fear not: for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life also; and with me thou shalt be saved.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.