1 Samuel 22
22
David in Judah and Moab
1So David escaped from that place and fled to the cave at Adullam. When his brothers and all ⌞the rest⌟ of his family heard about it, they went to him. 2Then everyone who was in trouble, in debt, or bitter about life joined him, and he became their commander. There were about four hundred men with him.
3From there David went to Mizpah in Moab. He asked the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” 4He brought them to the king of Moab, and they stayed with him as long as David was living in his fortified camp.
5“Don’t live in your fortified camp,” the prophet Gad told David. “Go to the land of Judah.” So David went to the forest of Hereth.
Saul Massacres the Priests at Nob
6Saul heard that David and his men had been found. Saul was staying in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree at the worship site #22:6 Greek; Masoretic Text “at Ramah.” with his spear in his hand and all his officials standing around him. 7He said to his officials, “Listen here, men of Benjamin! Will Jesse’s son give every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all officers over a regiment or a battalion of soldiers? 8All of you are plotting against me, and no one informed me when my son entered into a loyalty pledge with Jesse’s son. No one felt sorry for me and informed me that my son has encouraged my servant David to ambush me, as he’s doing now.”
9Then Doeg from Edom, standing with Saul’s officials, answered him, “I saw Jesse’s son when he came to Ahimelech, Ahitub’s son, in Nob. 10Ahimelech prayed to the Lord for David and gave him food and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech, who was Ahitub’s son, and his entire family who were the priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. 12Saul said, “Listen here, son of Ahitub!”
“Yes, sir?” he responded.
13Saul asked him, “Why did you and Jesse’s son plot against me? You gave him bread and a sword and prayed to God for him so that he can rise up against me and ambush me, as he’s doing now.”
14Ahimelech asked the king, “But whom among all your officials can you trust like David? Your Majesty, he’s your son-in-law, the commander of your bodyguard. He’s honored in your own household. 15Is this the first time I have prayed to God for him? Not at all! You shouldn’t blame me or anyone in my family for this. I knew nothing at all about this.”
16Saul said, “Ahimelech, you and your entire family are going to die.”
17“Turn and kill the Lord’s priests because they support David,” the king said to the runners standing around him. “When they knew David was fleeing, they didn’t inform me.” But the king’s men refused to attack the Lord’s priests.
18So the king said to Doeg, “You turn and attack the priests.” Doeg from Edom turned and attacked the priests, and that day he killed 85 men wearing the linen priestly ephod.#22:18 Ephod is a technical term for a part of the priest’s clothes. Its exact usage and shape are unknown. 19He also killed the people of Nob, the city of the priests. Using ⌞his⌟ sword, he killed men and women, children and infants, cows, donkeys, and sheep.
20But Ahimelech, Ahitub’s son, had one son who escaped. His name was Abiathar. He fled to David. 21Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests.
22David told Abiathar, “I knew that day when Doeg from Edom was there that he would be certain to tell Saul. I am the one responsible #22:22 Greek; Masoretic Text “I turned.” for all the lives of your family. 23Stay with me. Don’t be afraid. The one who is seeking my life is ⌞also⌟ seeking your life. However, you will be under my protection.”
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
1 Samuel 22
22
The Slaughter of the Priests
1 #
Ps 57 (Title); Ps 142 (Title) David fled from the city of Gath and went to a cave near the town of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of the family heard that he was there, they joined him. 2People who were oppressed or in debt or dissatisfied went to him, about 400 men in all, and he became their leader.
3David went on from there to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come and stay with you until I find out what God is going to do for me.” 4So David left his parents with the king of Moab, and they stayed there as long as David was hiding in the cave.
5Then the prophet Gad came to David and said, “Don't stay here; go at once to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
6One day Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under a tamarisk tree on a hill, with his spear in his hand, and all his officers were standing round him. He was told that David and his men had been found, 7and he said to his officers, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Do you think that David will give fields and vineyards to all of you, and make you officers in his army? 8Is that why you are plotting against me? Not one of you told me that my own son had made an alliance with David. No one is concerned about me or tells me that David, one of my own men, is at this moment looking for a chance to kill me, and that my son has encouraged him!”
9 #
1 Sam 21.7–9; Ps 52 (Title) Doeg was standing there with Saul's officers, and he said, “I saw David when he went to Ahimelech son of Ahitub in Nob. 10Ahimelech asked the LORD what David should do, and then he gave David some food and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11So King Saul sent for the priest Ahimelech and all his relatives, who were also priests in Nob, and they came to him. 12Saul said to Ahimelech, “Listen, Ahimelech!”
“At your service, sir,” he answered.
13Saul asked him, “Why are you and David plotting against me? Why did you give him some food and a sword, and consult God for him? Now he has turned against me and is waiting for a chance to kill me!”
14Ahimelech answered, “David is the most faithful officer you have! He is your own son-in-law, captain of#22.14 Some ancient translations captain of; Hebrew he turned to. your bodyguard, and highly respected by everyone in the royal court. 15Yes, I consulted God for him, and it wasn't the first time.#22.15 Yes, I consulted… time; or Now, have I done something wrong today by consulting God for him? Not at all! As for plotting against you, Your Majesty must not accuse me or anyone else in my family. I don't know anything about this matter!”
16The king said, “Ahimelech, you and all your relatives must die.” 17Then he said to the guards standing near him, “Kill the LORD's priests! They conspired with David and did not tell me that he had run away, even though they knew it all along.” But the guards refused to lift a hand to kill the LORD's priests. 18So Saul said to Doeg, “You kill them!” — and Doeg killed them all. On that day he killed 85 priests who were qualified to carry the ephod. 19Saul also ordered all the other inhabitants of Nob, the city of priests, to be put to death: men and women, children and babies, cattle, donkeys, and sheep — they were all killed.
20But Abiathar, one of Ahimelech's sons, escaped, and went and joined David. 21He told him how Saul had slaughtered the priests of the LORD. 22David said to him, “When I saw Doeg there that day, I knew that he would be sure to tell Saul. So I am responsible#22.22 Some ancient translations I am responsible; Hebrew I have turned. for the death of all your relatives. 23Stay with me and don't be afraid. Saul wants to kill both you and me, but you will be safe with me.”
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.