The Message

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   <div class="book bk1SA">
      <div class="chapter ch22" data-usfm="1SA.22">
         <div class="label">22</div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Saul Murders the Priests of </span><span class="nd"><span class="heading">God</span></span></div><div class="m"><span class="content">  </span><span class="verse v1 v2" data-usfm="1SA.22.1+1SA.22.2"><span class="label">1-2</span><span class="content">So David got away and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and others associated with his family heard where he was, they came down and joined him. Not only that, but all who were down on their luck came around&#8212;losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. David became their leader. There were about four hundred in all.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v1 v2" data-usfm="1SA.22.1+1SA.22.2"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v3 v4" data-usfm="1SA.22.3+1SA.22.4"><span class="label">3-4</span><span class="content">Then David went to Mizpah in Moab. He petitioned the king of Moab, &#8220;Grant asylum to my father and mother until I find out what God has planned for me.&#8221; David left his parents in the care of the king of Moab. They stayed there all through the time David was hiding out.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v3 v4" data-usfm="1SA.22.3+1SA.22.4"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="1SA.22.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">The prophet Gad told David, &#8220;Don&#8217;t go back to the cave. Go to Judah.&#8221; David did what he told him. He went to the forest of Hereth.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="1SA.22.5"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v6 v7 v8" data-usfm="1SA.22.6+1SA.22.7+1SA.22.8"><span class="label">6-8</span><span class="content">Saul got word of the whereabouts of David and his men. He was sitting under the big oak on the hill at Gibeah at the time, spear in hand, holding court surrounded by his officials. He said, &#8220;Listen here, you Benjaminites! Don&#8217;t think for a minute that you have any future with the son of Jesse! Do you think he&#8217;s going to hand over choice land, give you all influential jobs? Think again. Here you are, conspiring against me, whispering behind my back&#8212;not one of you is man enough to tell me that my own son is making deals with the son of Jesse, not one of you who cares enough to tell me that my son has taken the side of this, this ...outlaw!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8" data-usfm="1SA.22.6+1SA.22.7+1SA.22.8"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v9 v10" data-usfm="1SA.22.9+1SA.22.10"><span class="label">9-10</span><span class="content">Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul&#8217;s officials, spoke up: &#8220;I saw the son of Jesse meet with Ahimelech son of Ahitub, in Nob. I saw Ahimelech pray with him for </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">God</span></span><span class="content">&#8217;s guidance, give him food, and arm him with the sword of Goliath the Philistine.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v9 v10" data-usfm="1SA.22.9+1SA.22.10"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="1SA.22.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">Saul sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, along with the whole family of priests at Nob. They all came to the king.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="1SA.22.11"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="1SA.22.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">Saul said, &#8220;You listen to me, son of Ahitub!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="1SA.22.12"><span class="content">&#8220;Certainly, master,&#8221; he said.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="1SA.22.12"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="1SA.22.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">&#8220;Why have you ganged up against me with the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword, even praying with him for </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">God</span></span><span class="content">&#8217;s guidance, setting him up as an outlaw, out to get me?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="1SA.22.13"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v14 v15" data-usfm="1SA.22.14+1SA.22.15"><span class="label">14-15</span><span class="content">Ahimelech answered the king, &#8220;There&#8217;s not an official in your administration as true to you as David, your own son-in-law and captain of your bodyguard. None more honorable either. Do you think that was the first time I prayed with him for God&#8217;s guidance? Hardly! But don&#8217;t accuse me of any wrongdoing, me or my family. I have no idea what you&#8217;re trying to get at with this &#8216;outlaw&#8217; talk.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v14 v15" data-usfm="1SA.22.14+1SA.22.15"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="1SA.22.16"><span class="label">16</span><span class="content">The king said, &#8220;Death, Ahimelech! You&#8217;re going to die&#8212;you and everyone in your family!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="1SA.22.16"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="1SA.22.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">The king ordered his henchmen, &#8220;Surround and kill the priests of </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">God</span></span><span class="content">! They&#8217;re hand in glove with David. They knew he was running away from me and didn&#8217;t tell me.&#8221; But the king&#8217;s men wouldn&#8217;t do it. They refused to lay a hand on the priests of </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">God</span></span><span class="content">.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="1SA.22.17"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v18 v19" data-usfm="1SA.22.18+1SA.22.19"><span class="label">18-19</span><span class="content">Then the king told Doeg, &#8220;You do it&#8212;massacre the priests!&#8221; Doeg the Edomite led the attack and slaughtered the priests, the eighty-five men who wore the sacred robes. He then carried the massacre into Nob, the city of priests, killing man and woman, child and baby, ox, donkey, and sheep&#8212;the works.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v18 v19" data-usfm="1SA.22.18+1SA.22.19"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v20 v21" data-usfm="1SA.22.20+1SA.22.21"><span class="label">20-21</span><span class="content">Only one son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped: Abiathar. He got away and joined up with David. Abiathar reported to David that Saul had murdered the priests of </span><span class="nd"><span class="content">God</span></span><span class="content">.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v20 v21" data-usfm="1SA.22.20+1SA.22.21"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v22 v23" data-usfm="1SA.22.22+1SA.22.23"><span class="label">22-23</span><span class="content">David said to Abiathar, &#8220;I knew it&#8212;that day I saw Doeg the Edomite there, I knew he&#8217;d tell Saul. I&#8217;m to blame for the death of everyone in your father&#8217;s family. Stay here with me. Don&#8217;t be afraid. The one out to kill you is out to kill me, too. Stick with me. I&#8217;ll protect you.&#8221;</span></span></div>
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GOD
So David got away and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and others associated with his family heard where he was, they came down and joined him. Not only that, but all who were down on their luck came around—losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. David became their leader. There were about four hundred in all.
Then David went to Mizpah in Moab. He petitioned the king of Moab, “Grant asylum to my father and mother until I find out what God has planned for me.” David left his parents in the care of the king of Moab. They stayed there all through the time David was hiding out.
The prophet Gad told David, “Don’t go back to the cave. Go to Judah.” David did what he told him. He went to the forest of Hereth.

Saul got word of the whereabouts of David and his men. He was sitting under the big oak on the hill at Gibeah at the time, spear in hand, holding court surrounded by his officials. He said, “Listen here, you Benjaminites! Don’t think for a minute that you have any future with the son of Jesse! Do you think he’s going to hand over choice land, give you all influential jobs? Think again. Here you are, conspiring against me, whispering behind my back—not one of you is man enough to tell me that my own son is making deals with the son of Jesse, not one of you who cares enough to tell me that my son has taken the side of this, this ...outlaw!”
Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, spoke up: “I saw the son of Jesse meet with Ahimelech son of Ahitub, in Nob. I saw Ahimelech pray with him for GOD’s guidance, give him food, and arm him with the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
Saul sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, along with the whole family of priests at Nob. They all came to the king.
Saul said, “You listen to me, son of Ahitub!”
“Certainly, master,” he said.
“Why have you ganged up against me with the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword, even praying with him for GOD’s guidance, setting him up as an outlaw, out to get me?”
Ahimelech answered the king, “There’s not an official in your administration as true to you as David, your own son-in-law and captain of your bodyguard. None more honorable either. Do you think that was the first time I prayed with him for God’s guidance? Hardly! But don’t accuse me of any wrongdoing, me or my family. I have no idea what you’re trying to get at with this ‘outlaw’ talk.”
The king said, “Death, Ahimelech! You’re going to die—you and everyone in your family!”
The king ordered his henchmen, “Surround and kill the priests of GOD! They’re hand in glove with David. They knew he was running away from me and didn’t tell me.” But the king’s men wouldn’t do it. They refused to lay a hand on the priests of GOD.
Then the king told Doeg, “You do it—massacre the priests!” Doeg the Edomite led the attack and slaughtered the priests, the eighty-five men who wore the sacred robes. He then carried the massacre into Nob, the city of priests, killing man and woman, child and baby, ox, donkey, and sheep—the works.
Only one son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped: Abiathar. He got away and joined up with David. Abiathar reported to David that Saul had murdered the priests of GOD.
David said to Abiathar, “I knew it—that day I saw Doeg the Edomite there, I knew he’d tell Saul. I’m to blame for the death of everyone in your father’s family. Stay here with me. Don’t be afraid. The one out to kill you is out to kill me, too. Stick with me. I’ll protect you.”

Kuula 1 Samuel 22