1 Samuel 22

1David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. His brothers and all his father's house heard and went down to him there.

2Every man in distress, every man in debt, and every man of bitter soul gathered to him; he became their captain, and about four hundred men were with him.

3David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab and said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and my mother come and be with you until I know what God will do for me."

4He brought them into the presence of Moab's king, and they stayed with him all the days David was in the stronghold.

5Gad the prophet said to David, "Do not dwell in the stronghold. Go, and enter the land of Judah." David went and came to the forest of Hereth.

6Saul heard that David had been discovered, and the men who were with him; he was sitting in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, his spear in his hand, while all his servants stood around him.

7Saul said to his servants standing about him, "Listen now, sons of Benjamin! Will even the son of Jesse give fields and vineyards to every one of you, appoint every one of you captains of thousands and captains of hundreds?"

8That you have all conspired against me, and no one reveals to me when my son cuts a covenant with Jesse's son, nor is anyone among you grieved over me or reveals to me that my son has roused my servant against me to lie in wait today.

9Doeg the Edomite, standing over Saul's servants, answered and said, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech son of Ahitub."

10He asked Yahweh for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

11The king sent to summon Ahimelech the priest, son of Ahitub, and all his father's household, the priests in Nob, and they all came to the king.

12Saul said, "Please listen, son of Ahitub." He answered, "Here I am, my lord."

13Saul said to him, "Why have you conspired against me, you and Jesse's son, by giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, that he should rise against me to lie in wait, as on this day?"

14Ahimelech answered the king and said, "Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king's son-in-law who enters your confidence and is honored in your house?"

15Did I begin today to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute a matter to his servant, nor to all the house of my father, for your servant knew nothing of all this—no small matter or great.

16The king said, "You will surely die, Ahimelech—you and all your father's house."

17The king said to the guards stationed around him, "Turn and kill Yahweh's priests, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not disclose it to me." But the king's servants refused to stretch out their hand to strike Yahweh's priests.

18The king said to Doeg, "Turn and strike the priests." Doeg the Edomite turned, struck the priests, and killed eighty-five men wearing linen ephods that day.

19He struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword's edge—men and women, infants and sucklings, oxen, donkeys, and sheep—with the sword's edge.

20One son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, named Abiathar escaped and fled after David.

21Abiathar informed David that Saul had killed Yahweh's priests.

22David said to Abiathar, "I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would certainly inform Saul. It is I who have brought death upon everyone in your father's house."

23Remain with me; do not be afraid, for whoever seeks my life seeks your life. For you are kept safe with me.