1Sa 22 | NASB2020 | STEP | So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam ; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard about it, they went down there to him.

1 Samuel 22

Priests Killed at Nob

1 So David departed from there and ^aescaped to ^bthe cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard about it, they went down there to him. 2 Then everyone who was in distress, and everyone who ^{▼▼Lit had a creditor}was in debt, and everyone who was ^{▼▼Lit bitter of soul}discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were ^eabout four hundred men with him.

3 And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.” 4 Then he ^{▼▼Probable reading of the Heb; MT brought them before}left them with the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. 5 But ^gGad the prophet said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; leave, and go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went into the forest of Hereth.

6 Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now ^hSaul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing in front of him. 7 Saul said to his servants who were standing in front of him, “Hear now, you Benjaminites! Will the son of Jesse really give all of you fields and vineyards? ⁱWill he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? 8 For all of you have conspired against me so that there is no one who ^{▼▼Lit uncovers my ear}informs me ^kwhen my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you ^lwho cares about me or ^{▼▼Lit uncovers my ear}informs me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in ambush, as it is this day.” 9 Then ⁿDoeg the Edomite, who was ^{▼▼Or set over}standing in front of the servants of Saul, responded and said, “ ^pI saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to ^qAhimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 And ^rhe inquired of the Lord for him, ^sgave him provisions, and ^tgave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Then the king sent a messenger to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household, the priests who were in Nob; and all of them came to the king. 12 Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” And he ^{▼▼Lit said}replied, “Here I am, my lord.” 13 Saul then said to him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, so that he would rise up against me ^vby lying in ambush as it is this day?”

14 ^wThen Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s own son-in-law, who ^{▼▼As in LXX; MT turns aside to}is commander over your bodyguard, and is honored in your house? 15 Did I just begin ^yto inquire of God for him today? Far be it from me! ^zDo not let the king impute anything against his servant or against any of the household of my father, because your servant knows nothing ^{▼▼Lit small or great}at all of this whole affair.” 16 But the king said, “You shall certainly die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!” 17 And ^abthe king said to the ^{▼▼Lit runners}guards who were attending him, “Turn around and put the priests of the Lord to death, because their hand also is with David and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not ^{▼▼Lit uncover my ear}inform me.” But the ^aeservants of the king were unwilling to reach out with their hands to ^{▼▼Lit fall upon}attack the priests of the Lord. 18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You, turn around and ^{▼▼Lit fall upon}attack the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned around and ^{▼▼Lit fell upon}attacked the priests, and ^aihe killed on that day eighty-five men ^ajwho wore the linen ephod. 19 ^akHe also struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; he also struck oxen, donkeys, and sheep with the edge of the sword.

20 But ^alone son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, ^amescaped and fled ^{▼▼Lit after}to David. 21 Abiathar informed David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when ^aoDoeg the Edomite was there, that he would certainly tell Saul. I myself ^{▼▼LXX am responsible for}have turned against every person in your father’s household. 23 Stay with me; do not be afraid, ^{▼▼Or because he}even though ^arhe who is seeking my life is seeking your life. For you are safe with me.”