New American Standard Bible 2020

1 Samuel 22

Priests Killed at Nob

1So David departed from there and 1escaped to 2the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard about it, they went down there to him. 2Then everyone who was in distress, and everyone who 3was in debt, and everyone who was 4discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were 5about four hundred men with him.

3And 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.” 4Then he 6left them with the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. 5But 7Gad 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.

6Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now 8Saul 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. 7Saul 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? 9Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? 8For all of you have conspired against me so that there is no one who 10informs me 11when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you 12who cares about me or 13informs me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in ambush, as it is this day.” 9Then 14Doeg the Edomite, who was 15standing in front of the servants of Saul, responded and said, “16I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to 17Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10And 18he inquired of the Lord for him, 19gave him provisions, and 20gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11Then 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. 12Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” And he 21replied, “Here I am, my lord.” 13Saul 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 22by lying in ambush as it is this day?”

14 23Then 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 24is commander over your bodyguard, and is honored in your house? 15Did I just begin 25to inquire of God for him today? Far be it from me! 26Do not let the king impute anything against his servant or against any of the household of my father, because your servant knows nothing 27at all of this whole affair.” 16But the king said, “You shall certainly die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!” 17And 28the king said to the 29guards 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 30inform me.” But the 31servants of the king were unwilling to reach out with their hands to 32attack the priests of the Lord. 18Then the king said to Doeg, “You, turn around and 33attack the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned around and 34attacked the priests, and 35he killed on that day eighty-five men 36who wore the linen ephod. 19 37He 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.

20But 38one son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, 39escaped and fled 40to David. 21Abiathar informed David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when 41Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would certainly tell Saul. I myself 42have turned against every person in your father’s household. 23Stay with me; do not be afraid, 43even though 44he who is seeking my life is seeking your life. For you are safe with me.”

Notes

1. 1 Samuel 22:1 Ps 57: title ↩
2. 1 Samuel 22:1 Josh 12:15; 15:35; 2 Sam 23:13; Ps 142: title ↩
3. 1 Samuel 22:2 Lit had a creditor ↩
4. 1 Samuel 22:2 Lit bitter of soul ↩
5. 1 Samuel 22:2 1 Sam 23:13; 25:13 ↩
6. 1 Samuel 22:4 Probable reading of the Heb; MT brought them before ↩
7. 1 Samuel 22:5 2 Sam 24:11; 1 Chr 21:9; 29:29; 2 Chr 29:25 ↩
8. 1 Samuel 22:6 Judg 4:5; 1 Sam 14:2 ↩
9. 1 Samuel 22:7 1 Sam 8:12; 1 Chr 12:16-18 ↩
10. 1 Samuel 22:8 Lit uncovers my ear ↩
11. 1 Samuel 22:8 1 Sam 18:3; 20:16 ↩
12. 1 Samuel 22:8 1 Sam 23:21 ↩
13. 1 Samuel 22:8 Lit uncovers my ear ↩
14. 1 Samuel 22:9 Ps 52: title ↩
15. 1 Samuel 22:9 Or set over ↩
16. 1 Samuel 22:9 1 Sam 21:1 ↩
17. 1 Samuel 22:9 1 Sam 14:3; 21:1 ↩
18. 1 Samuel 22:10 Num 27:21; 1 Sam 10:22 ↩
19. 1 Samuel 22:10 1 Sam 21:6 ↩
20. 1 Samuel 22:10 1 Sam 21:9 ↩
21. 1 Samuel 22:12 Lit said ↩
22. 1 Samuel 22:13 1 Sam 22:8 ↩
23. 1 Samuel 22:14 1 Sam 19:4, 5; 20:32 ↩
24. 1 Samuel 22:14 As in LXX; MT turns aside to ↩
25. 1 Samuel 22:15 2 Sam 5:19, 23 ↩
26. 1 Samuel 22:15 2 Sam 19:18, 19 ↩
27. 1 Samuel 22:15 Lit small or great ↩
28. 1 Samuel 22:17 2 Kin 10:25 ↩
29. 1 Samuel 22:17 Lit runners ↩
30. 1 Samuel 22:17 Lit uncover my ear ↩
31. 1 Samuel 22:17 Ex 1:17 ↩
32. 1 Samuel 22:17 Lit fall upon ↩
33. 1 Samuel 22:18 Lit fall upon ↩
34. 1 Samuel 22:18 Lit fell upon ↩
35. 1 Samuel 22:18 1 Sam 2:31 ↩
36. 1 Samuel 22:18 1 Sam 2:18 ↩
37. 1 Samuel 22:19 1 Sam 15:3 ↩
38. 1 Samuel 22:20 1 Sam 23:6, 9; 30:7; 1 Kin 2:26, 27 ↩
39. 1 Samuel 22:20 1 Sam 23:6 ↩
40. 1 Samuel 22:20 Lit after ↩
41. 1 Samuel 22:22 1 Sam 21:7 ↩
42. 1 Samuel 22:22 LXX am responsible for ↩
43. 1 Samuel 22:23 Or because he ↩
44. 1 Samuel 22:23 1 Kin 2:26 ↩

Priests Killed at Nob

Notes

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 22