1 Samuel 22

Priests Killed at Nob

1So DavidH1732 departedH1980 from thereH8033 and 1escapedH4422 to 2the caveH4631 of AdullamH5725; and when his brothersH251 and allH3605 his father’sH1 householdH1004 heardH8085 about it, they wentH3381 downH3381 thereH8033 to him. 2Then everyoneH3605 who was in distressH4689, and everyoneH3605 whoH834 3was in debtH5377, and everyoneH3605 who was 4discontentedH4751H5315 gatheredH6908 to him; and he becameH1961 captainH8269 overH5921 them. Now there were 5about fourH702 hundredH3967 menH376 with him.

3And DavidH1732 wentH1980 from thereH8033 to MizpahH4708 of MoabH4124; and he saidH559 to the kingH4428 of MoabH4124, “PleaseH4994 let my fatherH1 and my motherH517 comeH3318 and stay with you untilH5704H834 I knowH3045 whatH4100 GodH430 will doH6213 for me.” 4Then he 6leftH5117 them with the kingH4428 of MoabH4124; and they stayedH3427 with him allH3605 the timeH3117 that DavidH1732 was in the strongholdH4686. 5But 7GadH1410 the prophetH5030 saidH559 to DavidH1732, “Do not stayH3427 in the strongholdH4686; leaveH1980, and goH935 into the landH776 of JudahH3063.” So DavidH1732 leftH1980 and wentH935 into the forestH3293 of HerethH2802.

6Then SaulH7586 heardH8085 that DavidH1732 and the menH376 whoH834 were with him had been discoveredH3045. Now 8SaulH7586 was in GibeahH1390, sittingH3427 underH8478 the tamariskH815 treeH815 on the heightH7413 with his spearH2595 in his handH3027, and allH3605 his servantsH5650 were standingH5324 in frontH5921 of him. 7SaulH7586 saidH559 to his servantsH5650 who were standingH5324 in frontH5921 of him, “HearH8085 nowH4994, you BenjaminitesH1145! Will the sonH1121 of JesseH3448 reallyH1571 giveH5414 allH3605 of you fieldsH7704 and vineyardsH3754? 9Will he makeH7760 you allH3605 commandersH8269 of thousandsH505 and commandersH8269 of hundredsH3967? 8For allH3605 of you have conspiredH7194 againstH5921 me so that thereH369 isH369 noH369 oneH369 who 10informsH1540H241 me 11when my sonH1121 makesH3772 a covenant with the sonH1121 of JesseH3448, and thereH369 isH369 noneH369 of you 12who caresH2470 aboutH2470 me or 13informsH1540H241 me that my sonH1121 has stirredH6965 upH6965 my servantH5650 againstH5921 me to lieH693 inH693 ambushH693, as it is thisH2088 dayH3117.” 9Then 14DoegH1673 the EdomiteH130, whoH1931 was 15standingH5324 in frontH5921 of the servantsH5650 of SaulH7586, respondedH6030 and saidH559, “16I sawH7200 the sonH1121 of JesseH3448 comingH935 to NobH5011, to 17AhimelechH288 the sonH1121 of AhitubH285. 10And 18he inquiredH7592 of the LordH3068 for him, 19gaveH5414 him provisionsH6720, and 20gaveH5414 him the swordH2719 of GoliathH1555 the PhilistineH6430.”

11Then the kingH4428 sentH7971 a messenger to summonH7121 AhimelechH288 the priestH3548, the sonH1121 of AhitubH285, and allH3605 his father’sH1 householdH1004, the priestsH3548 whoH834 were in NobH5011; and allH3605 of them cameH935 to the kingH4428. 12SaulH7586 saidH559, “ListenH8085 nowH4994, sonH1121 of AhitubH285.” And he 21repliedH559, “HereH2009 I am, my lordH113.” 13SaulH7586 then saidH559 to him, “WhyH4100 have you and the sonH1121 of JesseH3448 conspiredH7194 againstH5921 me, in that you have givenH5414 him breadH3899 and a swordH2719, and have inquiredH7592 of GodH430 for him, so that he would riseH6965 upH6965 againstH413 me 22by lyingH693 inH693 ambushH693 as it is thisH2088 dayH3117?”

1423Then AhimelechH288 answeredH6030 the kingH4428 and saidH559, “And whoH4310 among allH3605 your servantsH5650 is as faithfulH539 as DavidH1732, the king’sH4428 own son-in-lawH2860, who 24is commander overH413 your bodyguardH4928, and is honoredH3513 in your houseH1004? 15Did I just beginH2490 25to inquireH7592 of GodH430 for him todayH3117? FarH2486 be it from me! 26Do not let the kingH4428 imputeH7760 anythingH1697 against his servantH5650 or against anyH3605 of the householdH1004 of my fatherH1, becauseH3588 your servantH5650 knowsH3045 nothingH3808 27at allH6996H1419 of thisH2088 wholeH3605 affairH1697.” 16But the kingH4428 saidH559, “You shall certainlyH4191 dieH4191, AhimelechH288, you and allH3605 your father’sH1 householdH1004!” 17And 28the kingH4428 saidH559 to the 29guardsH7323 who were attendingH5324H5921 him, “TurnH5437 aroundH5437 and putH4191 the priestsH3548 of the LordH3068 toH4191 deathH4191, becauseH3588 their handH3027 alsoH1571 is with DavidH1732 and becauseH3588 they knewH3045 that he was fleeingH1272 and did not 30informH1540H241 me.” But the 31servantsH5650 of the kingH4428 were unwillingH3808H14 to reachH7971 outH7971 with their handsH3027 to 32attackH6293 the priestsH3548 of the LordH3068. 18Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to DoegH1673, “You, turnH5437 aroundH5437 and 33attackH6293 the priestsH3548!” And DoegH1673 the EdomiteH130 turnedH5437 aroundH5437 and 34attackedH6293 the priestsH3548, and 35he killedH4191 on that dayH3117 eighty-fiveH8084 menH376 36who woreH5375 the linenH906 ephodH646. 1937He also struckH5221 NobH5011 the cityH5892 of the priestsH3548 with the edgeH6310 of the swordH2719, bothH4480 menH376 and womenH802, childrenH5768 and infantsH3243; he also struck oxenH7794, donkeysH2543, and sheepH7716 with the edgeH6310 of the swordH2719.

20But 38oneH259 sonH1121 of AhimelechH288 the sonH1121 of AhitubH285, namedH8034 AbiatharH54, 39escapedH4422 and fledH1272 40toH310 DavidH1732. 21AbiatharH54 informedH5046 DavidH1732 that SaulH7586 had killedH2026 the priestsH3548 of the LordH3068. 22Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to AbiatharH54, “I knewH3045 on that dayH3117, whenH3588 41DoegH1673 the EdomiteH130 was thereH8033, that he would certainlyH5046 tellH5046 SaulH7586. I myselfH595 42have turnedH5437 against everyH3605 personH5315 in your father’sH1 householdH1004. 23StayH3427 with me; do not beH3372 afraidH3372, 43evenH3588 thoughH3588 44he whoH834 is seekingH1245 my lifeH5315 is seekingH1245 your lifeH5315. For you are safeH4931 with me.”