1
David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the caveAdullam: and when his brethren and all his father'shouseheard it, they went down thither to him.
2
And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented*, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about fourhundredmen.
3
And Davidwent thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
5
And the prophetGadsaid unto David,Abide not in the hold;depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then Daviddeparted, and came into the forest of Hareth.
6
When Saulheard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saulabode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)
7
Then Saulsaid unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jessegive every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;
8
That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth* me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth* unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
9
Then answeredDoeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jessecoming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
11
Then the kingsent to callAhimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father'shouse, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
13
And Saulsaid unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
14
Then Ahimelechanswered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?
15
Did I thenbegin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the kingimpute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servantknew nothing of all this, less or more.
17
And the kingsaid unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew* it to me. But the servants of the kingwould not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.
18
And the kingsaid to Doeg,Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomiteturned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that dayfourscore and fivepersons that did wear a linenephod.
19
And Nob, the city of the priests,smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women,children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
22
And Davidsaid unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surelytellSaul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father'shouse.