CHAPTER 22
1 Therefore David went from thence, and fled into the den of Adullam; and when his brethren, and all the house of his father had heard this, they came down thither to him.
2 And all men that were set in anguish, and oppressed with other men’s debt, and in bitter soul, came together to him; and he was made the prince of them, and as four hundred men were with him.
3 And David went forth from thence into Mizpeh, that is in Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, I pray, dwell my father and my mother with you, till I know what thing God shall do to me.
4 And he left them there before the face of the king of Moab; and they dwelled at him in all the days, that David was in the forcelet, either strong-hold.
5 And Gad, the prophet, said to David, Do not thou dwell in the forcelet or stronghold; go thou forth, and go into the land of Judah. And David went forth, and came into the forest of Hareth.
6 And Saul heard, that David appeared, and the men that were with him. And when Saul dwelled in Gibeah, and was in a wood that is in Ramah, and he held a spear in his hand, and all his servants stood about him,
7 he said to his servants that stood nigh [to] him, Ye sons of Benjamin, hear me now; whether the son of Jesse shall give to all you fields and vineries [or vines], and he shall make all you chieftains upon thousands, and [leaders] upon hundreds of men?
8 For all ye have sworn, either conspired, together against me, and none is that telleth to me; mostly since also my son hath joined bond of peace with the son of Jesse; none is of you, that sorroweth for my stead or my while, neither that telleth to me, for my son hath raised my servant against me, setting treason to me, unto this day.
9 Soothly Doeg of Idumea answered, that stood nigh, and was the first among the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse in Nob, at Ahimelech, the priest, the son of Ahitub;
10 and Ahimelech counselled with the Lord for David, and gave him meats, but also he gave to David the sword of Goliath Philistine.
11 Therefore the king sent to call Ahimelech, the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all the house of his father, of [the] priests that were in Nob; which all came to the king.
12 And Saul said to Ahimelech, Hear me, thou son of Ahitub. Which answered, Lord, I am ready.
13 And Saul said to him, Why hast thou conspired against me, thou, and the son of Jesse, and [thou] hast given loaves and a sword to him, and hast counselled with the Lord for him, that he should rise against me, and he dwelleth a traitor unto this day?
14 And Ahimelech answered to the king, and said, Who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, and he is thy son-in-law, and going at thy behest, and glorious in all thine house?
15 Whether I began today to counsel with the Lord for him? Far be this from me; suppose not the king such thing against his servant, in all the house of my father; for thy servant knew not anything, either little, either great, of this cause.
16 And the king said, Ahimelech, thou shalt die by death, thou, and all the house of thy father.
17 And the king said to men able to be sent out, that stood about him, Turn ye, and slay the priests of the Lord, for the hand of them is with David; and they knew that he fled, and they showed not to me. Soothly the servants of the king would not hold forth their hand into the priests of the Lord.
18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and hurtle into the priests of the Lord. And Doeg of Idumea turned, and hurtled into the priests, and strangled in that day fourscore and five men, clothed with ephods of linen cloth [or surplices].
19 Forsooth he smote Nob, the city of the priests, by the sharpness of sword, men and women, little children and those sucking, and ox, and ass, and sheep, by the sharpness of sword.
20 But one son of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, escaped, of which son the name was Abiathar; and he fled to David,
21 and told him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.
22 And David said to Abiathar, Soothly I knew in that day, that when Doeg of Idumea was there, he would tell without doubt to Saul; I am guilty of all the lives that be slain of thy father’s house.
23 Dwell thou with me, dread thou not; if any man seeketh thy life, he shall seek also my life, and thou shalt be kept with me.