Chapter 22
David Flees. 1 David left and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all of his father’s household heard, they went down to him there. 2 Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. He had about four hundred men with him.
3 From there, David traveled to Mizpah in Moab. He said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother stay with you until I know what God will do with me.” 4 He brought them to the king of Moab, and they lived with him the whole time that David was in the stronghold.
5 But the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Leave, and go to the land of Judah.” David left and went into the forest of Hareth.
Doeg Betrays Ahimelech. 6 Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. Saul, holding a spear in his hand, was sitting in Gibeah under the tree of Ramah, and all of his servants were standing around him. 7 Saul said to his servants who were standing around him, “Hear now, you Benjaminites. Will each of you give fields and vineyards to the son of Jesse? Will you all be officers of thousands and officers of hundreds? 8 Is that why all of you have conspired against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me today.”
9 But Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s servants, said, “I saw the son of Jesse go to Nob, to Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub. 10 Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him, and he gave him provisions, and he gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11 Saul Slays the Priests. The king summoned Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, the priest, as well as all of his father’s family in Nob who were also priests. All of them came to the king. 12 He said, “Listen now, O son of Ahitub.” He answered, “Here I am, my lord.” 13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired with the son of Jesse against me? You gave him bread and a sword. You inquired of God whether he should lie in wait for me today.”
14 Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all of your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s son-in-law, who goes about at your bidding, and who is respected in your house? 15 Was that the first time I inquired of the Lord for him? No! Let the king not accuse your servant or any of my father’s family, for your servant knows absolutely nothing about any of this.”
16 The king said, “You must die, Ahimelech, you and all of your father’s family.” 17 The king said to the guards who were standing around him, “Turn around and kill the priests of the Lord, for they are in league with David. They knew about his fleeing, and they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not stretch out their hands to fall upon the priests of the Lord.
18 So the king said to Doeg, “You turn around and fall upon the priests.” Doeg the Edomite turned around, and he fell upon the priests, killing eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod that day. 19 He put Nob, the city of the priests, to the sword: men, women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.
20 Abiathar Escapes. Now one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, escaped. He was named Abiathar, and he fled to David. 21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests. 22 David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day, when I saw that Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of everyone in your father’s family. 23 Stay with me, and do not be afraid. The same man who seeks my life seeks your life as well, but you will be safe with me.”
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 22:2
- 1 Samuel 22:5
- 1 Samuel 22:23
