I Samuel 22

¹Dauid therefore departed thence, and saued him selfe in the caue of Adullam: and when his brethren and all his fathers house heard it, they went downe thither to him.

²And there gathered vnto him all men that were in trouble and all men that were in dette, and all those that were vexed in minde, and he was their prince, and there were with him about foure hundreth men.

³And Dauid went thence to Mizpeh in Moab, and said vnto the King of Moab, I pray thee, let my father and my mother come and abide with you, till I knowe what God wil doe for me.

⁴And he brought them before the King of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that Dauid was in the holde.

⁵And the Prophet Gad sayde vnto Dauid, Abide not in the holde, but depart and goe into the land of Iudah. Then Dauid departed and came into the forest of Hareth.

⁶And Saul heard that Dauid was discouered, and the men that were with him, and Saul remayned in Gibeah vnder a tree in Ramah, hauing his speare in his hande, and all his seruants stoode about him.

⁷And Saul said vnto his seruants that stood about him, Heare now, ye sonnes of Iemini, wil the sonne of Ishai giue euery one of you fields and vineyardes: will he make you all captaines ouer thousands, and captaines ouer hundreths:

⁸That all ye haue conspired against me, and there is none that tellerh mee that my sonne hath made a couenant with the sonne of Ishai? and there is none of you that is sory for me, or sheweth mee, that my sonne hath stirred vp my seruant to lie in wayte against me, as appeareth this day?

⁹Then answered Doeg the Edomite (who was appoynted ouer the seruants of Saul) and sayd, I saw the sonne of Ishai when he came to Nob, to Ahimelech the sonne of Ahitub,

¹⁰Who asked counsell of the Lord for him and gaue him vitailes, and he gaue him also the sword of Goliath the Philistim.

¹¹Then the King sent to call Ahimelech the Priest the sonne of Ahitub, and all his fathers house, to wit, the Priests that were in Nob: and they came all to the King.

¹²And Saul said, Heare now thou sonne of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

¹³Then Saul sayde vnto him, Why haue yee conspired against me, thou and the sonne of Ishai, in that thou hast giuen him vitaile, and a sworde, and hast asked counsell of God for him, that he should rise against me, and lye in wayte as appeareth this day?

¹⁴And Ahimelech answered the King, and sayde, Who is so faithfull among all thy seruants as Dauid, being also the Kings sonne in lawe, and goeth at thy commandement, and is honourable in thine house?

¹⁵Haue I this day first begun to aske counsell of God for him? be it farre from mee, let not the King impute any thing vnto his seruant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy seruant knew nothing of all this, lesse nor more.

¹⁶Then the King sayd, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy fathers house.

¹⁷And the King sayde vnto the sergeantes that stoode about him, Turne, and slay the Priestes of the Lord, because their hand also is with Dauid, and because they knewe when he fled, and shewed it not vnto mee. But the seruantes of the King would not moue their hands to fall vpon the Priests of the Lord.

¹⁸Then the King sayde to Doeg, Turne thou and fall vpon the Priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and ran vpon the Priestes, and slewe that same daye foure score and fiue persons that did weare a linen Ephod.

¹⁹Also Nob the citie of the Priestes smote he with the edge of the sword, both man and woman, both childe and suckling, both oxe and asse, and sheepe with the edge of the sword.

²⁰But one of the sonnes of Ahimelech the sonne of Ahitub (whose name was Abiathar) escaped and fled after Dauid.

²¹And Abiathar shewed Dauid, that Saul had slayne the Lords Priestes.

²²And Dauid sayd vnto Abiathar, I knewe it the same day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would tell Saul. I am the cause of the death of all the persons of thy fathers house.

²³Abide thou with me, and feare not: for he that seeketh my life, shall seeke thy life also: for with me thou shalt be in safegard.

I Samuel 22

¹David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.

²And 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 four hundred men.

³And David went 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.

⁴And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.

⁵And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.

⁶When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)

⁷Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

⁸That 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?

⁹Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

¹⁰And he enquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

¹¹Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

¹²And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

¹³And Saul said 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?

¹⁴Then Ahimelech answered 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?

¹⁵Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.

¹⁶And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house.

¹⁷And the king said 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 king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord.

¹⁸And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

¹⁹And 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.

²⁰And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

²¹And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the Lord’s priests.

²²And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’s house.

²³Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.