1So David went from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard of it, they went down to him there.
2And everyone in distress, and everyone who had a creditor, and everyone bitter of soul gathered themselves to him, and he became a commander over them. There were with him about four hundred men.
3David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab and said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come out and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.”
4So he left them before the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the days that David was in the stronghold.
5Then Gad the prophet said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Go, and enter the land of Judah.” So David went and came to the forest of Hereth.
6And Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the height, his spear in his hand, and all his servants stationed around him.
7Saul said to his servants who were stationed around him, “Listen now, Benjaminites! Will the son of Jesse also give to every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,
8that all of you have conspired against me? No one discloses to me when my son cuts a covenant with the son of Jesse; none of you is grieved over me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.”
9Then Doeg the Edomite, who was stationed over Saul’s servants, answered and said, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech son of Ahitub.
10And he inquired of Yahweh for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
11So the king sent to summon Ahimelech son of Ahitub, the priest, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob; and all of them came to the king.
12Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” And he said, “Here I am, my lord.”
13Then Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, by giving him bread and a sword, and inquiring of God for him, so that he could rise up against me to lie in wait, as at this day?”
14Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s son-in-law, who has ready access to your council and is honored in your house?
15Was it today that I began to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute anything against his servant in all my father’s house, for your servant knew nothing at all of this whole matter, small or great.”
16But the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.”
17And the king said to the runners stationed around him, “Turn and kill the priests of Yahweh, because their hand too is with David, and because they knew he was fleeing and did not disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king were unwilling to raise their hand to strike the priests of Yahweh.
18Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.
19And Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword — from man to woman, from child to infant, and ox and donkey and sheep — with the edge of the sword.
20But one son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, whose name was Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.
21And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of Yahweh.
22Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I myself am responsible for every life of your father’s house.
23Stay with me. Do not be afraid, for the one who seeks my life seeks your life; for with me you are safe.”
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