1 Samuel 22

22 ¹ David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; his brothers and all his father's household heard and went down to him there. ² Everyone in distress, debt, or bitter in spirit gathered to him; he became their commander—about four hundred men. ³ From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab and asked its king, "Please let my father and mother come stay with you until I know what our Father will do for me." ⁴ He left them with Moab's king; they stayed with him while David was in the stronghold. ⁵ Gad the prophet told David, "Don't stay in the stronghold; go into the land of Judah." So David left and went to Hereth Forest.

Saul Slaughters the Father's Priests

⁶ Saul heard David and his men were found. He sat at Gibeah under the tamarisk on the height, spear in hand, all his servants standing around him. ⁷ Saul said to his attending servants, "Listen, Benjaminites! Will Jesse's son even give you all fields and vineyards, make you all commanders of thousands and hundreds," ⁸ that you've all conspired against me? No one tells me my son made a pact with Jesse's son. None of you pities me or tells me my son has stirred my servant against me to ambush me, as he does today."

⁹ Doeg the Edomite, with Saul's servants, said, "I saw Jesse's son come to Nob, to Ahimelech son of Ahitub. ¹⁰ Ahimelech asked the LORD for him, gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

¹¹ The king summoned the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, his father's whole family, the priests in Nob, and they all came to the king. ¹² Saul said, "Listen now, son of Ahitub." He answered, "Here I am, my lord."

¹³ Saul asked, "Why have you and Jesse's son conspired against me—giving him bread and a sword, asking God for him, so he'd rise against me and lie in wait, as he does today?"

¹⁴ Ahimelech answered the king, "Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king's son-in-law, your guard captain, and honored in your house? ¹⁵ Did I begin asking our Father for him today? Far be it from me! Let the king charge his servant nothing—nor my father's whole household—for your servant knew nothing of all this, small or great.

¹⁶ But the king said, "You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's household." ¹⁷ The king told his guards, "Kill the priests of our Father, their hand too is with David; they knew he was fleeing and did not tell me." But the king's servants would not lift a hand against the priests of our Father.

¹⁸ The king told Doeg, 'Turn and strike down the priests.' Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down, killing eighty-five men who wore linen ephod that day.

¹⁹ He struck Nob, the priests' city, by the sword — men, women, children, infants, oxen, donkeys, sheep — all by the sword. ²⁰ But one son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to David. ²¹ Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of our Father.

²² David told Abiathar, "I knew that day Doeg the Edomite was there—he'd tell Saul. I caused the death of everyone in your father's house." ²³ Stay with me; don't be afraid. Whoever seeks my life seeks yours. With me you are safe."