1 Samuel 22 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

David at the Cave of Adullam

So David^H1732 departed^H1980 from there^H8033 and escaped^H4422 to the cave^H4631 of Adullam^H5725; and his brothers^H251 and all^H3605 his father’s^H1 household^H1004 heard^H8085 of it and went^H3381 down^H3381 there^H8033 to him.

1Sa 22:2

1Sa 22:2Then everyone who was in distress, and everyone who [fn]was in debt, and everyone who was bitter of soul, gathered to him; and he became a commander over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him.

1Sa 22:3

And David^H1732 went^H1980 from there^H8033 to Mizpah^H4708 of Moab^H4124; and he said^H559 to the king^H4428 of Moab^H4124, “Please^H4994 let my father^H1 and my mother^H517 come^H3318 and stay with you until^H5704^H834 I know^H3045 what^H4100 God^H430 will do^H6213 for me.”

1Sa 22:4

1Sa 22:4Then he left them with the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the fortress.

1Sa 22:5

1Sa 22:5And the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the fortress; go, and enter into the land of Judah.” So David went and entered into the forest of Hereth.

Saul Puts the Priests at Nob to Death

1Sa 22:6

Then Saul^H7586 heard^H8085 that David^H1732 and the men^H376 who^H834 were with him had been discovered^H3045. Now Saul^H7586 was sitting^H3427 in Gibeah^H1390, under^H8478 the tamarisk^H815 tree^H815 on the height^H7413 with his spear^H2595 in his hand^H3027, and all^H3605 his servants^H5650 were standing^H5324 around^H5921 him.

1Sa 22:7

1Sa 22:7And Saul said to his servants who were standing around him, “Hear now, O Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse also give to all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?

1Sa 22:8

1Sa 22:8“For all of you have conspired against me so that there is no one who reveals in my ear when my son cuts a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me or reveals in my ear that my son has caused my servant to rise up against me to lie in ambush, as it is this day.”

1Sa 22:9

1Sa 22:9Then Doeg the Edomite, who was [fn]standing by the servants of Saul, said, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

1Sa 22:10

1Sa 22:10“And he asked of Yahweh for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

1Sa 22:11

Then the king^H4428 sent^H7971 someone to summon^H7121 Ahimelech^H288 the priest^H3548, the son^H1121 of Ahitub^H285, and all^H3605 his father’s^H1 household^H1004, the priests^H3548 who^H834 were in Nob^H5011; and all^H3605 of them came^H935 to the king^H4428.

1Sa 22:12

1Sa 22:12And Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” And he [fn]answered, “Here I am, my lord.”

1Sa 22:13

1Sa 22:13Saul then said to him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have asked of God on his behalf, so that he would rise up against me by lying in ambush as it is this day?”

1Sa 22:14

Then Ahimelech^H288 answered^H6030 the king^H4428 and said^H559, “And who^H4310 among all^H3605 your servants^H5650 is as faithful^H539 as David^H1732, even the king’s^H4428 son-in-law^H2860, who [fn]is captain over^H413 your guard^H4928, and is honored^H3513 in your house^H1004?

1Sa 22:15

1Sa 22:15“Did I just begin to ask of God on his behalf today? Far be it from me! Do not let the king impute anything to his servant or to any of the household of my father, for your servant knows nothing small or great of this whole affair.”

1Sa 22:16

1Sa 22:16But the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!”

1Sa 22:17

1Sa 22:17And the king said to the [fn]guards who were standing by him, “Turn around and put the priests of Yahweh to death because their hand also is with David and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it in my ears.” But the servants of the king were not willing to send forth their hands to fall upon the priests of Yahweh.

1Sa 22:18

1Sa 22:18Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn around and [fn]attack the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned around and [fn]attacked the priests, and he put to death that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.

1Sa 22:19

1Sa 22:19So he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, infants and nursing babies; also oxen, donkeys, and sheep he struck with the edge of the sword.

1Sa 22:20

But one^H259 son^H1121 of Ahimelech^H288 the son^H1121 of Ahitub^H285, named^H8034 Abiathar^H54, escaped^H4422 and fled^H1272 after^H310 David^H1732.

1Sa 22:21

1Sa 22:21And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of Yahweh.

1Sa 22:22

1Sa 22:22Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. It is I who have turned against every person in your father’s household.

1Sa 22:23