1 Samuel Chapter 22

1 Samuel Chapter 22
1 David therefore departed thence, and
saved himself in the cave of Adullam:
and when his brethren and all his father's
house heard it, they went down thither to
him.
2 And there gathered unto him all men
that were in trouble and all men that
were in debt, and all those that were
vexed in mind, and he was their prince,
and there were with him about four
hundred men.
3 And David went thence to Mizpeh in
Moab, and said unto the king of Moab, I
pray thee, let my father and my mother
come and abide with you, till I know
what God will do for me.
4 And he brought them before the king of
Moab, and they dwelt with him all the
while that David kept himself in the
hold.
5 And the prophet Gad said unto David,
Abide not in the hold, but depart and go
into the land of Judah. Then David
departed and came into the forest of
Hareth.
6 And Saul heard that David was
discovered, and the men that were with
him, and Saul remained in Gibeah under
a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his
hand, and all his men stood about him.
7 And Saul said unto his servants that
stood about him, Hear now, ye sons of
Jemini, will the son of Jesse give every
one of you fields and vineyards: will he
make you all captains over thousands,
and captains over hundreds: 8 That all
ye have conspired against me, and there
is none that telleth me that my son hath
made a covenant with the son of Jesse?
And there is none of you that is sorry for
me, or showeth me, that my son hath
stirred up my servant to lie in wait
against me, as appeareth this day?
9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite
(who was appointed over the servants of
Saul) and said, I saw the son of Jesse
when he came to Nob, to Ahimelech the
son of Ahitub,
10 Who asked counsel of the Lord for
him and gave him victuals, and he gave
him also the sword of Goliath the
Philistine.
11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech
the priest the son of Ahitub, and all his
father's house, to wit, the priests that
were in Nob: and they came all to the
king.
12 And Saul said, Hear now thou son of
Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my
lord.
13 Then Saul said unto him, Why have
ye conspired against me, thou and the
son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him
victual, and a sword, and hast asked
counsel of God for him, that he should
rise against me, and lie in wait as
appeareth this day?
14 And Ahimelech answered the king,
and said, Who is so faithful among all
thy servants as David, being also the
king's son in law, and goeth at thy
commandment, and is honorable in thine
house?
15 Have I this day first begun to ask
counsel of God for him? Be it far from
me, let not the king impute anything unto
his servant, nor to all the house of my
father: for thy servant knew nothing of
all this, less nor more. 16 Then the king
said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech,
thou, and all thy father's house.
17 And the king said unto the sergeants
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 showed it not
unto me. But the servants of the king
would not move their hands to fall upon
the priests of the Lord. 18 Then the king
said to Doeg, Turn thou and fall upon the
priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned,
and ran upon the priests, and slew that
same day fourscore and five persons that
did wear a linen ephod.
19 Also Nob the city of the priests smote
he with the edge of the sword, both man
and woman, both child and suckling,
both ox and ass, and sheep with the edge
of the sword.
20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech the
son of Ahitub (whose
name was Abiathar) escaped and fled
after David.
21 And Abiathar showed David, that
Saul had slain the Lord's priests. 22 And
David said unto Abiathar, I knew 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 father's house.
23 Abide thou with me, and fear not: for
he that seeketh my life, shall seek thy life
also: for with me thou shalt be in
safeguard.