1 Samuel 21-22
King James Version
21 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.
4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.
5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.
8 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.
9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.
10 And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
15 Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?
22 David 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.
2 And 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.
3 And 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.
4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.
5 And 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.
6 When 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;)
7 Then 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;
8 That 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?
9 Then 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.
10 And he enquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him 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, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.
13 And 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?
14 Then 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?
15 Did 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.
16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.
17 And 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.
18 And 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.
19 And 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.
20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
21 And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the Lord's priests.
22 And 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.
23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
1 Samuel 21-22
1599 Geneva Bible
21 1 David fleeth to Nob to Ahimelech the Priest. 6 He getteth of him the showbread to satisfy his hunger. 7 Doeg Saul’s servant was present. 10 David fleeth to King Achish, 13 and there feigneth himself mad.
1 Then came David to [a]Nob, to Ahimelech the Priest, and Ahimelech was astonied at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
2 And David said to Ahimelech the Priest, The [b]King hath commanded me a certain thing, and hath said unto me, Let no man know whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such places.
3 Now therefore if thou hast ought under thine hand, give me five cakes of bread, or what cometh to hand.
4 And the Priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but here is (A)hallowed bread, if the young men have kept themselves, at least from [c]women.
5 David then answered the Priest, and said unto him, Certainly women have been separate from us these two or three days since I came out: and the [d]vessels of the young men were holy, though the way were profane, and how much more then shall every one [e]be sanctified this day in the vessel?
6 So the Priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there, save the showbread that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread there, the day that it was taken away.
7 (And there was the same day one of the servants of Saul [f]abiding before the Lord, named Doeg the Edomite, the [g]chiefest of Saul’s herdmen.)
8 And David said unto Ahimelech, Is there not here under thine hand a spear or a sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor mine harness with me, because the king’s business required haste.
9 And the Priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the (B)valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapped in a cloth behind the [h]Ephod: if thou wilt take that to thee, take it: for there is none other save that here: And David said, There is none to that, give it me.
10 And David arose and fled the same day from the [i]presence of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the (C)King of the land? did they not sing unto him in dances, saying, (D)Saul hath slain his thousand, and David his ten thousand?
12 And David [j]considered these words, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
13 And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and [k]scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is beside himself, wherefore have ye brought him to me?
15 Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? [l]shall he come into mine house?
22 1 David hideth himself in a cave. 2 Many that were in trouble came unto him. 9 Doeg accuseth Ahimelech. 18 Saul causeth the Priests to be slain. 20 Abiathar escapeth.
1 David therefore departed thence, and saved himself in the cave [m]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 [n]prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.
3 ¶ And David went thence to Mizpah in [o]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 [p]brought them before the King of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in [q]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 Hereth.
6 ¶ And Saul heard that David was [r]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 servants stood about him.
7 And Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, the sons [s]of Benjamin, 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 [t]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, [u]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 [v]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 [w]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 [x]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) [y]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 [z]he that seeketh my life, shall seek thy life also: for with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 21:1 Where the ark then was to ask counsel of the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 21:2 These infirmities that we see in the Saints of God, teach us that none hath his justice in himself, but receiveth it of God’s mercy.
- 1 Samuel 21:4 If they have not accompanied with their wives.
- 1 Samuel 21:5 That is, their bodies.
- 1 Samuel 21:5 Shall be more careful to keep his vessel holy, when he shall have eaten of this holy food?
- 1 Samuel 21:7 Tarrying to worship before the Ark.
- 1 Samuel 21:7 Or, master of them that kept Saul’s castle.
- 1 Samuel 21:9 Behind that place, where the high Priest’s garment lay.
- 1 Samuel 21:10 That is, out of Saul’s dominion.
- 1 Samuel 21:12 Hebrew, put these words in his heart.
- 1 Samuel 21:13 By making marks and toys.
- 1 Samuel 21:15 Is he meet to be in a king’s house?
- 1 Samuel 22:1 Which was in the tribe of Judah, and near to Bethlehem.
- 1 Samuel 22:2 Or, captain.
- 1 Samuel 22:3 For there was another so called in Judah.
- 1 Samuel 22:4 For he feared the rage of Saul against his house.
- 1 Samuel 22:4 That is, in Mizpah, which was a stronghold.
- 1 Samuel 22:6 That a great brute went on him.
- 1 Samuel 22:7 Ye that are of my tribe and lineage.
- 1 Samuel 22:8 Hereby he would persuade them that this conspiracy was most horrible, where the son conspired against the father, and the servant against his master.
- 1 Samuel 22:11 Which were the remnant of the house of Eli, whose house God threatened to punish.
- 1 Samuel 22:15 Have I not at other times also, when he had great affairs, consulted with the Lord for him?
- 1 Samuel 22:17 Or, footmen.
- 1 Samuel 22:17 For they knew that they ought not to obey the wicked commandment of the king in slaying the innocents.
- 1 Samuel 22:20 This was God’s providence, who according to his promise preserved some of the house of Eli, 1 Sam. 2:33.
- 1 Samuel 22:23 Or, he that taketh thy life, shall take mine also.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
