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1 Samuel 22
Easy-to-Read Version
1 Samuel 22
Easy-to-Read Version
David Goes to Different Places
22 David left Gath and ran away to the cave[a] of Adullam. David’s brothers and relatives heard that David was at Adullam and went to see him there. 2 Many people joined David. There were men who were in some kind of trouble, men who owed a lot of money, and men who were just not satisfied with life. All kinds of people joined David, and he became their leader. He had about 400 men with him.
3 David left Adullam and went to Mizpah in Moab. David said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God is going to do to me.” 4 So David left his parents with the king of Moab. They stayed with the king of Moab as long as David was at the fort.
5 But the prophet Gad said to David, “Don’t stay in the fort. Go to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to Hereth Forest.
Saul Destroys Ahimelech’s Family
6 Saul heard the report about David and his men while sitting under the tree on the hill at Gibeah. Saul had his spear in his hand. All of his officers were standing around him. 7 Saul said to his officers who were standing around him, “Listen, men of Benjamin. Do you think that son of Jesse[b] will give you fields and vineyards? He is not one of us, so don’t think he will give you anything or make you officers over 1000 or even 100 men! 8 No, but all of you are plotting against me. None of you told me about my son Jonathan and the agreement he made with the son of Jesse. None of you cares enough about me to tell me that my own son Jonathan encouraged David to turn against me and attack me. And that is what David is doing now.”
9 Doeg the Edomite was standing there with Saul’s officers. Doeg said, “I saw Jesse’s son at Nob. David came to see Ahimelech son of Ahitub. 10 Ahimelech prayed to the Lord for David and gave him some food. He even gave David the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11 Then King Saul ordered some men to bring the priest to him. Saul told them to bring Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all his relatives who were priests at Nob. So all of them came to the king. 12 Saul said to Ahimelech, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.”
Ahimelech answered, “Yes, sir.”
13 Saul said to him, “Why did you and Jesse’s son make secret plans against me? You gave David bread and a sword. You prayed to God for him. And right now, David is waiting to attack me.”
14 Ahimelech answered, “David is very faithful to you. Not one of your other officers is as faithful as David. He is your own son-in-law and the captain of your bodyguards. Your own family respects David. 15 That was not the first time I prayed to God for David. Not at all! Don’t blame me or any of my relatives. We are your servants. I know nothing about what is happening.”
16 But the king said, “Ahimelech, you and all your relatives must die.” 17 Then the king told the guards at his side, “Go and kill the priests of the Lord because they are on David’s side too. They knew he was running away, but they didn’t tell me.”
The king’s officers refused to hurt the priests of the Lord. 18 So the king gave the order to Doeg. Saul said, “Doeg, you go kill the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite went and killed the priests. That day he killed 85 men who were priests.[c] 19 Nob was the city of the priests. Doeg killed all the people of Nob. He used his sword and killed men, women, children and small babies. He even killed their cattle, donkeys, and sheep.
20 But Abiathar son of Ahimelech escaped. He ran away and joined David. 21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests. 22 Then David told Abiathar, “I saw Doeg the Edomite at Nob that day. I knew he would tell Saul! I am responsible for the death of your father’s family. 23 Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, because the man who tried to kill you is the same man who wants to kill me. I will protect you if you stay with me.”
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 22:1 cave Or possibly, “fortress.”
- 1 Samuel 22:7 that son of Jesse As usual, Saul refers to David by his father’s name, intending it as an insult.
- 1 Samuel 22:18 priests Literally, “men who wore the linen ephod.”
1 Samuel 22
New International Version
1 Samuel 22
New International Version
David at Adullam and Mizpah
22 David left Gath and escaped to the cave(A) of Adullam.(B) When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered(C) around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.
3 From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, “Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?” 4 So he left them with the king of Moab,(D) and they stayed with him as long as David was in the stronghold.
5 But the prophet Gad(E) said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.(F)
Saul Kills the Priests of Nob
6 Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. And Saul was seated,(G) spear in hand, under the tamarisk(H) tree on the hill at Gibeah, with all his officials standing at his side. 7 He said to them, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders(I) of thousands and commanders of hundreds? 8 Is that why you have all conspired(J) against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant(K) with the son of Jesse.(L) None of you is concerned(M) about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today.”
9 But Doeg(N) the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelek son of Ahitub(O) at Nob.(P) 10 Ahimelek inquired(Q) of the Lord for him; he also gave him provisions(R) and the sword(S) of Goliath the Philistine.”
11 Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelek son of Ahitub and all the men of his family, who were the priests at Nob, and they all came to the king. 12 Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.”
“Yes, my lord,” he answered.
13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired(T) against me, you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, so that he has rebelled against me and lies in wait for me, as he does today?”
14 Ahimelek answered the king, “Who(U) of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household? 15 Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father’s family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.”
16 But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelek, you and your whole family.(V)”
17 Then the king ordered the guards at his side: “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.”
But the king’s officials were unwilling(W) to raise a hand to strike the priests of the Lord.
18 The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.”(X) So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.(Y) 19 He also put to the sword(Z) Nob,(AA) the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.
20 But one son of Ahimelek son of Ahitub,(AB) named Abiathar,(AC) escaped and fled to join David.(AD) 21 He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “That day, when Doeg(AE) the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family. 23 Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you(AF) is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.”
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