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1 Samuel 22
1599 Geneva Bible
1 Samuel 22
1599 Geneva Bible
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 [a]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 [b]prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.
3 ¶ And David went thence to Mizpah in [c]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 [d]brought them before the King of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in [e]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 [f]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 [g]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 [h]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, [i]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 [j]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 [k]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 [l]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) [m]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 [n]he that seeketh my life, shall seek thy life also: for with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
Footnotes
- 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.
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.”
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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