1 Samuel 22

1David therefore went from thence and fled to the cave of Odollam. And when his brethren, and all his father’s house had heard of it, they went down to him thither;

2And all that were in distress and oppressed with debt, and under affliction of mind gathered themselves unto him: and he became their prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.

3And David departed from thence into Maspha of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab: Let my father and my mother tarry with you, I beseech thee, till I know what God will do for me.

4And he left them under the eyes of the king of Moab, and they abode with him all the days that David was in the hold.

5And Gad the prophet said to David: Abide not in the hold, depart, and go into the land of Juda. And David departed, and came into the forest of Haret.

6And Saul heard that David was seen, and the men that were with him. Now whilst Saul abode in Gabaa, and was in the wood, which is by Rama, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him,

7He said to his servants that stood about him: Hear me now, ye sons of Jemini: will the son of Isai give everyone of you fields, and vineyards, and make you all tribunes, and centurions:

8That all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one to inform me, especially when even my son hath entered into league with the soil of Isai? There is not one of you that pitieth my case, nor that giveth me any information: because my son hath raised up my servant against me, plotting against me to this day.

9And Doeg the Edomite who stood by, and was the chief among the servants of Saul, answering, said: I saw the son of Isai, in Nobe with Achimelech the son of Achitob the priest.

10And he consulted the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

11Then the king sent to call for Achimelech the priest the son of Achitob, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nobe, and they came all of them to the king.

12And Saul said to Achimelech: Hear, thou son of Achitob. He answered: Here I am, my lord.

13And Saul said to him: Why have you conspired against me, thou, and the son of Isai, and thou hast given him bread and a sword, and hast consulted the Lord for him, that he should rise up against me, continuing a traitor to this day.

14And Achimelech answering the king, said: And who amongst all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son in law, and goeth forth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house?

15Did I begin today to consult the Lord for him? far be this from me: let not the king suspect such a thing against his servant, or any one in all my father’s house: for thy servant knew nothing of this matter, either little or great.

16And the king said: Dying thou shalt die, Achimelech, thou and all thy father’s house.

17And the king said to the messengers that stood about him: Turn, and kill the priests of the Lord, for their hand is with David, because they knew that he was fled, and they told it not to me. And the king’s servants would not put forth their hands against the priests of the Lord.

18And the king said to Doeg: Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and fell upon the priests and slew in that day eighty-five men that wore the linen ephod.

19And Nobe the city of the priests he smote with the edge of his sword, both men and women, children, and sucklings, and ox and ass, and sheep with the edge of the sword.

20But one of the sons of Achimelech the son of Achitob, whose name was Abiathar, escaped, and fled to David,

21And told him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.

22And David said to Abiathar: I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there, that without doubt he would tell Saul: I have been the occasion of the death of all the souls of thy father’s house.

23Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life also, and with me thou shalt be saved.

1Abiit ergo David inde, et fugit in speluncam Odollam. Quod cum audissent fratres ejus, et omnis domus patris ejus, descenderunt ad eum illuc.

2Et convenerunt ad eum omnes qui erant in angustia constituti, et oppressi ære alieno, et amaro animo: et factus est eorum princeps, fueruntque cum eo quasi quadringenti viri.

3Et profectus est David inde in Maspha, quæ est Moab: et dixit ad regem Moab: Maneat, oro, pater meus et mater mea vobiscum, donec sciam quid faciat mihi Deus.

4Et reliquit eos ante faciem regis Moab: manseruntque apud eum cunctis diebus quibus David fuit in præsidio.

5Dixitque Gad propheta ad David: Noli manere in præsidio: proficiscere, et vade in terram Juda. Et profectus est David, et venit in saltum Haret.

6Et audivit Saul quod apparuisset David, et viri qui erant cum eo. Saul autem cum maneret in Gabaa, et esset in nemore quod est in Rama, hastam manu tenens, cunctique servi ejus circumstarent eum,

7ait ad servos suos qui assistebant ei: Audite nunc, filii Jemini: numquid omnibus vobis dabit filius Isai agros et vineas, et universos vos faciet tribunos et centuriones?

8quoniam conjurastis omnes adversum me, et non est qui mihi renuntiet, maxime cum et filius meus fœdus inierit cum filio Isai. Non est qui vicem meam doleat ex vobis, nec qui annuntiet mihi: eo quod suscitaverit filius meus servum meum adversum me, insidiantem mihi usque hodie.

9Respondens autem Doëg Idumæus, qui assistebat, et erat primus inter servos Saul: Vidi, inquit, filium Isai in Nobe apud Achimelech filium Achitob sacerdotem.

10Qui consuluit pro eo Dominum, et cibaria dedit ei: sed et gladium Goliath Philisthæi dedit illi.

11Misit ergo rex ad accersendum Achimelech sacerdotem filium Achitob, et omnem domum patris ejus, sacerdotum qui erant in Nobe, qui universi venerunt ad regem.

12Et ait Saul ad Achimelech: Audi, fili Achitob. Qui respondit: Præsto sum, domine.

13Dixitque ad eum Saul: Quare conjurastis adversum me, tu et filius Isai, et dedisti ei panes et gladium, et consuluisti pro eo Deum, ut consurgeret adversum me, insidiator usque hodie permanens?

14Respondensque Achimelech regi, ait: Et quis in omnibus servis tuis sicut David, fidelis, et gener regis, et pergens ad imperium tuum, et gloriosus in domo tua?

15num hodie cœpi pro eo consulere Deum? absit hoc a me: ne suspicetur rex adversus servum suum rem hujuscemodi, in universa domo patris mei: non enim scivit servus tuus quidquam super hoc negotio, vel modicum vel grande.

16Dixitque rex: Morte morieris Achimelech, tu et omnis domus patris tui.

17Et ait rex emissariis qui circumstabant eum: Convertimini, et interficite sacerdotes Domini, nam manus eorum cum David est: scientes quod fugisset, et non indicaverunt mihi. Noluerunt autem servi regis extendere manus suas in sacerdotes Domini.

18Et ait rex ad Doëg: Convertere tu, et irrue in sacerdotes. Conversusque Doëg Idumæus, irruit in sacerdotes, et trucidavit in die illa octoginta quinque viros vestitos ephod lineo.

19Nobe autem civitatem sacerdotum percussit in ore gladii, viros et mulieres, et parvulos et lactentes, bovemque, et asinum, et ovem in ore gladii.

20Evadens autem unus filius Achimelech filii Achitob, cujus nomen erat Abiathar, fugit ad David,

21et annuntiavit ei quod occidisset Saul sacerdotes Domini.

22Et ait David ad Abiathar: Sciebam in die illa quod cum ibi esset Doëg Idumæus, procul dubio annuntiaret Sauli: ego sum reus omnium animarum patris tui.

23Mane mecum: ne timeas: si quis quæsierit animam meam, quæret et animam tuam, mecumque servaberis.

1Then David went away from there, and he fled to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all of his father’s house had heard of it, they descended to him there.

2And all those left in distress, or oppressed by debt to strangers, or bitter in soul, gathered themselves to him. And he became their leader, and about four hundred men were with him.

3And David set out from there to Mizpah, which is of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, “I beg you, let my father and my mother remain with you, until I know what God will do for me.”

4And he left them before the face of the king of Moab. And they stayed with him for all the days that David was in the stronghold.

5And the prophet Gad said to David: “Do not choose to stay in the stronghold. Set out and go into the land of Judah.” And so, David set out, and he went into the forest of Hereth.

6And Saul heard that David, and the men who were with him, had been seen. Now while Saul was staying in Gibeah, and while he was in the forest that is in Ramah, holding a spear in his hand, with all his servants standing around him,

7he said to his servants who were assisting him: “Listen now, you sons of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give to all of you fields and vineyards, and will he make all of you tribunes or centurions,

8so that you would all conspire against me, and so that there is no one to inform me, especially when even my son has formed a pact with the son of Jesse? There is no one among you who grieves for my situation, or who would report to me. For my son has raised up my servant against me, seeking to betray me, even to this day.”

9Then Doeg, the Edomite, who was standing near, and who was first among the servants of Saul, responding, said: “I saw the son of Jesse, in Nob, with Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, the priest.

10And he consulted the Lord for him, and he gave him food. Moreover, he gave him the sword of Goliath, the Philistine.”

11Then the king sent to summon Ahimelech, the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all of his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob, and they all came before the king.

12And Saul said to Ahimelech, “Listen, son of Ahitub.” He responded, “Here I am, lord.”

13And Saul said to him: “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse? For you gave him bread and a sword, and you consulted the Lord for him, so that he might rise up against me, continuing as a traitor even to this day.”

14And responding to the king, Ahimelech said: “But who among all your servants is as faithful as David? And he is the son-in-law of the king, and he goes forth at your order, and he is a glory within your house.

15Did I begin to consult the Lord for him today? May this be far from me! Let not the king suspect this kind of thing against his servant, nor against anyone in all my father’s house. For your servant did not know anything about this matter, either small or great.”

16And the king said, “You shall die a death, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”

17And the king said to the emissaries who were standing around him: “You shall turn, and put to death the priests of the Lord. For their hand is with David. They knew that he had fled, and they did not reveal it to me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to extend their hands against the priests of the Lord.

18And the king said to Doeg, “You shall turn and rush against the priests.” And Doeg, the Edomite, turned and rushed against the priests. And he massacred, on that day, eighty-five men, vested with the linen ephod.

19Then he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword; he struck down men and women, little ones and infants, as well as ox and donkey and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

20But one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, whose name was Abiathar, escaping, fled to David.

21And he reported to him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.

22And David said to Abiathar: “I knew, on that day when Doeg, the Edomite was there, that without doubt he would report it to Saul. I am guilty of all the souls of your father’s house.

23You should remain with me. Do not be afraid. For he who seeks my life, seeks your life also, but with me you shall be saved.”