Chapter 22 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave at Dullam.
And when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to
him.
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.
And David went thence to Mizpah 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.
And he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the
while that David was in the hold.
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 Hereth.
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.
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?
That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that showeth 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 showeth unto me that my son hath
stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was said over the servants of Saul,
and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitab.
And he inquired of the Lord for him, and gave him vittles, and gave him the
sword of Goliath the Philistine.
Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitab, and all his
father's house, the priests that were in Nob.
And they came all of them to the king.
And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitab.
And he answered, Here I am, my lord.
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 inquired of God for
him, that he should rise against me to lie in wait, as at this day?
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 honorable in thine house?
Did I then begin to inquire 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 or more.
And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou and all thy father's
house.
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 show it to me.
But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests
of the Lord.
And the king said to Doeg, Turn now 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.
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.
And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahithob, named Abiathar,
escaped and fled after David.
And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the Lord's priests.
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 at thy father's house.
Abide thou with me, fear not.
For he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life.
But with me thou shalt be in safeguard.