¹¹ Then the king sent a messenger to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household, the priests who were in Nob; and all of them came to the king. ¹² Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” And he ^[a]replied, “Here I am, my lord.” ¹³ Saul then said to him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, so that he would rise up against me ^(A)by lying in ambush as it is this day?”

^14 (B)Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s own son-in-law, who ^[b]is commander over your bodyguard, and is honored in your house? ¹⁵ Did I just begin ^(C)to inquire of God for him today? Far be it from me! ^(D)Do not let the king impute anything against his servant or against any of the household of my father, because your servant knows nothing ^[c]at all of this whole affair.” ¹⁶ But the king said, “You shall certainly die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!” ¹⁷ And ^(E)the king said to the ^[d]guards who were attending him, “Turn around and put the priests of the Lord to death, because their hand also is with David and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not ^[e]inform me.” But the ^(F)servants of the king were unwilling to reach out with their hands to ^[f]attack the priests of the Lord. ¹⁸ Then the king said to Doeg, “You, turn around and ^[g]attack the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned around and ^[h]attacked the priests, and ^(G)he killed on that day eighty-five men ^(H)who wore the linen ephod. ^19 (I)He also struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; he also struck oxen, donkeys, and sheep with the edge of the sword.

²⁰ But ^(J)one son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, ^(K)escaped and fled ^[i]to David. ²¹ Abiathar informed David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. ²² Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when ^(L)Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would certainly tell Saul. I myself ^[j]have turned against every person in your father’s household. ²³ Stay with me; do not be afraid, ^[k]even though ^(M)he who is seeking my life is seeking your life. For you are safe with me.”