Saul Kills the Priests at Nob

Now Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. Saul was sitting at Gibeah under (A)the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, people of Benjamin; will the son of Jesse (B)give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, that all of you have conspired against me? No one discloses to me (C)when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you (D)is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, (E)to lie in wait, as at this day.” Then answered (F)Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, “I saw the son of Jesse (G)coming to Nob, to (H)Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, 10 (I)and he inquired of the Lord for him and (J)gave him provisions and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Then the king sent to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were at Nob, and all of them came to the king. 12 And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub.” And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.” 13 And Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword and (K)have inquired of God for him, so that he has risen against me, (L)to lie in wait, as at this day?” 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, “And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and captain over[a] your bodyguard, and honored in your house? 15 Is today the first time (M)that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, (N)much or little.” 16 And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house.” 17 And the king said to (O)the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to strike the priests of the Lord. 18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests, (P)and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod. 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; (Q)both man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey and sheep, he put to the sword.

20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named (R)Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. 21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 And David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, (S)when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house. 23 (T)Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you shall be in safekeeping.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 22:14 Septuagint, Targum; Hebrew and has turned aside to

Saul Kills the Priests of Nob

Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. And Saul was seated,(A) spear in hand, under the tamarisk(B) tree on the hill at Gibeah, with all his officials standing at his side. 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(C) of thousands and commanders of hundreds? Is that why you have all conspired(D) against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant(E) with the son of Jesse.(F) None of you is concerned(G) about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today.”

But Doeg(H) the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelek son of Ahitub(I) at Nob.(J) 10 Ahimelek inquired(K) of the Lord for him; he also gave him provisions(L) and the sword(M) 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(N) 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(O) 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.(P)

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(Q) to raise a hand to strike the priests of the Lord.

18 The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.”(R) So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.(S) 19 He also put to the sword(T) Nob,(U) 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,(V) named Abiathar,(W) escaped and fled to join David.(X) 21 He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “That day, when Doeg(Y) 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(Z) is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.”

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