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.

Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus

¹⁷ On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.^{(A) 18} Now Bethany^(B) was less than two miles^[a] from Jerusalem, ¹⁹ and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.^{(C) 20} When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.^(D)

²¹ “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.^{(E) 22} But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”^(F)

²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

²⁴ Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection^(G) at the last day.”^(H)

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am^(I) the resurrection and the life.^(J) The one who believes^(K) in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶ and whoever lives by believing^(L) in me will never die.^(M) Do you believe this?”

²⁷ “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah,^(N) the Son of God,^(O) who is to come into the world.”^(P)

²⁸ After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher^(Q) is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” ²⁹ When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. ³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.^{(R) 31} When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her,^(S) noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

³² When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”^(T)

³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved^(U) in spirit and troubled.^{(V) 34} “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

³⁵ Jesus wept.^(W)

³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”^(X)

³⁷ But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man^(Y) have kept this man from dying?”^(Z)