¹¹ Saul Slays the Priests. The king summoned Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, the priest, as well as all of his father’s family in Nob who were also priests. All of them came to the king. ¹² He said, “Listen now, O son of Ahitub.” He answered, “Here I am, my lord.” ¹³ Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired with the son of Jesse against me? You gave him bread and a sword. You inquired of God whether he should lie in wait for me today.”

¹⁴ Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all of your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s son-in-law, who goes about at your bidding, and who is respected in your house? ¹⁵ Was that the first time I inquired of the Lord for him? No! Let the king not accuse your servant or any of my father’s family, for your servant knows absolutely nothing about any of this.”

¹⁶ The king said, “You must die, Ahimelech, you and all of your father’s family.” ¹⁷ The king said to the guards who were standing around him, “Turn around and kill the priests of the Lord, for they are in league with David. They knew about his fleeing, and they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not stretch out their hands to fall upon the priests of the Lord.

¹⁸ So the king said to Doeg, “You turn around and fall upon the priests.” Doeg the Edomite turned around, and he fell upon the priests, killing eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod that day.