1 Samuel 22:6-23
New American Standard Bible
6 Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now (A)Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing in front of him. 7 Saul said to his servants who were standing in front of him, “Hear now, you Benjaminites! Will the son of Jesse really give all of you fields and vineyards? (B)Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? 8 For all of you have conspired against me so that there is no one who [a]informs me (C)when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you (D)who cares about me or [b]informs me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in ambush, as it is this day.” 9 Then (E)Doeg the Edomite, who was [c]standing in front of the servants of Saul, responded and said, “(F)I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to (G)Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 And (H)he inquired of the Lord for him, (I)gave him provisions, and (J)gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
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 [d]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 (K)by lying in ambush as it is this day?”
14 (L)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 [e]is commander over your bodyguard, and is honored in your house? 15 Did I just begin (M)to inquire of God for him today? Far be it from me! (N)Do not let the king impute anything against his servant or against any of the household of my father, because your servant knows nothing [f]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 (O)the king said to the [g]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 [h]inform me.” But the (P)servants of the king were unwilling to reach out with their hands to [i]attack the priests of the Lord. 18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You, turn around and [j]attack the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned around and [k]attacked the priests, and (Q)he killed on that day eighty-five men (R)who wore the linen ephod. 19 (S)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 (T)one son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, (U)escaped and fled [l]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 (V)Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would certainly tell Saul. I myself [m]have turned against every person in your father’s household. 23 Stay with me; do not be afraid, [n]even though (W)he who is seeking my life is seeking your life. For you are safe with me.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 22:8 Lit uncovers my ear
- 1 Samuel 22:8 Lit uncovers my ear
- 1 Samuel 22:9 Or set over
- 1 Samuel 22:12 Lit said
- 1 Samuel 22:14 As in LXX; MT turns aside to
- 1 Samuel 22:15 Lit small or great
- 1 Samuel 22:17 Lit runners
- 1 Samuel 22:17 Lit uncover my ear
- 1 Samuel 22:17 Lit fall upon
- 1 Samuel 22:18 Lit fall upon
- 1 Samuel 22:18 Lit fell upon
- 1 Samuel 22:20 Lit after
- 1 Samuel 22:22 LXX am responsible for
- 1 Samuel 22:23 Or because he
1 Samuel 22:6-23
Christian Standard Bible
6 Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree(A) at the high place. His spear was in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him. 7 Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin: Is Jesse’s son going to give all of you fields and vineyards? Do you think he’ll make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?(B) 8 That’s why all of you have conspired against me! Nobody tells me when my own son makes a covenant with Jesse’s son.(C) None of you cares about me(D) or tells me that my son has stirred up my own servant to wait in ambush for me, as is the case today.”
9 Then Doeg the Edomite,(E) who was in charge of Saul’s servants, answered, “I saw Jesse’s son come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.(F) 10 Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him(G) and gave him provisions.(H) He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”(I)
Slaughter of the Priests
11 The king sent messengers to summon the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. 12 Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub!”
“I’m at your service,(J) my lord,” he said.
13 Saul asked him, “Why did you and Jesse’s son conspire against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him, so he could rise up against me and wait in ambush, as is the case today.”(K)
14 Ahimelech replied to the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David?(L) He is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and honored in your house. 15 Was today the first time I inquired of God for him?(M) Of course not! Please don’t let the king make an accusation against your servant or any of my father’s family, for your servant didn’t have any idea[a] about all this.”
16 But the king said, “You will die, Ahimelech—you and your father’s whole family!”
17 Then the king ordered the guards standing by him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord(N) because they sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they didn’t tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to execute the priests of the Lord.
18 So the king said to Doeg, “Go and execute the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite went and executed the priests himself. On that day, he killed eighty-five men(O) who wore linen ephods.(P) 19 He also struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword—both men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.(Q)
20 However, one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar,(R) and he fled to David.(S) 21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that Doeg the Edomite(T) was there that day and that he was sure to report to Saul. I myself am responsible for[b] the lives of everyone in your father’s family. 23 Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, for the one who wants to take my life wants to take your life.(U) You will be safe with me.”
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