1 Samuel 22-23
1599 Geneva Bible
22 1 David hideth himself in a cave. 2 Many that were in trouble came unto him. 9 Doeg accuseth Ahimelech. 18 Saul causeth the Priests to be slain. 20 Abiathar escapeth.
1 David therefore departed thence, and saved himself in the cave [a]of Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.
2 And there gathered unto him all men that were in trouble, and all men that were in debt, and all those that were vexed in mind, and he was their [b]prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.
3 ¶ And David went thence to Mizpah in [c]Moab, and said unto the King of Moab, I pray thee, let my father and my mother come and abide with you, till I know what God will do for me.
4 And he [d]brought them before the King of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in [e]the hold.
5 And the Prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold, but depart and go into the land of Judah. Then David departed and came into the forest of Hereth.
6 ¶ And Saul heard that David was [f]discovered, and the men that were with him, and Saul remained in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants stood about him.
7 And Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, the sons [g]of Benjamin, will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards: will he make you all captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds:
8 That all ye have conspired against me, and there is none that telleth me that my son hath made a covenant with the son of Jesse? and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or showeth me, that my [h]son hath stirred up my servant to lie in wait against me, as appeareth this day?
9 ¶ Then answered Doeg the Edomite, (who was appointed over the servants of Saul) and said, I saw the son of Jesse, when he came to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub,
10 Who asked counsel of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and he gave him also the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
11 Then the King sent to call Ahimelech the Priest the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, to wit, [i]the Priests that were in Nob: and they came all to the King.
12 And Saul said, Hear now thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.
13 Then Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him victual, and a sword, and hast asked counsel of God for him, that he should rise against me, and lie in wait as appeareth this day?
14 And Ahimelech answered the King, and said, Who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, being also the king’s son-in-law, and goeth at thy commandment, and is honorable in thine house?
15 [j]Have I this day first begun to ask counsel of God for him? be it far from me, let not the king impute anything unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less nor more.
16 Then the King said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house.
17 And the King said unto the [k]sergeants that stood about him, Turn, and slay the Priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and showed it not unto me. But the servants of the King [l]would not move their hands to fall upon the Priests of the Lord.
18 Then the King said to Doeg, Turn thou and fall upon the Priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and ran upon the Priests, and slew that same day fourscore and five persons, that did wear a linen Ephod.
19 Also Nob the city of the Priests smote he with the edge of the sword, both man and woman, both child and suckling, both ox and ass, and sheep with the edge of the sword.
20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub (whose name was Abiathar) [m]escaped and fled after David.
21 And Abiathar showed David, that Saul had slain the Lord’s Priests.
22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it the same day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would tell Saul. I am the cause of the death of all the persons of thy father’s house.
23 Abide thou with me, and fear not: for [n]he that seeketh my life, shall seek thy life also: for with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
23 5 David chaseth the Philistines from Keilah. 13 David departeth from Keilah, and remaineth in the wilderness of Ziph. 16 Jonathan comforteth David. 28 Saul’s enterprise is broken in pursuing David.
1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against [o]Keilah, and spoil the barns.
2 Therefore David asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord answered David, Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
3 And David’s men said unto him, See, we be afraid here in [p]Judah, how much more if we come to Keilah against the host of the Philistines?
4 Then David asked counsel of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah: for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
5 ¶ So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter: thus David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
6 (And when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech (A)fled to David to Keilah, he brought an [q]Ephod [r]with him.)
7 ¶ And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah, and Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand: for he is shut in, seeing he is come into a city that hath gates and bars.
8 Then Saul called all the people together to war for to go down to Keilah, and to besiege David and his men.
9 ¶ And David having knowledge that Saul imagined mischief against him, said to Abiathar the Priest, [s]Bring the Ephod.
10 Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath heard, that Saul is about to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake.
11 Will the lords of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? and will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down.
12 Then said David, Will the [t]lords of Keilah deliver me up, and the men that are with me, into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up.
13 ¶ Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went [u]whither they could. And it was told Saul, that David was fled from Keilah, and he left off his journey.
14 And David abode in the wilderness in the [v]holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God [w]delivered him not into his hand.
15 And David saw that Saul was come out for to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood.
16 ¶ And Jonathan Saul’s son arose and went to David into the wood, and comforted [x]him in God,
17 And said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee, and thou shalt be [y]king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee: and also Saul my father knoweth it.
18 So they twain made a covenant before the Lord: and David did remain in the wood: but Jonathan went to his house.
19 ¶ Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself by us in holds, in the wood in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right side [z]of Jeshimon?
20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all that thine heart can desire, and our part shall be to deliver him into the King’s hands.
21 Then Saul said, [aa]Be ye blessed of the Lord: for ye have had compassion on me.
22 Go, I pray you, and prepare ye yet better: know and see his place where he [ab]haunteth, and who hath seen him there: for it is said to me, He is subtle, and crafty.
23 See therefore and know all the secret places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and if he be in the [ac]land, I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
24 Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul, but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the right hand of Jeshimon.
25 Saul also and his men went to seek him, and they told David: wherefore he came down unto a rock, and abode in the wilderness of [ad]Maon. And when Saul heard that, he followed after David in the wilderness of Maon.
26 And Saul and his men went on the one side of the mountain: and David and his men on the other side of the mountain: and David made haste to get from the presence of Saul: for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about, to take them.
27 But there came a [ae]messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come: for the Philistines have invaded the land.
28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place, [af]Sela Hammahlekoth.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 22:1 Which was in the tribe of Judah, and near to Bethlehem.
- 1 Samuel 22:2 Or, captain.
- 1 Samuel 22:3 For there was another so called in Judah.
- 1 Samuel 22:4 For he feared the rage of Saul against his house.
- 1 Samuel 22:4 That is, in Mizpah, which was a stronghold.
- 1 Samuel 22:6 That a great brute went on him.
- 1 Samuel 22:7 Ye that are of my tribe and lineage.
- 1 Samuel 22:8 Hereby he would persuade them that this conspiracy was most horrible, where the son conspired against the father, and the servant against his master.
- 1 Samuel 22:11 Which were the remnant of the house of Eli, whose house God threatened to punish.
- 1 Samuel 22:15 Have I not at other times also, when he had great affairs, consulted with the Lord for him?
- 1 Samuel 22:17 Or, footmen.
- 1 Samuel 22:17 For they knew that they ought not to obey the wicked commandment of the king in slaying the innocents.
- 1 Samuel 22:20 This was God’s providence, who according to his promise preserved some of the house of Eli, 1 Sam. 2:33.
- 1 Samuel 22:23 Or, he that taketh thy life, shall take mine also.
- 1 Samuel 23:1 Which was a city in the tribe of Judah, Josh. 15:44.
- 1 Samuel 23:3 That is, in the midst of Judah, much more when we come to the borders against our enemies.
- 1 Samuel 23:6 By God’s providence the Ephod was preserved and kept with David the true king.
- 1 Samuel 23:6 Hebrew, in his hand.
- 1 Samuel 23:9 To consult with the Lord by Urim and Thummim.
- 1 Samuel 23:12 Or, governors.
- 1 Samuel 23:13 Or, to and fro, as having no certain place to go.
- 1 Samuel 23:14 Or, strong places.
- 1 Samuel 23:14 No power nor policy can prevail against God’s children, but when he appointeth the time.
- 1 Samuel 23:16 Hebrew, his hand.
- 1 Samuel 23:17 Jonathan assureth David, that God will accomplish his promise, and that his father striveth against his own conscience.
- 1 Samuel 23:19 Or, of the wilderness.
- 1 Samuel 23:21 The Lord recompense this friendship.
- 1 Samuel 23:22 Hebrew, where his foot hath been.
- 1 Samuel 23:23 In your country of Ziph, which is in Judah.
- 1 Samuel 23:25 Which was also in the tribe of Judah, Josh. 15:55.
- 1 Samuel 23:27 Thus the Lord can pull back the bridle of the tyrants and deliver his out of the lion’s mouth.
- 1 Samuel 23:28 That is, stone of division, because there they divided themselves one from another.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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