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1 Samuel 22:6-23
New English Translation

Saul Executes the Priests

6 But Saul found out the whereabouts of David and the men who were with him.[a] Now Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk tree at an elevated location with his spear in hand and all his servants stationed around him. 7 Saul said to his servants, “Listen up, you Benjaminites! Is Jesse’s son giving fields and vineyards to all of you? Or is he making all of you[b] commanders and officers?[c] 8 For all of you have conspired against me! No one informs me[d] when my own son makes an agreement with the son of Jesse. Not one of you feels sorry for me or informs me that my own son has commissioned my own servant to hide in ambush against me, as is the case today!”

9 But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with the servants of Saul, replied, “I saw this son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. 10 He inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Then the king arranged for a meeting with the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all the priests of his father’s house who were at Nob. They all came to the king. 12 Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub.” He replied, “Here I am, my lord.” 13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and this son of Jesse? You gave[e] him bread and a sword and inquired of God on his behalf, so that he opposes[f] me and waits in ambush, as is the case today!”

14 Ahimelech replied to the king, “Who among all your servants is faithful like David? He is the king’s son-in-law, the leader of your bodyguard, and honored in your house. 15 Was it just today that I began to inquire of God on his behalf? Far be it from me! The king should not accuse[g] his servant or any of my father’s house, for your servant is not aware of all this—not in whole or in part!”[h]

16 But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!” 17 Then the king said to the messengers[i] who were stationed beside him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, for they too have sided[j] with David. They knew he was fleeing, but they did not inform me.” But the king’s servants refused to harm[k] the priests of the Lord.

18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests. He killed on that day eighty-five[l] men who wore the linen ephod. 19 As for Nob, the city of the priests, Doeg struck down men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep—all with the sword.

20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped and fled to David. His name was Abiathar. 21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would certainly tell Saul! I am guilty[m] of all the deaths in your father’s house. 23 Stay with me. Don’t be afraid. Whoever[n] seeks my life is seeking your life as well. You are secure with me.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 22:6 tn Heb “and Saul heard that David and the men who were with him were known.”
  2. 1 Samuel 22:7 tc The MT has “to all of you.” If this reading is correct, we have here an example of a prepositional phrase functioning as the equivalent of a dative of advantage, which is not impossible from a grammatical point of view. However, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate all have “and.” A conjunction rather than a preposition should probably be read on the front of this phrase.
  3. 1 Samuel 22:7 tn Heb “officers of a thousand and officers of a hundred.”
  4. 1 Samuel 22:8 tn Heb “uncovers my ear.”
  5. 1 Samuel 22:13 tn Heb “by giving.”
  6. 1 Samuel 22:13 tn Heb “rises up against.”
  7. 1 Samuel 22:15 tn Heb “set a matter against.”
  8. 1 Samuel 22:15 tn Heb “small or great.”
  9. 1 Samuel 22:17 tn Heb “runners.”
  10. 1 Samuel 22:17 tn Heb “their hand is.”
  11. 1 Samuel 22:17 tn Heb “to extend their hand to harm.”
  12. 1 Samuel 22:18 tc The number is confused in the Greek ms tradition. The LXX, with the exception of the Lucianic recension, has the number 305. The Lucianic recension, along with a couple of Old Latin mss, has the number 350.
  13. 1 Samuel 22:22 tc The translation follows the LXX, which reads “I am guilty,” rather than the MT, which has “I have turned.”
  14. 1 Samuel 22:23 tn Or “the one who.” This may refer specifically to Saul, in which case David acknowledges that Abiathar’s life is endangered because of his allegiance to David. The translation assumes that the statement is more generalized, meaning that any enemy of Abiathar is an enemy of David. In other words, David promises that he will protect Abiathar with his very own life.
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1 Samuel 22:6-23
English Standard Version

Saul Kills the Priests at Nob

6 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. 7 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, 8 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.” 9 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
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