1David therefore departed thence , and escaped to the cave of Adullam : and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it , they went down thither to him . 2And every one that was in distress , and every one that was in debt , and every one that was discontented , gathered themselves unto him ; and he became captain over them : and there were with him about four hundred men .
David's Family and the Priests
3And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab : and he said unto the king of Moab , Let my father and my mother, I pray thee , come forth , and be with you , till I know what God will do for me . 4And he brought them before the king of Moab : and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the stronghold . 5And the prophet Gad said unto David , Abide not in the stronghold ; depart , and get thee into the land of Judah . Then David departed , and came into the forest of Hereth .
Saul's Paranoia and the Death of the Priests
6And Saul heard that David was discovered , and the men that were with him : now Saul was sitting in Gibeah , under the tamarisk-tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand , and all his servants were standing about him . 7And Saul said unto his servants that stood about him , Hear now , ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards , will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds , 8that all of you have conspired against me , and there is none that discloseth to me when my son maketh a league with the son of Jesse , and there is none of you that is sorry for me , or discloseth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me , to lie in wait, as at this day ? 9Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul , and said , I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob , to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10And he inquired of Jehovah for him , and gave him victuals , and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine . 11Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest , the son of Ahitub, and all his father ’s house , the priests that were in Nob : and they came all of them to the king . 12And Saul said , Hear now , thou son of Ahitub. And he answered , Here I am , my lord. 13And Saul said unto him , Why have ye conspired against me , thou and the son of Jesse , in that thou hast given him bread , and a sword , and hast inquired of God for him , that he should rise against me , to lie in wait, as at this day ? 14Then Ahimelech answered the king , and said , And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David , who is the king ’s son-in-law , and is taken into thy council, and is honorable in thy house ? 15Have I to-day begun to inquire 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 knoweth nothing of all this , less or more . 16And the king said, Thou shalt surely die , Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house . 17And the king said unto the guard that stood about him , Turn , and slay the priests of Jehovah ; because their hand also is with David , and because they knew that he fled , and did not disclose it to me . But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of Jehovah . 18And the king said to Doeg , Turn thou , and fall upon the priests . And Doeg the Edomite turned , and he fell upon the priests , and he slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. 19And Nob , the city of the priests , smote he with the edge of the sword , both men and women, children and sucklings , and oxen and asses and sheep , with the edge of the sword .
David's Response and the Preservation of Abiathar
20And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped , and fled after David . 21And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Jehovah ’s priests . 22And David said unto Abiathar, I knew on that day , when Doeg the Edomite was there , that he would surely tell Saul : I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’s house . 23Abide thou with me , fear not ; for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life : for with me thou shalt be in safeguard .