1 Samuel 22

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.

1David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his family heard where he was, they went down there to join 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.

2Others began to join him as well—people who were in deep trouble, people who were in debt, and people who were bitter and dissatisfied. David became their leader, and about four hundred men gathered around him.

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.

3From there David went to Mizpah in Moab. He said to the king of Moab, 'Please let my father and mother stay with you until I find out what God has planned 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.

4He left his parents with the king of Moab, and they stayed there as long as David was in his mountain 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.

5One day the prophet Gad told David, 'Do not stay in this stronghold. Go back into the land of Judah.' So David moved on and went to the forest of Hereth.

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.

6Saul soon heard that David and his men had been found. At the time, Saul was sitting under a tamarisk tree on a hill at Gibeah. He had his spear in his hand, and all his officials were standing around 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,

7Saul said to his officials, 'Listen to me, you men of the tribe of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you officers over thousands and 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?

8Is that why you have all conspired against me? No one told me when my own son made a treaty with the son of Jesse. Not one of you is concerned about me or tells me that my son has encouraged my servant David to ambush me—which he is doing right now!'

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.

9Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, spoke up. He said, 'I saw the son of Jesse come to Nob to see Ahimelech son of Ahitub.'

10And he inquired of Jehovah for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

10'Ahimelech asked the LORD for guidance for David, gave him food, 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.

11The king immediately sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all his relatives, who were priests in Nob. They all came to the king.

12And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

12Saul said, 'Listen to me, son of Ahitub.' Ahimelech answered, 'Yes, 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?

13Saul asked him, 'Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me? You gave him bread and a sword, and you asked God for guidance for him. Now he has rebelled against me and is waiting to ambush me, as he is doing today.'

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?

14Ahimelech replied to the king, 'Is any of your servants as loyal as David? He is your own son-in-law, the captain of your bodyguard, and a highly honored man in your palace.

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.

15Was today the first time I ever asked God for guidance for him? Not at all! Don’t let the king accuse me or my family of anything, because I didn't know anything about this whole matter, not even a little bit.'

16And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house.

16But the king said, 'You will surely die, Ahimelech, along with your entire family.'

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.

17The king ordered the guards standing beside him, 'Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they are on David’s side. They knew he was running away, but they didn’t tell me.' However, the king's officials refused to lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.

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.

18So the king said to Doeg, 'You turn and kill the priests.' Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked them. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen vest of a priest.

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.

19Then he attacked Nob, the city of the priests. He used his sword to kill everyone there—men, women, children, and babies. He even killed the cattle, donkeys, and sheep.

20And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

20But one of Ahimelech’s sons, whose name was Abiathar, managed to escape and ran to find David.

21And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Jehovah’s priests.

21Abiathar told David that Saul had murdered the priests of the LORD.

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.

22David said to Abiathar, 'I knew it! That day when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your father’s entire family.'

23Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: for with me thou shalt be in safeguard.

23'Stay here with me and don't be afraid. The man who is trying to kill me is the same one trying to kill you. You will be safe with me.'