King James Version

1 And David went from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam, and his brothers and all his father's house heard of it and went down to him there. 2 And all the distressed gathered to him, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, and he became captain over them, and they were with him about four hundred men. 3 And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab and said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother come out with you until I know what God will do for me." 4 And they settled before the face of the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the days that David was in the stronghold. 5 And Gad the prophet said to David, "You shall not stay in the stronghold; go and return to the land of Judah." And David went and came to the forest of Harret. 6 And Saul heard that David was known, and the men who were with him; and Saul was sitting in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him. 7 And Saul said to his servants who were standing by him, "Hear now, you sons of Benjamin; will the son of Jesse give fields and vineyards to all of you? Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?" 8 For you have all joined against me, and there is no one to uncover my ear; I have made my son a servant against me to lie in wait as on this day. 9 And Doeg the Edomite answered, and he was standing by the servants of Saul, and he said, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub." 10 And he asked of the Lord, and He gave him prey, and He gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 11 And the king sent to call Ahimelech the son of Ahitub the priest and all the house of his father the priests who were in Nob, and they all came to the king. 12 And Saul said, "Please hear, son of Ahitub." And he said, "Here I am, my lord." 13 And Saul said to me, "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, by giving him bread and a sword and asking God for him to rise up against me today?" 14 And Achimelech answered the king and said, "And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, and the king’s son-in-law, and is honored in your house?" 15 Today I have begun to seek to inquire of God; may it never be for me that the king puts any matter upon his servant in all the house of my father, for your servant has not known anything about all this, whether small or great. 16 And the king said, "You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house." 17 And the king said to the runners who were stationed over him, "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, for their hand is with David, and they knew that he was fleeing, and the king's servants were not willing to stretch out their hand to strike the priests of the LORD." 18 And the king said to Doeg, "You turn and strike the priests." And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. 19 And he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, from man to woman, from infant to suckling, and ox and donkey and sheep, with the edge of the sword. 20 And one son escaped to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, and his name was Abiathar, and he 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 that day that there was there Doeg the Edomite, for he will surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father's house." 23 Sheba, don’t be afraid, for whoever seeks my life seeks your life, because you are in charge of my protection.