1 Kingdoms 22, verse 1. David therefore departed from there and escaped by going into the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 2. And everyone in distress, and everyone in debt, and everyone grieved gathered to him. And he became captain over them. There were about four hundred men with him. 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 3. Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come here to be with you, till I know what God is going to do for me.” 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 4. So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him as long as David was in the stronghold. 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 5. Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart and go to the land of Judah.” So David departed, and went and dwelt in the city of Sarich.
Saul Slaughters the Priests
1 Kingdoms 22, verse 6. Saul heard that David and the men who were with him were found. Now Saul was staying on the hill in the field in Ramah, with a spear in his hand and with all his servants standing about him. 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 7. Then Saul spoke to his servants who stood by him and said to them, “Hear now, you sons of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse indeed give every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 8. All of you conspired against me; there is not one who revealed to me that my son made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son stirred up my servant against me to be an enemy, as it is today.” 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 9. Then Doeg the Syrian, the one set over the mules of Saul, replied and said, “I saw the son of Jesse going to Nob, to Abimelech the son of Ahitub, the priest. 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 10. And the priest inquired of God for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 11. So the king sent a message to invite Abimelech son of Ahitub and all the sons of his father, the priests who were in Nob. And they all came to the king. 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 12. And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub!” And he answered, “Here I am. Speak, lord.” 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 13. Then Saul said to him, “Why did you conspire against me, you and the son of Jesse, by giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him so he should rise against me to be an enemy, as he is today?” 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 14. So he answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, who goes at your bidding and is honorable in your house? 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 15. Truly, did I this very day begin to entreat of God on account of him? Certainly not! Let not the king bring a charge against his servant, or against any in my father's house. For your servant knew nothing of any of this, small or great.” 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 16. And King Saul said, “Abimelech, you shall surely die, you and all your father's house!” 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 17. Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, “Bring and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand is with David, and because they knew that he fled and did not reveal it to me.” But the servants of the king did not want to lift their hands against the priests of the Lord. 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 18. And the king said to Doeg, “Turn and deal with the priests!” So Doeg the Syrian turned and killed the priests of the Lord on that day, three hundred and five men who wore an ephod. 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 19. And he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, calf and donkey and sheep. 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 20. Now one of the sons of Abimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 21. And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed all the Lord's priests. 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 22. So David said to Abiathar, “I knew in that day, because Doeg the Syrian was being called upon, that he would tell Saul. I am responsible for the life of the house of your father. 1 Kingdoms 22, verse 23. Stay with me. Do not fear. For wherever I seek a place for my life, I will also seek a place for your life, for you have protection with me.”