Companies resort unto David at Adullam.

1 ¶ Davidº therefore departed¹ª² thence,²² and escapedºª to² the caveº Adullam:º and when his brethrenº and all² his father'sº houseº heardºª [it], they went downºª thither² to² him. 2 And every² oneº [that was] in distress,º and every² oneº that² [was] in debt,ºª and every² oneº [that was] discontented,ºº gathered¹ª themselves² unto² him; and he became² a captainº over² them: and there were² with² him about fourº hundredº men.º

At Mizpeh he commendeth his parents unto the king of Moab.

3 ¶ And Davidº went¹ª² thence²² to Mizpehº of Moab:º and he saidºª unto² the kingº of Moab,º Let my fatherº and my mother,º I pray thee,² come forth,ºª [and be] with² you, till²² I knowºª what² Godº will doºª for me. 4 And he broughtºª them² beforeº the kingº of Moab:º and they dweltºª with² him all² the whileº that Davidº was² in the hold.º

Admonished by Gad, he cometh to Hareth.

5 ¶ And the prophetº Gadº saidºª unto² David,º Abideºª not² in the hold;º depart,¹ª² and getºª thee into the landº of Judah.º Then Davidº departed,¹ª² and cameºª into the forestº of Hareth.º

Saul, going to pursue him, complaineth of his servants' unfaithfulness.

6 ¶ When Saulº heardºª that² Davidº was discovered,ºª and the men¹² that² [were] with² him, (now Saulº abodeºª in Gibeahº under² a treeº in Ramah,º having his spearº in his hand,º and all² his servantsº [were] standingºª about² him;) 7 Then Saulº saidºª unto his servantsº that stoodºª about² him, Hear² now,¹ª² ye Benjamites;º will the sonº of Jesseº giveºª every one² of you fieldsº and vineyards,º [and] makeºª you all² captainsº of thousands,º and captainsº of hundreds;º 8 That² all² of you have conspiredºª against² me, and [there is] none² that shewethººª² me that my sonº hath made a leagueºª with² the sonº of Jesse,º and [there is] none² of² you that is sorryºª for² me, or sheweth¹ª¹ unto²²² me that² my sonº hath stirred upºª² my servantº against² me, to lie in wait,ºª as at this² day?º

Doeg accuseth Ahimelech.

9 ¶ Then answeredºª Doegº the Edomite,º which² was setºª over² the servantsº of Saul,º and said,ºª I sawºª² the sonº of Jesseº comingºª to Nob,º to² Ahimelechº the sonº of Ahitub.º 10 And he enquiredºª of the LORDº for him, and gaveºª him victuals,º and gaveºª him the swordº of Goliathº the Philistine.º

Saul commandeth to kill the priests.

11 Then the kingº sentºª to callºª² Ahimelechº the priest,º the sonº of Ahitub,º and all² his father'sº house,º the priestsº that² [were] in Nob:º and they cameºª all² of them to² the king.º 12 And Saulº said,ºª Hearºª now,² thou sonº of Ahitub.º And he answered,ºª Here² I [am], my lord.º 13 And Saulº saidºª unto² him, Why² have ye conspiredºª against² me, thou² and the sonº of Jesse,º in that thou hast givenºª him bread,º and a sword,º and hast enquiredºª of Godº for him, that he should riseºª against² me, to lie in wait,ºª as at this² day?º 14 Then Ahimelechº answeredºª² the king,º and said,ºª And who² [is so] faithfulºª among all² thy servantsº as David,º which is the king'sº son in law,º and goethºª at² thy bidding,º and is honourableºª in thine house?º 15 Did I thenº beginºª to enquireºª of Godº for him? be it far² from me:¹ let not² the kingº imputeºª [any] thingº unto his servant,º [nor] to all² the houseº of my father:º for² thy servantº knewºª nothing¹² of all² this,² lessº or² more.º 16 And the kingº said,ºª Thou shalt surely¹ª die,ºª Ahimelech,º thou,² and all² thy father'sº house.º

The footmen refusing, Doeg executeth it.

17 ¶ And the kingº saidºª unto the footmenºª that stoodºª about² him, Turn,ºª and slayºª the priestsº of the LORD;º because² their handº also² [is] with² David,º and because² they knewºª when² he² fled,ºª and did not² shewºª¹² it to me.² But the servantsº of the kingº wouldºª not² put forthºª² their handº to fallºª upon the priestsº of the LORD.º 18 And the kingº saidºª to Doeg,º Turnºª thou,² and fallºª upon the priests.º And Doegº the Edomiteº turned,ºª and he² fellºª upon the priests,º and slewºª on that² dayº fourscoreº and fiveº personsº that did wearºª a linenº ephod.º 19 And Nob,º the cityº of the priests,º smoteºª he with the edgeº of the sword,º both menº² and women,º childrenº² and sucklings,ºª and oxen,º and asses,º and sheep,º with the edgeº of the sword.º

Abiathar escaping, bringeth David the news.

20 ¶ And oneº of the sonsº of Ahimelechº the sonº of Ahitub,º namedº Abiathar,º escaped,ºª and fledºª afterº David.º 21 And Abiatharº shewedºª Davidº that² Saulº had slainºª² the LORD'Sº priests.º 22 And Davidº saidºª unto Abiathar,º I knewºª [it] that² day,º when² Doegº the Edomiteº [was] there,² that² he would surely¹ª tellºª Saul:º I² have occasionedºª [the death] of all² the personsº of thy father'sº house.º 23 Abideºª thou with² me, fearºª not:² for² he that² seekethºª² my lifeº seekethºª² thy life:º but² with² me thou² [shalt be] in safeguard.º