Many resort to David. Doeg accuseth Achimelech to Saul. He ordereth him
and all the other priests of Nobe to be slain. Abiathar escapeth.
22:1. David therefore went from thence, and fled to the cave of Odollam.
And when his brethren, and all his father's house, had heard of it, they
went down to him thither.
22:2. And all that were in distress, and oppressed with debt, and under
affliction of mind, gathered themselves unto him: and he became their
prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.
22:3. And David departed from thence into Maspha of Moab: and he said to
the king of Moab: Let my father and my mother tarry with you, I beseech
thee, till I know what God will do for me.
22:4. And he left them under the eyes of the king of Moab, and they
abode with him all the days that David was in the hold.
The hold... The strong hold, or fortress of Maspha.
22:5. And Gad the prophet said to David: Abide not in the hold, depart,
and go into the land of Juda. And David departed, and came into the
forest of Haret.
22:6. And Saul heard that David was seen, and the men that were with
him. Now whilst Saul abode in Gabaa, and was in the wood, which is by
Rama, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing
about him,
22:7. He said to his servants that stood about him: Hear me now, ye sons
of Jemini: will the son of Isai give every one of you fields, and
vineyards, and make you all tribunes, and centurions:
22:8. That all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one to
inform me, especially when even my son hath entered into league with the
son of Isai? There is not one of you that pitieth my case, nor that
giveth me any information: because my son hath raised up my servant
against me, plotting against me to this day.
22:9. And Doeg, the Edomite, who stood by, and was the chief among the
servants of Saul, answering, said: I saw the son of Isai, in Nobe, with
Achimelech, the son of Achitob, the priest.
22:10. And he consulted the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and
gave him the sword of Goliath, the Philistine.
22:11. Then the king sent to call for Achimelech, the priest, the son of
Achitob, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nobe, and
they came all of them to the king.
22:12. And Saul said to Achimelech: Hear, thou son of Achitob. He
answered: Here I am, my lord.
22:13. And Saul said to him: Why have you conspired against me, thou,
and the son of Isai, and thou hast given him bread and a sword, and hast
consulted the Lord for him, that he should rise up against me,
continuing a traitor to this day.
22:14. And Achimelech answering the king, said: And who amongst all thy
servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and
goeth forth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house?
22:15. Did I begin to day to consult the Lord for him? far be this from
me: let not the king suspect such a thing against his servant, or any
one in all my father's house: for thy servant knew nothing of this
matter, either little or great.
22:16. And the king said: Dying thou shalt die, Achimelech, thou and all
thy father's house.
22:17. And the king said to the messengers that stood about him: Turn,
and kill the priests of the Lord, for their hand is with David, because
they knew that he was fled, and they told it not to me. And the
king's servants would not put forth their hands against the priests of
the Lord.
22:18. And the king said to Doeg: Turn thou, and fall upon the priests.
And Doeg, the Edomite, turned, and fell upon the priests, and slew in
that day eighty-five men that wore the linen ephod.
22:19. And Nobe, the city of the priests, he smote with the edge of the
sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and ox, and ass, and
sheep, with the edge of the sword.
22:20. But one of the sons of Achimelech, the son of Achitob, whose name
was Abiathar, escaped, and fled to David,
22:21. And told him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.
22:22. And David said to Abiathar: I knew that day when Doeg, the
Edomite, was there, that without doubt he would tell Saul: I have been
the occasion of the death of all the souls of thy father's house.
22:23. Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life,
seeketh thy life also, and with me thou shalt be saved.