1Samuel 21- 1Samuel 22

Chapter 21

1 Then David departed on his way, while Jonathan went back into the city.

The Holy Bread. 2 David went to Ahimelech, the priest of Nob, who came trembling to meet him. He asked, “Why are you alone? Is there no one with you?”[a] 3 David answered the priest: “The king gave me a commission and told me, ‘Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I have sent you or the commission I have given you.’ For that reason I have arranged a particular meeting place with my men. 4 Now what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves, or whatever you can find.” 5 [b]But the priest replied to David, “I have no ordinary bread on hand, only holy bread; if the men have abstained from women, you may eat some of that.” 6 David answered the priest: “We have indeed stayed away from women. In the past whenever I went out on a campaign, all the young men were consecrated—even for an ordinary campaign. All the more so are they consecrated with their weapons today!” 7 So the priest gave him holy bread, for no other bread was on hand except the showbread which had been removed from before the Lord and replaced by fresh bread when it was taken away. 8 One of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord;[c] his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s shepherds.

The Sword of Goliath. 9 David then asked Ahimelech: “Do you have a spear or a sword on hand? I brought along neither my sword nor my weapons, because the king’s business was urgent.” 10 The priest replied: “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here wrapped in a garment behind an ephod.[d] If you wish to take it, do so; there is no sword here except that one.” “There is none like it,” David cried, “give it to me!”

David a Fugitive. 11 That same day David fled from Saul, going to Achish, king of Gath. 12 But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? Is it not for him that during their dances they sing out,

13 David took note of these remarks and became very much afraid of Achish, king of Gath.[e] 14 So, he feigned insanity in front of them and acted like a madman in their custody, drumming on the doors of the gate and drooling onto his beard. 15 Finally Achish said to his servants: “You see the man is mad. Why did you bring him to me? 16 Do I not have enough madmen, that you bring this one to rant in my presence? Should this fellow come into my house?”

Chapter 22

1 David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his family heard about it, they came down to him there. 2 He was joined by all those in difficulties or in debt, or embittered,[a] and became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

3 From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab and said to the king of Moab, “Let my father and mother stay with you, until I learn what God will do for me.” 4 He left them with the king of Moab; they stayed with him as long as David remained in the stronghold.[b]

5 But Gad the prophet said to David: “Do not remain in the stronghold! Leave! Go to the land of Judah.” And so David left and went to the forest of Hereth.

Doeg Betrays Ahimelech. 6 Now Saul heard that David and his men had been located. At the time he was sitting in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree on the high place, holding his spear, while all his servants stood by him. 7 So he said to them: “Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he appoint any of you an officer over a thousand or a hundred men? 8 Is that why you have all conspired against me? Why no one told me that my son had made a pact with the son of Jesse? None of you has shown compassion for me by revealing to me that my son has incited my servant to ambush me, as is the case today.” 9 Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officers, spoke up: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, in Nob. 10 He consulted the Lord for him, furnished him with provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

Slaughter of the Priests. 11 So the king summoned Ahimelech the priest, son of Ahitub, and all his family, the priests in Nob. They all came to the king. 12 “Listen, son of Ahitub!” Saul declared. “Yes, my lord,” he replied. 13 Saul questioned him, “Why have you conspired against me with the son of Jesse by giving him food and a sword and by consulting God for him, that he might rise up against me in ambush, as is the case today?” 14 Ahimelech answered the king: “Who among all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and honored in your own house? 15 Is this the first time I have consulted God for him? No indeed! Let not the king accuse his servant or anyone in my family of such a thing. Your servant knows nothing at all, great or small, about the whole matter.” 16 But the king said, “You shall certainly die, Ahimelech, with all your family.” 17 The king then commanded his guards standing by him: “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, for they gave David a hand. They knew he was a fugitive and yet failed to inform me.” But the king’s servants refused to raise a hand to strike the priests of the Lord.

18 The king therefore commanded Doeg, “You, turn and kill the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite himself turned and killed the priests that day—eighty-five who wore the linen ephod. 19 Saul also put the priestly city of Nob to the sword, including men and women, children and infants, and oxen, donkeys and sheep.

Abiathar Escapes. 20 One son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, named Abiathar,[c] escaped and fled to David. 21 When Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord, 22 David said to him: “I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would certainly tell Saul. I am responsible for the slaughter of all your family. 23 Stay with me. Do not be afraid; whoever seeks your life must seek my life also. You are under my protection.”[d]