1 A nd David goeth thence, and is escaped unto the cave of Adullam, and his brethren hear, and all the house of his father, and go down unto him thither;

So David left there and ran to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all those of his father’s house heard about it, they went down there to him.

2 a nd gather themselves unto him do every man in distress, and every man who hath an exactor, and every man bitter in soul, and he is over them for head, and there are with him about four hundred men.

Then everyone who was in trouble, everyone who owed money, and everyone who was not happy with the way he was living, came together to him. He became their captain. There were about 400 men with him.

3 A nd David goeth thence to Mizpeh of Moab, and saith unto the king of Moab, `Let, I pray thee, my father and my mother go out with you, till that I know what God doth for me;'

David went from there to Mizpah of Moab. He said to the king of Moab, “I beg of you, let my father and mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.”

4 a nd he leadeth them before the king of Moab, and they dwell with him all the days of David's being in the fortress.

Then he left them with the king of Moab. They stayed with him all the time that David was in his safe place.

5 A nd Gad the prophet saith unto David, `Thou dost not abide in a fortress, go, and thou hast entered for thee the land of Judah;' and David goeth and entereth the forest of Hareth.

The man who told what will happen in the future, Gad, said to David, “Do not stay in this strong place. Leave, and go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went among the trees of Hereth.

6 A nd Saul heareth that David hath become known, and the men who with him, and Saul is abiding in Gibeah, under the grove in Ramah, and his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing by him.

Now Saul heard that David and the men with him had been found. Saul was sitting in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree on the high place with his spear in his hand. All his servants were standing around him.

7 A nd Saul saith to his servants who are standing by him, `Hear, I pray you, ye Benjamites; also to all of you doth the son of Jesse give fields and vineyards! all of you he doth appoint heads of thousands and heads of hundreds!

Saul said to his servants who stood around him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and grape fields? Will he make you all leaders of thousands and hundreds?

8 f or ye have conspired all of you against me, and there is none uncovering mine ear about my son's covenanting with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you grieving for me, and uncovering mine ear, that my son hath raised up my servant against me, to lie in wait as this day.'

For all of you have made plans against me. No one lets me know when my son makes an agreement with the son of Jesse. None of you is sorry for me or lets me know that my son has caused my servant to be against me and hide and wait, as it is this day.”

9 A nd answer doth Doeg the Edomite, who is set over the servants of Saul, and saith, `I have seen the son of Jesse coming in to Nob, unto Ahimelech son of Ahitub,

Doeg the Edomite, who was standing by Saul’s servants, said, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

10 a nd he asketh for him at Jehovah, and provision hath given to him, and the sword of Goliath the Philistine hath given to him.

Ahimelech asked the Lord what David should do. He gave David food and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 A nd the king sendeth to call Ahimelech son of Ahitub, the priest, and all the house of his father, the priests, who in Nob, and they come all of them unto the king;

Then the king sent someone to call Ahimelech the religious leader, son of Ahitub, and all those of his father’s family, the religious leaders who were in Nob. And all of them came to the king.

12 a nd Saul saith, `Hear, I pray thee, son of Ahitub;' and he saith, `Here I, my lord.'

Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub.” He answered, “Here I am, my lord.”

13 A nd Saul saith unto him, `Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, by thy giving to him bread and a sword, and to ask for him at God, to rise against me, to lie in wait, as this day?'

Saul said to him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse planned against me? Why have you given him bread and a sword, and have asked the Lord what he should do, so he could rise against me and wait in hiding, as it is this day?”

14 A nd Ahimelech answereth the king and saith, `And who among all thy servants as David -- faithful, and son-in-law of the king, and hath turned aside unto thy council, and is honoured in thy house?

Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David? He is the king’s son-in-law. He is captain of the soldiers who keep you safe, and is honored in your house.

15 T o-day have I begun to ask for him at God? far be it from me! let not the king lay anything against his servant, against any of the house of my father, for thy servant hath known nothing of all this, less or more.'

Is today the first time that I have asked things of God for him? No! Do not let the king do anything wrong to his servant or any of those of my father’s family. For your servant knows nothing at all about this.”

16 A nd the king saith, `Thou dost surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all the house of thy father.'

But the king said, “You will die for sure, Ahimelech, you and all those of your father’s family!”

17 A nd the king saith to runners, those standing by him, `Turn round, and put to death the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also with David, and because they have known that he is fleeing, and have not uncovered mine ear;' and the servants of the king have not been willing to put forth their hand to come against the priests of Jehovah.

The king said to the soldiers who stood around him, “Turn and put the religious leaders of the Lord to death. Because they are on David’s side. They knew he was running away, and did not tell me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to go against the religious leaders of the Lord.

18 A nd the king saith to Doeg, `Turn round thou, and come against the priests;' and Doeg the Edomite turneth round, and cometh himself against the priests, and putteth to death in that day eighty and five men bearing a linen ephod,

Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and kill the religious leaders.” And Doeg the Edomite turned and killed the religious leaders. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen vest.

19 a nd Nob, the city of the priests, he hath smitten by the mouth of the sword, from man even unto woman, from infant even unto suckling, and ox, and ass, and sheep, by the mouth of the sword.

Then he destroyed Nob, the city of the religious leaders, with the sword. He killed men and women, children and babies, cattle, donkeys and sheep, with the sword.

20 A nd there escapeth one son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, and his name Abiathar, and he fleeth after David,

But Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, got away and ran after David.

21 a nd Abiathar declareth to David that Saul hath slain the priests of Jehovah.

Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the religious leaders of the Lord.

22 A nd David saith to Abiathar, `I have known on that day when Doeg the Edomite there, that he doth certainly declare to Saul; I have brought round to every person of the house of thy father;

David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would be sure to tell Saul. I am to blame for the death of every person in your father’s family.

23 d well with me; fear not; for he who seeketh my life seeketh thy life; for a charge thou with me.'

Stay with me. Do not be afraid. For he who wants to kill me wants to kill you. But you are safe with me.”