1 Samuel 22 - Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)

Further Stops on David’s Flight

22 So David departed from there and escaped to the cave at Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s entire household heard about it, they went down to join him there. 2 Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. There were about four hundred men with him.

3 David went from there to Mizpah in Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come and stay with you, until I find out what God will do for me.” 4 So he brought them to the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time that David was in the stronghold.

5 The prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Leave and go to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the Forest of Hereth.

The Massacre of the Priests

6 Saul heard that David and the men with him had been located.

Saul was sitting under the tamarisk tree on an elevated location in Gibeah. He had his spear in his hand, and all his attendants were standing around him. 7 Saul said to his attendants who were standing around him, “Listen, you Benjaminites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all officers over thousands and officers over hundreds? 8 So why have all of you conspired against me? Why is there no one who informs me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse? Why is there not one of you who sympathizes with me or informs me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, so that he is waiting to ambush me, as he is today?”

9 Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing beside Saul’s attendants, replied, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelek son of Ahitub at Nob. 10 The priest inquired of the Lord for him and gave him supplies and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Then the king summoned the priest, Ahimelek son of Ahitub, along with all of his father’s house, that is, all the priests who were in Nob, and all of them came to the king. 12 Saul said, “Listen, you son of Ahitub.”

He answered, “I am listening, my lord.”

13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, by giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, so that he can rise up against me and lie in ambush, as he is doing today?”

14 Then Ahimelek answered the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David? He is the king’s son-in-law, the head of your elite troops,[a] and is honored in your house. 15 Have I just begun to inquire of God for him today? Certainly not! The king should not charge anything against his servant or against all the house of my father, for your servant knows nothing at all about this matter, in whole or in part.”

16 The king said, “You shall certainly die, Ahimelek, you and all your father’s house.” 17 Then the king said to the bodyguards[b] who were standing around him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand too is with David. They knew that he was fleeing, but they did not inform me.”

But the attendants of the king would not raise a hand against the priests of the Lord.

18 The king said to Doeg, “You turn and attack the priests!”

Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the special linen garment.[c] 19 He struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies, as well as cattle, donkeys, and sheep—all of them with the edge of the sword. 20 But one of the sons of Ahimelek son of Ahitub, whose name was Abiathar, escaped and fled to David.

21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests.

22 David said to Abiathar, “On that day when Doeg the Edomite was present, I knew without a doubt that he would tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of all the members of your father’s house. 23 Stay with me. Do not be afraid, for the one who seeks my life also seeks your life. You will be safe with me.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 22:14 Literally those who listen to you
  2. 1 Samuel 22:17 Literally runners
  3. 1 Samuel 22:18 The Hebrew term ephod usually refers to the special vest worn by the high priest. Here it seems to refer to a type of garment worn by regular priests.

You Might Also Like:

1 Samuel 22 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

22 And 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; 2 and 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 fo...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

22 Therefore David went from thence, and fled into the den of Adullam (And so David went from there, and fled to the cave of Adullam); and when his brethren, and all the house of his father had heard this, they came down thither to him. 2 And all men that were set in anguish, and oppressed with othe...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - World English Bible (WEB)

22 David therefore departed from there, and escaped to Adullam’s cave. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain o...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - The Voice (VOICE)

22 That is how David escaped, and from there, he went to the cave of Adullam to hide. When his brothers and the rest of his family heard he was there, they went down to be with him. 2 A group gathered around him, composed of those who were in debt or who were not content with Saul or who were in tr...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Flight to a Cave and to Moab22 So David walked from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard about it, they went down there to him. 2 Anyone who was in distress, anyone in debt, and anyone embittered rallied around him, and he became their leader....
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

David and His Followers at Adul′lam22 David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And every one who was in distress, and every one who was in debt, and every one who was discontented, gathere...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

David and His Followers at Adullam22 David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And every one who was in distress, and every one who was in debt, and every one who was discontented, gathered...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

David and His Followers at Adullam22 David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; when his brothers and all his father’s house heard of it, they went down there to him. 2 Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he be...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

David and His Followers at Adullam22 David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; when his brothers and all his father’s house heard of it, they went down there to him.(A)2 Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him, and he b...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - New Living Translation (NLT)

David at the Cave of Adullam22 So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there. 2 Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men. 3 Later Davi...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - New Life Version (NLV)

Religious Leaders Are Killed22 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 Then everyone who was in trouble, everyone who owed money, and everyone who was not happy with the way he was livin...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - New King James Version (NKJV)

David’s Four Hundred Men(A)22 David therefore departed from there and (B)escaped (C)to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 (D)And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was [a]discontented ga...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

David at Adullam and Mizpah22 David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered round him, and he became their commander. About four hundr...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - New International Version (NIV)

David at Adullam and Mizpah22 David left Gath and escaped to the cave(A) of Adullam.(B) When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered(C) around him, and he became their commander. About f...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

David at Adullam and Mizpah22 David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. His brothers and the other members of his family heard about it. So they went down to join him there. 2 Everyone who was in trouble or owed money or was unhappy gathered around him. He became their commander. About 40...
Read More

1 Samuel 22 - New English Translation (NET)

David Goes to Adullam and Mizpah22 So David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s family[a] learned about it, they went down there to him. 2 All those who were in trouble or owed someone money or were discontented[b] gathered around[c] him, an...
Read More