So David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.
And everyone who was in distress and everyone who was in debt and everyone who was discontented gathered themselves to him, and he became the leader over them, and there were about 400 men with him.
And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come out and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.”
So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the days that David was in the stronghold.
But the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Leave, and go into the land of Judah.” So David left and came into the forest of Hereth.
Saul Kills the Priests at Nob
And Saul heard that David was discovered, and also the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree on the hill with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing in attendance around him.
Saul said to his servants who were standing around him, “Now listen, O Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,
that all of you have conspired against me and there is none who reveals to me when my son cuts a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has caused my servant to rise up against me to lie in ambush, as he is today?”
Then Doeg the Edomite who was standing in attendance with the servants of Saul answered and said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
He inquired of Yahweh for him, gave him provisions and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
Then the king sent messengers to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house who were in Nob, the priests, and all of them came to the king.
And Saul said, “Now listen, O son of Ahitub.” And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.”
And Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him, so that he has risen against me to lie in ambush, as he is today?”
Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, “Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law and is commander over your bodyguard and is honorable in your house?
Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? Be it far from me! May the king not lay an accusation against his servant, nor against any of the house of my father, for your servant knows nothing of all this, either small or great.”
But the king said, “You will die, yes, die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”
Then the king said to the guards who were standing around him, “Turn and kill the priests of Yahweh, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it to me.” But the servants of the king would not stretch forth their hand to attack the priests of Yahweh.
Then the king said to Doeg, “Turn and attack the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests, and he killed on that day 85 people who wore a linen ephod.
And he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the mouth of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies and cattle and donkeys and sheep with the mouth of the sword.
But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub named Abiathar escaped and fled to David.
And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of Yahweh.
And David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would tell, yes, tell Saul. I myself have turned against the life of all the people of your father’s house.
Stay with me and do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. For with me you are protected.”