| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1David 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. | 1So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When David's brothers and his father's whole family heard, they went down and joined him there. |
| 2And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men. | 2In addition, every man who was desperate, in debt, or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About 400 men were with him. |
| 3And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother stay with you, till I know what God will do for me.” | 3From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab where he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God will do for me." |
| 4And he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. | 4So he left them in the care of the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time David was in the stronghold. |
| 5Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not remain in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth. | 5Then the prophet Gad said to David, "Don't stay in the stronghold. Leave and return to the land of Judah." So David left and went to the forest of Hereth. |
| 6Now Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. | 6Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree at the high place. His spear was in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him. |
| 7And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, people of Benjamin; 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, | 7Saul said to his servants, "Listen, men of Benjamin: Is Jesse's son going to give all of you fields and vineyards? Do you think he'll make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? |
| 8that all of you have conspired against me? No one discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.” | 8That's why all of you have conspired against me! Nobody tells me when my own son makes a covenant with Jesse's son. None of you cares about me or tells me that my son has stirred up my own servant to wait in ambush for me, as is the case today." |
| 9Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, | 9Then Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul's servants, answered: "I saw Jesse's son come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. |
| 10and he inquired of the LORD for him and gave him provisions and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” | 10Ahimelech inquired of the LORD for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine." |
| 11Then the king sent to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were at Nob, and all of them came to the king. | 11The king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, son of Ahitub, and his father's whole family, who were priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. |
| 12And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub.” And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.” | 12Then Saul said, "Listen, son of Ahitub!" "I'm at your service, my lord," he said. |
| 13And 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 wait, as at this day?” | 13Saul asked him, "Why did you and Jesse's son conspire against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him, so he could rise up against me and wait in ambush, as is the case today." |
| 14Then Ahimelech answered the king, “And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house? | 14Ahimelech replied to the king: "Who among all your servants is as faithful as David? He is the king's son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and honored in your house. |
| 15Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little.” | 15Was today the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Please don't let the king make an accusation against your servant or any of my father's household, for your servant didn't have any idea about all this." |
| 16And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.” | 16But the king said, "You will die, Ahimelech--you and your father's whole family!" |
| 17And the king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to strike the priests of the LORD. | 17Then the king ordered the guards standing by him, "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD because they sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they didn't tell me." But the king's servants would not lift a hand to execute the priests of the LORD. |
| 18Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod. | 18So the king said to Doeg, "Go and execute the priests!" So Doeg the Edomite went and executed the priests himself. On that day, he killed 85 men who wore linen ephods. |
| 19And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; both man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey and sheep, he put to the sword. | 19He also struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword--both men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep. |
| 20But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. | 20However, one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David. |
| 21And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD. | 21Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD. |
| 22And David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father’s house. | 22Then David said to Abiathar, "I knew that Doeg the Edomite was there that day and that he was sure to report to Saul. I myself am responsible for the lives of everyone in your father's family. |
| 23Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you shall be in safekeeping.” | 23Stay with me. Don't be afraid, for the one who wants to take my life wants to take your life. You will be safe with me." |
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