1David therefore left there, and fled to the cave, Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father's family heard about it, they went down to join him. 2And anyone who was in trouble, in debt, or was discontented, gathered to him; and he became the leader of a band of four hundred men. 3And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Let my father and my mother stay with you, till I know what God will do for me.” 4And he brought them before the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the while that David was in his stronghold. 5And the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; but go to the land of Judah.” And so David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.

6When Saul heard that David was in Judah, and that there were men with him, (now Saul was seated under a tamarisk tree on a hill at Gibeah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him), 7Then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Listen, you Benjamites: will the son of Jesse give each of you fields and vineyards, and promote you all to captains of thousands, and of hundreds; 8That you have all conspired against me, and no one informs me that my son has made a league with the son of Jesse, and none of you cares for me, or tells me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?” 9Then Doeg, the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s servants, said “I saw the son of Jesse when he came to Nob, to Ahimelech, son of Ahitub. 10And Ahimelech enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him provisions, and the sword of Goliath, the Philistine.”

11Then the king summoned Ahimelech, the priest, and all his father's family, all the priests who were in Nob; and they all came to the king. 12And Saul said, “Hear now, you son of Ahitub.” And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.” 13And Saul asked him, “Why have you conspired against me with the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have enquired of God for him, so that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?” 14Then Ahimelech answered the king, “And who is as faithful among all your servants as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and does all your bidding, and is honorable in your house? 15This was not the first time I enquired of God for him! Be it far from me. Let the king not accuse me of anything, nor all the family of my father; for I knew nothing, more or less, of all this.” 16And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father's house.” 17And the king said to the footmen that stood near him, “Turn, and kill the priests of the LORD; because their hand is also with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not tell me.” But the servants of the king would not lay their hands upon the priests of the LORD. 18Then the king said to Doeg, “Turn, and fall upon the priests.” And Doeg, the Edomite, turned, and fell upon the priests, and killed eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod that day. 19And he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword - men, women, children, infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.

20But one of the sons of Ahimelech, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled to David. 21And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the LORD's priests. 22And David said to Abiathar, “I knew it that day, when Doeg, the Edomite, was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father's house. 23Stay with me, fear not; for he that seeks my life seeks your life. But with me you shall be in safety.”