1And David went from there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and his brothers and all his father's house heard, and went down there to him.
2And every man (ish) in distress, and every man (ish) who had a creditor, and every man (ish) bitter of soul (nephesh), gathered to him; and he became over them as a captain; and there were with him about four hundred men (ish).
3And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, "Let my father and my mother, please, go out to be with you, until I know what God will do for me."
4And he led them before the king of Moab; and they dwelt with him all the days that David was in the stronghold.
5And Gad the prophet said to David, "Do not dwell in the stronghold; go, and come into the land of Judah." And David went, and came into the forest of Hereth.
6And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men (ish) who were with him; and Saul was sitting in Gibeah under the tamarisk on the height, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.
7And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, "Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse also give to all of you fields and vineyards, will he make all of you captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,
8that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that uncovers my ear when my son cut [a covenant] with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or uncovers my ear, that my son has raised up my servant against me to lie in wait, as at this day?"
9And Doeg the Edomite answered—and he was standing over the servants of Saul—and said, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
10And he inquired for him of YHWH, and gave him provision, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine."
11And the king sent to call Ahimelech the son of Ahitub the priest, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob; and they all came to the king.
12And Saul said, "Hear now, son of Ahitub." And he said, "Here I am, my lord."
13And Saul said to him, "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you gave him bread and a sword, and inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me to lie in wait, as at this day?"
14And Ahimelech answered the king and said, "And who among all your servants is like David, faithful, and the king's son-in-law, and turning to your bidding, and honored in your house?
15Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king lay anything against his servant, against all the house of my father; for your servant knew nothing of all this, small or great."
16And the king said, "You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house."
17And the king said to the runners who stood about him, "Turn and put to death the priests of YHWH, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled and did not uncover my ear." But the servants of the king were not willing to put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of YHWH.
18And the king said to Doeg, "Turn, you, and fall upon the priests." And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and he put to death on that day eighty-five men (ish) bearing a linen ephod.
19And Nob, the city of the priests, he struck by the mouth of the sword, from man (ish) to woman (ishah), from child to suckling, and ox and donkey and sheep, by the mouth of the sword.
20And one son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub escaped, and his name was Abiathar, and he fled after David.
21And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the priests of YHWH.
22And David said to Abiathar, "I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul; I myself have brought about [the death of] every soul (nephesh) of your father's house.
23Stay with me; do not fear; for he who seeks my soul (nephesh) seeks your soul (nephesh); for you are a charge (mishmeret) with me."