1 Samuel

David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.

1So David left that place and hid in a cave called Adullam. His brothers and the rest of his family heard about it. They came down to be with him there.

2And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

2Men who were in trouble came to David. So did men who owed money and men who were unhappy. About four hundred men joined him, and he became their leader.

3And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.

3Then David went to a town called Mizpeh in the land of Moab. He asked the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother stay with you. They can stay until I know what God will do for me."

4And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.

4David brought his parents to the king of Moab. They stayed with him the whole time David was hiding in his safe place.

5And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.

5Gad was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. Gad told David, "Do not stay in that safe place. Go to the land of Judah." So David left and went to the forest of Hareth.

6When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)

6Saul heard that people had found David and his men. Saul was sitting in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree on the hill. He held his spear, and all his servants stood around him.

7Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

7Saul said to his servants, "Listen, men of Benjamin! Do you think David will give you fields and grape farms? Do you think he will make you leaders over his soldiers?

8That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

8Is that why all of you have turned against me? Nobody told me my own son made a promise with David. Nobody feels sorry for me. Nobody told me my son helped David plan to attack me."

9Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

9A man named Doeg from Edom was standing with Saul's servants. He said, "I saw David come to the town of Nob. He came to Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub.

10And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

10Ahimelech asked the LORD what David should do. He also gave David food and the sword of Goliath, the Philistine giant."

11Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

11So the king sent for Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub. He also sent for Ahimelech's whole family, the priests who lived in Nob. All of them came to the king.

12And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

12Saul said, "Listen to me, son of Ahitub." Ahimelech answered, "I am here, my lord."

13And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

13Saul said, "Why did you and David plan against me? You gave him bread and a sword. You asked God what he should do. Now he is waiting to attack me."

14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

14Ahimelech answered the king, "No servant of yours is as loyal as David. He is married to your daughter. He leads your guards, and your house honors him.

15Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.

15That was not the first time I asked God for him. I would never plan against you! Please do not blame me or my family. I knew nothing at all about any of this."

16And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house.

16But the king said, "Ahimelech, you will surely die. So will everyone in your family."

17And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD: because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

17The king told the guards standing near him, "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD. They helped David. They knew he ran away and did not tell me." But the king's servants would not raise a hand against the priests of the LORD.

18And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

18So the king said to Doeg, "You turn and kill the priests." Doeg from Edom turned and killed them. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen vest of a priest.

NoteA linen ephap—spelled "ephod"—was a special vest that priests wore while they served God. Saying the men "wore the linen ephod" is a way of saying they were priests.

19And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

19He also attacked Nob, the town where the priests lived. He killed the men and women there with the sword. He killed the children and babies too, and the cows, donkeys, and sheep.

20And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

20But one son of Ahimelech got away. His name was Abiathar, and he ran to David.

21And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD’s priests.

21Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

22And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’s house.

22David said to Abiathar, "I knew that day that Doeg was there. I knew he would tell Saul. It is my fault that your whole family died.

Note"I have occasioned the death" is old English. It means "I caused their death" or "it is my fault."

23Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.

23Stay with me. Do not be afraid. The man who wants to kill me also wants to kill you. You will be safe with me."