Doeg

1David came to the town of Nob. He went to Ahimelech, a priest. Ahimelech shook with fear when he saw David. He asked, "Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?"

Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

NoteNob was a town near Jerusalem where many priests lived. The holy tent where people worshiped God was kept there. Priests took care of that tent and its holy things.

2David said to Ahimelech, "The king gave me a job to do. He told me not to tell anyone about it. I told my men to meet me at a certain place."

And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

NoteThe king David talks about is Saul. Saul was trying to kill David. David was running away, and he did not tell Ahimelech that.

3"So what food do you have here? Please give me five loaves of bread. Or give me whatever you can find."

Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.

NoteBread then was flat and round, a little like a thick pancake. Five loaves would feed a few men for a day or two.

4The priest answered, "I have no ordinary bread here. I only have holy bread, set apart for God. Your young men may eat it if they have kept away from women."

And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.

NoteThe holy bread belonged to God and was kept in the holy tent. Only priests were supposed to eat it. Before touching holy things, men had rules to follow first. Staying away from their wives for a few days was one rule.

5David said, "Yes, we have kept away from women. We always do when I go out. My men and their things are clean and ready. That is true even on ordinary trips. It is even more true today."

And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.

Note"Clean" here does not mean washed with soap. It means ready to be near holy things, the way the rules said.

6So the priest gave him the holy bread. It was the only bread he had. It was the special bread kept in front of the LORD. Fresh warm bread had just been put in its place.

So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

NoteThis special bread is called the showbread. Twelve fresh loaves were set out before God each week. When new loaves came, the priests took the old ones. Writing LORD in big letters shows God's own special name.

7One of King Saul's servants was there that day. He was being kept at the holy place for some reason. His name was Doeg, and he came from Edom. He was the chief of Saul's shepherds.

Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.

NoteEdom was a country next door to Israel. So Doeg was a foreigner living among Israelites. A shepherd takes care of sheep, and Doeg was the boss of Saul's shepherds. He is remembered because of what he does later in the story.

8David asked Ahimelech, "Do you have a spear or a sword here? I did not bring my sword or my other weapons. The king's job had to be done in a hurry."

And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.

9The priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine is here. You killed him in the valley of Elah. The sword is wrapped in cloth behind the ephod. Take it if you want it. There is no other sword here." David said, "There is none like it. Give it to me."

And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.

NoteGoliath was a giant soldier David killed with a stone and sling. The Philistines were a people who lived nearby and often fought Israel. An ephod was a special vest the priest wore when he served God.

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.

When 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;)

NoteA tamarisk tree is a shade tree with small feathery leaves. Gibeah was Saul's hometown. Saul kept his spear in his hand. Holding it showed everyone that he was the king.

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?

Then 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;

NoteIsrael was made of twelve big family groups called tribes. Saul and these servants all came from the tribe of Benjamin. David came from a different tribe, called Judah. Saul will not even say David's name here. In the old words he only calls him "the son of Jesse." Jesse was David's father.

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."

That 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?

NoteSaul's son was named Jonathan, and he was David's best friend. The two had promised to stay loyal to each other always. Saul felt his own son had chosen David instead of him.

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.

Then 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.

NoteEdom was another country, south of Israel. So Doeg was not from Israel. Nob was a town where many priests lived together.

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

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

NotePeople asked God questions through a priest. The priest asked God, then told the person what God said. Goliath was the huge enemy soldier David had beaten years before. David had kept Goliath's sword.

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.

Then 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.

NoteA priest was a man who worked at God's holy tent. Priests helped people pray and bring their gifts to God.

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

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

Note"My lord" was a polite way to speak to a king. It is like saying "sir" to someone important.

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."

And 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?

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.

Then 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?

NoteDavid had married Saul's daughter. That made David part of the king's own family.

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."

Did 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.

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

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

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.

And 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.

NoteGuards had to obey a king or they could be punished. These guards still said no. Hurting God's priests felt too wrong to them.

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.

And 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.

NoteA linen ephod was a special vest that priests wore. Linen is a light, soft cloth. The vest showed that a man served God.

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.

And 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.

NoteArmies long ago sometimes destroyed a whole town. They took away the people and even the animals. Nothing was left behind.

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

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

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

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

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.

And 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.

NoteEarlier, David had gone to Nob to ask for food. Doeg was there that day and saw him.

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."

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