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1 Samuel 21-24
New English Translation

21 1 (21:2) David went to Ahimelech the priest in Nob. Ahimelech was shaking with fear when he met[a] David, and said to him, “Why are you by yourself with no one accompanying you?” 2 David replied to Ahimelech the priest, “The king instructed me to do something, but he said to me, ‘Don’t let anyone know the reason I am sending you or the instructions I have given you.’[b] I have told my soldiers[c] to wait at a certain place.[d] 3 Now what do you have at your disposal?[e] Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.”

4 The priest replied to David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread at my disposal. Only holy bread is available, and then only if your soldiers[f] have abstained from relations with women.”[g] 5 David said to the priest, “Certainly women have been kept away from us, just as on previous occasions when I have set out. The soldiers’[h] equipment[i] is holy, even on an ordinary journey. How much more so will they be holy today, along with their equipment!”

6 So the priest gave him holy bread, for there was no bread there other than the Bread of the Presence. It had been removed from before the Lord in order to replace it with hot bread on the day it had been taken away. 7 (One of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul’s shepherds.) 8 David said to Ahimelech, “Is there no sword or spear here at your disposal? I don’t have my own sword or equipment in hand due to the urgency of the king’s instructions.”

David Goes to Gath

9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the valley of Elah, is wrapped in a garment behind the ephod. If you wish, take it for yourself. Other than that one, there’s no sword here.” David said, “There’s nothing like it. Give it to me.” 10 So on that day David arose and fled from Saul. He went to King Achish of Gath. 11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one that they sing about when they dance, saying,

‘Saul struck down his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands’?”

12 David thought about what they said[j] and was very afraid of King Achish of Gath. 13 He altered his behavior in their presence.[k] Since he was in their power,[l] he pretended to be insane, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting his saliva run down his beard.

14 Achish said to his servants, “Look at this madman! Why did you bring him to me? 15 Do I have a shortage of fools so that you have brought me this man to display his insanity in front of me? Should this man enter my house?”

David Goes to Adullam and Mizpah

22 So David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s family[m] learned about it, they went down there to him. 2 All those who were in trouble or owed someone money or were discontented[n] gathered around[o] him, and he became their leader. He had about 400 men with him.

3 Then David went from there to Mizpah in Moab, where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay[p] with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” 4 So he had them stay with the king of Moab; they stayed with him the whole time[q] that David was in the stronghold. 5 Then Gad the prophet said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Go to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.

Saul Executes the Priests

6 But Saul found out the whereabouts of David and the men who were with him.[r] Now Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk tree at an elevated location with his spear in hand and all his servants stationed around him. 7 Saul said to his servants, “Listen up, you Benjaminites! Is Jesse’s son giving fields and vineyards to all of you? Or is he making all of you[s] commanders and officers?[t] 8 For all of you have conspired against me! No one informs me[u] when my own son makes an agreement with the son of Jesse. Not one of you feels sorry for me or informs me that my own son has commissioned my own servant to hide in ambush against me, as is the case today!”

9 But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with the servants of Saul, replied, “I saw this son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. 10 He inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Then the king arranged for a meeting with the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all the priests of his father’s house who were at Nob. They all came to the king. 12 Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub.” He replied, “Here I am, my lord.” 13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and this son of Jesse? You gave[v] him bread and a sword and inquired of God on his behalf, so that he opposes[w] me and waits in ambush, as is the case today!”

14 Ahimelech replied to the king, “Who among all your servants is faithful like David? He is the king’s son-in-law, the leader of your bodyguard, and honored in your house. 15 Was it just today that I began to inquire of God on his behalf? Far be it from me! The king should not accuse[x] his servant or any of my father’s house, for your servant is not aware of all this—not in whole or in part!”[y]

16 But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!” 17 Then the king said to the messengers[z] who were stationed beside him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, for they too have sided[aa] with David. They knew he was fleeing, but they did not inform me.” But the king’s servants refused to harm[ab] the priests of the Lord.

18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests. He killed on that day eighty-five[ac] men who wore the linen ephod. 19 As for Nob, the city of the priests, Doeg struck down men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep—all with the sword.

20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped and fled to David. His name was Abiathar. 21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would certainly tell Saul! I am guilty[ad] of all the deaths in your father’s house. 23 Stay with me. Don’t be afraid. Whoever[ae] seeks my life is seeking your life as well. You are secure with me.”

David Delivers the City of Keilah

23 They told David, “The Philistines are fighting in Keilah and are looting the threshing floors.” 2 So David asked the Lord, “Should I go and strike down these Philistines?” The Lord said to David, “Go, strike down the Philistines and deliver Keilah.”

3 But David’s men said to him, “We are afraid while we are still here in Judah. What will it be like if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” 4 So David asked the Lord once again. But again the Lord replied, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.”

5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines. He took away their cattle and thoroughly defeated them.[af] David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.

David Eludes Saul Again

6 Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had brought with him an ephod.[ag] 7 When Saul was told that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has delivered[ah] him into my hand, for he has boxed himself into a corner by entering a city with two barred gates.”[ai] 8 So Saul mustered all his army to go down to Keilah and besiege David and his men.[aj]

9 When David realized that Saul was planning to harm him,[ak] he told Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” 10 Then David said, “O Lord God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is planning[al] to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. 11 Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, please inform your servant.”

Then the Lord said, “He will come down.” 12 David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul’s hand?” The Lord said, “They will deliver you over.”

13 So David and his men, who numbered about 600, set out and left Keilah; they moved around from one place to another.[am] When told that David had escaped from Keilah, Saul called a halt to his expedition. 14 David stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time,[an] but God did not deliver David[ao] into his hands. 15 David realized[ap] that Saul had come out to seek his life; at that time David was in Horesh in the wilderness of Ziph.

16 Then Jonathan son of Saul left and went to David at Horesh. He encouraged him[aq] through God. 17 He said to him, “Don’t be afraid! For the hand of my father Saul cannot find you. You will rule over Israel, and I will be your second in command. Even my father Saul realizes this.” 18 When the two of them had made a covenant before the Lord, David stayed at Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house.

19 Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? 20 Now at your own discretion,[ar] O king, come down. Delivering him into the king’s hand will be our responsibility.”

21 Saul replied, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me. 22 Go and make further arrangements. Determine precisely[as] where he is[at] and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning. 23 Locate precisely all the places where he hides and return to me with dependable information.[au] Then I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will find him[av] among all the thousands of Judah.”

24 So they left and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the rift valley[aw] to the south of Jeshimon. 25 Saul and his men went to look for him.[ax] But David was informed and went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard about it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, but Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to capture them. 27 But a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!”

28 So Saul stopped pursuing David and went to confront the Philistines. Therefore that place is called Sela Hammahlekoth.[ay] 29 (24:1)[az] Then David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi.

David Spares Saul’s Life

24 (24:2) When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “Look, David is in the desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took 3,000 select men from all Israel and went to find[ba] David and his men in the region of[bb] the rocks of the mountain goats.[bc] 3 He came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave. Saul went into it to relieve himself.[bd]

Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave. 4 David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.’”[be] So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward David’s conscience bothered him[bf] because he had cut off an edge of Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “May the Lord keep me far away from doing such a thing to my lord, who is the Lord’s chosen one,[bg] by extending my hand against him. After all,[bh] he is the Lord’s chosen one.” 7 David restrained his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and started down[bi] the road.

8 Afterward David got up and went out of the cave. He called out to Saul, “My lord, O king!” When Saul looked behind him, David kneeled down and bowed with his face to the ground. 9 David said to Saul, “Why do you pay attention when men say, ‘David is seeking to do you harm’? 10 Today your own eyes see how the Lord delivered you—this very day—into my hands in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I had pity[bj] on you and said, ‘I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s chosen one.’[bk] 11 Look, my father, and see the edge of your robe in my hand! When I cut off the edge of your robe, I didn’t kill you. So realize and understand that I am not planning[bl] evil or rebellion. Even though I have not sinned against you, you are waiting in ambush to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between the two of us, and may the Lord vindicate me over you, but my hand will not be against you. 13 It’s like the old proverb says: ‘From evil people evil proceeds.’ But my hand will not be against you. 14 Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea? 15 May the Lord be our judge and arbiter. May he see and arbitrate my case and deliver me from your hands.”

16 When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Then Saul wept loudly.[bm] 17 He said to David, “You are more innocent[bn] than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you. 18 You have explained today how you have treated me well. The Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me. 19 Now if a man finds his enemy, does he send him on his way in good shape? May the Lord repay you with good this day for what you have done to me. 20 Now look, I realize that you will in fact be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 So now swear to me in the Lord’s name[bo] that you will not kill[bp] my descendants after me or destroy my name from the house of my father.”

22 David promised Saul this on oath.[bq] Then Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 21:1 tn Heb “trembled to meet.”
  2. 1 Samuel 21:2 tn Heb “let not a man know anything about the matter [for] which I am sending you and [about] which I commanded you.”
  3. 1 Samuel 21:2 tn Heb “servants.”
  4. 1 Samuel 21:2 tn The Hebrew expression here refers to a particular, but unnamed, place. It occurs in the OT only here, in 2 Kgs 6:8, and in Ruth 4:1, where Boaz uses it to refer to Naomi’s unnamed kinsman-redeemer. A contracted form of the expression appears in Dan 8:13.
  5. 1 Samuel 21:3 tn Heb “under your hand.”
  6. 1 Samuel 21:4 tn Heb “servants.”
  7. 1 Samuel 21:4 tn Heb “have kept themselves from women” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “haven’t had sexual relations recently”; NLT “have not slept with any women recently.” sn Temporary sexual abstinence was part of the requirements of a war campaign (Deut 23:9-14), since God was pictured as coming among the camp (compare the abstinence in Exod 19:15). Besides David’s claim that it was standard practice for he and his men, it is also evident through the account of Uriah (2 Sam 11:11-12).
  8. 1 Samuel 21:5 tn Heb “servants’.”
  9. 1 Samuel 21:5 tn Or “things”; or “weapons”; Heb “vessels,” which some understand as a reference to the soldiers’ bodies (so NIV).
  10. 1 Samuel 21:12 tn Heb “placed these matters in his heart.”
  11. 1 Samuel 21:13 tn Heb “in their eyes.”
  12. 1 Samuel 21:13 tn Heb “in their hand.”
  13. 1 Samuel 22:1 tn Heb “house.”
  14. 1 Samuel 22:2 tn Heb “bitter of soul.”
  15. 1 Samuel 22:2 tn Heb “to.”
  16. 1 Samuel 22:3 tn Heb “go forth.”
  17. 1 Samuel 22:4 tn Heb “all the days.”
  18. 1 Samuel 22:6 tn Heb “and Saul heard that David and the men who were with him were known.”
  19. 1 Samuel 22:7 tc The MT has “to all of you.” If this reading is correct, we have here an example of a prepositional phrase functioning as the equivalent of a dative of advantage, which is not impossible from a grammatical point of view. However, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate all have “and.” A conjunction rather than a preposition should probably be read on the front of this phrase.
  20. 1 Samuel 22:7 tn Heb “officers of a thousand and officers of a hundred.”
  21. 1 Samuel 22:8 tn Heb “uncovers my ear.”
  22. 1 Samuel 22:13 tn Heb “by giving.”
  23. 1 Samuel 22:13 tn Heb “rises up against.”
  24. 1 Samuel 22:15 tn Heb “set a matter against.”
  25. 1 Samuel 22:15 tn Heb “small or great.”
  26. 1 Samuel 22:17 tn Heb “runners.”
  27. 1 Samuel 22:17 tn Heb “their hand is.”
  28. 1 Samuel 22:17 tn Heb “to extend their hand to harm.”
  29. 1 Samuel 22:18 tc The number is confused in the Greek ms tradition. The LXX, with the exception of the Lucianic recension, has the number 305. The Lucianic recension, along with a couple of Old Latin mss, has the number 350.
  30. 1 Samuel 22:22 tc The translation follows the LXX, which reads “I am guilty,” rather than the MT, which has “I have turned.”
  31. 1 Samuel 22:23 tn Or “the one who.” This may refer specifically to Saul, in which case David acknowledges that Abiathar’s life is endangered because of his allegiance to David. The translation assumes that the statement is more generalized, meaning that any enemy of Abiathar is an enemy of David. In other words, David promises that he will protect Abiathar with his very own life.
  32. 1 Samuel 23:5 tn Heb “and struck them down with a great blow.”
  33. 1 Samuel 23:6 tn Heb “an ephod went down in his hand.”
  34. 1 Samuel 23:7 tn The MT reading (“God has alienated him into my hand”) in v. 7 is a difficult and uncommon idiom. The use of this verb in Jer 19:4 is somewhat parallel, but not entirely so. Many scholars have therefore suspected a textual problem here, emending the word נִכַּר (nikkar, “alienated”) to סִכַּר (sikkar, “he has shut up [i.e., delivered]”). This is the idea reflected in the translations of the Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate, although it is not entirely clear whether they are reading something different from the MT or are simply paraphrasing what for them too may have been a difficult text. The LXX has “God has sold him into my hands,” apparently reading מָכַר (makar, “sold”) for MT’s נִכַּר. The present translation is a rather free interpretation.
  35. 1 Samuel 23:7 tn Heb “with two gates and a bar.” Since in English “bar” could be understood as a saloon, it has been translated as an attributive: “two barred gates.”
  36. 1 Samuel 23:8 tn Heb “So Saul mustered all his army for battle to go down to Keilah to besiege against David and his men.”
  37. 1 Samuel 23:9 tn Heb “Saul was planning the evil against him.”
  38. 1 Samuel 23:10 tn Heb “seeking.”
  39. 1 Samuel 23:13 tn Heb “they went where they went.”
  40. 1 Samuel 23:14 tn Heb “all the days.”
  41. 1 Samuel 23:14 tn Heb “him”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  42. 1 Samuel 23:15 tn Heb “saw.”
  43. 1 Samuel 23:16 tn Heb “strengthened his hand.”
  44. 1 Samuel 23:20 tn Heb “to all the desire of your soul to come down.”
  45. 1 Samuel 23:22 tn Heb “know and see.” The expression is a hendiadys. See also v. 23.
  46. 1 Samuel 23:22 tn Heb “his place where his foot is.”
  47. 1 Samuel 23:23 tn Heb “established.”
  48. 1 Samuel 23:23 tn Heb “I will search him out.”
  49. 1 Samuel 23:24 sn This section of the rift valley is along the western part of the Dead Sea.
  50. 1 Samuel 23:25 tn Heb “to search.”
  51. 1 Samuel 23:28 sn The name הַמַּחְלְקוֹת סֶלַע (selaʿ hammakhleqot) probably means “Rock of Divisions” in Hebrew, in the sense that Saul and David parted company there (cf. NAB “Gorge of Divisions”; TEV “Separation Hill”). This etymology assumes that the word derives from the Hebrew root II חָלַק (khalaq, “to divide”; HALOT 322 s.v. II חלק). However, there is another root I חלק, which means “to be smooth or slippery” (HALOT 322 s.v. I חלק). If the word is taken from this root, the expression would mean “Slippery Rock.”
  52. 1 Samuel 23:29 sn Beginning with 23:29, the verse numbers through 24:22 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 23:29 ET = 24:1 HT, 24:1 ET = 24:2 HT, 24:2 ET = 24:3 HT, etc., through 24:22 ET = 24:23 HT. With 25:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.
  53. 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Heb “to search [for].”
  54. 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Heb “upon the face of.”
  55. 1 Samuel 24:2 tn Or “the region of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats,” if this expression is understood as a place name (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV, CEV).
  56. 1 Samuel 24:3 tn Heb “to cover his feet,” an idiom (euphemism) for relieving oneself (cf. NAB “to ease nature”).
  57. 1 Samuel 24:4 tn Heb “is good in your eyes.”
  58. 1 Samuel 24:5 tn Heb “the heart of David struck him.”
  59. 1 Samuel 24:6 tn Heb “anointed.” Also at the end of this verse.
  60. 1 Samuel 24:6 tn Or “for.”
  61. 1 Samuel 24:7 tn Heb “went on.”
  62. 1 Samuel 24:10 tn Heb “it had pity,” apparently with the understood subject being “my eye,” in accordance with a common expression.
  63. 1 Samuel 24:10 tn Heb “anointed.”
  64. 1 Samuel 24:11 tn Heb “there is not in my hand.”
  65. 1 Samuel 24:16 tn Heb “lifted his voice and wept.”
  66. 1 Samuel 24:17 tn Or “righteous” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “you are in the right”; NLT “are a better man than I am.”
  67. 1 Samuel 24:21 tn Heb “by the Lord.”
  68. 1 Samuel 24:21 tn Heb “cut off.”
  69. 1 Samuel 24:22 tn Heb “and David swore an oath to Saul.”
Listen to 1 Samuel 21-24
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1 Samuel 21-24
New International Version

David at Nob

21 [a]David went to Nob,(A) to Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek trembled(B) when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”

2 David answered Ahimelek the priest, “The king sent me on a mission and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about the mission I am sending you on.’ As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place. 3 Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find.”

4 But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread(C) on hand; however, there is some consecrated(D) bread here—provided the men have kept(E) themselves from women.”

5 David replied, “Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual(F) whenever[b] I set out. The men’s bodies are holy(G) even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!” 6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread,(H) since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the Lord and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.

7 Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord; he was Doeg(I) the Edomite,(J) Saul’s chief shepherd.

8 David asked Ahimelek, “Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I haven’t brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king’s mission was urgent.”

9 The priest replied, “The sword(K) of Goliath(L) the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah,(M) is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one.”

David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”

David at Gath

10 That day David fled from Saul and went(N) to Achish king of Gath. 11 But the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances:

“‘Saul has slain his thousands,
    and David his tens of thousands’?”(O)

12 David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. 13 So he pretended to be insane(P) in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

14 Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? 15 Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?”

David at Adullam and Mizpah

22 David left Gath and escaped to the cave(Q) of Adullam.(R) When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered(S) around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.

3 From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, “Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?” 4 So he left them with the king of Moab,(T) and they stayed with him as long as David was in the stronghold.

5 But the prophet Gad(U) said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.(V)

Saul Kills the Priests of Nob

6 Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. And Saul was seated,(W) spear in hand, under the tamarisk(X) tree on the hill at Gibeah, with all his officials standing at his side. 7 He said to them, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders(Y) of thousands and commanders of hundreds? 8 Is that why you have all conspired(Z) against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant(AA) with the son of Jesse.(AB) None of you is concerned(AC) about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today.”

9 But Doeg(AD) the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelek son of Ahitub(AE) at Nob.(AF) 10 Ahimelek inquired(AG) of the Lord for him; he also gave him provisions(AH) and the sword(AI) of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelek son of Ahitub and all the men of his family, who were the priests at Nob, and they all came to the king. 12 Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.”

“Yes, my lord,” he answered.

13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired(AJ) against me, you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, so that he has rebelled against me and lies in wait for me, as he does today?”

14 Ahimelek answered the king, “Who(AK) of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household? 15 Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father’s family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.”

16 But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelek, you and your whole family.(AL)”

17 Then the king ordered the guards at his side: “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.”

But the king’s officials were unwilling(AM) to raise a hand to strike the priests of the Lord.

18 The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.”(AN) So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.(AO) 19 He also put to the sword(AP) Nob,(AQ) the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.

20 But one son of Ahimelek son of Ahitub,(AR) named Abiathar,(AS) escaped and fled to join David.(AT) 21 He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “That day, when Doeg(AU) the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family. 23 Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you(AV) is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.”

David Saves Keilah

23 When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah(AW) and are looting the threshing floors,”(AX) 2 he inquired(AY) of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

3 But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”

4 Once again David inquired(AZ) of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines(BA) into your hand.(BB)” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 6 (Now Abiathar(BC) son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod(BD) down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

Saul Pursues David

7 Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has delivered him into my hands,(BE) for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”(BF) 8 And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

9 When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar(BG) the priest, “Bring the ephod.(BH)” 10 David said, “Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.”

And the Lord said, “He will.”

12 Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender(BI) me and my men to Saul?”

And the Lord said, “They will.”

13 So David and his men,(BJ) about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.

14 David stayed in the wilderness(BK) strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph.(BL) Day after day Saul searched(BM) for him, but God did not(BN) give David into his hands.

15 While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that[c] Saul had come out to take his life.(BO) 16 And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength(BP) in God. 17 “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king(BQ) over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” 18 The two of them made a covenant(BR) before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.

19 The Ziphites(BS) went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us(BT) in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah,(BU) south of Jeshimon? 20 Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving(BV) him into your hands.”

21 Saul replied, “The Lord bless(BW) you for your concern(BX) for me. 22 Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. 23 Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track(BY) him down among all the clans of Judah.”

24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon,(BZ) in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.(CA) 25 Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

26 Saul(CB) was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.” 28 Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.[d] 29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds(CC) of En Gedi.[e](CD)

David Spares Saul’s Life

24 [f]After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.(CE)” 2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look(CF) for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave(CG) was there, and Saul went in to relieve(CH) himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke(CI) of when he said[g] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’”(CJ) Then David crept up unnoticed and cut(CK) off a corner of Saul’s robe.

5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken(CL) for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed,(CM) or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.(CN) 9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen(CO) when men say, ‘David is bent on harming(CP) you’? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared(CQ) you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut(CR) off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty(CS) of wrongdoing(CT) or rebellion. I have not wronged(CU) you, but you are hunting(CV) me down to take my life.(CW) 12 May the Lord judge(CX) between you and me. And may the Lord avenge(CY) the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,(CZ)’ so my hand will not touch you.

14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog?(DA) A flea?(DB) 15 May the Lord be our judge(DC) and decide(DD) between us. May he consider my cause and uphold(DE) it; may he vindicate(DF) me by delivering(DG) me from your hand.”

16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice,(DH) David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17 “You are more righteous than I,”(DI) he said. “You have treated me well,(DJ) but I have treated you badly.(DK) 18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered(DL) me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward(DM) you well for the way you treated me today. 20 I know that you will surely be king(DN) and that the kingdom(DO) of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 Now swear(DP) to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.(DQ)”

22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.(DR)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-15 is numbered 21:2-16.
  2. 1 Samuel 21:5 Or from us in the past few days since
  3. 1 Samuel 23:15 Or he was afraid because
  4. 1 Samuel 23:28 Sela Hammahlekoth means rock of parting.
  5. 1 Samuel 23:29 In Hebrew texts this verse (23:29) is numbered 24:1.
  6. 1 Samuel 24:1 In Hebrew texts 24:1-22 is numbered 24:2-23.
  7. 1 Samuel 24:4 Or “Today the Lord is saying
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