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1 SAM UEL 23
page 265
9 “I only have the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah,” the
priest replied. “It is wrapped in a cloth behind
the ephod. Take that if you want it, for there is
nothing else here.”
“There is nothing like it!” David replied.
“Give it to me!”
10 So David escaped from Saul and went to
King Achish of Gath. 11 But the officers of Achish
were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t
this David, the king of the land?” they asked.
“Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances,
singing,
‘Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”
12 David heard these comments and was very
afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to
him. 13 So he pretended to be insane, scratching
on doors and drooling down his beard.
14 Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must
you bring me a madman? 15 We already have
enough of them around here! Why should I let
someone like this be my guest?”
David at the Cave of Adullam
So David left Gath and escaped to the
cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and
all his other relatives joined him there. 2 Then
others began coming—men who were in trouble
or in debt or who were just discontented—until
David was the captain of about 400 men.
3 Later David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where
he asked the king, “Please allow my father and
mother to live here with you until I know what
God is going to do for me.” 4 So David’s parents
stayed in Moab with the king during the entire
time David was living in his stronghold.
5 One day the prophet Gad told David, “Leave
the stronghold and return to the land of Judah.”
So David went to the forest of Hereth.
6 The news of his arrival in Judah soon
reached Saul. At the time, the king was sitting
beneath the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, holding his spear and surrounded by his
officers.
7 “Listen here, you men of Benjamin!” Saul
shouted to his officers when he heard the news.
“Has that son of Jesse promised every one of you
fields and vineyards? Has he promised to make
you all generals and captains in his army?* 8 Is
that why you have conspired against me? For
not one of you told me when my own son made
a solemn pact with the son of Jesse. You’re not
even sorry for me. Think of it! My own son—encouraging him to kill me, as he is trying to do
this very day!”
9 Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing there with Saul’s men, spoke up. “When I
22
22:7 Hebrew commanders of thousands and commanders of
hundreds?
was at Nob,” he said, “I saw the son of Jesse
talking to the priest, Ahimelech son of Ahitub.
10 Ahimelech consulted the Lord for him. Then
he gave him food and the sword of Goliath the
Philistine.”
The Slaughter of the Priests
11 King Saul immediately sent for Ahimelech
and all his family, who served as priests at Nob.
12 When they arrived, Saul shouted at him, “Listen to me, you son of Ahitub!”
“What is it, my king?” Ahimelech asked.
13 “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me?” Saul demanded. “Why did
you give him food and a sword? Why have you
consulted God for him? Why have you encouraged him to kill me, as he is trying to do this
very day?”
14 “But sir,” Ahimelech replied, “is anyone
among all your servants as faithful as David,
your son-in-law? Why, he is the captain of your
bodyguard and a highly honored member of
your household! 15 This was certainly not the
first time I had consulted God for him! May
the king not accuse me and my family in this
matter, for I knew nothing at all of any plot
against you.”
16 “You will surely die, Ahimelech, along with
your entire family!” the king shouted. 17 And he
ordered his bodyguards, “Kill these priests of
the Lord, for they are allies and conspirators
with David! They knew he was running away
from me, but they didn’t tell me!” But Saul’s
men refused to kill the Lord’s priests.
18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So
Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed
them that day, eighty-five priests in all, still
wearing their priestly garments. 19 Then he went
to Nob, the town of the priests, and killed the
priests’ families—men and women, children
and babies—and all the cattle, donkeys, sheep,
and goats.
20 Only Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, escaped and fled to David. 21 When he
told David that Saul had killed the priests of the
Lord, 22 David exclaimed, “I knew it! When I saw
Doeg the Edomite there that day, I knew he was
sure to tell Saul. Now I have caused the death of
all your father’s family. 23 Stay here with me, and
don’t be afraid. I will protect you with my own
life, for the same person wants to kill us both.”
David Protects the Town of Keilah
One day news came to David that the
Philistines were at Keilah stealing grain
from the threshing floors. 2 David asked the
Lord, “Should I go and attack them?”
“Yes, go and save Keilah,” the Lord told him.
3 But David’s men said, “We’re afraid even
here in Judah. We certainly don’t want to go to
Keilah to fight the whole Philistine army!”
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