And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gatheredthemselvesunto him; and he became a captainoverthem: and therewerewith him aboutfourhundred men.
And Davidwentthence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he saidunto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I praythee, comeforth, and be with you, till I knowwhat God will do for me.
And the prophet Gad saiduntoDavid, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get theeinto the land of Judah. ThenDaviddeparted, and cameinto the forest of Hareth.
WhenSaulheardthatDavid was discovered, and the men thatwerewith him, (now Saulabode in Gibeahunder a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servantswerestandingabout him;)
ThenSaulsaidunto his servantsthatstoodabout him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jessegiveevery one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;
That all of you haveconspiredagainst me, and there is nonethatsheweth me that my son hathmade a leaguewith the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or shewethunto me that my son hathstirred up my servantagainst me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
Then the kingsent to callAhimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’shouse, the prieststhatwere in Nob: and theycame all of them to the king.
And Saulsaidunto him, Why have ye conspiredagainst me, thou and the son of Jesse, in thatthouhastgiven him bread, and a sword, and hastenquired of God for him, that he shouldriseagainst me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
ThenAhimelechanswered the king, and said, And who is so faithfulamong all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thinehouse?
Did I thenbegin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the kingimpute any thingunto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servantknewnothing of all this, less or more.
And the kingsaidunto the footmenthatstoodabout him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; becausetheirhandalso is withDavid, and becausetheyknewwhen he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the kingwould not put forththeirhand to fallupon the priests of the LORD.
And the kingsaid to Doeg, Turnthou, and fallupon the priests. And Doeg the Edomiteturned, and he fellupon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and fivepersonsthat did wear a linenephod.
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.
And DavidsaiduntoAbiathar, I knew it that day, whenDoeg the Edomite was there, that he wouldsurelytellSaul: I haveoccasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’shouse.