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:

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)