1 Samuel 22:9-23

New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised

⁹ Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul’s servants, answered, ‘I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech son of Ahitub; ¹⁰ he inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.’

¹¹ The king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and for all his father’s house, the priests who were at Nob; and all of them came to the king. ¹² Saul said, ‘Listen now, son of Ahitub.’ He answered, ‘Here I am, my lord.’ ¹³ Saul said to him, ‘Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, by giving him bread and a sword, and by inquiring of God for him, so that he has risen against me, to lie in wait, as he is doing today?’

¹⁴ Then Ahimelech answered the king, ‘Who among all your servants is so faithful as David? He is the king’s son-in-law, and is quick^[a] to do your bidding, and is honoured in your house. ¹⁵ Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? By no means! Do not let the king impute anything to his servant or to any member of my father’s house; for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little.’ ¹⁶ The king said, ‘You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.’ ¹⁷ The king said to the guard who stood around him, ‘Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David; they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me.’ But the servants of the king would not raise their hand to attack the priests of the Lord. ¹⁸ Then the king said to Doeg, ‘You, Doeg, turn and attack the priests.’ Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests; on that day he killed eighty-five who wore the linen ephod. ¹⁹ Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep, he put to the sword.

²⁰ But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. ²¹ Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. ²² David said to Abiathar, ‘I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible^[b] for the lives of all your father’s house. ²³ Stay with me, and do not be afraid; for the one who seeks my life seeks your life; you will be safe with me.’