People Join David
1 When David escaped from the town of Gath, he went to Adullam Cave. His brothers and the rest of his family found out where he was, and they followed him there. 2 A lot of other people joined him too. Some were in trouble, others were angry or in debt, and David was soon the leader of 400 men.
3 David left Adullam Cave and went to the town of Mizpeh in Moab, where he talked with the king of Moab. “Please,” David said, “let my father and mother stay with you until I find out what God will do with me.” 4 So he brought his parents to the king of Moab, and they stayed with him while David was in hiding.
5 One day the prophet Gad told David, “Don't stay here! Go back to Judah.” David then left and went to Hereth Forest.
Saul Kills the Priests of the Lord
6 Saul was sitting under a small tree on top of the hill at Gibeah when he heard that David and his men had been located. Saul was holding his spear, and his officers were standing in front of him. 7 He told them:
Listen to me! You belong to the Benjamin tribe, so if that son of Jesse ever becomes king, he won't give you fields or vineyards. He won't make you officers in charge of thousands or hundreds as I have done. 8 But you're all plotting against me! Not one of you told me that my own son Jonathan had made an agreement with him. Not one of you cared enough to tell me that Jonathan had helped one of my officers rebel. Now that son of Jesse is trying to ambush me.
9 Doeg the Edomite was standing with the other officers and spoke up, “When I was in the town of Nob, I saw that son of Jesse. He was visiting the priest Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 Ahimelech talked to the Lord for him, then gave him food and the sword that had belonged to Goliath the Philistine.”
11 Saul sent a message to Ahimelech and his whole family of priests at Nob, ordering them to come to him. When they came, 12 Saul told them, “Listen to me, you son of Ahitub.”
“Certainly, Your Majesty,” Ahimelech answered.
13 Saul demanded, “Why did you plot against me with that son of Jesse? You helped him rebel against me by giving him food and a sword, and by talking with God for him. Now he's trying to ambush me!”
14 “Your Majesty, none of your officers is more loyal than David!” Ahimelech replied. “He's your son-in-law and the captain of your bodyguard. Everyone in your family respects him. 15 This isn't the first time I've talked with God for David, and it's never made you angry before! Please don't accuse me or my family like this. I have no idea what's going on!”
16 “Ahimelech,” Saul said, “you and your whole family are going to die.”
17 Saul shouted to his bodyguards, “These priests of the Lord helped David! They knew he was running away, but they didn't tell me. Kill them!”
But the king's officers would not attack the priests of the Lord.
18 Saul turned to Doeg, who was from Edom, and said, “Kill the priests!”
On that same day, Doeg killed 85 priests. 19 Then he attacked the town of Nob, where the priests had lived, and he killed everyone there—men, women, children, and babies. He even killed their cattle, donkeys, and sheep.
Only Abiathar Escapes from Nob
20 Ahimelech's son Abiathar was the only one who escaped. He ran to David 21 and told him, “Saul has murdered the Lord's priests at Nob!”
22 David answered, “That day when I saw Doeg, I knew he would tell Saul! Your family died because of me. 23 Stay here. Isn't the same person trying to kill both of us? Don't worry! You'll be safe here with me.”
Apspiestie pulcējas pie Dāvida
1 Dāvids bēga no turienes un patvērās Adullāmas alā. Viņa brāļi un viss viņa tēva nams uzzināja to un devās turp. 2 Pie viņa pulcējās visi apspiestie, visi, kas grima parādos, visi, kam rūgtums sirdī, un viņš tiem kļuva par vadoni. Pie viņa bija ap četrsimt vīru. 3 Dāvids no turienes devās uz Micpu Moābā un teica moābiešu ķēniņam: “Ļauj, lai mans tēvs un māte mīt pie jums, līdz es zināšu, ko Dievs man darīs!” 4 Viņš tos atveda pie moābiešu ķēniņa, un viņi palika pie tā visu laiku, kamēr Dāvids bija cietoksnī. 5 Bet pravietis Gāds teica Dāvidam: “Nepaliec cietoksnī, ej! Dodies uz Jūdas zemi!” Un Dāvids gāja un nonāca Hereta mežā.
Sauls nogalina priesterus
6 Sauls padzirdēja, ka manīts Dāvids ar saviem vīriem. Sauls Gibā sēdēja uzkalnā zem tamariska ar šķēpu rokā, un visi viņa kalpi stāvēja pie viņa. 7 Sauls teica saviem kalpiem, kas pie viņa stāvēja: “Klausieties, benjāminieši! Vai tad Jišaja dēls dos jums visiem tīrumus un vīnadārzus? Vai viņš jūs visus iecels par virsniekiem pār tūkstošiem un simtiem? 8 Tomēr jūs visi esat sazvērējušies pret mani! Neviens man nedeva ziņu, ka mans dēls noslēdzis derību ar Jišaja dēlu! Neviens no jums nav iežēlojies par mani un devis man ziņu, ka paša dēls kūda manu kalpu pret mani, lai tas man uzglūn, kā tagad ir noticis!” 9 Tad edomietis Doēgs, kas stāvēja starp Saula kalpiem, atbildēja: “Es redzēju Jišaja dēlu atnākam uz Nobu pie Ahīmeleha, Ahītūva dēla. 10 Tas viņa dēļ izjautāja Kungu un deva viņam ceļamaizi. Tas atdeva viņam pat filistieša Goliāta zobenu!” 11 Tad ķēniņš lika saukt priesteri Ahīmelehu, Ahītūva dēlu, un visu viņa tēva dzimtu, kas bija priesteri Nobā, un viņi visi nāca pie ķēniņa.
12 Sauls teica: “Nu klausies, Ahītūva dēls!” – un tas atbildēja: “Jā, mans kungs!” 13 Sauls teica viņam: “Kādēļ tu un Jišaja dēls esat pret mani sazvērējušies, ka tu devi viņam maizi un zobenu un izjautāji viņa dēļ Dievu, lai viņš saceļas pret mani un man uzglūn, kā tagad ir noticis!”
14 Ahīmelehs atbildēja ķēniņam: “Kurš no visiem taviem kalpiem ir tik uzticams kā Dāvids, ķēniņa znots, tavas miesassardzes virsnieks, godāts tavā namā?! 15 Vai tad tikai todien es viņa dēļ izjautāju Dievu? Nē taču! Lai ķēniņš to neuzkrauj savam kalpam, nedz visai mana tēva dzimtai, jo tavs kalps par šo lietu nenieka nav zinājis!” 16 Bet ķēniņš teica: “Tev mirtin jāmirst, Ahīmeleh, un visai tava tēva dzimtai!” 17 Un ķēniņš teica sardzei, kas stāvēja pie viņa: “Griezieties nāvēt Kunga priesterus, jo arī tie ir uz vienu roku ar Dāvidu – tie zināja, ka viņš bēg, un nedeva man ziņu!” Bet ķēniņa kalpi neuzdrīkstējās pacelt roku pret Kunga priesteriem.
18 Tad ķēniņš teica Doēgam: “Ej un uzbrūc priesteriem!” Un edomietis Doēgs griezās un uzbruka priesteriem, tas bija viņš! Todien viņš nonāvēja astoņdesmit piecus vīrus, kas nēsāja linu efodu. 19 Priesteru pilsētu Nobu viņš izkāva ar zobena asmeni – kā vīrus, tā sievas, kā bērnus, tā zīdaiņus, tāpat vēršus, ēzeļus un avis – ar zobena asmeni! 20 Taču viens no Ahīmeleha, Ahītūva dēla, dēliem, vārdā Ebjātārs, izglābās un aizbēga pie Dāvida. 21 Ebjātārs izstāstīja Dāvidam, ka Sauls nokāvis Kunga priesterus. 22 Un Dāvids teica Ebjātāram: “Todien es zināju, ka edomietis Doēgs ir tur un ka viņš noteikti visu izstāstīs Saulam. Manis dēļ bija jāmirst visai tava tēva dzimtai. 23 Paliec pie manis, nebīsties, jo tas, kurš tīko pēc manas dzīvības, tīko arī pēc tavējās. Pie manis tu būsi pasargāts!”
