David Flees to Adullam and Mizpeh (Psalm 57:1–11; Psalm 142:1–7)
1 UST So David fled from Gath and went to hide in a cave on a hill near the town of Adullam. When his older brothers and his other relatives heard about this, they came and stayed with him there. BSB BSB: So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there.
2 UST Then other men joined him. Some were in trouble. Others had debts they could not pay. Still others came because they did not like what was happening in Israel with Saul as king. David became their commander. Eventually he had an army of 400 men. BSB BSB: And all who were distressed or indebted or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.
3 UST Later David and his men left there and went to the city of Mizpah in the land of Moab. There David asked the king of Moab,“Please allow my father and mother to live here with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” BSB BSB: From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab, where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I learn what God will do for me.”
4 UST { The king agreed,} so David brought his parents to Moab, where the king would protect them. David and his men found a safe place to hide in Moab. His parents stayed with the king for as long as he was there. BSB BSB: So he left them in the care of the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time David was in the stronghold.
5 UST A prophet whose name was Gad{ was with him. One day he} told David,“Leave your hideout here and return to Judah.” So David and his men went to the forest of Hereth in Judah. BSB BSB: Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Depart and go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
Saul Slays the Priests of Nob (Psalm 52:1–9)
6 UST Saul learned that people knew that David and his men had returned to Judah. One day Saul was sitting underneath the tamarisk tree on a hill in the city of Gibeah. He was holding his royal spear, and his officials were standing around him. BSB BSB: Soon Saul learned that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was sitting under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with his spear in hand and all his servants standing around him.
7 UST He shouted to them as they stood around him,“You men of the tribe of Benjamin, listen to me! Do not think that the son of Jesse will give all of you fields and vineyards if he becomes your king! Do not think that he will appoint all of you as generals and captains in his army! BSB BSB: Then Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Is the son of Jesse giving all of you fields and vineyards and making you commanders of thousands or hundreds?
8 UST { You seem to think that, and} that is why you have all conspired against me. Not one of you informed me that my own son had promised always to be friends with that son of Jesse! Not one of you felt sorry for me or told me that my son had encouraged my own servant to revolt against me! At this very moment he is hiding somewhere, hoping to surprise me and kill me!” BSB BSB: Is that why all of you have conspired against me? Not one of you told me that my own son had made a covenant with the son of Jesse. Not one of you has shown concern for me or revealed to me that my son has stirred up my own servant to lie in wait against me, as is the case today.”
9 UST Doeg, a man from the Edomite people group, was standing there with Saul’ s officers. He told Saul,“When I was at Nob, I saw that son of Jesse talking to Ahimelech the priest. BSB BSB: But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with Saul’s servants, answered: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.
10 UST Ahimelech asked Yahweh to show David what he should do. Ahimelech also gave David some food, and he gave him the sword that had belonged to Goliath, that great Philistine soldier.” BSB BSB: Ahimelech inquired of the LORD for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11 UST Then Saul sent messengers to summon the high priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub. The messengers also summoned all of Ahimelech’ s relatives who were priests at Nob. So they all came and stood in front of the king. BSB BSB: Then the king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests at Nob. And all of them came to the king.
12 UST Saul said to Ahimelech,“You son of Ahitub, listen to me!” Ahimelech answered,“Yes, sir?” BSB BSB: “Listen now, son of Ahitub,” said Saul. “Here I am, my lord,” he replied.
13 UST Saul said,“You are conspiring against me with that son of Jesse! You gave him some bread and a sword, and you asked God to tell him what he should do. You helped him to revolt against me, and at this very moment he is hiding somewhere, hoping to surprise me and kill me!” BSB BSB: And Saul asked him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him so that he could rise up against me to lie in wait, as he is doing today.”
14 UST Ahimelech replied,“{ I do not understand why you are saying that, because} no one else who serves you is more loyal to you than David! He is your son- in- law and the captain of your bodyguards. The people in your household respect him very much. BSB BSB: Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s son-in-law, the captain of your bodyguard and honored in your house?
15 UST I have asked God on previous occasions to tell David what he wanted him to do. I would never help anyone revolt against you! So please do not accuse me or any of my relatives of being disloyal to you. I do not know anything about what you are talking about.” BSB BSB: Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of my father’s household, for your servant knew nothing of this whole affair—not in part or in whole.”
16 UST Saul shouted back,“Ahimelech, I am going to execute you and all your relatives right now!” BSB BSB: But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”
17 UST Then Saul commanded his bodyguards, who were standing around him,“These priests of Yahweh are conspiring with David against me! They knew that David was trying to run away from me, but they did not tell me! So I want you to kill them right away!” But Saul’ s bodyguards refused to kill Yahweh’ s priests. BSB BSB: Then the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.
18 UST Then Saul said to Doeg,“You kill them!” So Doeg, that man who was an Edomite, did what Saul commanded and attacked the priests. He killed 85 men that day. Those men were wearing sacred aprons because they were priests. BSB BSB: So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.
19 UST Then Doeg went to kill all the other people of Nob, the city where the priests lived. He killed all the men, women, children, babies, cattle, donkeys, and sheep who were there. BSB BSB: He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.
21 UST He told David that Saul had commanded Doeg to kill Yahweh’ s priests. BSB BSB: And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.
22 UST Then David said to him,“That man from the Edomites, Doeg, was there at Nob on the day when I was there. I knew that he would surely tell Saul that your father helped me. So it is my fault that your father and all of his family are dead. BSB BSB: Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that Doeg the Edomite was there that day, and that he was sure to tell Saul. I myself am responsible for the lives of everyone in your father’s house.
23 UST The man who wants to kill you also wants to kill me, so stay with me and do not be afraid. You will be safe if you stay with me.” BSB BSB: Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks your life is seeking mine as well. You will be safe with me.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.