David at Adullam and Mizpah
1David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.
3From 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?” 4So he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him as long as David was in the stronghold.
5But the prophet Gad 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.
Saul Kills the Priests of Nob
6Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. And Saul was seated, spear in hand, under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with all his officials standing at his side. 7He 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 of thousands and commanders of hundreds? 8Is that why you have all conspired against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today.”
9But Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelek son of Ahitub at Nob. 10Ahimelek inquired of the Lord for him; he also gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11Then 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. 12Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.”
“Yes, my lord,” he answered.
13Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired 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?”
14Ahimelek answered the king, “Who 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? 15Was 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.”
16But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelek, you and your whole family.”
17Then 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 to raise a hand to strike the priests of the Lord.
18The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. 19He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.
20But one son of Ahimelek son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to join David. 21He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22Then David said to Abiathar, “That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family. 23Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.”
扫罗残杀祭司
1大卫离开迦特，逃到亚杜兰洞。他的兄弟和亲属知道后，都来到他那里， 2所有受压迫的、负债的和心怀不满的人都纷纷来投奔他。大卫就做了他们的首领，跟随他的约有四百人。 3后来，大卫到摩押的米斯巴去，请求摩押王收留他的父母，直到他明白上帝给他的安排为止。 4大卫把父母留在了摩押王那里。在大卫住堡垒期间，他的父母一直住在摩押。 5迦得先知吩咐大卫离开堡垒回犹大去，大卫就动身前往哈列的树林。
6当时，扫罗正在基比亚的拉玛，坐在柳树下，手中拿着矛，臣仆侍立在左右。他得知大卫一行人的行踪后， 7就对左右的臣仆说：“便雅悯人啊，你们听着！难道耶西的儿子会给你们田地和葡萄园吗？他能立你们做千夫长和百夫长吗？ 8为什么你们一同谋害我？我的儿子跟耶西的儿子立约，没有人告诉我。就是今天我的儿子鼓动我的臣仆来谋害我，也没有人关心我，告诉我。” 9以东人多益正站在扫罗的臣仆中，他说：“我在挪伯亲眼看见耶西的儿子到了亚希突的儿子亚希米勒那里。 10亚希米勒为他求问耶和华，给他食物，还把非利士人歌利亚的刀给了他。”
11于是，扫罗派人把挪伯的祭司——亚希突的儿子亚希米勒及其家人都召来。他们都来到王面前。 12扫罗说：“亚希突的儿子，听着！”亚希米勒答道：“我主啊，我在这里。” 13扫罗说：“你为什么和耶西的儿子一同谋害我？你为什么把食物和刀给他，又为他求问耶和华，使他像今天这样背叛我，伺机害我呢？” 14亚希米勒答道：“王的臣仆中有谁像大卫那样忠心呢？他是王的女婿，又是王的护卫长，在王室中受尊重。 15那也不是我第一次为他求问耶和华，求王不要因这事加罪于我或我的家人，因为仆人我对这事一无所知。” 16王却说：“亚希米勒啊，你和你全家都必死无疑！” 17他就命令身旁的护卫，说：“把这些耶和华的祭司杀掉，因为他们跟大卫同谋，明知道大卫在潜逃，却不来告诉我。”扫罗的臣仆不愿意下手杀害耶和华的祭司。 18扫罗就对多益说：“你去把祭司杀掉！”以东人多益就杀了他们。那天，他下手杀了八十五个穿细麻布以弗得的祭司。 19他又把祭司城挪伯的男女老少、牛羊和驴全部用刀杀掉。
20但是，亚希突之子亚希米勒有个儿子亚比亚他逃出去，投奔了大卫。 21亚比亚他把扫罗屠杀耶和华祭司的事告诉了大卫， 22大卫说：“那天我见以东人多益在那里，就知道他一定会告诉扫罗。是我连累了你父亲一家。 23你就放心留在我这里，不要害怕，想杀你的人，也想要杀我。你在我这里很安全。”
