1 Samuel 22:11-23 - Slaughter Of The Priests

11 Then the king sent for Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and for all the men of his father's family who were priests in Nob: and they all came to the king. 12 And Saul said, Give ear now, O son of Ahitub. And answering he said, Here I am, my lord.

13 And Saul said to him, Why have you made designs against me with the son of Jesse, giving him food and a sword and getting directions from the Lord for him, and helping him to take up arms against me, and to be on the watch to make a secret attack on me as he is doing now? 14 Then Ahimelech answering said to the king, Who among all your servants is so true to you as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is a captain of your armed men, and has a place of honour in your house? 15 Is this the first time I have got directions from God for him? Far be the thought! let the king make no such statement against his servant or my father's family, for your servant has no knowledge, great or small, of this thing.

16 And the king said, You will certainly be put to death, Ahimelech, you and all your father's family.

17 Then the king said to the runners who were waiting near him, Put the priests of the Lord to death; because they are on David's side, and having knowledge of his flight, did not give me word of it. But the king's servants would not put out their hands to make an attack on the Lord's priests.

18 Then the king said to Doeg, You are to put the priests to death. And Doeg the Edomite, turning on the priests and attacking them, put to death that day eighty-five men who took up the ephod. 19 And Nob, the town of the priests, he put to the sword, all the men and women, children and babies at the breast, and oxen and asses and sheep.

20 And Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, got away and went in flight after David; 21 And gave him the news of how Saul had put to death the Lord's priests. 22 And David said to Abiathar, I was certain that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would take the news to Saul: I am responsible for the lives of all your father's family. 23 Keep here with me and have no fear; for he who has designs on my life has designs on yours: but with me you will be safe.


Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain