The Bible — World English Bible
1 Samuel 22
In brief
1 Samuel 22 sets two men side by side. David, on the run, takes refuge in the cave of Adullam, where his family joins him, along with men in distress, in debt or discontented, whom he becomes captain over. Saul, for his part, believes he has been betrayed and summons Ahimelech and the priests of Nob, who had helped David. He orders their death, his servants refuse, and Doeg carries out the order. Abiathar escapes and takes refuge with David. The chapter shows a king losing his moral authority and a fugitive who gathers people.
The chapter in 5 parts
- v. 1-5At the cave of Adullam: David gathers men in distress
- v. 6-10Saul, suspicious, accuses his servants of conspiring
- v. 11-16Ahimelech defends David before Saul, who condemns him
- v. 17-19The servants refuse to strike, Doeg massacres the priests of Nob
- v. 20-23Abiathar flees to David, who feels responsible
1David therefore departed from there, and escaped to Adullam’s cave. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.
2Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them. There were with him about four hundred men.
3David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come out with you, until I know what God will do for me.”
4He brought them before the king of Moab; and they lived with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.
5The prophet Gad said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Depart, and go into the land of Judah.” Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.
6Saul heard that David was discovered, with the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.
7Saul said to his servants who stood around him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,
8that all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who discloses to me when my son makes a treaty with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is today?”
9Then Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, answered and said, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
10He inquired of Yahweh for him, gave him food, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob; and they all came to the king.
12Saul said, “Hear now, you son of Ahitub.” He answered, “Here I am, my lord.”
13Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as it is today?”
14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, “Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your body guard, and honored in your house?
15Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? Be it far from me! Don’t let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more.”
16The king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father’s house.”
17The king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn, and kill the priests of Yahweh; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and didn’t disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king wouldn’t put out their hand to fall on the priests of Yahweh.
18The king said to Doeg, “Turn and attack the priests!” Doeg the Edomite turned, and he attacked the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five people who wore a linen ephod.
19He struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies, and cattle and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
20One of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
21Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Yahweh’s priests.
22David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of all the persons of your father’s house.
23Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. For you will be safe with me.”
Key verses
David therefore departed from there, and escaped to Adullam’s cave. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them. There were with him about four hundred men.
David flees from Saul and ends up at Adullam with his family and about four hundred men in distress, in debt or discontented. God gathers broken people around him who will become his companions.
The prophet Gad said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Depart, and go into the land of Judah.” Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.
The prophet Gad tells David not to stay in the stronghold and to go into the land of Judah. Even as a fugitive, David is guided by a prophetic word.
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, “Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your body guard, and honored in your house?
Ahimelech defends David before Saul as the most faithful of his servants. He believes he is serving the king and does not understand that he is already condemned.
The king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn, and kill the priests of Yahweh; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and didn’t disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king wouldn’t put out their hand to fall on the priests of Yahweh.
Saul orders his guards to kill the priests of the Lord, but his own servants refuse. The text underlines how serious the order is by showing that even they draw back.
David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of all the persons of your father’s house.
David acknowledges his share of responsibility in the death of Ahimelech's family. Then he promises protection to Abiathar, who is hunted just as he is.
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Frequently asked questions about 1 Samuel 22
Who joins David in the cave of Adullam?
According to 1 Samuel 22:1-2, his family goes down to him, then everyone who is in distress, who has creditors or who is discontented gathers around him. About four hundred men join him and he becomes their captain. They are people in difficulty, whom God gathers around his future king.
Why does Saul have the priests of Nob killed?
Saul is convinced that those around him are conspiring with David. When he learns that Ahimelech helped David, he condemns him along with his whole family, without listening to his defense. His servants refuse to strike the priests of the Lord, but Doeg carries it out. The text shows a king dominated by fear and jealousy.
Who is Abiathar in 1 Samuel 22?
Abiathar is a son of Ahimelech, the only one to escape the massacre at Nob. He flees to David and tells him what happened. David then promises him protection, acknowledging that he feels responsible. Abiathar will later become a priest close to David.
Articles quoting 1 Samuel 22
World English Bible translation — public domain.