1 Davi partiu dali e refugiou-se na caverna de Odolão. Seus irmãos e toda a sua família, ouvindo isso, foram juntar-se a ele.
2 Todos os que se viam em miséria, os endividados, os descontentes, foram ter com Davi, e ele tornou-se o seu chefe. E estiveram com ele cerca de quatrocentos homens.
3 Dali foi Davi para Masfa, em Moab, e disse ao rei de Moab: Permiti que meu pai e minha mãe venham habitar no meio de vós, até que eu saiba o que o Senhor me reserva.
4 Apresentou-os, pois, ao rei de Moab, e ficaram com ele durante todo o tempo em que Davi permaneceu no fortim.
5 Mas o profeta Gad disse a Davi: Não fiques no fortim. Parte, volta à terra de Judá. Davi partiu e internou-se na floresta de Haret.
6 Saul foi informado de que haviam descoberto Davi e os seus. Estava o rei em Gabaa, sentado debaixo de uma tamareira, na colina, com a sua lança na mão, tendo todos os seus familiares em redor de si.
7 Saul disse-lhes: Escutai, benjaminitas: será que o filho de Isaí dará a todos vós campos e vinhas? Irá ele fazer de todos vós chefes de milhares e chefes de centenas?
8 Por que vos conjurastes contra mim? Ninguém de vós me informou que meu filho tinha feito aliança com o filho de Isaí, e ninguém se deu o trabalho de avisar-me que meu filho instigava meu servo contra mim, para armar-me ciladas, como ele o faz hoje!
9 Doeg, o edomita, que era o primeiro entre os domésticos de Saul, respondeu: Eu vi o filho de Isaí chegar a Nobe, à casa de Aquimelec, filho de Aquitob.
10 Este consultou o Senhor por ele e deu-lhe provisões, entregando-lhe também a espada do filisteu Golias.
11 O rei mandou chamar o sacerdote Aquimelec, filho de Aquitob, com toda a casa de seu pai, os sacerdotes que estavam em Nobe. Chegando eles à presença do rei,
12 Saul disse-lhes: Escuta, filho de Aquitob! Eis-me aqui, meu senhor, respondeu ele.
13 Por que, retomou Saul, conspiraste contra mim, tu e o filho de Isaí? Deste-lhe pão e uma espada, e consultaste Deus por ele, a fim de que ele se revolte contra mim e me arme ciladas como hoje acontece.
14 Aquimelec respondeu ao rei: Haverá entre todos os teus servos alguém mais fiel que Davi, genro do rei, teu conselheiro, um homem estimado por toda a tua casa?
15 Foi porventura hoje que comecei a consultar Deus por ele? Longe de mim {qualquer idéia de revolta}! Não impute o rei crime algum ao seu servo, nem à sua família! Teu servo nada soube de tudo isto, nem pouco nem muito.
16 O rei disse: Tu morrerás, Aquimelec, tu e toda a tua família!
17 E, dirigindo-se aos guardas que o cercavam: Ide, disse ele; matai os sacerdotes do Senhor, pois fizeram-se cúmplices de Davi: sabiam de sua fuga e não me preveniram. Mas os guardas do rei se recusaram a levantar a mão contra os sacerdotes do Senhor.
18 Então o rei ordenou a Doeg: Vamos, fere-os. E Doeg, o edomita, aproximou-se e foi ele quem matou os sacerdotes. Massacrou naquele dia oitenta e cinco homens que vestiam o efod de linho.
19 Ordenou também Saul que fosse passada ao fio da espada a cidade sacerdotal de Nobe: homens, mulheres, meninos, crianças de peito, bois, jumentos e ovelhas.
20 Só escapou um filho de Aquimelec, filho de Aquitob, chamado Abiatar, que se refugiou junto de Davi.
21 Abiatar anunciou-lhe que Saul tinha massacrado os sacerdotes do Senhor.
22 Davi disse-lhe: Eu bem suspeitava naquele dia que, estando ali Doeg, o edomita, ele iria contar tudo a Saul. Sou eu o culpado da morte de toda a casa de teu pai.
23 Fica comigo; não temas. Aquele que odeia a minha vida, odeia igualmente a tua. Junto de mim estarás seguro.
1 So David went away from there and took cover in a strong place at Adullam; and his brothers and all his father's people, hearing of it, went down to him there.
2 And everyone who was in trouble, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, came together to him, and he became captain over them: about four hundred men were joined to him.
3 And from there David went to Mizpeh in the land of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab, Let my father and mother come and make their living-place with you till it is clear to me what God will do for me.
4 And he took them to the king of Moab and they went on living with him while David was in his safe place.
5 And the prophet Gad said to David, Do not go on living in this place but go into the land of Judah. Then David went away and came to the woodland of Hereth.
6 And news was given to Saul that David had been seen, and the men who were with him: now Saul was in Gibeah, seated under the tree in the high place, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were in their places before him.
7 Then Saul said to his servants who were there about him, Give ear now, you Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give to every one of you fields and vine-gardens, will he make you all captains of hundreds and captains of thousands;
8 That all of you have made designs against me, and not one of you gave me word when my son made an agreement with the son of Jesse, and not one of you has pity for me or has made my eyes open to the fact that my servant has been moved by my son against me, as at this day?
9 Then Doeg, the Edomite, who was by the side of the servants of Saul, in answer said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub.
10 And he got directions from the Lord for him, and gave him food, and put in his hand the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
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.