1David therefore departed from there, and escaped to the cave of Adulam; and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2And everyone that was in distress, and everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became captain over them; and there were with him about four hundred men. 3And David then went to Mitzpeh of Mo’av; and he said unto the king of Mo’av, “Let my father and my mother, I pray, come forth, and be with you, till I know what Elohim will do for me.” 4And he brought them before the king of Mo’av; and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the stronghold.
5And the Navi, Gad, said unto David, “Abide not in the stronghold; depart, and get yourself into the land of Yehudah.” Then David departed, and came into the forest of Kharet.
6And Sha’ul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him; now Sha’ul was sitting in Givah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. 7And Sha’ul said unto his servants that stood about him, “Hear now, B’nei Yemini; will the son of Yishai give every one 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 was none that disclosed it to me when my son made a league with the son of Yishai, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or discloses unto me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?”
9Then answered Do’eg HaAdomi, who was set over the servants of Sha’ul, and said, “I saw the son of Yishai coming to Nov, to Akhimelekh Ben Akhituv. 10And he inquired of יהוה for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Galyat HaP’lishti.” 11Then HaMelekh sent to call Akhimelekh the kohen, the son of Akhituv, and all his father’s house, the kohanim that were in Nov; and they came all of them to HaMelekh.
12And Sha’ul said, “Hear now, Ben Akhituv.” And he answered, “Here I am, adoni.” 13And Sha’ul said unto him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Yishai, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of Elohim for him, that he should rise against me to lie in wait, as at this day?”
14Then Akhimelekh answered HaMelekh, and said, “And who among all your servants is so trusted as David, who is the son-in-law of HaMelekh, and gives heed unto your bidding, and is honorable in your house? 15Have I today begun to inquire of Elohim for him? Be it far from me; let not HaMelekh impute anything unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more.” 16And HaMelekh said, “You shall surely die, Akhimelekh, you, and all your father’s house.” 17And HaMelekh said unto the guard that stood about him, “Turn, and slay the kohanim of יהוה ; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me.” But the servants of HaMelekh would not put forth their hand to fall upon the kohanim of יהוה .
18And HaMelekh said to Do’eg, “Turn you, and fall upon the kohanim.” And Do’eg HaAdomi turned, and he fell upon the kohanim, and he slew on that day eighty-five persons that did wear a linen ephod. 19And Nov, the city of the kohanim, he smote with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword. 20And one of the sons of Akhimelekh Ben Akhituv, named Eivyatar, escaped, and fled after David. 21And Eivyatar told David that Sha’ul had slain the kohanim of יהוה . And22 David said unto Eivyatar, “I knew on that day, when Do’eg HaAdomi was there, that he would surely tell Sha’ul, ‘I have brought about the death of all the persons of your father’s house’. 23Abide with me; fear not. For he that seeks my life seeks your life; for with me you shall be in safety.”
אוַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד מִשָּׁם וַיִּמָּלֵט אֶל מְעָרַת עֲדֻלָּם; וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶחָיו וְכָל בֵּית אָבִיו וַיֵּרְדוּ אֵלָיו שָׁמָּה. בוַיִּתְקַבְּצוּ אֵלָיו כָּל אִישׁ מָצוֹק וְכָל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לוֹ נֹשֶׁא וְכָל אִישׁ מַר נֶפֶשׁ וַיְהִי עֲלֵיהֶם לְשָׂר; וַיִּהְיוּ עִמּוֹ כְּאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ. גוַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד מִשָּׁם מִצְפֵּה מוֹאָב; וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב יֵצֵא נָא אָבִי וְאִמִּי אִתְּכֶם עַד אֲשֶׁר אֵדַע מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי אֱלֹהִים. דוַיַּנְחֵם אֶת פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב; וַיֵּשְׁבוּ עִמּוֹ כָּל יְמֵי הֱיוֹת דָּוִד בַּמְּצוּדָה.
הוַיֹּאמֶר גָּד הַנָּבִיא אֶל דָּוִד לֹא תֵשֵׁב בַּמְּצוּדָה לֵךְ וּבָאתָ לְּךָ אֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה; וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד וַיָּבֹא יַעַר חָרֶת.
ווַיִּשְׁמַע שָׁאוּל כִּי נוֹדַע דָּוִד וַאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ; וְשָׁאוּל יוֹשֵׁב בַּגִּבְעָה תַּחַת הָאֶשֶׁל בָּרָמָה וַחֲנִיתוֹ בְיָדוֹ וְכָל עֲבָדָיו נִצָּבִים עָלָיו. זוַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל לַעֲבָדָיו הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו שִׁמְעוּ נָא בְּנֵי יְמִינִי: גַּם לְכֻלְּכֶם יִתֵּן בֶּן יִשַׁי שָׂדוֹת וּכְרָמִים לְכֻלְּכֶם יָשִׂים שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים וְשָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת. חכִּי קְשַׁרְתֶּם כֻּלְּכֶם עָלַי וְאֵין גֹּלֶה אֶת אָזְנִי בִּכְרָת בְּנִי עִם בֶּן יִשַׁי וְאֵין חֹלֶה מִכֶּם עָלַי וְגֹלֶה אֶת אָזְנִי: כִּי הֵקִים בְּנִי אֶת עַבְדִּי עָלַי לְאֹרֵב כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה.
טוַיַּעַן דֹּאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי וְהוּא נִצָּב עַל עַבְדֵי שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמַר: רָאִיתִי אֶת בֶּן יִשַׁי בָּא נֹבֶה אֶל אֲחִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן אֲחִטוּב. יוַיִּשְׁאַל לוֹ בַּיהוה וְצֵידָה נָתַן לוֹ; וְאֵת חֶרֶב גָּלְיָת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי נָתַן לוֹ. יאוַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ לִקְרֹא אֶת אֲחִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן אֲחִיטוּב הַכֹּהֵן וְאֵת כָּל בֵּית אָבִיו הַכֹּהֲנִים אֲשֶׁר בְּנֹב; וַיָּבֹאוּ כֻלָּם אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ.
יבוַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל שְׁמַע נָא בֶּן אֲחִיטוּב; וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְנִי אֲדֹנִי. יגוַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָו שָׁאוּל לָמָּה קְשַׁרְתֶּם עָלַי אַתָּה וּבֶן יִשָׁי בְּתִתְּךָ לוֹ לֶחֶם וְחֶרֶב וְשָׁאוֹל לוֹ בֵּאלֹהִים לָקוּם אֵלַי לְאֹרֵב כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה.
ידוַיַּעַן אֲחִימֶלֶךְ אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמַר: וּמִי בְכָל עֲבָדֶיךָ כְּדָוִד נֶאֱמָן וַחֲתַן הַמֶּלֶךְ וְסָר אֶל מִשְׁמַעְתֶּךָ וְנִכְבָּד בְּבֵיתֶךָ. טוהַיּוֹם הַחִלֹּתִי לשאול (לִשְׁאָל) לוֹ בֵאלֹהִים חָלִילָה לִּי: אַל יָשֵׂם הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּעַבְדּוֹ דָבָר בְּכָל בֵּית אָבִי כִּי לֹא יָדַע עַבְדְּךָ בְּכָל זֹאת דָּבָר קָטֹן אוֹ גָדוֹל. טזוַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ מוֹת תָּמוּת אֲחִימֶלֶךְ: אַתָּה וְכָל בֵּית אָבִיךָ. יזוַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לָרָצִים הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו סֹבּוּ וְהָמִיתוּ כֹּהֲנֵי יהוה כִּי גַם יָדָם עִם דָּוִד וְכִי יָדְעוּ כִּי בֹרֵחַ הוּא וְלֹא גָלוּ אֶת אזנו (אָזְנִי); וְלֹא אָבוּ עַבְדֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ לִשְׁלֹחַ אֶת יָדָם לִפְגֹעַ בְּכֹהֲנֵי יהוה .
יחוַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לדויג (לְדוֹאֵג) סֹב אַתָּה וּפְגַע בַּכֹּהֲנִים; וַיִּסֹּב דויג (דּוֹאֵג) הָאֲדֹמִי וַיִּפְגַּע הוּא בַּכֹּהֲנִים וַיָּמֶת בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא שְׁמֹנִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אִישׁ נֹשֵׂא אֵפוֹד בָּד. יטוְאֵת נֹב עִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים הִכָּה לְפִי חֶרֶב מֵאִישׁ וְעַד אִשָּׁה מֵעוֹלֵל וְעַד יוֹנֵק; וְשׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר וָשֶׂה לְפִי חָרֶב. כוַיִּמָּלֵט בֵּן אֶחָד לַאֲחִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן אֲחִטוּב וּשְׁמוֹ אֶבְיָתָר; וַיִּבְרַח אַחֲרֵי דָוִד. כאוַיַּגֵּד אֶבְיָתָר לְדָוִד: כִּי הָרַג שָׁאוּל אֵת כֹּהֲנֵי יהוה . כבוַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לְאֶבְיָתָר יָדַעְתִּי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כִּי שָׁם דויג (דּוֹאֵג) הָאֲדֹמִי כִּי הַגֵּד יַגִּיד לְשָׁאוּל: אָנֹכִי סַבֹּתִי בְּכָל נֶפֶשׁ בֵּית אָבִיךָ. כגשְׁבָה אִתִּי אַל תִּירָא כִּי אֲשֶׁר יְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת נַפְשִׁי יְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ: כִּי מִשְׁמֶרֶת אַתָּה עִמָּדִי.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 