Saul Murders the Priests

6When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)   remained

7Then Saul said to his servants that stood about him, Hear now, you^p Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you^p fields and vineyards, and make you^p all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

8That all of you^p have conspired against me, and there is none that show me that my son has made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you^p that is sorry for me, or show to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?   treaty

9Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

10And he inquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.   provisions

11Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

12And Saul said, Hear now, you son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

13And Saul said to him, Why have you^p 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 at this day?

14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all your servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house?

15Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing to his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for your servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.

16And the king said, You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father’s house.

17And the king said to the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the Lord; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not show it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord.   guards; attack

18And the king said to Doeg, Turn you, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.   attacked; 85; priestly garment

19And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.   he struck

20And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

21And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the Lord’s priests.

22And David said to Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father’s house.   household

23Abide you with me, fear not: for he that seeks my life seeks your life: but with me you shall be in safeguard.   safe