1Samuel 22:16 - Prayer Tents



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1Samuel 22
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Saul Murders the Priests of God

22So David got away and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and others associated with his family heard where he was, they came down and joined him.H1732H3212H4422H4631H5725H251H1H1004H8085H3381 2Not only that, but all who were down on their luck came around—losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. David became their leader. There were about four hundred in all.H376H4689H376H5378H376H4751H5315H6908H8269H702H3967H376 3Then David went to Mizpah in Moab. He petitioned the king of Moab, "Grant asylum to my father and mother until I find out what God has planned for me."H1732H3212H4708H4124H559H4428H4124H1H517H3318H3045H430H6213 4David left his parents in the care of the king of Moab. They stayed there all through the time David was hiding out.H5148H6440H4428H4124H3427H3117H1732H4686 5The prophet Gad told David, "Don't go back to the cave. Go to Judah." David did what he told him. He went to the forest of Hereth.H5030H1410H559H1732H3427H4686H3212H935H776H3063H1732H3212H935H3293H2802 6Saul got word of the whereabouts of David and his men. He was sitting under the big oak on the hill at Gibeah at the time, spear in hand, holding court surrounded by his officials.H7586H8085H1732H3045H582H7586H3427H1390H815H7414H2595H3027H5650H5324 7He said, "Listen here, you Benjaminites! Don't think for a minute that you have any future with the son of Jesse! Do you think he's going to hand over choice land, give you all influential jobs?H7586H559H5650H5324H8085H1145H1121H3448H5414H7704H3754H7760H8269H505H8269H3967 8Think again. Here you are, conspiring against me, whispering behind my back—not one of you is man enough to tell me that my own son is making deals with the son of Jesse, not one of you who cares enough to tell me that my son has taken the side of this, this . . . outlaw!"H7194H1540H241H1121H3772H1121H3448H2470H1540H241H1121H6965H5650H693H3117 9Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul's officials, spoke up: "I saw the son of Jesse meet with Ahimelech son of Ahitub, in Nob.H6030H1673H130H5324H5650H7586H559H7200H1121H3448H935H5011H288H1121H285 10I saw Ahimelech pray with him for GOD's guidance, give him food, and arm him with the sword of Goliath the Philistine."H7592H3068H5414H6720H5414H2719H1555H6430 11Saul sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, along with the whole family of priests at Nob. They all came to the king.H4428H7971H7121H288H3548H1121H285H1H1004H3548H5011H935H4428 12Saul said, "You listen to me, son of Ahitub!" "Certainly, master," he said.H7586H559H8085H1121H285H559H113 13"Why have you ganged up against me with the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword, even praying with him for GOD's guidance, setting him up as an outlaw, out to get me?"H7586H559H7194H1121H3448H5414H3899H2719H7592H430H6965H693H3117 14Ahimelech answered the king, "There's not an official in your administration as true to you as David, your own son-in-law and captain of your bodyguard. None more honorable either.H288H6030H4428H559H539H5650H1732H4428H2860H5493H4928H3513H1004 15Do you think that was the first time I prayed with him for God's guidance? Hardly! But don't accuse me of any wrongdoing, me or my family. I have no idea what you're trying to get at with this 'outlaw' talk."H3117H2490H7592H430H2486H4428H7760H1697H5650H1004H1H5650H3045H1697H6996H1419 16The king said, "Death, Ahimelech! You're going to die—you and everyone in your family!"H4428H559H4191H4191H288H1H1004 17The king ordered his henchmen, "Surround and kill the priests of GOD! They're hand in glove with David. They knew he was running away from me and didn't tell me." But the king's men wouldn't do it. They refused to lay a hand on the priests of GOD.H4428H559H7323H5324H5437H4191H3548H3068H3027H1732H3045H1272H1540H241H5650H4428H14H7971H3027H6293H3548H3068 18Then the king told Doeg, "You do it—massacre the priests!" Doeg the Edomite led the attack and slaughtered the priests, the eighty-five men who wore the sacred robes.H4428H559H1673H5437H6293H3548H1673H130H5437H6293H3548H4191H3117H8084H2568H376H5375H906H646 19He then carried the massacre into Nob, the city of priests, killing man and woman, child and baby, ox, donkey, and sheep—the works.H5011H5892H3548H5221H6310H2719H376H802H5768H3243H7794H2543H7716H6310H2719 20Only one son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped: Abiathar. He got away and joined up with David.H259H1121H288H1121H285H8034H54H4422H1272H310H1732 21Abiathar reported to David that Saul had murdered the priests of GOD.H54H5046H1732H7586H2026H3068H3548 22David said to Abiathar, "I knew it—that day I saw Doeg the Edomite there, I knew he'd tell Saul. I'm to blame for the death of everyone in your father's family.H1732H559H54H3045H3117H1673H130H5046H5046H7586H5437H5315H1H1004 23Stay here with me. Don't be afraid. The one out to kill you is out to kill me, too. Stick with me. I'll protect you."H3427H3372H1245H5315H1245H5315H4931


The Message (MSG). All Scripture quotations are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. More details.
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