Page:JPS-1917-Universal.djvu/376

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
22.12
FIRST SAMUEL

said: 'Hear now, thou son of Ahitub.' And he answered: 'Here I am, my lord.' 13And Saul said unto him: 'Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast 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 among all thy servants is so trusted as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and giveth heed unto thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house? 15Have I to-day begun to inquire of God for him? be it far from me; let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for thy servant knoweth nothing of all this, less or more.' 16And the king said: 'Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.' 17And the king said unto the guard that stood about him: 'Turn, and slay the priests of the Lord; 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 the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord. 18And the king said to Doeg: 'Turn thou, and fall upon the priests.' And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and he slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. 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. 20And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. 21And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the Lord's priests. 22And David said unto Abiathar: 'I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul; I have brought about the death of all the persons of thy father's house. 23Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life; for with me thou shalt be in safeguard.'

23And they told David, saying: 'Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.' 2Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying: 'Shall I go and smite these Philistines?' And the Lord said unto David: 'Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.' 3And David's men said unto him: 'Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?' 4Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said: 'Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.' 5And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said: 'God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.' 8And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9And David knew that Saul devised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest: 'Bring hither the ephod.' 10Then said David: 'O

354