1 Samuel 22:9–19

⁹Then Doeg the Edomite,^v who was in charge of Saul’s servants, answered, “I saw Jesse’s son come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.^{w 10}Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him^x and gave him provisions.^y He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”^z

SLAUGHTER OF THE PRIESTS

¹¹The king sent messengers to summon the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. ¹²Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub!”

“I’m at your service,^a my lord,” he said.

¹³Saul asked him, “Why did you and Jesse’s son conspire against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him, so he could rise up against me and wait in ambush, as is the case today.”^b

¹⁴Ahimelech replied to the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David?^c He is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and honored in your house. ¹⁵Was today the first time I inquired of God for him?^d Of course not! Please don’t let the king make an accusation against your servant or any of my father’s family, for your servant didn’t have any idea^A about all this.”

¹⁶But the king said, “You will die, Ahimelech—you and your father’s whole family!”

¹⁷Then the king ordered the guards standing by him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord^e because they sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they didn’t tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to execute the priests of the Lord.

¹⁸So the king said to Doeg, “Go and execute the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite went and executed the priests himself. On that day, he killed eighty-five men^f who wore linen ephods.^{g 19}He also struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword—both men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.^h