Skip to main content
Psalmlog Logo

1 Samuel 22

David gathers people in distress while Saul’s accusations lead to the slaughter of the priests and the people of Nob.

David escapes to Adullam’s cave, where his family and about four hundred distressed men gather around him. He finds refuge for his parents in Moab, then follows the prophet Gad’s direction to return to Judah. Meanwhile, Saul accuses his servants and the priests at Nob of conspiring with David. Despite Ahimelech’s defense, Saul orders the priests killed. Doeg carries out the slaughter and attacks Nob. Abiathar escapes to David, who accepts responsibility and offers him protection.

injustice and angerleadership weightgrief
Read
1David therefore departed from there and escaped to Adullam’s cave. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.
2Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them. There were with him about four hundred men.
3David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come out to you, until I know what God will do for me.”
4He brought them before the king of Moab; and they lived with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.
5The prophet Gad said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Depart, and go into the land of Judah.” Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.
6Saul heard that David was discovered, with the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.
7Saul said to his servants who stood around him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds?
8Is that why all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who discloses to me when my son makes a treaty with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is today?”
9Then Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, answered and said, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
10He inquired of the LORD for him, gave him food, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
12Saul said, “Hear now, you son of Ahitub.” He answered, “Here I am, my lord.”
13Saul said to him, “Why have you 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 it is today?”
14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, “Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your body guard, and honored in your house?
15Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? Be it far from me! Don’t let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.”
16The king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.”
17The king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled and didn’t disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king wouldn’t put out their hand to fall on the priests of the LORD.
18The king said to Doeg, “Turn and attack the priests!” Doeg the Edomite turned, and he attacked the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five people who wore a linen ephod.
19He struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword—both men and women, children and nursing babies, and cattle, donkeys, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
20One of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.
22David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of all the persons of your father’s house.
23Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. You will be safe with me.”
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
1 Samuel 22:1Adullam’s cave becomes a gathering place for David’s family, beginning the chapter’s account of refuge amid danger.
1 Samuel 22:7Saul appeals to tribal ties and promised rewards as he challenges his servants’ loyalty to him.
1 Samuel 22:9Doeg’s report brings Ahimelech into Saul’s accusations, setting the priest’s innocent aid within the king’s claims of conspiracy.
Where this chapter reaches

Psalm 52’s heading names Doeg’s report to Saul about David’s visit to Ahimelech, linking the psalm to the events behind the massacre. 1 Chronicles also names the cave of Adullam as a place where men came to David.

1 Samuel 22's chapter linksAll strongest linksHover or tap a book
Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What stands out in Ahimelech’s defense and the guards’ refusal to carry out Saul’s order?

Write on this

How does David’s response to Abiathar hold responsibility and protection together after the massacre?

Write on this

Questions people ask about 1 Samuel 22

Why did Saul kill the priests of Nob?

Saul accused Ahimelech and the priests of helping David conspire against him by providing food, a sword, and inquiry of God. Ahimelech defended David’s standing in Saul’s household and denied knowing of any conflict. Saul rejected that defense and ordered their deaths, though his guards refused to obey.

Who was Doeg the Edomite in 1 Samuel 22?

Doeg was an Edomite standing among Saul’s servants who reported seeing David with Ahimelech at Nob. When Saul’s guards refused to attack YHWH’s priests, Doeg carried out the order. He killed eighty-five people wearing linen ephods, then struck Nob’s inhabitants and livestock with the sword.

Why did David say he was responsible for the deaths at Nob?

David says he knew Doeg would report to Saul after seeing him there. He therefore accepts responsibility for the deaths in Abiathar’s family. The chapter does not spell out the full extent of that responsibility. Saul gives the murderous order, and Doeg carries it out.

Read it. Now write it.

Start an entry on 1 Samuel 22. Your words go beside the text, and you get one next step for the week.

1 Samuel · 31 chapters
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
What the Bible says about anger →What the Bible says about grief →

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).