1David deixou Gate e foi esconder-se na caverna de Adulão, onde em breve se lhe juntaram os irmãos e outros parentes.2E mais gente começou a ir ter com ele; pessoas que de alguma maneira se encontravam em aperto, endividadas ou revoltadas por alguma razão, de tal forma que reuniu à sua volta uns 400 homens.3Mais tarde, David foi a Mizpá, em Moabe, pedir licença ao rei para deixar viver ali os seus pais, sob a proteção real, até saber o que Deus faria dele.4E ficaram ali durante todo o tempo em que David se manteve no seu refúgio fortificado.
Saul mata os sacerdotes de Nobe
5Um dia, o profeta Gad disse a David para deixar a caverna e voltar para a terra de Judá. David foi para a floresta de Herete.6Rapidamente a sua chegada a Judá chegou aos ouvidos de Saul, que se encontrava em Gibeá naquela altura, instalado debaixo dum carvalho, entretido com a lança, rodeado da corte.7“Ouçam-me bem, gente de Benjamim!” exclamou o rei quando recebeu a notícia. “Será porque David prometeu campos, vinhas e postos no exército para toda a gente?8Será por isso que estão todos contra mim? Porque é que não houve um só sequer que me tivesse avisado de que o meu próprio filho tinha feito aliança com David? Vocês não têm pena nenhuma de mim! O meu próprio filho encorajando David a vir aqui matar-me!”9Doegue, o edomita, que ali estava, acompanhando a corte de Saul, pediu para falar: “Quando estive em Nobe vi David a conversar com o sacerdote Aimeleque, filho de Aitube.10Este consultou o SENHOR sobre o que David devia fazer e depois deu-lhe alimento e a espada de Golias.”11O rei convocou imediatamente Aimeleque, assim como os outros sacerdotes em Nobe. Quando estes chegaram,12Saul gritou: “Ouve lá, filho de Aitube!” Aimeleque respondeu a tremer: “Estou a ouvir, meu senhor!”13“Porque é que tu e David conspiraram contra mim? Porque lhe deste comida e uma espada e ainda consultaram Deus a favor dele? Porque é que o encorajaste a revoltar-se contra mim e a vir aqui atacar-me?”14“Senhor, haverá entre os vossos servos alguém que vos seja mais fiel do que o vosso genro? Por que razão é ele afinal vosso pajem e dos membros mais honrados da vossa corte?15Nem foi esta, com certeza, a primeira vez que consultei Deus a favor dele! Não é justo que eu seja acusado com a minha família dessas coisas que ouvi. Nós nada sabíamos de semelhante conspiração!”16“Terás de morrer, Aimeleque, tu e toda a tua família!”, gritou-lhe o rei.17E dirigindo-se aos ajudantes disse: “Matem estes sacerdotes, porque são aliados na conspiração de David. Sabiam que ele andava fugido e não me disseram nada!” No entanto, os soldados recusaram fazer mal aos sacerdotes.18Então Saul ordenou a Doegue: “Faz tu isso!” Doegue foi e matou-os; oitenta e cinco sacerdotes, no total, todos usando as vestimentas sacerdotais.19Depois foi a Nobe, à cidade dos sacerdotes, e matou as famílias dos sacerdotes: homens, mulheres, crianças e até bebés, assim como bois, jumentos e cordeiros.20Só Abiatar, um dos filhos de Aimeleque conseguiu escapar e fugir para junto de David.21E contou-lhe o que acontecera, como Saul havia morto os sacerdotes do SENHOR.22Ao ouvir isto, David exclamou: “Eu já estava à espera! Quando vi ali Doegue, fiquei com a certeza de que Saul seria avisado. Fui eu o culpado da morte de toda a tua família.23Fica comigo e proteger-te-ei. Só poderão fazer-te mal depois de me tirarem a vida.”
1David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. (2 Sm 23:13; 1 Cr 11:15)2And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul,[1] gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men. (Jz 9:4; Jz 11:3; 1 Sm 23:13; 1 Sm 25:13)3And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother stay[2] with you, till I know what God will do for me.”4And he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.5Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not remain in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth. (2 Sm 24:11; 2 Sm 24:18; 1 Cr 21:9; 1 Cr 21:11; 1 Cr 21:13; 1 Cr 21:18; 1 Cr 29:29; 2 Cr 29:25)
Saul Kills the Priests at Nob
6Now Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. (Gn 21:33; 1 Sm 31:13)7And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, people of Benjamin; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, (1 Sm 8:14)8that all of you have conspired against me? No one discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.” (1 Sm 18:3; 1 Sm 22:13; 1 Sm 23:21)9Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, (1 Sm 14:3; 1 Sm 21:1; 1 Sm 21:7)10and he inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” (Nm 27:21; 1 Sm 21:6; 1 Sm 21:9; 1 Sm 23:2; 1 Sm 23:4; 1 Sm 30:8; 2 Sm 5:19; 2 Sm 5:23)11Then the king sent to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were at Nob, and all of them came to the king.12And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub.” And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.”13And Saul 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, so that he has risen against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?” (1 Sm 22:8; 1 Sm 22:10)14Then Ahimelech answered the king, “And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and captain over[3] your bodyguard, and honored in your house?15Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little.” (1 Sm 22:10; 1 Sm 25:36)16And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.”17And the 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 they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to strike the priests of the Lord. (2 Rs 10:25; 2 Rs 11:4; 2 Rs 11:6; 2 Cr 12:10)18Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod. (1 Sm 2:31)19And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; both man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey and sheep, he put to the sword. (1 Sm 15:3)20But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. (1 Sm 23:6; 1 Sm 23:9)21And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord.22And David said to Abiathar, “I knew on 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. (1 Sm 21:7)23Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you shall be in safekeeping.” (1 Rs 2:26)