8
That ye are conspiring against me, and there is no one that informs me, whereas my son has made a covenant with the son of Jessae, and there is no one of you that is sorry for me, or informs me, that my son has stirred up my servant against me for an enemy, as this day?
9
And Doec the Syrian who was over the mules of Saul answered and said, I saw the son of Jessae as he came to Nomba to Abimelech son of Achitob the priest.
10
And enquired of God for him, and gave him provision, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
11
And the king sent to call Abimelech son of Achitob and all his father's sons, the priests that were in Nomba; and they all came to the king.
12
And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Achitob. And he said, Lo! I , speak, lord.
13
And Saul said to him, Why have thou and the son of Jessae conspired against me, that thou shouldest give him bread and a sword, and shouldest enquire of God for him, to raise him up against me as an enemy, as this day?
14
And he answered the king, and said, And who there among all thy servants faithful as David, and a son-in-law of the king, and executor of all thy commands, and honourable in thy house?
15
Have I begun to-day to enquire of God for him? By no means: let not the king bring a charge against his servant, and against thee whole of my father's house; for thy servant knew not in all these matters anything great or small.
16
And king Saul said, Thou shalt surely die, Abimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.
17
And the king said to the footmen that attended on him, Draw nigh and slay the priests of the Lord, because their hand with David, and because they knew that he fled, and they did not inform me. But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to fall upon the priest of the Lord.
18
And the king said to Doec, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests: and Doec the Syrian turned, and slew the priests of the Lord in that day, three hundred and five men, all wearing an ephod.
19
And he smote Nomba the city of the priest with the edge of the sword, both man, and woman, infant and suckling, and calf, and ox, and sheep.
20
And one son of Abimelech son of Achitob escapes, and his name Abiathar, and he fled after David.
21
And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain all the priests of the Lord.
22
And David said to Abiathar, I knew it in that day, that Doec the Syrian would surely tell Saul: I am guilty of the death of the house of thy father.
23
Dwell with me; fear not, for wherever I shall seek a place for my life, I will also seek a place for thy life, for thou art safely guarded with me.