People Join David
1 When David escaped from the town of Gath, he went to Adullam Cave. His brothers and the rest of his family found out where he was, and they followed him there. 2 A lot of other people joined him too. Some were in trouble, others were angry or in debt, and David was soon the leader of 400 men.
3 David left Adullam Cave and went to the town of Mizpeh in Moab, where he talked with the king of Moab. “Please,” David said, “let my father and mother stay with you until I find out what God will do with me.” 4 So he brought his parents to the king of Moab, and they stayed with him while David was in hiding.
5 One day the prophet Gad told David, “Don't stay here! Go back to Judah.” David then left and went to Hereth Forest.
Saul Kills the Priests of the Lord
6 Saul was sitting under a small tree on top of the hill at Gibeah when he heard that David and his men had been located. Saul was holding his spear, and his officers were standing in front of him. 7 He told them:
Listen to me! You belong to the Benjamin tribe, so if that son of Jesse ever becomes king, he won't give you fields or vineyards. He won't make you officers in charge of thousands or hundreds as I have done. 8 But you're all plotting against me! Not one of you told me that my own son Jonathan had made an agreement with him. Not one of you cared enough to tell me that Jonathan had helped one of my officers rebel. Now that son of Jesse is trying to ambush me.
9 Doeg the Edomite was standing with the other officers and spoke up, “When I was in the town of Nob, I saw that son of Jesse. He was visiting the priest Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 Ahimelech talked to the Lord for him, then gave him food and the sword that had belonged to Goliath the Philistine.”
11 Saul sent a message to Ahimelech and his whole family of priests at Nob, ordering them to come to him. When they came, 12 Saul told them, “Listen to me, you son of Ahitub.”
“Certainly, Your Majesty,” Ahimelech answered.
13 Saul demanded, “Why did you plot against me with that son of Jesse? You helped him rebel against me by giving him food and a sword, and by talking with God for him. Now he's trying to ambush me!”
14 “Your Majesty, none of your officers is more loyal than David!” Ahimelech replied. “He's your son-in-law and the captain of your bodyguard. Everyone in your family respects him. 15 This isn't the first time I've talked with God for David, and it's never made you angry before! Please don't accuse me or my family like this. I have no idea what's going on!”
16 “Ahimelech,” Saul said, “you and your whole family are going to die.”
17 Saul shouted to his bodyguards, “These priests of the Lord helped David! They knew he was running away, but they didn't tell me. Kill them!”
But the king's officers would not attack the priests of the Lord.
18 Saul turned to Doeg, who was from Edom, and said, “Kill the priests!”
On that same day, Doeg killed 85 priests. 19 Then he attacked the town of Nob, where the priests had lived, and he killed everyone there—men, women, children, and babies. He even killed their cattle, donkeys, and sheep.
Only Abiathar Escapes from Nob
20 Ahimelech's son Abiathar was the only one who escaped. He ran to David 21 and told him, “Saul has murdered the Lord's priests at Nob!”
22 David answered, “That day when I saw Doeg, I knew he would tell Saul! Your family died because of me. 23 Stay here. Isn't the same person trying to kill both of us? Don't worry! You'll be safe here with me.”
1 Nu David wa zire kotjihuro Gat na taurire kondimba ya Adulam. Nomarumbi we neṱunḓu re arihe tji va zuu otjiṋa hi, arire tji ve ya ku ye. 2 Ngamwa avehe mba ri mouzeu poo mba ri nozondjo poo mba ri nonyengo, va woronganena pu ye; neye wa rira omunane wawo. Avehe kumwe va ri ovarumendu mangara omasere yane.
3 Okuzambo David wa ya kOmispe kehi rOvamoab, na kaningira kombara yawo a tja: “Arikana, yandja oruveze kootate na mama okutura puna eṋe, nga tji mba tjiwa kutja Ndjambi me ndji tjiti vi.” 4 Nu David otje ve eta kombara ya Moab, nowo va kara mbo omayuva aehe David ngunda e ri mondimba.
5 Nomuprofete Gad weya ku David na tja ku ye: “O kara mondimba ndji, ṱokuyenda kehi rOvajuda!” David otja sekama na i kotjihwa tja Heret.
Saul ma zepa ovapristeri va Nob
6 Nu kwa zuvaka ombuze ku Saul yokutja David novandu ve va munika. Saul wa ri mOgibea a haama kehi yomingwati kondunda, e nenga meke, novahongore ve avehe ava kurama pu ye. 7 Saul wa tja nai kovahongore ve: “Purateneye, oweṋe Vabenjamin! Mamu tjangovasi David, omuzandu wa Isai, me mu pe amuhe omahi womakunino novikunino vyomivite poo me mu tjiti amuhe okurira ovahongore kombanda yomayovi poo kombanda yomasere are? 8 Amuhe opu mwa za okundjipirukira are? Kape na umwe weṋu ngwe ndji raera kutja omuzandu wandje wa tjita epango puna omuzandu wa Isai; nu kape na umwe weṋu ngwe rizemburuka na ami okundjitjivisa kutja omuzandu wandje wa sekamisa omukarere wandje David okundjipirukira, nambano ngu me ndji tjere okundjizepa.”
9 Nu Doeg, ingwi Omuedom, wa kurama povahongore va Saul na tja: “Ami mba muna David a meya ku Ahimelek, omuzandu wa Ahitub, kotjihuro Nob. 10 Nu Ahimelek we mu purira ku Muhona, ne mu pe onguta nengaruvyo rOmufilisti Goliat wina.”
11 Nombara Saul wa tuma omuhindwa komupristeri Ahimelek okukemuisana nonganda ye aihe. Navehe, mba ri ovapristeri mOnob, ve ya kombara. 12 Nu Saul wa tja nai ku Ahimelek: “Puratena, muzandu wa Ahitub!”
Nu Ahimelek wa zira a tja: “Owami ngwi, muhona!”
13 Saul we mu pura a tja: “Okutjavi ove na David tji mwe rikuta kumwe okundjisekamena? Ove we mu pa ovikurya nengaruvyo wina, nomu purire ku Ndjambi; nambano eye we ndji pirukire otja tji pe ri ndinondi.”
14 Ahimelek wa zira a tja: “Owaṋi mokati kovakarere voye ngu ri omuṱakame otja David? Neye wina omukwe wombara nu wina omuhongore wovatjevere vombara nomuhivirikwa mondjuwo yoye aihe. 15 Ihi otjikando otjitenga okumupurira ku Ndjambi are? Ayee kako, ka tjiperi! Ombara ai yandja ondjo komukarere wayo motjiṋa hi, nandarire konganda yandje aihe, omukarere woye tjinga e hi nokutjiwa okaṋa kemwe koviṋa mbi avihe!”
16 Ombara arire tji ya tja: “Ahimelek, ove nonganda yoye aihe, tjiri, mamu sokuṱa.” 17 Nombara ya tja nai kovatjevere, mba kuramene popezu na yo: “Indjeye mu zepe ovapristeri va Muhona mba, owo tjinga ave rikuta kuna David nandarire kutja ave tjiwa kutja eye omutaure kave ndji raerere.” Nungwari imba ovatjevere vombara va panḓa okuzepa ovapristeri va Muhona. 18 Nombara otji ya tja nai ku Doeg, Omuedom: “Ryama popezu u zepe ovapristeri!” Nu Doeg otja ryama popezu na zepa ovapristeri mba. Meyuva ndo eye wa zepa ovapristeri omirongo hambondatu na vetano mbaa ve zara ozombanda zokovituve. 19 Nu Saul wa rakiza kutja ovature varwe va Nob, otjihuro tjovapristeri, ve ṱe, okutja ovarumendu novakazendu novanatje novanyame, nozongombe nousino nozonḓu wina.
20 Nungwari Abiatar, umwe wovazandu va Ahimelek, wa taura ne kerikuta kuna David. 21 Neye wa raera David kutja Saul wa zepa ovapristeri va Muhona. 22 Nu David wa tja ku ye: “Ami tji mba muna Doeg eyuva ndo, mba tjiwa kutja eye, tjiri, ma kakora ku Saul. Komuhingo mbwi owami ngu mbi ri omunandjo konḓiro yonganda yoye. 23 Kara puna ami, nu o tira. Saul wa vanga okutuzepa atuyevari; nungwari tji u ri puna ami mo yamwa.”
