1. David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. His brothers and the other members of his family heard about it. So they went down to join him there.
2. Everyone who was in trouble or owed money or was unhappy gathered around him. He became their leader. About 400 men were with him.
3. From there David went to Mizpah in Moab. He spoke to the king of Moab. He said, "Please let my father and mother come and stay with you. Let them stay until I learn what God will do for me."
4. So David left his parents with the king of Moab. They stayed with him as long as David was in his usual place of safety.
5. But the prophet Gad spoke to David. He said, "Don't stay in your usual place of safety. Go into the land of Judah." So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
6. Saul heard that the place where David and his men were hiding had been discovered. Saul was sitting under a tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah. He was holding his spear. All of his officials were standing around him.
7. Saul said to them, "Men of Benjamin, listen to me! Do you think Jesse's son will give all of you fields and vineyards? Do you think he'll make some of you commanders of thousands of men? Do you think he'll make the rest of you commanders of hundreds?
8. Is that why all of you have joined together against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant with Jesse's son. None of you is concerned about me. No one tells me that my son has stirred up Jesse's son to hide and wait to attack me. But that's exactly what's happening now."
9. Doeg was standing with Saul's officials. He was from Edom. He said, "I saw Jesse's son David come to Ahimelech at Nob. Ahimelech is the son of Ahitub.
10. Ahimelech asked the Lord a question for David. He also gave him food and the sword of Goliath, the Philistine."
11. Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub. He sent for all of the men in his family. They were the priests at Nob. All of them came to the king.
12. Saul said, "Son of Ahitub, listen to me." "Yes, master," he answered.