David therefore went from thence and fled to the cave of Odollam. And when his brethren, and all his father’s house had heard of it, they went down to him thither;

Abiit ergo David inde, et fugit in speluncam Odollam. Quod cum audissent fratres ejus, et omnis domus patris ejus, descenderunt ad eum illuc.

Afterwards David moved on, and took refuge in the cave of Odollam. His brethren and all his father’s kindred followed him there;

And all that were in distress and oppressed with debt, and under affliction of mind gathered themselves unto him: and he became their prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.

Et convenerunt ad eum omnes qui erant in angustia constituti, et oppressi ære alieno, et amaro animo: et factus est eorum princeps, fueruntque cum eo quasi quadringenti viri.

and soon a band of men gathered about him, the ill-used, the debtors, the disaffected, and David became their leader, so that he had some four hundred men at his heels.

And David departed from thence into Maspha of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab: Let my father and my mother tarry with you, I beseech thee, till I know what God will do for me.

Et profectus est David inde in Maspha, quæ est Moab: et dixit ad regem Moab: Maneat, oro, pater meus et mater mea vobiscum, donec sciam quid faciat mihi Deus.

From Odollam, he went on to Maspha, in the domains of Moab, and asked the king of Moab to let his father and mother dwell there, until they should find out what fortune the Lord meant to send him;

And he left them under the eyes of the king of Moab, and they abode with him all the days that David was in the hold.

Et reliquit eos ante faciem regis Moab: manseruntque apud eum cunctis diebus quibus David fuit in præsidio.

under the protection of the Moabite king they were left there, and remained with him all the time David was in the hills.

And Gad the prophet said to David: Abide not in the hold, depart, and go into the land of Juda. And David departed, and came into the forest of Haret.

Dixitque Gad propheta ad David: Noli manere in præsidio: proficiscere, et vade in terram Juda. Et profectus est David, et venit in saltum Haret.

But the prophet Gad bade him leave his hill-fastness and make his way back to the domain of Juda; so he moved on, and betook himself to the forest of Haret.

And SauI heard that David was seen, and the men that were with him. Now whilst Saul abode in Gabaa, and was in the wood, which is by Rama, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him,

Et audivit Saul quod apparuisset David, et viri qui erant cum eo. Saul autem cum maneret in Gabaa, et esset in nemore quod est in Rama, hastam manu tenens, cunctique servi ejus circumstarent eum,

When the news reached Saul that David and his followers had come into view, Saul was dwelling at Gabaa, and held his court, spear in hand, in the wood of Rama.

He said to his servants that stood about him: Hear me now, ye sons of Jemini: will the son of Isai give every one of you fields, and vineyards, and make you all tribunes, and centurions:

ait ad servos suos qui assistebant ei: Audite nunc, filii Jemini: numquid omnibus vobis dabit filius Isai agros et vineas, et universos vos faciet tribunos et centuriones?

Listen, men of Jemini, he said to his vassals who stood there at his side, do you think the son of Jesse is like to give all of you lands and vineyards, make all of you chiefs and captains under him?

That all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one to inform me, especially when even my son hath entered into league with the son of Isai? There is not one of you that pitieth my case, nor that giveth me any information: because my son hath raised up my servant against me, plotting against me to this day.

quoniam conjurastis omnes adversum me, et non est qui mihi renuntiet, maxime cum et filius meus fœdus inierit cum filio Isai. Non est qui vicem meam doleat ex vobis, nec qui annuntiet mihi: eo quod suscitaverit filius meus servum meum adversum me, insidiantem mihi usque hodie.

How is it that you are all in conspiracy against me, and none of you will tell me the truth, even when my own son is in league with the son of Jesse? Is there none of you that will feel my wrongs, and bring me news of it when my own son encourages my own servant in disaffection, a man that has ever plotted against me, and plots against me still?

And Doeg the Edomite who stood by, and was the chief among the servants of Saul, answering, said: I saw the son of Isai, in Nobe with Achimelech the son of Achitob the priest.

Respondens autem Doëg Idumæus, qui assistebat, et erat primus inter servos Saul: Vidi, inquit, filium Isai in Nobe apud Achimelech filium Achitob sacerdotem.

And the answer came from Doeg, the man of Edom, who was chief among Saul’s servants. I was by, he said, at Nobe, when the son of Jesse was there with the priest Achimelech, son of Achitob,

And he consulted the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

Qui consuluit pro eo Dominum, et cibaria dedit ei: sed et gladium Goliath Philisthæi dedit illi.

who consulted the Lord for him, and gave him food for his journey; armed him, too, with the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

Then the king sent to call for Achimelech the priest the son of Achitob, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nobe, and they came all of them to the king.

Misit ergo rex ad accersendum Achimelech sacerdotem filium Achitob, et omnem domum patris ejus, sacerdotum qui erant in Nobe, qui universi venerunt ad regem.

Thereupon the king sent out his summons to the high priest Achimelech, son of Achitob, and all his priestly kindred at Nobe, and they all came into his presence.

And Saul said to Achimelech: Hear, thou son of Achitob. He answered: Here I am, my lord.

Et ait Saul ad Achimelech: Audi, fili Achitob. Qui respondit: Præsto sum, domine.

Listen, son of Achitob, Saul began, and Achimelech answered, I am here, my lord, at thy command.

And Saul said to him: Why have you conspired against me, thou, and the son of Isai, and thou hast given him bread and a sword, and hast consulted the Lord for him, that he should rise up against me, continuing a traitor to this day.

Dixitque ad eum Saul: Quare conjurastis adversum me, tu et filius Isai, et dedisti ei panes et gladium, et consuluisti pro eo Deum, ut consurgeret adversum me, insidiator usque hodie permanens?

Why hast thou conspired against me, asked Saul, with the son of Jesse? Why didst thou give him bread, and a sword, and consult the Lord in his behalf, to help him in his rebellion, a man that has ever plotted against me, and plots against me still?

And Achimelech answering the king, said: And who amongst all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son in law, and goeth forth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house?

Respondensque Achimelech regi, ait: Et quis in omnibus servis tuis sicut David, fidelis, et gener regis, et pergens ad imperium tuum, et gloriosus in domo tua?

Why, my lord, answered Achimelech, what servant of thine was ever so trusted as David, a king’s son-in-law; one who ever goes on thy errands, and fills so high a place in thy household?

Did I begin to day to consult the Lord for him? far be this from me: let not the king suspect such a thing against his servant, or any one in all my father’s house: for thy servant knew nothing of this matter, either little or great.

num hodie cœpi pro eo consulere Deum? absit hoc a me: ne suspicetur rex adversus servum suum rem hujuscemodi, in universa domo patris mei: non enim scivit servus tuus quidquam super hoc negotio, vel modicum vel grande.

This was not the first time I had consulted the Lord for him. God forbid, my lord king, that either I, thy servant, or any of my kindred should be brought under any such suspicion! Nay, I knew nothing of this business from first to last.

And the king said: Dying thou shalt die, Achimelech, thou and all thy father’s house.

Dixitque rex: Morte morieris Achimelech, tu et omnis domus patris tui.

And the king said, Achimelech, thou must die for it; thou and all thy kindred;

And the king said to the messengers that stood about him: Turn, and kill the priests of the Lord, for their hand is with David, because they knew that he was fled, and they told it not to me. And the king’s servants would not put forth their hands against the priests of the Lord.

Et ait rex emissariis qui circumstabant eum: Convertimini, et interficite sacerdotes Domini, nam manus eorum cum David est: scientes quod fugisset, et non indicaverunt mihi. Noluerunt autem servi regis extendere manus suas in sacerdotes Domini.

then he bade his retainers, that stood about him, set to and kill the Lord’s priests, men who had helped David by being privy to his flight and giving no tidings of it. But the king’s retainers were afraid to lay hands on the priests of the Lord;

And the king said to Doeg: Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and fell upon the priests and slew in that day eighty-five men that wore the linen ephod.

Et ait rex ad Doëg: Convertere tu, et irrue in sacerdotes. Conversusque Doëg Idumæus, irruit in sacerdotes, et trucidavit in die illa octoginta quinque viros vestitos ephod lineo.

so the king bade Doeg set to, and fall upon the priests. Fall upon them he did, Doeg the man of Edom, and slew that day eighty men that wore the linen mantle.

And Nobe the city of the priests he smote with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children, and sucklings, and ox and ass, and sheep with the edge of the sword.

Nobe autem civitatem sacerdotum percussit in ore gladii, viros et mulieres, et parvulos et lactentes, bovemque, et asinum, et ovem in ore gladii.

Nobe, too, the city of the priests, the king put to the sword; man and woman, child and infant, ox and ass and sheep, all put to the sword.

But one of the sons of Achimelech the son of Achitob, whose name was Abiathar, escaped, and fled to David,

Evadens autem unus filius Achimelech filii Achitob, cujus nomen erat Abiathar, fugit ad David,

There was only one descendant of Achimelech, son of Achitob, that escaped; his name was Abiathar, and he took refuge with David,

And told him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.

et annuntiavit ei quod occidisset Saul sacerdotes Domini.

bringing him the news that Saul had killed all the Lord’s priests.

And David said to Abiathar: I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there, that without doubt he would tell Saul: I have been the occasion of the death of all the souls of thy father’s house.

Et ait David ad Abiathar: Sciebam in die illa quod cum ibi esset Doëg Idumæus, procul dubio annuntiaret Sauli: ego sum reus omnium animarum patris tui.

I knew well, David told him, when I found Doeg the Edomite there that day, that he would not fail to tell Saul of it. I am answerable for the slaughter of all thy kinsmen.

Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life also, and with me thou shalt be saved.

Mane mecum: ne timeas: si quis quæsierit animam meam, quæret et animam tuam, mecumque servaberis.

Stay with me here, and fear nothing; my enemies are thine, and here thou wilt be in safety.