Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 136
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IMMERSE
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KINGDOMS
1S
| 22:14–23:9
consulted God for him? Why have you encouraged him to kill me, as he is
trying to do this very day?”
“But sir,” Ahimelech replied, “is anyone among all your servants as
faithful as David, your son-in-law? Why, he is the captain of your bodyguard and a highly honored member of your household! This was certainly not the first time I had consulted God for him! May the king not
accuse me and my family in this matter, for I knew nothing at all of any
plot against you.”
“You will surely die, Ahimelech, along with your entire family!” the king
shouted. And he ordered his bodyguards, “Kill these priests of the Lord,
for they are allies and conspirators with David! They knew he was running
away from me, but they didn’t tell me!” But Saul’s men refused to kill the
Lord’s priests.
Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So Doeg the Edomite turned on
them and killed them that day, e ighty-five priests in all, still wearing their
priestly garments. Then he went to Nob, the town of the priests, and killed
the priests’ families—men and women, children and babies—and all the
cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats.
Only Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, escaped and fled to David.
When he told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord, David
exclaimed, “I knew it! When I saw Doeg the Edomite there that day, I knew
he was sure to tell Saul. Now I have caused the death of all your father’s
family. Stay here with me, and don’t be afraid. I will protect you with my
own life, for the same person wants to kill us both.”
One day news came to David that the Philistines were at Keilah stealing
grain from the threshing floors. David asked the Lord, “Should I go and
attack them?”
“Yes, go and save Keilah,” the Lord told him.
But David’s men said, “We’re afraid even here in Judah. We certainly
don’t want to go to Keilah to fight the whole Philistine army!”
So David asked the Lord again, and again the Lord replied, “Go down
to Keilah, for I will help you conquer the Philistines.”
So David and his men went to Keilah. They slaughtered the Philistines
and took all their livestock and rescued the people of Keilah. Now when
Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he brought the ephod
with him.
Saul soon learned that Dav id was at Keilah. “Good!” he exclaimed.
“We’ve got him now! God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped
himself in a walled town!” So Saul mobilized his entire army to march to
Keilah and besiege David and his men.
But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring