12. Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub!”And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.”
13. Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you gave him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me to ambush me, as at this day?”
14. Then Ahimelek answered the king and said, “And who is as faithful among all your servants as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, chief of your bodyguard, and is honored in your house?
15. Did I just today begin to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king assign any blame to his servant, or to all the house of my father. For your servant has known nothing of all this matter, whether small or great.”
16. The king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelek, you and all your father’s house.”
17. The king said to the guards standing near him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand is with David. And because they knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it to me.”But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to attack the priests of the Lord.
18. The king said to Doeg, “You turn and fall upon the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod.
19. And Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword. Both men and women, children and babies, oxen, donkeys, and sheep, he struck with the edge of the sword.
20. But one of the sons of Ahimelek the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.
21. Abiathar reported to David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord.