6When Saul heard that David was discovered, and that there were men with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him), 7Then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, you Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and of hundreds; 8That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that informs me that my son has made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that cares for me, or tells me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?” 9Then answered Doeg, the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub. 10And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him provisions, and the sword of Goliath, the Philistine.”

11Then the king summoned Ahimelech, the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob; and they all came to the king. 12And Saul said, “Hear now, you son of Ahitub”. And he answered, “Here I am, my lord”. 13And Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?” 14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, “And who is so faithful among all your servants as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house? 15Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? Be it far from me; let not the king impute anything unto me, nor to all the house of my father; for I knew nothing of all this, less or more.” 16And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father's house”. 17And the king said to the footmen that stood about him, “Turn, and kill the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not tell me”. But the servants of the king would not put their hand upon the priests of the LORD. 18And the king said to Doeg, “Turn, and fall upon the priests”. And Doeg, the Edomite, turned, and he fell upon the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod. 19And he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men, women, children, infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep, with the sword.

20And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled to David. 21And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the LORD's priests. 22And David said to Abiathar, “I knew it that day, when Doeg, the Edomite, was there, that he would surely tell Saul; I have caused the death of all the persons of your father's house. 23Abide with me, fear not; for he that seeks my life seeks your life. But with me you shall be in safety.”