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1 Samuel 22 · a question people ask

David says, "I am responsible" (22:22). Was he to blame for what happened at Nob?

In the text

The chapter gives several things side by side and doesn't weigh them. Saul gave the order: "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD" (22:17), and when his guard refused, he gave it to Doeg (22:18). Abiathar's report names Saul: he "told David that Saul had slain the LORD’s priests" (22:21). David speaks of himself: "I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of all the persons of your father’s house" (22:22) (tap Turn: in Hebrew I am responsible uses the same verb). In chapter 21, David had told Ahimelech, "The king has commanded me to do something" (21:2), and in this chapter Ahimelech tells Saul, "your servant knew nothing of all this, less or more" (22:15). The chapter doesn't add a verdict on David's words. What it does give is what David did next: "Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. You will be safe with me" (22:23).

The verses

“David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has commanded me to do something, and has said to me, ‘Let no one know anything about the business about which I send you, and what I have commanded you. I have sent the young men to a certain place.’”
1 Samuel 21:2 · World English Bible
“Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? Be it far from me! Don’t let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.””
1 Samuel 22:15 · World English Bible
“The king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled and didn’t disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king wouldn’t put out their hand to fall on the priests of the LORD. The king said to Doeg, “Turn and attack the priests!” Doeg the Edomite turned, and he attacked the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five people who wore a linen ephod.”
1 Samuel 22:17-18 · World English Bible
“Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the LORD’s priests. David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of all the persons of your father’s house. Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. You will be safe with me.””
1 Samuel 22:21-23 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 1 Samuel 22

1 Samuel 22: You will be safe with me

When David told Abiathar, "I am responsible for the death of all the persons of your father’s house" (22:22), he used in Hebrew the verb of Saul's order to his guard and to Doeg: "Turn" (22:17-18). And the man who owned his part said to the one who survived, "You will be safe with me" (22:23).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions