1 Samuel 21

1 Then came Dauid to Nob, to Ahimelech the Priest, and Ahimelech was astonied at the meeting of Dauid, and saide vnto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no man with you?”

2 And Dauid saide to Ahimelech the Priest, The King hath commanded mee a certaine thing, and hath sayd vnto me, Let no man know whereabout I sende thee, and what I haue commanded thee: and I haue appointed my seruants to such and such places.

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.’

3 Nowe therefore if thou hast ought vnder thine hande, giue me fiue cakes of bread, or what commeth to hand.

Now therefore what is under your hand? Please give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever is available.”

4 And the Priest answered Dauid, and saide, There is no common bread vnder mine hande, but here is halowed bread, if the yong men haue kept themselues, at least from women.

The priest answered David, and said, “I have no common bread, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women.”

5 Dauid then answered the Priest, and sayde vnto him, Certainely women haue bene separarate from vs these two or three dayes since I came out: and the vessels of the yong men were holy, though the way were prophane, and how much more then shall euery one be sanctified this day in the vessell?

David answered the priest, and said to him, “Truly, women have been kept from us as usual these three days. When I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was only a common journey. How much more then today shall their vessels be holy?”

6 So the Priest gaue him halowed bread: for there was no bread there, saue the shewe bread that was taken from before the Lord, to put hote bread there, the day that it was taken away.

So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the show bread that was taken from before the LORD, to be replaced with hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

7 (And there was the same day one of the seruants of Saul abiding before the Lord, named Doeg the Edomite, the chiefest of Sauls heardmen)

Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.

8 And Dauid said vnto Ahimelech, Is there not here vnder thine hand a speare or a sworde? for I haue neither brought my sworde nor mine harnesse with me, because the Kings businesse required haste.

David said to Ahimelech, “Is not there here under your hand spear or sword? For I have not brought my sword or my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.”

9 And the Priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistim, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapt in a cloth behinde the Ephod: if thou wilt take that to thee, take it: for there is none other saue that here: And Dauid sayd, There is none to that, giue it me.

The priest said, “Behold, the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you would like to take that, take it, for there is no other except that here.” David said, “There is none like that. Give it to me.”

10 And Dauid arose and fled the same day from the presence of Saul, and went to Achish the King of Gath.

David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

11 And the seruants of Achish said vnto him, Is not this Dauid the King of the land? did they not sing vnto him in daunces, saying, Saul hath slayne his thousand, and Dauid his ten thousande?

The servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did not they sing to one another about him in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”

12 And Dauid considered these wordes, and was sore afraide of Achish the King of Gath.

David laid up these words in his heart, and was very afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 And hee changed his behauiour before them, and fayned him selfe mad in their handes, and scrabled on the doores of the gate, and let his spettel fall downe vpon his beard.

He changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard.

14 Then said Achish vnto his seruants, Lo, ye see the man is beside him selfe, wherefore haue ye brought him to me?

Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why then have you brought him to me?

15 Haue I neede of mad men, that ye haue brought this fellowe to play the mad man in my presence? shall he come into mine house?

Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Should this fellow come into my house?”