1 Samuel 21

1 And David came to Nob to Achimelech the priest; and Achimelech hastened trembling to meet David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man is 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 David said unto Achimelech the priest, The king commanded me a business, and said unto me, Let not any man know the least of the business concerning which I send thee, and which I have commanded thee. And the young men have I appointed to such and such a place.

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 And now what hast thou on hand: put five loaves of bread into my hand, or what else can be found.

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 David, and said, I have no common bread on hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have only withheld themselves 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 And David answered the priest and said to him, To a certainty women have been denied us yesterday and the day before, when I went forth, and the vessels of the young men were holy: and if this was the custom with unholy things, how much more will it remain this day holy in the vessels.

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 gave him hallowed bread; for there was no bread there except the showbread, that was removed from before the Lord, so as to put down hot bread on the day when 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 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there on that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg, the Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen that belonged to Saul.

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 David said unto Achimelech, Hast thou not also here at hand a spear or sword: for both my sword as also my other weapons have I not brought with me, because the king's business was urgent.

David said to Ahimelech, “Isn’t there here under your hand spear or sword? For I haven’t 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 Philistine, whom thou didst slay in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped up in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that for thyself, take it; for there is no other save it here. And David said, There is none like that: give it to 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 David arose, and fled on that day from before Saul, and came 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 servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not of this man sing one to another in the dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

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

12 And David took these words to his heart, and was greatly afraid 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 he disguised his reason before their eyes, and played the madman in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle run down upon his beard.

He changed his behaviour 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 unto his servants, Lo, ye see, the man is mad: wherefore then will ye bring 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 Have I lack of madmen, that ye have brought this man to play his pranks about me? shall this one come into my 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?”