1 Samuel 21

1 Forsothe Dauid cam in to Nobe to Achimelech preest; and Achymelech wondrid, for Dauid `hadde come; and he seide to Dauid, Whi art thou aloone, and no man is with thee?

Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And when Ahimelech met David, he trembled and asked him, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”

2 And Dauid seide to Achymelech preest, The kyng comaundide to me a word, and seide, No man wite the thing, for which thou art sent fro me, and what maner comaundementis Y yaf to thee; for Y seide also to children, that thei schulden go in to that `and that place;

“The king has given me a mission,” David replied. “He told me no one is to know about the mission or charge. And I have directed my young men to meet me at a certain place.

3 now therfor if thou hast ony thing at hond, ether fyue looues, yyue thou to me, ether what euer thing thou fyndist.

Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.”

4 And the preest answeride to Dauid, and seide to hym, Y haue `not lewid, `that is, comyn, looues at hoond, but oneli hooli breed; whether the children ben clene, and moost of wymmen?

“There is no common bread on hand,” the priest replied, “but there is some consecrated bread—provided that the young men have kept themselves from women.”

5 And Dauid answeride to the preest, and seide to hym, And sotheli if it is doon of wymmen, we absteyneden vs fro yistirdai and the thridde dai ago, whanne we yeden out, and the `vessels, that is, bodies, of the children weren cleene; forsothe this weie is defoulyd, but also that schal be halewid to dai in the vessels.

David answered, “Women have indeed been kept from us, as is usual when I set out. And the equipment of the young men is holy, as it is even on common missions, and all the more at this time.”

6 Therfor the preest yaf to hym halewid breed, for noon other breed was there, no but oneli looues of settyng forth, that weren takun awey fro the face of the Lord, that hoote looues schulen be set.

So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence, which had been removed from before the LORD and replaced with hot bread on the day it was taken away.

7 Forsothe sum man of the seruauntis of Saul was there with ynne in the tabernacle of the Lord; and his name was Doech of Ydumee, the myytiest of the scheepherdis, `that is, iugis, of Saul.

Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the LORD. And his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief shepherd for Saul.

8 Forsothe Dauid seide to Achymelech, If thou hast `here at hond spere, ether swerd, yyue to me; for Y took not with me my swerd and myn armeris; for the `word of the kyng constreynede me.

Then David asked Ahimelech, “Is there not a spear or sword on hand here? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business was urgent.”

9 And the preest seide, Lo! here the swerd of Goliath Filistei, whom thou killidst in the valey of Terebynte, is wlappid in a cloth aftir ephoth; if thou wolt take this, take thou; for here is noon other outakun that. And Dauid seide, Noon other is lijk this, yyue thou it to me.

The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want, you may take it. For there is no other but this one.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”

10 Therfor Dauid roos, `and fledde in that dai fro the face of Saul, and cam to Achis, the kyng of Geth.

That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath.

11 And the seruauntis of Achis seiden to hym, whanne thei hadden seyn Dauid, Whether this is not Dauid, kyng of the lond? Whether thei sungen not to hym bi queeris, and seiden, Saul smoot a thousynde, and Dauid smoot ten thousynde?

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

12 Sotheli Dauid puttide these wordis `in his herte, and he dredde greetli of the face of Achis, kyng of Geth.

Now David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 And Dauid chaungide his mouth bifor Achis, and felde doun bitwixe her hondis, and he hurtlide ayens the doris of the yate, and his drauelis, `that is, spotelis, flowiden doun in to the beerd.

So he changed his behavior before them and feigned madness in their hands; he scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.

14 And Achis seide to hise seruauntis, Seen ye the wood man? why brouyten ye hym to me?

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

15 whether wood men failen to vs? whi han ye brouyt in hym, that he schulde be wood, while Y am present? Delyuere ye hym fro hennus, lest he entre in to myn hows.

Am I in need of madmen, that you have brought this man to rave in my presence? Must this man come into my house?”