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?
David fled from there and went to Nob [city to see] Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw David [because he was afraid that something bad had happened]. He said to David, “Why are you alone? Why have no men come 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;
David [deceived Ahimelech] by replying, “The king sent me. But he does not want anyone to know anything about what he sent me to do. I have told my men where [they should meet me].
3 now therfor if thou hast ony thing at hond, ether fyue looues, yyue thou to me, ether what euer thing thou fyndist.
Now [I want to know], do you have any [food here for me to eat] [IDM]? Could you give me five loaves of bread, or whatever [other food] that you can find?”
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?
The priest answered David, “There is no ordinary bread here, but I have some of the sacred bread [that was placed before Yahweh]. Your men may eat it if they have not slept with [EUP] women [recently].”
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 replied, “They have not been near women for many days. I do not allow my men to defile themselves by sleeping with women while they are preparing to fight in battles. They must continue to keep themselves acceptable to God when they are on ordinary trips, and [today they have kept themselves acceptable to God] because now we are doing something very special/important.”
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.
The only bread that the priest had was the sacred bread that had been placed in Yahweh’s presence [in the Sacred tent]. So the priest gave David some of that bread. On that day the priest had taken those loaves from the table and replaced them with (fresh/newly baked) loaves.
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.
It happened that Doeg, from the Edom people-group, was there on that day to make himself acceptable to Yahweh, [and he saw what Ahimelech did]. He was one of Saul’s officials and the leader of Saul’s shepherds.
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.
David asked Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or a sword [that I could use]? The king [appointed us to do] this task [and told us to leave] immediately, so I did not have time to bring any weapons.”
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.
Ahimelech replied, “I have only the sword that belonged to Goliath [the giant] from the Philistia people-group whom you killed in Elah Valley. It is wrapped in a cloth, and is behind the sacred vest [in the Sacred Tent]. If you want it, take it, because I have no other [weapon] here.” David replied, “Truly, there is no other sword that is [as good] as that one! 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.
[So Ahimelech gave it to him], and David left there. He [and his men] and went to Gath [city in the Philistia region], to stay with King Achish.
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 officers of King Achish [objected to David being there. They] said to King Achish, “This man is [RHQ] David, the king of Israel! He is the one [RHQ] whom [our enemies], the [Israeli] people, [honored by] dancing and singing, ‘Saul has killed thousands [of his enemies], but David has killed tens of thousands of them!’”
12 Sotheli Dauid puttide these wordis `in his herte, and he dredde greetli of the face of Achis, kyng of Geth.
David heard what those men were saying, so he was afraid of [what] King Achish [might do to him].
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 pretended that he was insane. He started scratching on the gates [of the city] and allowing his saliva to run down his beard.
14 And Achis seide to hise seruauntis, Seen ye the wood man? why brouyten ye hym to me?
Then King Achish said to his men, “Look at this man! He is acting like an insane man! 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.
Have you brought him because I do not have enough insane men here already [RHQ]? I do not want [RHQ] him to come into my house!”
