1 Samuel 21

1 And David cometh in to Nob, unto Ahimelech the priest, and Ahimelech trembleth at meeting David, and saith to him, 'Wherefore [art] thou thyself alone, and no man with thee?'

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?

2 And David saith to Ahimelech the priest, 'The king hath commanded me a matter, and he saith unto me, Let no man know anything of the matter about which I am sending thee, and which I have commanded thee; and the young men I have caused to know at such and such a place;

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.

3 and now, what is there under thy hand? five loaves give into my hand, or that which is found.'

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

4 And the priest answereth David, and saith, 'There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if the youths have been kept only from women.'

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.

5 And David answereth the priest, and saith to him, 'Surely, if women have been restrained from us as heretofore in my going out, then the vessels of the young men are holy, and it [is] a common way: and also, surely to-day it is sanctified in the vessel.'

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.

6 And the priest giveth to him the holy thing, for there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence which is turned aside from the presence of Jehovah to put hot bread in the day of its being taken away.

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.

7 And there [is] a man of the servants of Saul on that day detained before Jehovah, and his name [is] Doeg the Edomite, chief of the shepherds whom Saul hath.

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.

8 And David saith to Ahimelech, 'And is there not here under thy hand spear or sword? for neither my sword nor my vessels have I taken in my hand, for the matter of the king was urgent.'

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.

9 And the priest saith, 'The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou didst smite in the valley of Elah, lo, it is wrapped in a garment behind the ephod, if it thou dost take to thyself, take; for there is none other save it in this [place].' And David saith, 'There is none like it — give it to me.'

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.

10 And David riseth and fleeth on that day from the face of Saul, and cometh in unto Achish king of Gath;

And David arose, and fled on that day from before Saul, and came to Achish the king of Gath.

11 and the servants of Achish say unto him, 'Is not this David king of the land? is it not of this one they sing in dances, saying, 'Saul smote among his thousands, and David among his myriads?'

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?

12 And David layeth these words in his heart, and is exceedingly afraid of the face of Achish king of Gath,

And David took these words to his heart, and was greatly afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 and changeth his behaviour before their eyes, and feigneth himself mad in their hand, and scribbleth on the doors of the gate, and letteth down his spittle unto his beard.

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.

14 And Achish saith unto his servants, 'Lo, ye see a man acting as a madman; why do ye bring him in unto me?

Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see, the man is mad: wherefore then will ye bring him to me?

15 A lack of madmen [have] I, that ye have brought in this one to act as a madman by me! doth this one come in unto my house?'

Have I lack of madmen, that ye have brought this man to play his pranks about me? shall this one come into my house?