I Samuelis 21

1 Venit autem David in Nobe ad Achimelech sacerdotem: et obstupuit Achimelech, eo quod venisset David. Et dixit ei: Quare tu solus, et nullus est tecum?

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 Et ait David ad Achimelech sacerdotem: Rex praecepit mihi sermonem, et dixit: Nemo sciat rem, propter quam missus es a me, et cuiusmodi praecepta tibi dederim: nam et pueris condixi in illum et illum locum.

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 Nunc ergo siquid habes ad manum, vel quinque panes, da mihi, aut quidquid inveneris.

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

4 Et respondens sacerdos ad David, ait illi: Non habeo laicos panes ad manum, sed tantum panem sanctum: si mundi sunt pueri, maxime a mulieribus?

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 Et respondit David sacerdoti, et dixit ei: Equidem, si de mulieribus agitur: continuimus nos ab heri et nudiustertius, quando egrediebamur, et fuerunt vasa puerorum sancta. porro via haec polluta est, sed et ipsa hodie sanctificabitur in vasis.

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 Dedit ergo ei sacerdos sanctificatum panem. neque enim erat ibi panis, nisi tantum panes propositionis, qui sublati fuerant a facie Domini, ut ponerentur panes calidi.

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 Erat autem ibi vir quidam de servis Saul, in die illa, intus in tabernaculo Domini: et nomen eius Doeg Idumaeus, potentissimus pastorum Saul.

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 Dixit autem David ad Achimelech: Si habes hic ad manum hastam, aut gladium? quia gladium meum, et arma mea non tuli mecum. sermo enim regis urgebat.

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 Et dixit sacerdos: Ecce hic gladius Goliath Philisthaei, quem percussisti in Valle terebinthi, est involutus pallio post ephod: si istum vis tollere, tolle. neque enim hic est alius absque eo. Et ait David: Non est huic alter similis, da mihi eum.

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 Surrexit itaque David, et fugit in die illa a facie Saul: et venit ad Achis regem Geth:

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

11 dixeruntque servi Achis ad eum cum vidissent David: Numquid non iste est David rex terrae? nonne huic cantabant per choros, dicentes: Percussit Saul mille, et David decem millia?

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 Posuit autem David sermones istos in corde suo, et extimuit valde a facie Achis regis Geth.

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

13 Et immutavit os suum coram eis, et collabebatur inter manus eorum: et impingebat in ostia portae, defluebantque salivae eius in barbam.

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 Et ait Achis ad servos suos: Vidistis hominem insanum: quare adduxistis eum ad me?

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

15 An desunt nobis furiosi, quod introduxistis istum, ut fureret me praesente? hiccine ingredietur domum meam?

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