1 T hen David went to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech was afraid at meeting David, and said to him, Why are you alone and no man with you?

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

2 D avid said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has charged me with a matter and has told me, Let no man know anything of the mission on which I send you and with what I have charged you. I have appointed the young men to a certain place.

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;

3 N ow what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you may have.

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

4 A nd the priest answered David, There is no common bread on hand, but there is hallowed bread—if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.

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.'

5 A nd David told the priest, Truly women have been kept from us in these three days since I came out, and the food bags and utensils of the young men are clean, and although the bread will be used in a secular way, it will be set apart in the clean bags.

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 a common way: and also, surely to-day it is sanctified in the vessel.'

6 S o the priest gave him holy bread, for there was no bread there but the showbread which was taken from before the Lord to put hot bread in its place the day when it was taken away.

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.

7 N ow a certain man of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord; his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s herdsmen.

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

8 D avid said to Ahimelech, Do you have at hand a sword or spear? The king’s business required haste, and I brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me.

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.'

9 T he priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you slew in the Valley of Elah, see, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if you will take that, do so, for there is no other here. And David said, There is none like that; give it to me.

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

10 D avid arose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath.

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

11 T he servants of Achish said to him, Is not this David, the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in their dances: Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

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?'

12 D avid took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish king of Gath.

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

13 A nd he changed his behavior before them, and pretended to be insane in their hands, and scribbled on the gate doors, and drooled on his beard.

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.

14 T hen said Achish to his servants, You see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me?

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

15 H ave I need of madmen, that you bring this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?

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