1 N ow David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one is 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 S o David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has ordered me on some business, and said to me, ‘Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you, or what I have commanded you.’ And I have directed my young men to such and such a 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 therefore, what have you on hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever can be found.”

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 and said, “ There is no common bread on hand; but there is holy bread, if the young men have at least kept themselves 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 T hen David answered the priest, and said to him, “Truly, women have been kept from us about three days since I came out. And the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in effect common, even though it was consecrated in the vessel this day.”

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 had been taken from before the Lord, in order to put hot bread in its place on 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 the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.

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 A nd David said to Ahimelech, “Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.”

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 S o the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it. For there is no other except that one here.” And David said, “ There is none like it; give it to me.” David Flees to Gath

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 T hen David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the 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 A nd the servants of Achish said to him, “ Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: ‘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 N ow David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

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

13 S o he changed his behavior before them, pretended madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down 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 Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why 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 have brought 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?'