1 D avid came to Ahimelech the religious leader at Nob. Ahimelech came shaking in fear to meet David, and said to him, “Why are you alone? Why is no one 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 religious leader, “The king has given me something to do. And he has said to me, ‘Let no one know anything about what I have sent you to do.’ I have told the young men to meet at 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 ready? 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 T he religious leader answered David, “I only have bread which has been set apart as holy, if only the young men have 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 A nd David told the religious leader, “For sure women have been kept from us while we have traveled. The bodies of the young men are holy even on everyday trips. How much more they are today!”

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 religious leader gave him holy bread. For there was no bread there but the bread before the Lord. It was taken from before the Lord, so hot bread could be put in its place.

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 one of Saul’s servants happened to be there that day. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the head of Saul’s shepherds.

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 a spear or a sword? I did not bring my sword or any spears with me, because I had to hurry to do the king’s work.”

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 religious leader said, “The sword is here that belonged to Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah. See, it is behind the linen vest, with a cloth around it. Take it, if you will. For it is the only one here.” And David said, “There is none like it. 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 T hen David got up and ran that day from Saul. He 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 this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing to each other about him as they danced, saying, ‘Saul has killed 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 very 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 S o he changed the way he acted in front of them. He pretended to be crazy while he was with them. He made marks on the doors of the gate. He let his spit run down into the hair of his face.

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, “See, you see the man is crazy. 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 D o I need any crazy men, that you bring this one to act crazy in front of me? Will this one 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?'