1 Samuel 21

1 Then came Dauid to Nob, to Ahimelech the Priest, and Ahimelech was astonied at the meeting of Dauid, and saide vnto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the cohen. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, "Why are you alone, and no man with you?"

2 And Dauid saide to Ahimelech the Priest, The King hath commanded mee a certaine thing, and hath sayd vnto me, Let no man know whereabout I sende thee, and what I haue commanded thee: and I haue appointed my seruants to such and such places.

David said to the cohen, "The king has commanded me a business, and has said to me, 'Let no man know anything of the business about which I send you, and what I have commanded you; and I have arranged to meet the young men at a certain place.'

3 Nowe therefore if thou hast ought vnder thine hande, giue me fiue cakes of bread, or what commeth to hand.

Now, if there are five loaves of bread under your control, give them into my hand, or whatever there is."

4 And the Priest answered Dauid, and saide, There is no common bread vnder mine hande, but here is halowed bread, if the yong men haue kept themselues, at least from women.

And the cohen answered David, and said, "There is no common bread in my control, but there is holy bread. If the young men have kept themselves from women, they may eat of it."

5 Dauid then answered the Priest, and sayde vnto him, Certainely women haue bene separarate from vs these two or three dayes since I came out: and the vessels of the yong men were holy, though the way were prophane, and how much more then shall euery one be sanctified this day in the vessell?

And David answered the cohen, and said to him, "Truly women have been kept from us as always when I set out. All the young men are holy, even when it is an ordinary mission. So how much more today will their vessels be holy?"

6 So the Priest gaue him halowed bread: for there was no bread there, saue the shewe bread that was taken from before the Lord, to put hote bread there, the day that it was taken away.

So the cohen gave him what had been consecrated, for there was no bread there but the show bread, that had been removed before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

7 (And there was the same day one of the seruants of Saul abiding before the Lord, named Doeg the Edomite, the chiefest of Sauls heardmen)

Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.

8 And Dauid said vnto Ahimelech, Is there not here vnder thine hand a speare or a sworde? for I haue neither brought my sworde nor mine harnesse with me, because the Kings businesse required haste.

David said to Ahimelech, "Isn't there here under your control spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste."

9 And the Priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistim, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapt in a cloth behinde the Ephod: if thou wilt take that to thee, take it: for there is none other saue that here: And Dauid sayd, There is none to that, giue it me.

The cohen said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, look, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind an ephod. If you will take that, take it; for there is no other except that here." David said, "There is none like that. Give it to me."

10 And Dauid arose and fled the same day from the presence of Saul, and went to Achish the King of Gath.

David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

11 And the seruants of Achish said vnto him, Is not this Dauid the King of the land? did they not sing vnto him in daunces, saying, Saul hath slayne his thousand, and Dauid his ten thousande?

The servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another about him in dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?'"

12 And Dauid considered these wordes, and was sore afraide of Achish the King of Gath.

David laid up these words in his heart, and was very afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 And hee changed his behauiour before them, and fayned him selfe mad in their handes, and scrabled on the doores of the gate, and let his spettel fall downe vpon his beard.

He changed his behavior before them, and pretended to be mad in their hands, and drummed on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle run down his beard.

14 Then said Achish vnto his seruants, Lo, ye see the man is beside him selfe, wherefore haue ye brought him to me?

Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me?

15 Haue I neede of mad men, that ye haue brought this fellowe to play the mad man in my presence? shall he come into mine house?

Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?"