1 Samuel 21

1 David fled from there and went to Nob [city to see] Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw David [because he was afraid that something bad had happened]. He said to David, “Why are you alone? Why have no men come with you?”

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?

2 David [deceived Ahimelech] by replying, “The king sent me. But he does not want anyone to know anything about what he sent me to do. I have told my men where [they should meet me].

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.

3 Now [I want to know], do you have any [food here for me to eat] [IDM]? Could you give me five loaves of bread, or whatever [other food] that you can find?”

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

4 The priest answered David, “There is no ordinary bread here, but I have some of the sacred bread [that was placed before Yahweh]. Your men may eat it if they have not slept with [EUP] women [recently].”

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.

5 David replied, “They have not been near women for many days. I do not allow my men to defile themselves by sleeping with women while they are preparing to fight in battles. They must continue to keep themselves acceptable to God when they are on ordinary trips, and [today they have kept themselves acceptable to God] because now we are doing something very special/important.”

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?

6 The only bread that the priest had was the sacred bread that had been placed in Yahweh’s presence [in the Sacred tent]. So the priest gave David some of that bread. On that day the priest had taken those loaves from the table and replaced them with (fresh/newly baked) loaves.

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.

7 It happened that Doeg, from the Edom people-group, was there on that day to make himself acceptable to Yahweh, [and he saw what Ahimelech did]. He was one of Saul’s officials and the leader of Saul’s shepherds.

(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)

8 David asked Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or a sword [that I could use]? The king [appointed us to do] this task [and told us to leave] immediately, so I did not have time to bring any weapons.”

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.

9 Ahimelech replied, “I have only the sword that belonged to Goliath [the giant] from the Philistia people-group whom you killed in Elah Valley. It is wrapped in a cloth, and is behind the sacred vest [in the Sacred Tent]. If you want it, take it, because I have no other [weapon] here.” David replied, “Truly, there is no other sword that is [as good] as that one! Give it to me.”

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.

10 [So Ahimelech gave it to him], and David left there. He [and his men] and went to Gath [city in the Philistia region], to stay with King Achish.

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

11 But the officers of King Achish [objected to David being there. They] said to King Achish, “This man is [RHQ] David, the king of Israel! He is the one [RHQ] whom [our enemies], the [Israeli] people, [honored by] dancing and singing, ‘Saul has killed thousands [of his enemies], but David has killed tens of thousands of them!’”

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?

12 David heard what those men were saying, so he was afraid of [what] King Achish [might do to him].

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

13 So he pretended that he was insane. He started scratching on the gates [of the city] and allowing his saliva to run down his beard.

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.

14 Then King Achish said to his men, “Look at this man! He is acting like an insane man! Why have you brought him to me?

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

15 Have you brought him because I do not have enough insane men here already [RHQ]? I do not want [RHQ] him to come into my house!”

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?