1 Samuel, Chapter 21

1. And David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech trembled at meeting David, and said to him, Why are you by yourself, and no man with you?    2. And David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has commanded me a matter; and he said to me, Do not let a man know anything of the matter about which I am sending you, and which I told you. And I have directed the young men to such and such a place.    3. And now, what is there under your hand? Give five loaves into my hand, or whatever is found.    4. And the priest answered David and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but only holy bread, if the young men have only been kept from a woman.    5. And David answered the priest and said to him, Surely, a woman has been kept from us as yesterday and the third day , since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy. And in a way the holy bread is common; also surely today it is sanctified in the vessels.    6. And the priest gave the holy bread to him, for there was no bread there except the Bread of the Presence which is taken from the presence of Jehovah in order to put hot bread in on the day it is taken away.    7. And a man was there on that day, of the servants of Saul detained before Jehovah. And his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's shepherds.    8. And David said to Ahimelech, Is there not here under your hand spear or sword? For I have taken neither my sword or my weapons, for the king's matter was urgent.    9. And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck in the valley of Elah; behold, it is wrapped in the cloak behind the ephod. If you desire, take it for yourself; for there is no other here except it. And David said, There is none like it. Give it to me.    10. And David rose up and fled from the face of Saul on that day, and he came to Achish the king of Gath.    11. And the servants of Achish said to him, Is this not David the king of the land? Is it not of this one they sang in dances, saying, Saul killed his thousands, and David his myriads?    12. And David put these words in his heart, and was very much afraid of the face of Achish the king of Gath.    13. And he changed his behavior before their eyes, and pretended himself to be insane in their hand, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall onto his beard.    14. And Achish said to his servants, Behold, you see the man is showing madness. Why do you bring him to me?    15. Do I have need of madmen, that you have brought this one in to show madness beside me? Shall this one come into my house?