Book | Chapter | Verse | Text |
1 Samuel |
21 |
1 |
David went to the city of Nob to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw him. "Why are you alone?" he asked. "Why is no one with you?" |
1 Samuel |
21 |
2 |
"The king has sent me on a private matter," David said. "He told me not to tell anyone why I am here. I have told my men where to meet me later. |
1 Samuel |
21 |
3 |
Now, what is there to eat? Give me five loaves of bread or anything else you have." |
1 Samuel |
21 |
4 |
"We don't have any regular bread," the priest replied. "But there is the holy bread, which I guess you can have if your young men have not slept with any women recently." |
1 Samuel |
21 |
5 |
"Don't worry," David replied. "I never allow my men to be with women when they are on a campaign. And since they stay clean even on ordinary trips, how much more on this one!" |
1 Samuel |
21 |
6 |
So, since there was no other food available, the priest gave him the holy bread--the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the LORD in the Tabernacle. It had just been replaced that day with fresh bread. |
1 Samuel |
21 |
7 |
Now Doeg the Edomite, Saul's chief herdsman, was there that day for ceremonial purification. |
1 Samuel |
21 |
8 |
David asked Ahimelech, "Do you have a spear or sword? The king's business was so urgent that I didn't even have time to grab a weapon!" |
1 Samuel |
21 |
9 |
"I only have the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah," the priest replied. "It is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. Take that if you want it, for there is nothing else here.There is nothing like it!" David replied. "Give it to me!" |
1 Samuel |
21 |
10 |
So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. |
1 Samuel |
21 |
11 |
But Achish's officers weren't happy about his being there. "Isn't this David, the king of the land?" they asked. "Isn't he the one the people honor with dances, singing, `Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?" |
1 Samuel |
21 |
12 |
David heard these comments and was afraid of what King Achish might do to him. |
1 Samuel |
21 |
13 |
So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard. |
1 Samuel |
21 |
14 |
Finally, King Achish said to his men, "Must you bring me a madman? |
1 Samuel |
21 |
15 |
We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?" |