| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1David went to Ahimelech the priest in Nob. Ahimelech was shaking with fear when he met David, and said to him, "Why are you by yourself with no one accompanying you?" | 1 David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest, and Ahimelech was trembling as he came to meet David. Ahimelech told him, "Why are you alone, and no one with you?" |
| 2David replied to Ahimelech the priest, "The king instructed me to do something, but he said to me, 'Don't let anyone know the reason I am sending you or the instructions I have given you.' I have told my soldiers to wait at a certain place. | 2David told Ahimelech the priest, "The king commanded me about a matter, saying to me, 'Don't let anyone know anything about the matter I'm sending you to do and about which I've commanded you. I've directed the young men to a certain place.' |
| 3Now what do you have at your disposal? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found." | 3Now, what do you have available? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever you have." |
| 4The priest replied to David, "I don't have any ordinary bread at my disposal. Only holy bread is available, and then only if your soldiers have abstained from sexual relations with women." | 4The priest answered David: "There is no ordinary bread available; only consecrated bread, provided that the young men have kept themselves from women." |
| 5David said to the priest, "Certainly women have been kept away from us, just as on previous occasions when I have set out. The soldiers' equipment is holy, even on an ordinary journey. How much more so will they be holy today, along with their equipment!" | 5David answered the priest, saying to him, "Indeed, women were kept from us as is usual whenever I go out on a mission, and the equipment of the young men is consecrated even when it's an ordinary journey, so how much more is their equipment consecrated today?" |
| 6So the priest gave him holy bread, for there was no bread there other than the bread of the Presence. It had been removed from before the LORD in order to replace it with hot bread on the day it had been taken away. | 6So the priest gave him consecrated bread because no bread was there except the Bread of the Presence that had been removed from the LORD's presence and replaced with hot bread on the day it was taken away. |
| 7(One of Saul's servants was there that day, detained before the LORD. His name was Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul's shepherds.) | 7Now, Doeg the Edomite, one of Saul's officials, was there that day, detained in the LORD's presence. He was the chief of Saul's shepherds. |
| 8David said to Ahimelech, "Is there no sword or spear here at your disposal? I don't have my own sword or equipment in hand due to the urgency of the king's instructions." | 8David told Ahimelech, "Is there no spear or sword available here? I took neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's mission is urgent." |
| 9The priest replied, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the valley of Elah, is wrapped in a garment behind the ephod. If you wish, take it for yourself. Other than that, there's nothing here." David said, "There's nothing like it! Give it to me!" | 9The priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the Valley of Elah is wrapped up in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it because there is no other except it here." So David said, "There is none like it. Give it to me." |
| 10So on that day David arose and fled from Saul. He went to King Achish of Gath. | 10David got up that day and fled from Saul, and he went to King Achish of Gath. |
| 11The servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David, the king of the land? Isn't he the one that they sing about when they dance, saying, 'Saul struck down his thousands, But David his tens of thousands'?" | 11The officials of Achish told him, "Isn't this David, king of the land? Isn't this the one about whom they sang as they danced, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his ten thousands'?" |
| 12David thought about what they said and was very afraid of King Achish of Gath. | 12David took these words seriously, and he was very frightened of King Achish of Gath. |
| 13He altered his behavior in their presence. Since he was in their power, he pretended to be insane, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting his saliva run down his beard. | 13So David changed his behavior before them and acted like he was crazy in their presence. He scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down his beard. |
| 14Achish said to his servants, "Look at this madman! Why did you bring him to me? | 14Achish told his officials, "Look, you see a person acting like a madman. Why'd you bring him to me? |
| 15Do I have a shortage of fools, that you have brought me this man to display his insanity in front of me? Should this man enter my house?" | 15Am I lacking madmen that you bring me this one to act like a madman around me? Shall this one come into my house?" |
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