Then David came to Nob , to Ahimelech the priest. And when Ahimelech met David , he trembled and asked “ Why (are) you alone ? Why is no one with you ? ”
“ The king has given me a mission , ” David replied - -. “ He told me vvv no one is to know - about the mission - - - or charge. And I have directed (my) young men to meet me at a certain place ... ....
Now then , what do you have on hand ? Give (me) ... five (loaves of) bread , or whatever can be found. ”
“ (There is) no common bread on hand , ” the priest replied - - - , “ but there is some consecrated bread — provided that the young men - have kept themselves from women. ”
David answered - - - , “ Women (have) indeed (been) kept , as is usual when I set out. And the equipment of the young men is holy , as it (is) even on common missions , and all the more at this time . ”
So the priest gave the consecrated (bread) , since there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence , which had been removed from before the LORD and replaced with hot bread on the day it was taken away.
Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day , detained before the LORD. And his name (was) Doeg the Edomite , the chief shepherd for Saul.
Then David asked Ahimelech , “ Is there not a spear or sword on hand here ? For - I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me , because the king’s business was urgent. ”
The priest replied , “ The sword of Goliath the Philistine , whom you killed in the Valley of Elah , is here ; it (is) wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want , you may take it .... For (there is) no other but this one .... ” And David said , “ (There is) none like it ; give it
That day David vvv fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath.
But the servants of Achish said to him , “ (Is) this not David , the king of the land ? Did they not sing about him in their dances , saying : ‘ Saul has slain (his) thousands , and David (his) tens of thousands ’ ?”
Now David took - these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
So he changed - his behavior before them and feigned madness in their hands ; he scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.
Then Achish said to his servants , “ Look , you can see (that) the man is insane ! Why have you brought him to me ?
Am I in need of madmen , that you have brought - this man to rave in my presence ? Must this (man) come into my house ? ”