Dual Panel1David <01732> went <0935> to <0413> Ahimelech <0288> the priest <03548> in Nob <05011>. Ahimelech <0288> was shaking with fear <02729> when he met <07122> David <01732>, and said <0559> to him, “Why <04069> are you <0859> by yourself <0905> with no <0369> one <0376> accompanying <0854> you?”
2David <01732> replied <0559> to Ahimelech <0288> the priest <03548>, “The king <04428> instructed <06680> me to do something <01697>, but he said <0559> to <0413> me, ‘Don’t <0408> let anyone <0376> know <03045> the reason <01697> I am <0595> sending <07971> you or the instructions <06680> I have given you.’ I have told <03045> my soldiers <05288> to <0413> wait at a certain <0492> <06423> place <04725>.
3Now <06258> what <04100> do you have at your disposal <03027> <08478>? Give <05414> me five <02568> loaves of bread <03899>, or <0176> whatever can be found <04672>.”
4The priest <03548> replied <06030> to David <01732>, “I don’t <0369> have any ordinary <02455> bread <03899> at <0413> my disposal. Only <0518> holy <06944> bread <03899> is <03426> available, and then only if <0518> your soldiers <05288> have abstained <08104> from sexual relations with women <0802>.”
5David <01732> said <06030> to the priest <03548>, “Certainly <0518> women <0802> have been kept away <06113> from us, just as on previous occasions <08032> <08543> when <01961> I have set out <03318>. The soldiers <05288>’ equipment <03627> is holy <06944>, even on an ordinary <02455> journey <01870>. How much more so <0637> will they be holy <06942> today <03117>, along with their equipment <03627>!”
6So the priest <03548> gave <05414> him holy <06944> bread, for <03588> there was <01961> no <03808> bread <03899> there <08033> other than <0518> the bread <03899> of the Presence <06440>. It had been removed <05493> from before <06440> the Lord <03068> in order to replace <07760> it with hot <02527> bread <03899> on the day <03117> it had been taken away <03947>.
7(One <0376> of Saul’s <07586> servants <05650> was there <08033> that day <03117>, detained <06113> before <06440> the Lord <03069>. His <01931> name <08034> was Doeg <01673> the Edomite <0130>, who <0834> was in charge of Saul’s <07586> shepherds <07473>.)
8David <01732> said <0559> to Ahimelech <0288>, “Is <03426> there no <0371> sword <02719> or <0176> spear <02595> here <06311> at your disposal? I don’t have my own sword <02719> or <03808> equipment <03627> in hand <03027> due to the urgency <05169> of the king’s <04428> instructions <01697>.”
9The priest <03548> replied <0559>, “The sword <02719> of Goliath <01555> the Philistine <06430>, whom <0834> you struck down <05221> in the valley <06010> of Elah <0425>, is wrapped <03874> in a garment <08071> behind <0310> the ephod <0646>. If <0518> you wish, take <03947> it for yourself. Other <0312> than that <03588>, there’s nothing <0369> here <02088>.” David <01732> said <0559>, “There’s nothing <0369> like <03644> it! Give <05414> it to me!”
10So on that <01931> day <03117> David <01732> arose <06965> and fled <01272> from <06440> Saul <07586>. He went <0935> to <0413> King <04428> Achish <0397> of Gath <01661>.
11The servants <05650> of Achish <0397> said <0559> to <0413> him, “Isn’t <03808> this <02088> David <01732>, the king <04428> of the land <0776>? Isn’t <03808> he the one <02088> that they sing <06030> about when they dance <04246>, saying <0559>, ‘Saul <07586> struck down <05221> his thousands <0505>, But David <01732> his tens of thousands <07233>’?”
12David <01732> thought <07760> about what they said <01697> and was very <03966> afraid <03372> of <06440> King <04428> Achish <0397> of Gath <01661>.
13He altered <08138> his behavior <02940> in their presence <05869>. Since he was in their power <03027>, he pretended to be insane <01984>, making marks <08427> on <05921> the doors <01817> of the gate <08179> and letting his saliva <07388> run down <03381> his beard <02206>.
14Achish <0397> said <0559> to <0413> his servants <05650>, “Look at <07200> this madman <07696> <0376>! Why <04100> did you bring <0935> him to <0413> me?
15Do I <0589> have a shortage <02638> of fools <07696>, that <03588> you have brought <0935> me this <02088> man to display his insanity <07696> in front of <05921> me? Should this <02088> man enter <0413> <0935> my house <01004>?”