1 Samuel 21

New King James Version

David and the Holy Bread

21 Now David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And^(A)Ahimelech was^(B)afraid when he met David, and said to him, “Whyareyou alone, and no one is with you?”

² So David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has ordered me on some business, and said to me, ‘Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you, or what I have commanded you.’ And I have directedmyyoung men to such and such a place.³ Now therefore, what have you on hand? Givemefiveloaves ofbread in my hand, or whatever can be found.”

⁴ And the priest answered David and said, “There isno^[a]common bread on hand; but there is^(C)holy^[b]bread,^(D)if the young men have at least kept themselves from women.”

⁵ Then David answered the priest, and said to him, “Truly, womenhave beenkept from us about three days since I came out. And^[c]the^(E)vessels of the young men are holy, andthe bread isin effect common, even though it was consecrated^(F)in the vessel this day.”

⁶ So the priest^(G)gave him holybread;for there was no bread there but the showbread^(H)which had been taken from before theLord, in order to put hot breadin its placeon the day when it was taken away.

⁷ Now a certain man of the servants of Saulwasthere that day, detained before theLord. And his namewas^(I)Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen whobelongedto Saul.

⁸ And David said to Ahimelech, “Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.”

⁹ So the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in^(J)the Valley of Elah,^(K)there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, takeit.Forthere isno other except that one here.”

And David said, “There isnone like it; give it to me.”

David Flees to Gath

¹⁰ Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.¹¹ And^(L)the servants of Achish said to him, “Isthis not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying:

¹² Now David^(N)took these words^[d]to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.¹³ So^(O)he changed his behavior before them, pretended^[e]madness in their hands,^[f]scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard.¹⁴ Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me?¹⁵ Have I need of madmen, that you have brought thisfellowto play the madman in my presence? Shall thisfellowcome into my house?”