ThencameDavid to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and saidunto him, Why art thoualone, and no man withthee?
And DavidsaiduntoAhimelech the priest, The kinghathcommanded me a business, and hathsaidunto me, Let no man know any thing of the businesswhereabout I sendthee, and what I havecommandedthee: and I haveappointed my servants to such and such a place.
And the priestansweredDavid, and said, There is no commonbreadunderminehand, but there is hallowedbread; if the young men havekeptthemselves at leastfromwomen.
And Davidanswered the priest, and saidunto him, Of a truthwomenhavebeenkeptfrom us aboutthesethreedays, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a mannercommon, yea, though it weresanctifiedthis day in the vessel.
So the priestgave him hallowedbread: for there was no breadthere but the shewbread, that was takenfrombefore the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was takenaway.
Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was therethat day, detainedbefore the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmenthatbelonged to Saul.
And DavidsaiduntoAhimelech, And is there not hereunderthinehandspear or sword? for I haveneitherbrought my sword nor my weaponswith me, because the king’sbusinessrequiredhaste.
And the priestsaid, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whomthouslewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is herewrapped in a clothbehind the ephod: if thouwilttakethat, take it: for there is no othersavethathere. And Davidsaid, There is nonelikethat; give it me.
And the servants of Achishsaidunto him, Is not thisDavid the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saulhathslain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
And he changed his behaviourbeforethem, and feignedhimself mad in theirhands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittlefalldownupon his beard.