Ahimelech

1Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

David came to the town of Nob. He went to Ahimelech, a priest. A priest was a man who served God at the holy place. Ahimelech shook with fear when he saw David. He asked, "Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?"

2And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

David said to Ahimelech, "The king gave me a job to do. He told me not to tell anyone about it. I told my men to meet me at a certain place."

3Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.

"So what food do you have here? Please give me five loaves of bread. Or give me whatever you can find."

4And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.

The priest answered, "I have no ordinary bread here. I only have holy bread, set apart for God. Your young men may eat it if they have kept away from women."

5And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.

David said, "Yes, we have kept away from women. We always do when I go out. My men and their things are clean and ready. That is true even on ordinary trips. It is even more true today."

6So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

So the priest gave him the holy bread. It was the only bread he had. It was the special bread kept in front of the LORD. Fresh warm bread had just been put in its place.

7Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.

One of King Saul's servants was there that day. He was being kept at the holy place for some reason. His name was Doeg, and he came from Edom. He was the chief of Saul's shepherds.

8And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.

David asked Ahimelech, "Do you have a spear or a sword here? I did not bring my sword or my other weapons. The king's job had to be done in a hurry."

9And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.

The priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine is here. You killed him in the valley of Elah. The sword is wrapped in cloth behind the ephod. Take it if you want it. There is no other sword here." David said, "There is none like it. Give it to me."

9Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

A man named Doeg from Edom was standing with Saul's servants. He said, "I saw David come to the town of Nob. He came to Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub.

10And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

Ahimelech asked the LORD what David should do. He also gave David food and the sword of Goliath, the Philistine giant."

11Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

So the king sent for Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub. He also sent for Ahimelech's whole family, the priests who lived in Nob. All of them came to the king.

12And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

Saul said, "Listen to me, son of Ahitub." Ahimelech answered, "I am here, my lord."

13And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

Saul said, "Why did you and David plan against me? You gave him bread and a sword. You asked God what he should do. Now he is waiting to attack me."

14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

Ahimelech answered the king, "No servant of yours is as loyal as David. He is married to your daughter. He leads your guards, and your house honors him.

15Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.

That was not the first time I asked God for him. I would never plan against you! Please do not blame me or my family. I knew nothing at all about any of this."

16And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house.

But the king said, "Ahimelech, you will surely die. So will everyone in your family."

17And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD: because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

The king told the guards standing near him, "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD. They helped David. They knew he ran away and did not tell me." But the king's servants would not raise a hand against the priests of the LORD.

18And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

So the king said to Doeg, "You turn and kill the priests." Doeg from Edom turned and killed them. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen vest of a priest.

19And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

He also attacked Nob, the town where the priests lived. He killed the men and women there with the sword. He killed the children and babies too, and the cows, donkeys, and sheep.

20And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

But one son of Ahimelech got away. His name was Abiathar, and he ran to David.

21And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD’s priests.

Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

22And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’s house.

David said to Abiathar, "I knew that day that Doeg was there. I knew he would tell Saul. It is my fault that your whole family died.

23Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.

Stay with me. Do not be afraid. The man who wants to kill me also wants to kill you. You will be safe with me."