1 Samuel 21

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Then David departed on his way, while Jonathan went back into the city.	1 David then got up and left, and Jonathan went back to the town.
2 David went to Ahimelech, the priest of Nob, who came trembling to meet him and asked, "Why are you alone? Is there no one with you?"	2 David then went to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came out trembling to meet David andsaid, 'Why are you alone? Why is nobody with you?'
3 David answered the priest: "The king gave me a commission and told me to let no one know anything about the business on which he sent me or the commission he gave me. For that reason I have arranged a meeting place with my men.	3 David replied to Ahimelech the priest, 'The king has given me an order and said to me, "Do not letanyone know anything about the mission on which I am sending you, or about the order which I have given you."I have arranged to meet the guards at such and such a place.
4 Now what have you on hand? Give me five loaves, or whatever you can find."	4 Meanwhile, if you have five loaves of bread to hand, give them to me, or whatever there is.'
5 But the priest replied to David, "I have no ordinary bread on hand, only holy bread; if the men have abstained from women, you may eat some of that."	5 The priest replied to David, 'I have no ordinary bread to hand; there are only consecrated loaves ofpermanent offering -- provided that the men have kept themselves from women?'
6 David answered the priest: "We have indeed been segregated from women as on previous occasions. Whenever I go on a journey, all the young men are consecrated--even for a secular journey. All the more so today, when they are consecrated at arms!"	6 David replied to the priest, 'Certainly, women have been forbidden to us, as always when I set off on acampaign. The men's things are clean. Though this is a profane journey, they are certainly clean today as far astheir things are concerned.'
7 So the priest gave him holy bread, for no other bread was on hand except the showbread which had been removed from the LORD'S presence and replaced by fresh bread when it was taken away.	7 The priest then gave him what had been consecrated, for the only bread there was the loaves ofpermanent offering, which is taken out of Yahweh's presence, to be replaced by warm bread on the day when itis removed.
8 One of Saul's servants was there that day, detained before the LORD; his name was Doeg the Edomite, and he was Saul's chief henchman.	8 Now one of Saul's servants happened to be there that day, detained in Yahweh's presence; his namewas Doeg the Edomite and he was the strongest of Saul's shepherds.
9 David then asked Ahimelech: "Do you have a spear or a sword on hand? I brought along neither my sword nor my weapons, because the king's business was urgent."	9 David then said to Ahimelech, 'Have you no spear or sword here to hand? I did not bring either mysword or my weapons with me, because the king's business was urgent.'
10 The priest replied: "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Vale of the Terebinth, is here (wrapped in a mantle) behind an ephod. If you wish to take that, take it; there is no sword here except that one." David said: "There is none to match it. Give it to me!"	10 The priest replied, 'The sword of Goliath the Philistine whom you kil ed in the Val ey of the Terebinthis here, wrapped in a piece of clothing behind the ephod; if you care to take it, do so, for that is the only onehere.' David said, 'There is nothing like that one; give it to me.'
11 That same day David took to flight from Saul, going to Achish, king of Gath.	11 David journeyed on and that day fled out of Saul's reach, going to Achish king of Gath.
12 But the servants of Achish said, "Is this not David, the king of the land? During their dances do they not sing, 'Saul has slain his thousands, but David his ten thousands'?"	12 Achish's servants said to him, 'Is not this David, the king of the country? Was it not of him that theysang as they danced: Saul has kil ed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands?'
13 David took note of these remarks and became very much afraid of Achish, king of Gath.	13 David pondered on these words and became very frightened of Achish king of Gath.
14 So, as they watched, he feigned insanity and acted like a madman in their hands, drumming on the doors of the gate and drooling onto his beard.	14 When their eyes were on him, he played the madman and, when they held him, he feigned lunacy.He drummed his feet on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard.
15 Finally Achish said to his servants: "You see the man is mad. Why did you bring him to me?	15 Achish said to his servants, 'You can see that this man is mad. Why bring him to me?
16 Do I not have enough madmen, that you bring in this one to carry on in my presence? Should this fellow come into my house?"	16 Have I not enough madmen, without your bringing me this one to weary me with his antics? Is he tojoin my household?'