Ahimelech Helps David
1 David went to see Ahimelech, a priest who lived in the town of Nob. Ahimelech was trembling with fear as he came out to meet David. “Why are you alone?” Ahimelech asked. “Why isn't anyone else with you?”
2 “I'm on a mission for King Saul,” David answered. “He ordered me not to tell anyone what the mission is all about, so I ordered my soldiers to stay somewhere else. 3 Do you have any food you can give me? Could you spare five loaves of bread?”
4 “The only bread I have is the sacred bread,” the priest told David. “You can have it if your soldiers didn't sleep with women last night.”
5 “Of course we didn't sleep with women,” David answered. “I never let my men do that when we're on a mission. They have to be acceptable to worship God even when we're on a regular mission, and today we're on a special mission.”
6 The only bread the priest had was the sacred bread that he had taken from the place of worship after putting out the fresh loaves. So he gave it to David.
7 It so happened that one of Saul's officers was there, worshiping the Lord that day. His name was Doeg the Edomite, and he was the strongest of Saul's shepherds.
8 David asked Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or a sword? I had to leave so quickly on this mission for the king that I didn't bring along my sword or any other weapons.”
9 The priest answered, “The only sword here is the one that belonged to Goliath the Philistine. You were the one who killed him in Elah Valley, and so you can take his sword if you want to. It's wrapped in a cloth behind the statue.”
“It's the best sword there is,” David said. “I'll take it!”
David Tries To Find Safety in Gath
10 David kept on running from Saul that day until he came to Gath, where he met with King Achish. 11 The officers of King Achish were also there, and they asked Achish, “Isn't David a king back in his own country? Don't the Israelites dance and sing,
‘Saul has killed
a thousand enemies;
David has killed
ten thousand’?”
12 David thought about what they were saying, and it made him afraid of Achish. 13 So right there in front of everyone, he pretended to be insane. He acted confused and started making scratches on the doors of the town gate, while drooling in his beard.
14 “Look at him!” Achish said to his officers. “You can see he's crazy. Why did you bring him to me? 15 I have enough crazy people without your bringing another one here. Keep him away from my palace!”
Dāvids ņem upurmaizes
1 Tad viņš cēlās un devās prom, bet Jonatāns atgriezās pilsētā. 2 Dāvids ieradās Nobā pie priestera Ahīmeleha, un Ahīmelehs iztrūcies iznāca Dāvidam pretī un jautāja: “Kādēļ tu esi viens un neviens nav tev līdzi?” 3 Dāvids teica priesterim Ahīmeleham: “Ķēniņš man uzticēja kādu lietu un piekodināja: neviens nedrīkst zināt, kur es tevi sūtu un ko esmu tev pavēlējis! Bet ar puišiem man sarunāts kādā vietā. 4 Nu, kas tev ir pie rokas? Dod man piecas maizes vai kas nu tev atrodas.” 5 Priesteris atbildēja Dāvidam: “Parastas maizes man nav, vienīgi svētā maize – ja vien puiši būtu atturējušies no sievietēm…”
6 Dāvids atbildēja priesterim: “Sievietes mums bijušas liegtas vienmēr, kad es kur dodos, un puišu rīki ir svēti arī ikdienas ceļos – un šodien vēl jo vairāk tā maize mūsos paliks svēta.” 7 Tad priesteris deva viņam svētumu, jo tur nebija citas maizes kā vien upurmaizes, kas ņemamas no Kunga galda, lai noliktu karstu maizi, kad iepriekšējā noņemta. 8 Un tur bija kāds vīrs no Saula kalpiem, kas todien bija aizkavējies Kunga priekšā, edomietis Doēgs, Saula ganu virsnieks. 9 Dāvids jautāja Ahīmeleham: “Vai tev nav pie rokas kāds šķēps vai zobens – savu zobenu vai citus ieročus neesmu paņēmis, jo ķēniņa lieta bija steidzama!”
Dāvids bēg uz Gatu
10 Priesteris atbildēja: “Redzi, filistieša Goliāta zobens, viņu tu nokāvi Ēlas ielejā, tas ietīts apmetnī aiz efoda. Ņem to, ja gribi, izņemot to, nekā cita te nav!” Un Dāvids teica: “Otra tāda nav! Dod man to!” 11 Tajā pašā dienā Dāvids bēga no Saula pie Gatas ķēniņa Ahīša. 12 Ahīša kalpi teica viņam: “Vai šis nav Dāvids, viņu ķēniņš? Vai tad ne par šo viņi dejodami dzied:
Sauls kāva tūkstošus,
Dāvids – desmitiem tūkstošu!”
13 Dāvids ieklausījās šajos vārdos, un viņam uznāca bailes no Gatas ķēniņa Ahīša. 14 Viņš tēloja viņu priekšā, rāvās kā traks viņu rokās – spēra pa vārtiem un slienāja bārdā. 15 Ahīšs teica saviem kalpiem: “Jūs taču redzat, ka tas vīrs ir traks! Kāpēc jūs atvedāt viņu pie manis? 16 Vai man trūkst trako, ka jūs vēl šo esat atveduši, lai tas šeit pie manis ārdītos? Vai tādam jānāk manā mājā?”
