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!”
1 Tad Dāvids nonāca Nobā pie priestera Ahimeleha, bet Ahimelehs izbijās, nāca Dāvidam pretī un viņam jautāja: "Kāpēc tu nāc viens pats un neviena nav tev līdzi?" 2 Tad Dāvids sacīja priesterim Ahimeleham: "Ķēniņš man ir devis kādu uzdevumu, un viņš man sacīja: lai neviens nekā nedabū zināt par to lietu, kuras dēļ es esmu tevi sūtījis un par ko es esmu tev pavēlējis! - Tāpēc es esmu saviem puišiem pavēlējis palikt noteiktā vietā. 3 Un nu, kas tev ir pie rokas pašreiz? Dod man kādas piecas maizes vai kas vien te atrodas!" 4 Tad priesteris atbildēja Dāvidam: "Man nav še pie rokas ikdienišķās maizes, bet gan tikai svētās maizes; ja vien puiši ir atturējušies no sievām!" 5 Tad Dāvids atbildēja priesterim: "Tiešām! Sievas mums jau trīs un pat vairākas dienas nav bijušas pieejamas, kopš esam ceļā, un šo puišu miesas bija šķīstas un lietas bija svētas - arī šoreiz, kaut tas ir parasts gājiens. Bet cik daudz vairāk tas izcelsies šodien, kad tas tiks svētīts ar šo svētumu!" 6 Tad priesteris viņam iedeva svēto maizi, šo svētumu, tāpēc ka tur nebija citas maizes kā vienīgi tikai pāri palikušās Tam Kungam priekšā ceļamās maizes, kuras noņēma, lai atkal tanī pašā dienā uzliktu jaunas. 7 Un tur bija todien kāds vīrs no Saula kalpiem. Tas bija ieslēdzies Tā Kunga priekšā, un viņa vārds bija Doēgs, viņš bija edomietis un uzraugs pār Saula ganiem. 8 Un Dāvids prasīja Ahimeleham: "Vai tev nav pie rokas kāds šķēps vai zobens? Es neesmu līdzi paņēmis nedz savu zobenu, nedz savus ieročus, tāpēc ka ķēniņa uzdevums bija steidzams." 9 Tad priesteris atbildēja: "Redzi, filistieša Goliāta zobens, kuru tu Terebinšu ielejā nokāvi, tas ir še drēbē ietīts aiz efoda; ja tu to gribi ņemt, tad ņem, jo te cita neviena nav kā tikai tas vien." Tad Dāvids teica: "Cita tāda nav, kas būtu tam līdzināms, dod man to!" 10 Un Dāvids cēlās tanī dienā un bēga no Saula, un viņš nonāca pie Ahiša, Gātas ķēniņa. 11 Tad Ahiša kalpi viņam jautāja: "Vai šis nav Dāvids, kaimiņu zemes ķēniņš? Un vai par viņu nebija sacerēta daudzinājuma dziesma, kuru, dejas solī ejot, dziedāja: Sauls ir nositis tūkstošus, bet Dāvids desmitiem tūkstošu!" 12 Un Dāvids kļuva šo vārdu dēļ ļoti domīgs, un viņš ļoti bijās Ahiša, Gātas ķēniņa. 13 Un tādēļ viņš izlikās vājprātīgs viņu acu priekšā un kā traks dauzīja vārtu divviru durvis, un siekalas tecēja viņa bārdā. 14 Tad Ahišs sacīja saviem kalpiem: "Jūs taču redzat, ka šis vīrs ir kļuvis ārprātīgs. Kāpēc jūs to esat pie manis atveduši? 15 Vai man nav diezgan traku, ka jūs esat atveduši vēl šo manā priekšā, lai tas manā klātbūtnē kā traks ālētos? Vai viņam maz bija atļauts ienākt manā namā?"
