1Samuel:21

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* Now David came to Nob , to Ahimelech the priest . And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David , and said to him , "Why are you alone , and no one is with you ?" * So David said to Ahimelech the priest , "The king has ordered me on some business , and said to me , "Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you , or what I have commanded you .' And I have directed my young men to such and such a place . * Now therefore , what have you on hand ? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand , or whatever can be found ." * And the priest answered David and said , "There is no common bread on hand ; but there is holy bread , if the young men have at least kept themselves from women ." * Then David answered the priest , and said to him , "Truly , women have been kept from us about three days since I came out . And the vessels of the young men are holy , and the bread is in effect common , even though it was consecrated in the vessel this day ." * So the priest gave him holy bread ; for there was no bread there but the showbread which had been taken from before the LORD , in order to put hot bread in its place on the day when it was taken away . * Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day , detained before the LORD . And his name was Doeg , an Edomite , the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul . * And David said to Ahimelech , "Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword ? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me , because the king 's business required haste ." * So the priest said , "The sword of Goliath the Philistine , whom you killed in the Valley of Elah , there it is , wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod . If you will take that , take it . For there is no other except that one here ." And David said , "There is none like it ; give it to me ." * Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul , and went to Achish the king of Gath . * And the servants of Achish said to him , "Is this not David the king of the land ? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances , saying : "Saul has slain his thousands , And David his ten thousands '?" * Now David took these words to heart , and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath . * So he changed his behavior before them , pretended madness in their hands , scratched on the doors of the gate , and let his saliva fall down on his beard . * Then Achish said to his servants , "Look , you see the man is insane . Why have you brought him to me ? * Have I need of madmen , that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence ? Shall this fellow come into my house ?"

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