21 ¹ (21:2) David went to Ahimelech the priest in Nob. Ahimelech was shaking with fear when he met^[a] David, and said to him, “Why are you by yourself with no one accompanying you?” ² David replied to Ahimelech the priest, “The king instructed me to do something, but he said to me, ‘Don’t let anyone know the reason I am sending you or the instructions I have given you.’^[b] I have told my soldiers^[c] to wait at a certain place.^{[d] 3} Now what do you have at your disposal?^[e] Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.”

⁴ The priest replied to David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread at my disposal. Only holy bread is available, and then only if your soldiers^[f] have abstained from relations with women.”^{[g] 5} David said to the priest, “Certainly women have been kept away from us, just as on previous occasions when I have set out. The soldiers’^[h] equipment^[i] is holy, even on an ordinary journey. How much more so will they be holy today, along with their equipment!”

⁶ So the priest gave him holy bread, for there was no bread there other than the Bread of the Presence. It had been removed from before the Lord in order to replace it with hot bread on the day it had been taken away. ⁷ (One of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul’s shepherds.) ⁸ David said to Ahimelech, “Is there no sword or spear here at your disposal? I don’t have my own sword or equipment in hand due to the urgency of the king’s instructions.”

⁹ But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with the servants of Saul, replied, “I saw this son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. ¹⁰ He inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

¹¹ Then the king arranged for a meeting with the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all the priests of his father’s house who were at Nob. They all came to the king. ¹² Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub.” He replied, “Here I am, my lord.” ¹³ Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and this son of Jesse? You gave^[a] him bread and a sword and inquired of God on his behalf, so that he opposes^[b] me and waits in ambush, as is the case today!”

¹⁴ Ahimelech replied to the king, “Who among all your servants is faithful like David? He is the king’s son-in-law, the leader of your bodyguard, and honored in your house. ¹⁵ Was it just today that I began to inquire of God on his behalf? Far be it from me! The king should not accuse^[c] his servant or any of my father’s house, for your servant is not aware of all this—not in whole or in part!”^[d]

¹⁶ But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!” ¹⁷ Then the king said to the messengers^[e] who were stationed beside him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, for they too have sided^[f] with David. They knew he was fleeing, but they did not inform me.” But the king’s servants refused to harm^[g] the priests of the Lord.

¹⁸ Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests. He killed on that day eighty-five^[h] men who wore the linen ephod. ¹⁹ As for Nob, the city of the priests, Doeg struck down men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep—all with the sword.

²⁰ But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped and fled to David. His name was Abiathar.

David Eludes Saul Again

⁶ Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech had fled to David at Keilah, he had brought with him an ephod.^[a]

⁷ Then David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.