1 Samuel 21:5-15

5 And David answered the priest and said unto him, "Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days since I came out; and the vessels of the young men are holy and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel."
6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
7 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 chiefest of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.
8 And David said unto Ahimelech, "And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste."
9 And the priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If thou wilt take that, take it; for there is no other save that here." And David said, "There is none like that; give it to me."
10 And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, "Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, `Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?"
12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
13 And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
14 Then said Achish unto his servants, "Lo, ye see the man is mad. Why then have ye brought him to me?
15 Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?"

1 Samuel 21:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 21

This chapter relates that David went to Nob, and pretending he was on secret business for the king, got shewbread, and the sword of Goliath, from Ahimelech the priest, 1Sa 21:1-9; and that passing from thence to Gath, where he was known, through fear feigned himself mad, and so escaped from thence, 1Sa 21:10-15.

Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.