Parallel Bible results for "1 samuel 21"

1 Samuel 21

The Message Bible MSG

1 avid went on his way and Jonathan returned to town. David went to Nob, to Ahimelech the Priest. Ahimelech was alarmed as he went out to greet David: "What are you doing here all by yourself - and not a soul with you?"

2 David answered Ahimelech the Priest, "The king sent me on a mission and gave strict orders: 'This is top secret - not a word of this to a soul.' I've arranged to meet up with my men in a certain place.

3 Now, what's there here to eat? Do you have five loaves of bread? Give me whatever you can scrounge up!"

4 "I don't have any regular bread on hand," said the priest. "I only have holy bread. If your men have not slept with women recently, it's yours."

5 David said, "None of us has touched a woman. I always do it this way when I'm on a mission: My men abstain from sex. Even when it is an ordinary mission we do that - how much more on this holy mission."

6 So the priest gave them the holy bread. It was the only bread he had, Bread of the Presence that had been removed from God's presence and replaced by fresh bread at the same time.

7 One of Saul's officials was present that day keeping a religious vow. His name was Doeg the Edomite. He was chief of Saul's shepherds.

8 David asked Ahimelech, "Do you have a spear or sword of any kind around here? I didn't have a chance to grab my weapons. The king's mission was urgent and I left in a hurry."

9 The priest said, "The sword of Goliath, the Philistine you killed at Oak Valley - that's here! It's behind the Ephod wrapped in a cloth. If you want it, take it. There's nothing else here."

10 "Oh," said David, "there's no sword like that! Give it to me!"

11 When the servants of Achish saw him, they said, "Can this be David, the famous David? Is this the one they sing of at their dances? Saul kills by the thousand, David by the ten thousand!"

12 When David realized that he had been recognized, he panicked, fearing the worst from Achish, king of Gath.

13 So right there, while they were looking at him, he pretended to go crazy, pounding his head on the city gate and foaming at the mouth, spit dripping from his beard.

14 Achish took one look at him and said to his servants, "Can't you see he's crazy? Why did you let him in here?

15 Don't you think I have enough crazy people to put up with as it is without adding another? Get him out of here!"

New Century Version NCV

1 David went to Nob to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech shook with fear when he saw David, and he asked, "Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?"

2 David answered him, "The king gave me a special order. He told me, 'No one must know what I am sending you to do or what I told you to do.' I told my men where to meet me.

3 Now, what food do you have with you? Give me five loaves of bread or anything you find."

4 The priest said to David, "I don't have any plain bread here, but I do have some holy bread. You may eat it if your men have kept themselves from women."

5 David answered, "No women have been near us for days. My men always keep themselves holy, even when we do ordinary work. And this is especially true when the work is holy."

6 So the priest gave David the holy bread from the presence of God because there was no other. Each day the holy bread was replaced with hot bread.

7 One of Saul's servants happened to be there that day. He had been held there before the Lord. He was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's shepherds.

8 David asked Ahimelech, "Do you have a spear or sword here? The king's business was very important, so I left without my sword or any other weapon."

9 The priest answered, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, the one you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here. It is wrapped in a cloth behind the holy vest. If you want it, you may take it. There's no other sword here but that one." David said, "There is no other sword like it. Give it to me."

10 That day David ran away from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath.

11 But the servants of Achish said to him, "This is David, the king of the Israelites. He's the man they dance and sing about, saying: 'Saul has killed thousands of his enemies, but David has killed tens of thousands.'"

12 David paid attention to these words and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath.

13 So he pretended to be crazy in front of Achish and his servants. While he was with them, he acted like a madman and clawed on the doors of the gate and let spit run down his beard.

14 Achish said to his servants, "Look at the man! He's crazy! Why do you bring him to me?

15 I have enough madmen. I don't need you to bring him here to act like this in front of me! Don't let him in my house!"