1
Then came David to Nov to Achimelekh the Kohen: and Achimelekh came to meet David trembling, and said to him, Why are you alone, and no man with you?
2
David said to Achimelekh the Kohen, The king has commanded me a business, and has said to me, Let no man know anything of the business about which I send you, and what I have commanded you: and I have appointed the young men to such and such a place.
3
Now therefore what is under your hand? give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever there is present.
4
The Kohen answered David, and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women.
5
David answered the Kohen, and said to him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days; when I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey; how much more then today shall their vessels be holy?
6
So the Kohen gave him holy [bread]; for there was no bread there but the show bread, 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 Sha'ul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Do'eg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Sha'ul.
8
David said to Achimelekh, Isn't there here under your hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.