American Standard Version (ASV) With Strong Codes

1. Then came[H935] David[H1732] to Nob[H5011] to Ahimelech[H288] the priest[H3548]: and Ahimelech[H288] came to meet[H7125] David[H1732] trembling[H2729], and said[H559] unto him[H376], Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

2. And David[H1732] said[H559] unto Ahimelech[H288] the priest[H3548], The king[H4428] hath commanded[H6680] me a business[H1697], and hath said[H559] unto me[H376], Let no man know[H3045] anything[H3972] of the business[H1697] whereabout I send[H7971] thee[H6680], and what I have commanded thee[H6680]: and I have appointed the young men[H5288] to such[H6423] and such[H492] a place[H4725].

3. Now therefore what is[H3426] under thy hand[H3027]? give[H5414] me five[H2568] loaves of bread[H3899] in my hand[H3027], or whatsoever there is present[H4672].

4. And the priest[H3548] answered[H6030] David[H1732], and said[H559], There is no common[H2455] bread[H3899] under my hand[H3027], but there is[H3426] holy[H6944] bread[H3899]; if only the young men[H5288] have kept[H8104] themselves from[H389] women[H802].

5. And David[H1732] answered[H6030] the priest[H3548], and said[H559] unto him[H518], Of a truth women[H802] have been kept[H6113] from us about these three[H8032] days[H8543]; when I came out[H3318], the vessels[H3627] of the young men[H5288] were holy[H6944], though it was but a common[H2455] journey[H1870]; how much more then to-day[H3117] shall their vessels[H3627] be holy[H6942]?

6. So the priest[H3548] gave[H5414] him holy[H6944] bread[H3899]; for there was no bread there but the showbread[H3899], that was taken[H5493] from before[H6440] Jehovah[H3068], to put[H7760] hot[H2527] bread[H3899] in the day[H3117] when it was taken away[H3947].

7. Now a certain man[H376] of the servants[H5650] of Saul[H7586] was there that day[H3117], detained[H6113] before[H6440] Jehovah[H3068]; and his name[H8034] was Doeg[H1673] the Edomite[H130], the chiefest[H47] of the herdsmen[H7462] that belonged to Saul[H7586].

8. And David[H1732] said[H559] unto Ahimelech[H288], And is there[H3426] not[H371] here under thy hand[H3027] spear[H2595] or sword[H2719]? for I have neither brought[H3947] my sword[H2719] nor my weapons[H3627] with me[H3027], because the king[H4428]'s business[H1697] required[H1961] haste[H5169].

9. And the priest[H3548] said[H559], The sword[H2719] of Goliath[H1555] the Philistine[H6430], whom thou slewest[H5221] in the vale[H6010] of Elah[H425], behold[H3874], it is here wrapped in a cloth[H8071] behind[H310] the ephod[H646]: if thou wilt take[H3947] that[H3947], take it[H312]; for there is no other save[H2108] that here[H2088]. And David[H1732] said[H559], There is none like that[H5414]; give it me.

10. And David[H1732] arose[H6965], and fled[H1272] that day[H3117] for fear[H6440] of Saul[H7586], and went[H935] to Achish[H397] the king[H4428] of Gath[H1661].

11. And the servants[H5650] of Achish[H397] said[H559] unto him[H1732], Is not this David the king[H4428] of the land[H776]? did they not sing[H6030] one to another of him[H2088] in dances[H4246], saying[H559], Saul[H7586] hath slain[H5221] his thousands[H505], And David[H1732] his ten thousands[H7233]?

12. And David[H1732] laid up[H7760] these words[H1697] in his heart[H3824], and was sore[H3966] afraid[H3372] of[H6440] Achish[H397] the king[H4428] of Gath[H1661].

13. And he changed[H8138] his behavior[H2940] before[H5869] them[H1984], and feigned himself mad in their hands[H3027], and scrabbled[H8427] on the doors[H1817] of the gate[H8179], and let his spittle[H7388] fall down[H3381] upon his beard[H2206].

14. Then said[H559] Achish[H397] unto his servants[H5650], Lo[H7200], ye see the man[H376] is mad[H7696]; wherefore then have ye brought him to me[H935]?

15. Do I lack[H2638] madmen[H7696], that ye have brought[H935] this fellow to play the madman[H7696] in my presence[H935]? shall this fellow come into my house[H1004]?