Davidדָוִדcameוַיָּבֹאto Nob,נֹבֶהtoאֶלAhimelechאֲחִימֶלֶךְthe priest.הַכֹּהֵןAhimelechאֲחִימֶלֶךְcame tremblingוַיֶּחֱרַדto meetלִקְרַאתDavidדָּוִדand saidוַיֹּאמֶרto him,לוֹ“Whyמַדּוּעַare youאַתָּהalone,לְבַדֶּךָand no oneוְאִישׁ אֵיןis with you?”אִתָּךְ
Davidדָּוִדsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto Ahimelechלַאֲחִימֶלֶךְthe priest,הַכֹּהֵן“The kingהַמֶּלֶךְhas commanded meצִוַּנִיa matterדָבָרand saidוַיֹּאמֶרto me,אֵלַי‘Let no oneאִישׁ אַלknowיֵדַעanythingמְאוּמָהof the matterהַדָּבָרon whichאֲשֶׁרIאָנֹכִיam sending youשֹׁלֵחֲךָand whichוַאֲשֶׁרI have commanded you.’צִוִּיתִךָAndוְthe young menהַנְּעָרִיםI have directedיוֹדַעְתִּיtoאֶלsuch and suchפְּלֹנִי אַלְמוֹנִיa place.מְקוֹם
Now then,וְעַתָּהwhatמַהis thereיֵּשׁunderתַּחַתyour hand?יָדְךָGiveתְּנָהfiveחֲמִשָּׁהloaves of breadלֶחֶםinto my hand,בְיָדִיorאוֹwhatever is found.”הַנִּמְצָא
The priestהַכֹּהֵןansweredוַיַּעַןDavidדָּוִדand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“There is noאֵיןcommonחֹלbreadלֶחֶםunderאֶל תַּחַתmy hand,יָדִיbutכִּי אִםthere isיֵשׁholyקֹדֶשׁbread,לֶחֶםifאִםthe young menהַנְּעָרִיםhave kept themselvesנִשְׁמְרוּat leastאַךְfrom women.”מֵאִשָּׁה
Davidדָּוִדansweredוַיַּעַןthe priestהַכֹּהֵןand saidוַיֹּאמֶרto him,לוֹ“Surelyכִּי אִםwomenאִשָּׁהhave been kept fromעֲצֻרָהusלָנוּas yesterdayכִּתְמוֹלand the day beforeשִׁלְשֹׁםwhen I set out,בְּצֵאתִיand the thingsוַ כְלֵיof the young menהַנְּעָרִיםwereיִּהְיוּholy,קֹדֶשׁthough itוְהוּאwas an ordinaryחֹלjourney;דֶּרֶךְhow much moreוְאַף כִּיtodayהַיּוֹםwill they be holyיִקְדַּשׁin their things!”בַּכֶּלִי
So the priestהַכֹּהֵןgaveוַיִּתֶּןhimלוֹholy bread,קֹדֶשׁforכִּיthere was noלֹא הָיָהbreadלֶחֶםthereשָׁםexceptכִּי אִםthe breadלֶחֶםof the presenceהַפָּנִיםthat had been removedהַמּוּסָרִיםfrom beforeמִלִּפְנֵיYHWH,יְהוָהto putלָשׂוּםhotחֹםbread thereלֶחֶםon the dayבְּיוֹםit was taken away.הִלָּקְחוֹ
Now thereוְשָׁםwas a manאִישׁof the servantsמֵעַבְדֵיof Saulשָׁאוּלon thatבַּ הַהוּאday,יּוֹםdetainedנֶעְצָרbeforeלִפְנֵיYHWH;יְהוָהhis name wasוּשְׁמוֹDoegדֹּאֵגthe Edomite,הָאֲדֹמִיthe chiefאַבִּירof the shepherdsהָרֹעִיםwhoאֲשֶׁרbelonged to Saul.לְשָׁאוּל
Davidדָּוִדsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto Ahimelech,לַאֲחִימֶלֶךְ“And is there notוְאִין יֶשׁhereפֹּהunderתַחַתyour handיָדְךָa spearחֲנִיתorאוֹa sword?חָרֶבForכִּיI did not takeלֹא לָקַחְתִּיeitherגַםmy swordחַרְבִּיorוְגַםmy weaponsכֵּלַיin my hand,בְיָדִיbecauseכִּיthe king’sהַמֶּלֶךְbusinessדְבַרwasהָיָהurgent.”נָחוּץ
The priestהַכֹּהֵןsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“The swordחֶרֶבof Goliathגָּלְיָתthe Philistine,הַפְּלִשְׁתִּיwhomאֲשֶׁרyou struckהִכִּיתָin the Valleyבְּעֵמֶקof Elah,הָאֵלָהlook,הִנֵּהitהִיאis wrappedלוּטָהin a cloakבַשִּׂמְלָהbehindאַחֲרֵיthe ephod.הָאֵפוֹדIfאִםyou will takeתִּקַּחitאֹתָהּfor yourself,לְךָtake it,קָחforכִּיthere is noאֵיןotherאַחֶרֶתbesides itזוּלָתָהּhere.”בָּזֶהDavidדָּוִדsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“There is noneאֵיןlike it;כָּמוֹהָgive itתְּנֶנָּהto me.”לִּי
Davidדָּוִדaroseוַיָּקָםand fledוַיִּבְרַחon thatבַּ הַהוּאdayיּוֹםfromמִפְּנֵיSaul,שָׁאוּלand cameוַיָּבֹאtoאֶלAchishאָכִישׁkingמֶלֶךְof Gath.גַּת
The servantsעַבְדֵיof Achishאָכִישׁsaidוַיֹּאמְרוּto him,אֵלָיו“Is notהֲלוֹאthisזֶהDavid,דָוִדthe kingמֶלֶךְof the land?הָאָרֶץIs it notהֲלוֹאof this oneלָזֶהthat they answered one anotherיַעֲנוּin the dances,בַמְּחֹלוֹתsaying,לֵאמֹר‘Saulשָׁאוּלhas struckהִכָּהhis thousands,בַּאֲלָפָיוand Davidוְדָוִדhis myriads’?”בְּרִבְבֹתָיו
Davidדָּוִדlaidוַיָּשֶׂםtheseהָאֵלֶּהwordsהַדְּבָרִיםin his heartבִּלְבָבוֹand wasוַveryמְאֹדafraidיִּרָאofמִפְּנֵיAchishאָכִישׁkingמֶלֶךְof Gath.גַּת
So he changedוַיְשַׁנּhis behaviorוֹ טַעְמוֹbefore their eyesבְּעֵינֵיהֶםand pretended to be madוַיִּתְהֹלֵלin their hands,בְּיָדָםand made marksוַיְתָיוonעַלthe doorsדַּלְתוֹתof the gate,הַשַּׁעַרand let his saliva run downוַיּוֹרֶד רִירוֹontoאֶלhis beard.זְקָנוֹ
Achishאָכִישׁsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto his servants,אֶל עֲבָדָיו“Look,הִנֵּהyou seeתִרְאוּa manאִישׁbehaving like a madman.מִשְׁתַּגֵּעַWhyלָמָּהdo you bringתָּבִיאוּhimאֹתוֹto me?אֵלָי
Do I lackחֲסַר אָנִיmadmen,מְשֻׁגָּעִיםthatכִּיyou have broughtהֲבֵאתֶםthis oneזֶהto behave like a madmanלְהִשְׁתַּגֵּעַbefore me?עָלָיShould this oneהֲזֶהcomeיָבוֹאintoאֶלmy house?”בֵּיתִי