1 Samuel

Chapter 21

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּa֖qam vayּela֑ke viyhonata֖n bּa֥ ha'iֽyr׃

Edified Edition (EDE)David went to Nob, to Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek trembled when he met him, and asked, "Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?"

וַיָּ֖קָם וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ וִיהוֹנָתָ֖ן בָּ֥א הָעִֽיר׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּabo֤ david֙ no֔beh 'el-'achiyme֖leke hakּohe֑n vayּechera֨d 'achiyme֜leke liqera֣'t dּavi֗d vayּo֤'mer lo֙ madּ֤u'a 'atּah֙ lebadּe֔ka ve'i֖yshsh 'e֥yn 'itּaֽke׃

Edified Edition (EDE)David answered Ahimelek the priest, "The king has sent me on a mission and said to me, 'No one is to know anything about the mission I am sending you on.' As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place.

וַיָּבֹ֤א דָוִד֙ נֹ֔בֶה אֶל־אֲחִימֶ֖לֶךְ הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיֶּחֱרַ֨ד אֲחִימֶ֜לֶךְ לִקְרַ֣את דָּוִ֗ד וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ מַדּ֤וּעַ אַתָּה֙ לְבַדֶּ֔ךָ וְאִ֖ישׁ אֵ֥ין אִתָּֽךְ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֨'mer dּavi֜d la'achiyme֣leke hakּohe֗n hamּeleke֮ tziua֣niy dabar֒ vayּo֣'mer 'ela֗y 'i֣yshsh 'al-ye֧da me'֛umah 'et-hadּaba֛r 'ashsher-'anoki֥y shsholeֽchaka֖ va'ashshe֣r tziuiyti֑ka ve'et-hanּe'ari֣ym yoda֔'etּiy 'el-meq֥om pּeloni֖y 'alemoniֽy׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find."

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד לַאֲחִימֶ֣לֶךְ הַכֹּהֵ֗ן הַמֶּלֶךְ֮ צִוַּ֣נִי דָבָר֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י אִ֣ישׁ אַל־יֵ֧דַע מְא֛וּמָה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־אָנֹכִ֥י שֹׁלֵֽחֲךָ֖ וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֑ךָ וְאֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֣ים יוֹדַ֔עְתִּי אֶל־מְק֥וֹם פְּלֹנִ֖י אַלְמוֹנִֽי׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): ve'atּa֗h mah-yּe֧shsh tּaֽchat-yadeka֛ chamishshּah-le֖chem tּena֣h beyadi֑y '֖o hanּimetzaֽ'׃

Edified Edition (EDE)But the priest answered David, "I don’t have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is some holy bread here, provided the men have kept themselves from women."

וְעַתָּ֗ה מַה־יֵּ֧שׁ תַּֽחַת־יָדְךָ֛ חֲמִשָּׁה־לֶ֖חֶם תְּנָ֣ה בְיָדִ֑י א֖וֹ הַנִּמְצָֽא׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּa֨'an hakּohe֤n 'et-dּavid֙ vayּo֔'mer 'eֽyn-le֥chem cho֖l 'el-tּa֣chat yadi֑y kּiֽy-'im-le֤chem qo֨deshsh֙ ye֔shsh 'im-nishshemer֥u hanּe'ari֖ym 'a֥ke me'ishshּaֽh׃p

Edified Edition (EDE)David replied, "Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever I set out. The men’s bodies are holy even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!"

וַיַּ֨עַן הַכֹּהֵ֤ן אֶת־דָּוִד֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר אֵֽין־לֶ֥חֶם חֹ֖ל אֶל־תַּ֣חַת יָדִ֑י כִּֽי־אִם־לֶ֤חֶם קֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ יֵ֔שׁ אִם־נִשְׁמְר֥וּ הַנְּעָרִ֖ים אַ֥ךְ מֵאִשָּֽׁה׃פ

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּa'an֩ dּavi֨d 'et-hakּohe֜n vayּo֣'mer l֗o kּi֣y 'im-'ishshּa֤h 'atzuֽrah-la֨nu֙ kּitem֣ol shshileshsho֔m bּetze'ti֕y vayּihey֥u keleֽy-hanּe'ari֖ym qo֑deshsh vehu'֙ dּe֣reke cho֔l ve'a֕p kּi֥y hayּ֖om yiqedּa֥shsh bּakּeֽliy׃

Edified Edition (EDE)So the priest gave him the holy bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the LORD and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.

וַיַּעַן֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶת־הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ כִּ֣י אִם־אִשָּׁ֤ה עֲצֻֽרָה־לָ֨נוּ֙ כִּתְמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁ֔ם בְּצֵאתִ֕י וַיִּהְי֥וּ כְלֵֽי־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְהוּא֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ חֹ֔ל וְאַ֕ף כִּ֥י הַיּ֖וֹם יִקְדַּ֥שׁ בַּכֶּֽלִי׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּitּen-l֥o hakּohe֖n qo֑deshsh kּiy֩ lo'-ha֨yah shsha֜m le֗chem kּiֽy-'im-le֤chem hapּaniym֙ hamּֽusariym֙ milּipene֣y yehva֔h lashsum֙ le֣chem cho֔m bּey֖om hilּaqechֽo׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the LORD; he was Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief shepherd.

וַיִּתֶּן־ל֥וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן קֹ֑דֶשׁ כִּי֩ לֹא־הָ֨יָה שָׁ֜ם לֶ֗חֶם כִּֽי־אִם־לֶ֤חֶם הַפָּנִים֙ הַמּֽוּסָרִים֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לָשׂוּם֙ לֶ֣חֶם חֹ֔ם בְּי֖וֹם הִלָּקְחֽוֹ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): veshsha֡m 'iyshsh֩ me'abede֨y shsha'֜ul bּayּ֣om hah֗u ne'etzar֙ lipene֣y yehva֔h ushshem֖o dּo'e֣g ha'adomi֑y 'abּi֥yr haro'i֖ym 'ashshe֥r leshsha'ֽul׃

Edified Edition (EDE)David asked Ahimelek, "Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I haven’t brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king’s mission was urgent."

וְשָׁ֡ם אִישׁ֩ מֵעַבְדֵ֨י שָׁא֜וּל בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נֶעְצָר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וּשְׁמ֖וֹ דֹּאֵ֣ג הָאֲדֹמִ֑י אַבִּ֥יר הָרֹעִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְשָׁאֽוּל׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֤'mer dּavid֙ la'achiyme֔leke ve'i֛yn yeshsh-pּo֥h taֽchat-yadeka֖ chani֣yt 'o-cha֑reb kּi֣y gam-charebּi֤y vegam-kּelay֙ loֽ'-laqa֣chetּiy beyadi֔y kּiֽy-haya֥h debar-hamּe֖leke nachֽutz׃s

Edified Edition (EDE)The priest replied, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one." David said, "There is none like it; give it to me."

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ לַאֲחִימֶ֔לֶךְ וְאִ֛ין יֶשׁ־פֹּ֥ה תַֽחַת־יָדְךָ֖ חֲנִ֣ית אוֹ־חָ֑רֶב כִּ֣י גַם־חַרְבִּ֤י וְגַם־כֵּלַי֙ לֹֽא־לָקַ֣חְתִּי בְיָדִ֔י כִּֽי־הָיָ֥ה דְבַר־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ נָחֽוּץ׃ס

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֣'mer hakּohe֗n chereb֩ gּaleya֨t hapּelishshetּi֜y 'ashsher-hikּi֣yta ׀ bּe'e֣meq ha'ela֗h hinּeh-hi֞y luta֣h bashsּimelah֮ 'achare֣y ha'epod֒ 'im-'ota֤hּ tּiֽqּach-leka֙ qa֔ch kּi֣y 'e֥yn 'ache֛ret zulata֖hּ bּaze֑h vayּo֧'mer dּavi֛d 'e֥yn kּam֖oha tּene֥nּah lּiֽy׃

Edified Edition (EDE)That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַכֹּהֵ֗ן חֶרֶב֩ גָּלְיָ֨ת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֜י אֲשֶׁר־הִכִּ֣יתָ ׀ בְּעֵ֣מֶק הָאֵלָ֗ה הִנֵּה־הִ֞יא לוּטָ֣ה בַשִּׂמְלָה֮ אַחֲרֵ֣י הָאֵפוֹד֒ אִם־אֹתָ֤הּ תִּֽקַּח־לְךָ֙ קָ֔ח כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין אַחֶ֛רֶת זוּלָתָ֖הּ בָּזֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֧אמֶר דָּוִ֛ד אֵ֥ין כָּמ֖וֹהָ תְּנֶ֥נָּה לִּֽי׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּa֣qam dּavi֔d vayּibera֥ch bּayּom-hah֖u mipּene֣y shsha'֑ul vayּabo֕ 'el-'aki֖yshsh me֥leke gּaֽt׃

Edified Edition (EDE)But the servants of Achish said to him, "Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances: 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands'?"

וַיָּ֣קָם דָּוִ֔ד וַיִּבְרַ֥ח בַּיּוֹם־הַה֖וּא מִפְּנֵ֣י שָׁא֑וּל וַיָּבֹ֕א אֶל־אָכִ֖ישׁ מֶ֥לֶךְ גַּֽת׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֨'mer֜u 'abede֤y 'akiyshsh֙ 'ela֔yv halo'-ze֥h davi֖d me֣leke ha'a֑retz hal֣o laze֗h ya'an֤u bamּecholot֙ le'mo֔r hikּa֤h shsha'ul֙ b'lpv bּa'alapa֔yv vedavi֖d brbbtv bּeribebotaֽyv׃

Edified Edition (EDE)David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath.

וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ עַבְדֵ֤י אָכִישׁ֙ אֵלָ֔יו הֲלוֹא־זֶ֥ה דָוִ֖ד מֶ֣לֶךְ הָאָ֑רֶץ הֲל֣וֹא לָזֶ֗ה יַעֲנ֤וּ בַמְּחֹלוֹת֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִכָּ֤ה שָׁאוּל֙ באלפו בַּאֲלָפָ֔יו וְדָוִ֖ד ברבבתו בְּרִבְבֹתָֽיו׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּa֧shsem dּavi֛d 'et-hadּebari֥ym ha'e֖lּeh bּilebab֑o vayּira֣ me'o֔d mipּene֖y 'aki֥yshsh meֽleke-gּaֽt׃

Edified Edition (EDE)So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

וַיָּ֧שֶׂם דָּוִ֛ד אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה בִּלְבָב֑וֹ וַיִּרָ֣א מְאֹ֔ד מִפְּנֵ֖י אָכִ֥ישׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־גַּֽת׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayeshshanּ֤o 'et-ta'emo֙ bּe'e֣yneyhe֔m vayּitehole֖l bּeyada֑m vytv vayetayv֙ 'al-dּalet֣ot hashshּa֔'ar vayּ֥ored riyr֖o 'el-zeqanֽo׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Achish said to his servants, "Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me?

וַיְשַׁנּ֤וֹ אֶת־טַעְמוֹ֙ בְּעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּתְהֹלֵ֖ל בְּיָדָ֑ם ויתו וַיְתָיו֙ עַל־דַּלְת֣וֹת הַשַּׁ֔עַר וַיּ֥וֹרֶד רִיר֖וֹ אֶל־זְקָנֽוֹ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֥'mer 'aki֖yshsh 'el-'abada֑yv hinּe֤h tire'u֙ 'i֣yshsh mishshetּagּe֔'a la֛mּah tּabi֥y'u 'ot֖o 'elaֽy׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?" Survival required desperation.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָכִ֖ישׁ אֶל־עֲבָדָ֑יו הִנֵּ֤ה תִרְאוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִשְׁתַּגֵּ֔עַ לָ֛מָּה תָּבִ֥יאוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֵלָֽי׃

חֲסַ֤ר מְשֻׁגָּעִים֙ אָ֔נִי כִּי־הֲבֵאתֶ֣ם אֶת־זֶ֔ה לְהִשְׁתַּגֵּ֖עַ עָלָ֑י הֲזֶ֖ה יָב֥וֹא אֶל־בֵּיתִֽי׃ס