Revised Version 1895

1 Samuel 21

1Thencameוַיָּבֹ֤אvai.ya.Vo'H935David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and AhimelechcameH935to meet David trembling, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

2AndDavidH1732saidH559untoAhimelechH288thepriestH3548, The king hathcommandedH559meH413a business, and hathsaidH559untomeH413, Letnoאֵ֥ין'einH369manH376knowאִתָּֽךְ׃'i.TakhH854anyH376thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I havecommandedH559thee: and I have appointed the youngmenH376to such and such aplaceוַיָּבֹ֤אvai.ya.Vo'H935.

3Now thereforewhatH834is under thine hand?giveH6680meH413five loaves of bread in mine hand, or whatsoever there is present.

4And the priest answeredDavidH3027, and said, There isnoהַנִּמְצָֽא׃ha.nim.Tza'H4672commonbreadH3899underתַּֽחַת־ta.chat-H8478mineתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478handH3027, but there is holybreadH3899;ifא֖וֹ'oH176only the young men havekeptתְּנָ֣הte.NahH5414themselves from women.

5AndDavidH1732answeredוַיֹּ֔אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559thepriestH3548, andsaidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto him, Of a truthwomenH802have beenkeptנִשְׁמְר֥וּnish.me.RuH8104fromusH413aboutH413these threedaysH369; When IcameH413outH413, the vessels of theyoungהַנְּעָרִ֖יםha.ne.'a.RimH5288menהַנְּעָרִ֖יםha.ne.'a.RimH5288wereholyקֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ko.deshH6944,thoughH3588it was but acommonH2455journey;howH3588muchיָדִ֑יya.DiH3027moreH369then today shall their vessels beholyקֹ֑דֶשׁKo.deshH6944?

6SoH1961thepriestH3548gaveוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559himholyH6944bread: for there wasnoH518bread there but the shewbread, that wastakenH1961frombeforeבְּי֖וֹםbe.YomH3117the LORD, toputH3318hot bread in thedayהַיּ֖וֹםhai.YomH3117when it wastakenH1961awayH3318.

7NowH1961a certain man of theservantsH8033of Saul was there thatdayH3117, detainedbeforeH6440theLORDH3068; and hisnameאִם־'im-H518was Doeg the Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen thatbelongedH1961to Saul.

8AndDavidבַּיּ֣וֹםbai.YomH3117said unto Ahimelech, And is therenotנֶעְצָר֙ne'.TzarH6113hereוְשָׁ֡םve.ShamH8033underH6440thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons withmeH6440,becauseאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834the king’s business required haste.

9And the priestsaidH559, TheswordH2719of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slowest in the vale of Elah,beholdH3808, it ishereפֹּ֥הpohH6311wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod:ifH3588thou wilttakeלָקַ֣חְתִּיla.Kach.tiH3947that,takeתִּֽקַּח־ti.kach-H3947it: for there isnoH3808otherH6311save thathereH6311. AndDavidH1732saidH559, There isnoneH3808like that;giveהָיָ֥הha.YahH1961itmeקָ֔חKachH3947.

10AndDavidH1732arose, and fled that day for fear ofSaulH559, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

11And the servants ofAchishH397saidH413unto him, IsnotH1732thisDavidH1732thekingH4428of thelandמִפְּנֵ֣יmi.pe.NeiH6440?didבַּיּוֹם־bai.yom-H3117theynotH1732sing one to another of him in dances, saying,SaulH7586hath slain his thousands, andDavidH1732his ten thousands?

12AndDavidH1732laidupמֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekhH4428theseH2088words in his heart, and was sore afraid ofAchishH397thekingמֶֽלֶךְ־Me.lekh-H4428of Gath.

13And he changed his behaviourbeforeH6440them, and feignedhimselfבִּלְבָב֑וֹbil.va.VoH3824mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, andletH7760his spittle falldownH6440uponH7760his beard.

14ThensaidH413Achish unto his servants, Lo, yeseeבְּעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔םbe.'Ei.nei.HemH5869themanהַשַּׁ֔עַרha.Sha.'arH8179is mad: wherefore then have yebroughtוַיּ֥וֹרֶדvai.Yo.redH3381him tomeH413?

15Doלָ֛מָּהLa.mahH4100I lackmadH7696menאִ֣ישׁ'ishH376, that ye havebroughtH935thisfellowH376to play themadH7696manH376in my presence? shall thisfellowH376comeH935intoH413my house?

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 21

Revised Version 1895 — 1895 — Public Domain