David Flees to Nob
1 David went to the priest Ahimelech 21:1 1Sm 14:3; Mk 2:26 at Nob. 21:1 1Sm 22:19 Ahimelech was afraid to meet David, so he said to him, "Why are you alone and no one is with you? "
2 David answered the priest Ahimelech, "The king gave me a mission, but he told me, ‘Don’t let anyone know anything about the mission I’m sending you on or what I have ordered you to do.’ I have stationed my young men at a certain place. 3 Now what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever can be found."
4 The priest told him, "There is no ordinary bread on hand. However, there is consecrated bread, 21:4 Ex 25:30; Lv 24:5–9; Mt 12:3–4 but the young men may eat it 21:4 DSS; MT omits may eat it only if they have kept themselves from women." 21:4 Ex 19:15
5 David answered him, "I swear that women are being kept from us, as always when I go out to battle. 21:5 2Sm 11:11 The young men’s bodies 21:5 Lit vessels are consecrated 21:5 1Th 4:4 even on an ordinary mission, so of course their bodies are consecrated today." 6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, 21:6 Mt 12:3–4; Mk 2:25 for there was no bread there except the Bread of the Presence 21:6 Lv 24:5–9 that had been removed from the presence of the Lord. When the bread was removed, it had been replaced with warm bread.