1 Samuel 21:1-9 - David Encounters The Priests Of Nob
1 David went to the priest Ahimelech at Nob. Ahimelech was afraid when he met David. Why are you alone? He asked David. Why is no one with you?
2 The king ordered me to do something, David answered the priest Ahimelech, and he told me: No one must know anything about this mission I am sending you to do. I have stationed my young men at a certain place. 3 David added: What do you have to eat? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever you can find.
4 The high priest answered David: I do not have any ordinary bread here. But there is holy bread for the young men if they have not had sexual intercourse today.
5 David answered the priest: Women have been kept away from us as usual when we go on a mission. The young men's bodies are kept holy even on ordinary campaigns. How much more then are their bodies holy today? 6 The priest gave him holy bread. For he only had the bread of the presence that had been taken from Jehovah's presence and replaced with warm bread that day.
7 That same day one of Saul's servants who was obligated to stay in Jehovah's presence was there. His name was Doeg. He was chief herdsman for Saul's shepherds from Edom.
8 David asked Ahimelech: Do you have a spear or a sword here? I did not take either my spear or any other weapon because the king's business was urgent.
9 The high priest answered: The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Elah Valley, is here. It is wrapped in a cloth behind the priestly ephod. Take it if you want. There is no other weapon here. David said: There is none like it. Let me have the sword.