Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was astonished at his coming, and said unto him, "Why cometh thou thyself alone, and no man with thee?"

And David said to Ahimelech the priest, "The king hath commanded me to do a certain thing and said unto me, 'Let no man know whereabouts I send and what I have commanded thee to do.' And therefore I have appointed my servants to such and such places.

And David said unto Ahimelech, "Is not here under thine hand other spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor mine harness with me, because the king's business required haste."

Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which had the oversight of the servants of Saul, and said, "I saw the son of Jesse, when he came to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub,

Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house: that is to say, the priests that were in Nob. And they came all to the king.

And Ahimelech answered the king, and said, "Who is so faithful among all thy servants as David and thereto the king's son-in-law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is had in honour in thine house?

But for all that, the king said, "Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech; both thou and all thy father's house."

But yet one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to David,

And it chanced when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah that he brought an ephod in his hand.

Then answered David, and spake to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah and brother to Joab, saying, "Who will go down with me to Saul, to the host?" Abishai said, "I will go down with thee."

But David took a good courage to him in the LORD his God and said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, "Bring me the ephod." And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests, and Seraiah was the scribe.

And David ordered them on this manner: Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar to be in office by course.

And Shimeah the son of Nethanel the Scribe of the Levites wrote them before the king and the lords, and before Zadok the priest and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the ancient heads of the priests and of the Levites: one principal household for Eleazar and one for Ithamar.

And these cast lots next to their brethren the sons of Aaron, before David the king and Zadok and Ahimelech and the ancient heads and priests of the Levites: as well the youngest brother as an ancient head.