David Takes the Consecrated Bread
(Matthew 12:1–8; Mark 2:23–28; Luke 6:1–5)

1  וַיָּבֹ֤א (And came) דָוִד֙ (David) נֹ֔בֶה (to Nob) אֶל־ (to) אֲחִימֶ֖לֶךְ (Ahimelech) הַכֹּהֵ֑ן (the priest), וַיֶּחֱרַ֨ד (and was afraid) אֲחִימֶ֜לֶךְ (Ahimelech) לִקְרַ֣את (when he met) דָּוִ֗ד (David), וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (and he said) לוֹ֙ (to him), מַדּ֤וּעַ (Why are) אַתָּה֙ (you) לְבַדֶּ֔ךָ (alone), וְאִ֖ישׁ (and man) אֵ֥ין (not is) אִתָּֽךְ׃ (with you)?

2  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) דָּוִ֜ד (David) לַאֲחִימֶ֣לֶךְ (to Ahimelech) הַכֹּהֵ֗ן (the priest), הַמֶּלֶךְ֮ (The king) צִוַּ֣נִי (has ordered me) דָבָר֒ (on some business) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (and said) אֵלַ֗י (to me), אִ֣ישׁ (Man) אַל־ (not) יֵ֧דַע (is to know) מְא֛וּמָה (anything) אֶת־ (about) הַדָּבָ֛ר (the business) אֲשֶׁר־ (on which) אָנֹכִ֥י (I) שֹׁלֵֽחֲךָ֖ (send you) וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר (and about which) צִוִּיתִ֑ךָ (I have commanded you). וְאֶת־ (And) הַנְּעָרִ֣ים (the young men) יוֹדַ֔עְתִּי (I have directed) אֶל־ (to) מְק֥וֹם (a place) פְּלֹנִ֖י (such) אַלְמוֹנִֽי׃ (and such). 3  וְעַתָּ֗ה (And now), מַה־ (what) יֵּ֧שׁ (have you) תַּֽחַת־ (on) יָדְךָ֛ (hand)? חֲמִשָּׁה־ (Five loaves of) לֶ֖חֶם (bread) תְּנָ֣ה (give) בְיָדִ֑י (into my hand), א֖וֹ (or) הַנִּמְצָֽא׃ (what is found).

4  וַיַּ֨עַן (And answered) הַכֹּהֵ֤ן (the priest) אֶת־ (-) דָּוִד֙ (David), וַיֹּ֔אמֶר (and said), אֵֽין־ (There is no) לֶ֥חֶם (bread) חֹ֖ל (common) אֶל־ (to) תַּ֣חַת (under) יָדִ֑י (my hand), כִּֽי־ (but) אִם־ (if) לֶ֤חֶם (bread) קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ (holy) יֵ֔שׁ (there is), אִם־ (if) נִשְׁמְר֥וּ (have kept themselves) הַנְּעָרִ֖ים (the young men) אַ֥ךְ (indeed) מֵאִשָּֽׁה׃פ (from women).

5  וַיַּעַן֩ (And answered) דָּוִ֨ד (David) אֶת־ (-) הַכֹּהֵ֜ן (the priest) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (and said) ל֗וֹ (to him), כִּ֣י (Surely) אִם־ (if) אִשָּׁ֤ה (women) עֲצֻֽרָה־ (have been kept) לָ֙נוּ֙ (from us) כִּתְמ֣וֹל (as yesterday) שִׁלְשֹׁ֔ם (and the day before yesterday), בְּצֵאתִ֕י (when I came out), וַיִּהְי֥וּ (and are) כְלֵֽי־ (the vessels) הַנְּעָרִ֖ים (of the young men) קֹ֑דֶשׁ (holy), וְהוּא֙ (and it is) דֶּ֣רֶךְ (a way) חֹ֔ל (common), וְאַ֕ף (and also) כִּ֥י (surely) הַיּ֖וֹם (today) יִקְדַּ֥שׁ (it was sanctified) בַּכֶּֽלִי׃ (in the vessel).

6  וַיִּתֶּן־ (And gave) ל֥וֹ (to him) הַכֹּהֵ֖ן (the priest) קֹ֑דֶשׁ (holy bread) כִּי֩ (for) לֹא־ (not) הָ֨יָה (was) שָׁ֜ם (there) לֶ֗חֶם (bread) כִּֽי־ (except) אִם־ (for) לֶ֤חֶם (the Bread) הַפָּנִים֙ (of the Presence), הַמּֽוּסָרִים֙ (which is turned aside) מִלִּפְנֵ֣י (from the face) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH), לָשׂוּם֙ (to put) לֶ֣חֶם (bread) חֹ֔ם (hot) בְּי֖וֹם (in the day) הִלָּקְחֽוֹ׃ (of its being taken away).

7  וְשָׁ֡ם (And there) אִישׁ֩ (was a man) מֵעַבְדֵ֨י (of the servants) שָׁא֜וּל (of Saul) בַּיּ֣וֹם (on the day) הַה֗וּא (that) נֶעְצָר֙ (detained) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face of) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH), וּשְׁמ֖וֹ (and his name was) דֹּאֵ֣ג (Doeg) הָאֲדֹמִ֑י (an Edomite), אַבִּ֥יר (the chief) הָרֹעִ֖ים (of the shepherds) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who was) לְשָׁאֽוּל׃ (to Saul).

David Flees to Gath
(Psalm 34:1–22; Psalm 56:1–13)

8  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) דָּוִד֙ (David) לַאֲחִימֶ֔לֶךְ (to Ahimelech), וְאִ֛ין (And not) יֶשׁ־ (is there) פֹּ֥ה (here) תַֽחַת־ (under) יָדְךָ֖ (your hand) חֲנִ֣ית (a spear) אוֹ־ (or) חָ֑רֶב (a sword)? כִּ֣י (For) גַם־ (even) חַרְבִּ֤י (my sword) וְגַם־ (even) כֵּלַי֙ (my weapons) לֹֽא־ (not) לָקַ֣חְתִּי (I have brought) בְיָדִ֔י (with me), כִּֽי־ (for) הָיָ֥ה (was) דְבַר־ (the matter) הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (of the king) נָחֽוּץ׃ס (urgent).

9  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) הַכֹּהֵ֗ן (the priest), חֶרֶב֩ (The sword) גָּלְיָ֨ת (of Goliath) הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֜י (the Philistine), אֲשֶׁר־ (whom) הִכִּ֣יתָ׀ (you killed) בְּעֵ֣מֶק (in the Valley) הָאֵלָ֗ה (of Elah), הִנֵּה־ (behold) הִ֞יא (it is), לוּטָ֣ה (wrapped) בַשִּׂמְלָה֮ (in a cloth) אַחֲרֵ֣י (behind) הָאֵפוֹד֒ (the ephod). אִם־ (If) אֹתָ֤הּ (that) תִּֽקַּח־ (you will take) לְךָ֙ (to you), קָ֔ח (take it), כִּ֣י (for) אֵ֥ין (there is no) אַחֶ֛רֶת (other) זוּלָתָ֖הּ (except it) בָּזֶ֑ה (in this place).

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר (And said) דָּוִ֛ד (David), אֵ֥ין (None is) כָּמ֖וֹהָ (like it); תְּנֶ֥נָּה (give it) לִּֽי׃ (to me).

10  וַיָּ֣קָם (And arose) דָּוִ֔ד (David) וַיִּבְרַ֥ח (and fled) בַּיּוֹם־ (day) הַה֖וּא (that) מִפְּנֵ֣י (from before) שָׁא֑וּל (Saul), וַיָּבֹ֕א (and he came) אֶל־ (to) אָכִ֖ישׁ (Achish) מֶ֥לֶךְ (the king) גַּֽת׃ (of Gath). 11  וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ (And said) עַבְדֵ֤י (the servants) אָכִישׁ֙ (of Achish) אֵלָ֔יו (to him), הֲלוֹא־ (Is not) זֶ֥ה (this) דָוִ֖ד (David) מֶ֣לֶךְ (the king) הָאָ֑רֶץ (of the land)? הֲל֣וֹא (Did not) לָזֶ֗ה (of this one) יַעֲנ֤וּ (they sing) בַמְּחֹלוֹת֙ (in their dances), לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying),

הִכָּ֤ה (Has struck down) שָׁאוּל֙ (Saul) בְּאַלְפּוֹ (his thousands),

וְדָוִ֖ד (and David) בְּרִבְבֹתוֹ׃ (his myriads)?

12  וַיָּ֧שֶׂם (And set) דָּוִ֛ד (David) אֶת־ (-) הַדְּבָרִ֥ים (the words) הָאֵ֖לֶּה (these) בִּלְבָב֑וֹ (in his heart), וַיִּרָ֣א (and he was afraid) מְאֹ֔ד (exceedingly) מִפְּנֵ֖י (of) אָכִ֥ישׁ (Achish) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (king) גַּֽת׃ (of Gath). 13  וַיְשַׁנּ֤וֹ (And he changed) אֶת־ (-) טַעְמוֹ֙ (his behavior) בְּעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם (before their eyes) וַיִּתְהֹלֵ֖ל (and feigned madness) בְּיָדָ֑ם (in their hands); וַיְתַו (and he scratched) עַל־ (on) דַּלְת֣וֹת (the doors) הַשַּׁ֔עַר (of the gate), וַיּ֥וֹרֶד (and he let fall down) רִיר֖וֹ (his saliva) אֶל־ (on) זְקָנֽוֹ׃ (his beard).

14  וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (And said) אָכִ֖ישׁ (Achish) אֶל־ (to) עֲבָדָ֑יו (his servants), הִנֵּ֤ה (Behold), תִרְאוּ֙ (you⁺ see) אִ֣ישׁ (the man) מִשְׁתַּגֵּ֔עַ (is insane), לָ֛מָּה (why) תָּבִ֥יאוּ (have you⁺ brought) אֹת֖וֹ (him) אֵלָֽי׃ (to me)? 15  חֲסַ֤ר (Am lacking) מְשֻׁגָּעִים֙ (madmen) אָ֔נִי (I), כִּי־ (that) הֲבֵאתֶ֣ם (you⁺ have brought) אֶת־ (-) זֶ֔ה (this one) לְהִשְׁתַּגֵּ֖עַ (to play the madman) עָלָ֑י (in my presence)? הֲזֶ֖ה (Shall this one) יָב֥וֹא (come) אֶל־ (into) בֵּיתִֽי׃ס (my house)?