David and the Holy Bread

21 ^[a]David came to Nob to the priest Ahimelech. Ahimelech came trembling to meet David and said to him, “Why are you alone and no one with you?”^(A)

³² Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

²⁶ how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions?”^(A)

⁴ Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?”^(A)

³ along with Ahijah son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, son of Phinehas son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, carrying an ephod. Now the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.^(A)

⁹ Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul’s servants, answered, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech son of Ahitub;^{(A) 10} he inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”^(B)

¹¹ The king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and for all his father’s house, the priests who were at Nob, and all of them came to the king. ¹² Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” He answered, “Here I am, my lord.” ¹³ Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, by giving him bread and a sword and by inquiring of God for him, so that he has risen against me to lie in wait, as he is doing today?”

¹⁴ Then Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants is so faithful as David? He is the king’s son-in-law and is quick^[a] to do your bidding and is honored in your house.^{(C) 15} Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? By no means! Do not let the king impute anything to his servant or to any member of my father’s house, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little.” ¹⁶ The king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.” ¹⁷ The king said to the guard who stood around him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David; they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king would not raise a hand to attack the priests of the Lord.^{(D) 18} Then the king said to Doeg, “You, Doeg, turn and attack the priests.” Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests; on that day he killed eighty-five who wore the linen ephod.^{(E) 19} Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep, he put to the sword.