Ahimelech Helps David
1 David went to see Ahimelech, a priest who lived in the town of Nob. Ahimelech was trembling with fear as he came out to meet David. “Why are you alone?” Ahimelech asked. “Why isn't anyone else with you?”
2 “I'm on a mission for King Saul,” David answered. “He ordered me not to tell anyone what the mission is all about, so I ordered my soldiers to stay somewhere else. 3 Do you have any food you can give me? Could you spare five loaves of bread?”
4 “The only bread I have is the sacred bread,” the priest told David. “You can have it if your soldiers didn't sleep with women last night.”
5 “Of course we didn't sleep with women,” David answered. “I never let my men do that when we're on a mission. They have to be acceptable to worship God even when we're on a regular mission, and today we're on a special mission.”
6 The only bread the priest had was the sacred bread that he had taken from the place of worship after putting out the fresh loaves. So he gave it to David.
7 It so happened that one of Saul's officers was there, worshiping the Lord that day. His name was Doeg the Edomite, and he was the strongest of Saul's shepherds.
8 David asked Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or a sword? I had to leave so quickly on this mission for the king that I didn't bring along my sword or any other weapons.”
9 The priest answered, “The only sword here is the one that belonged to Goliath the Philistine. You were the one who killed him in Elah Valley, and so you can take his sword if you want to. It's wrapped in a cloth behind the statue.”
“It's the best sword there is,” David said. “I'll take it!”
David Tries To Find Safety in Gath
10 David kept on running from Saul that day until he came to Gath, where he met with King Achish. 11 The officers of King Achish were also there, and they asked Achish, “Isn't David a king back in his own country? Don't the Israelites dance and sing,
‘Saul has killed
a thousand enemies;
David has killed
ten thousand’?”
12 David thought about what they were saying, and it made him afraid of Achish. 13 So right there in front of everyone, he pretended to be insane. He acted confused and started making scratches on the doors of the town gate, while drooling in his beard.
14 “Look at him!” Achish said to his officers. “You can see he's crazy. Why did you bring him to me? 15 I have enough crazy people without your bringing another one here. Keep him away from my palace!”
David ma taura pu Saul
1 David wa ya komupristeri Ahimelek kOnob, nu Ahimelek wa pita ne mu tjakanene ama zezera, na tja: “Okutjavi tji wa yende erike?”
2 Nu David wa zira omupristeri Ahimelek a tja: “Ami mbe ya moviungura vyombara. Oyo ye ndji raera kutja e ha tjivisa omundu imbi mbi ye ndji hindire okutjita. Nami opu mba raerera ovandu vandje kutja tu kahakaenene poṋa porive. 3 Nambano u na tjike moyoye? Ndji pa ozomboroto ndano ozombomba poo ngamwa atjihe tji u na tjo.”
4 Nomupristeri wa zira David a tja: “Ami hi nozomboroto zauriri posi yozomboroto ozondjapuke. Ove mo pewa zo, tjinangara momayuva omasupi nga kapita ovarumendu voye kave rarere povakazendu.”
5 David wa zira a tja: “Owo, tjiri, kave tjitire nao. Eṱe katu rarere povakazendu. Ovandu vandje aruhe ve riṱiza oukohoke, nandarire tji matu i motjiungura tja kauriri. Nu ndino owo ovakohoke katjotjiri!”
6 Omupristeri otja yandja ozomboroto nḓa ozondjapuke ku David, orondu ozomboroto, nḓa ri na zo, ozo nḓa zomaraisiro porwazo, nḓa isiwa po komurungu wa Muhona, tji pa tuwa ozongwao ozombe.
7 Nu omutjevere wovarise va Saul, wena Doeg, Omuedom, wa ri mbo meyuva ndo, eye tjinga e sokuyenenisa otjiungura tjouyapuke komurungu wa Muhona.
8 David wa pura nai ku Ahimelek: “Ko nenga poo engaruvyo, ndi mo ndji pe? Ami hi etere engaruvyo randje poo otjirwise tjarwe, orondu omarakiza wombara ye ndji hakahanisa okuyenda.”
9 Nu ingwi omupristeri wa tja: “Engaruvyo, ndi mbi na ro, oro ndi rOmufilisti Goliat ngu wa zepera mOtjanatjomimbonde; oro ri ri kongotwe yombanda yomupristeri yokoviṱuve, nu ra mangwa merapi. Tji mo ri vanga, toora, otjo otjirwise atjiyerike tji mbi na tjo mba.”
David arire tja tja: “Ndji pa ro, kape na rarwe ewa tjinene pu indo.”
10 Nu David wa taura pu Saul meyuva ndo na i ku Akis, ombara ya Gat. 11 Nungwari imba ovakarere va Akis va tja nai ku ye: “Ingwi ka David are, ombara yehi re omuini? Kaye ngwi ovakazendu nguyave imbura tjaave pundu ave tja: ‘Saul wa zepa eyovi, nungwari David wa zepa omayovi omurongo are?’ ”
12 Omambo nga ya yandja omeripuriro omazeu ku David, nu David otja tira Akis, ombara ya Gat, tjinene. 13 David opa za okuritjita komurungu wawo aayo wa vera oviyoze, nu tji ve mu ṱiza momake wawo, otjaa rokoha tjimuna omundu nga puruka ozondunge, a pambara komuvero na randatisire omate moruyezu rwe. 14 Akis otja tja nai kovakarere ve: “Kamu nokumuna kutja omurumendu ngo wa vera oviyoze are? Mwe mu etere tjike ku ami? 15 Mba hepa ovanaviyoze are kutja mamu ndji etere ingwi wina, e ritjite omunaviyoze mba? Ngwa sana ngwi, wa yenene okuhita mondjuwo yandje are?”
