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1 Samuel 21: David at Nob and Gath

David fled to Ahimelech the priest at Nob and asked for bread. The only bread there was the holy show bread, and the priest gave it to him. David also took the sword of Goliath. Doeg the Edomite, Saul's chief herdsman, was there that day. David then fled to Achish king of Gath, but he became very afraid and pretended to be insane, and Achish sent him away.

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Bible:

Read 1 Samuel 21

World English Bible · 15 verses

  1. 1 Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no man with you?”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  2. 2 David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has commanded me to do something, and has said to me, ‘Let no one know anything about the business about which I send you, and what I have commanded you. I have sent the young men to a certain place.’This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  3. 3 Now therefore what is under your hand? Please give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever is available.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  4. 4 The priest answered David, and said, “I have no common bread, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  5. 5 David answered the priest, and said to him, “Truly, women have been kept from us as usual these three days. When I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was only a common journey. How much more then today shall their vessels be holy?”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  6. 6 So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the show bread that was taken from before Yahweh, to be replaced with hot bread in the day when it was taken away.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  7. 7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Yahweh; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  8. 8 David said to Ahimelech, “Isn’t there here under your hand spear or sword? For I haven’t brought my sword or my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  9. 9 The priest said, “Behold, the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you would like to take that, take it, for there is no other except that here.” David said, “There is none like that. Give it to me.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  10. 10 David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  11. 11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David the king of the land? Didn’t they sing to one another about him in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  12. 12 David laid up these words in his heart, and was very afraid of Achish the king of Gath.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  13. 13 He changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  14. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why then have you brought him to me?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  15. 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Should this fellow come into my house?”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

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1 Samuel 21 · Preschool

Holy Bread

Name Date

Color the loaves of holy bread the priest gave to David!

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the show bread that was taken from before Yahweh, to be replaced with hot bread in the day when it was taken away.”

1 Samuel 21:6 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: David was hungry and running away. The priest gave him bread. God took care of David's needs. God takes care of us too.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

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