HOLY BIBLE: 1 Samuel 21 (original) (raw)

1 καὶ ἔρχεται Δαυιδ εἰς Νομβα πρὸς Αβιμελεχ τὸν ἱερέα καὶ ἐξέστη Αβιμελεχ τῇ ἀπαντήσει αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ τί ὅτι σὺ μόνος καὶ οὐθεὶς μετὰ σοῦ 2 καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ τῷ ἱερεῖ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐντέταλταί μοι ῥῆμα σήμερον καὶ εἶπέν μοι μηδεὶς γνώτω τὸ ῥῆμα περὶ οὗ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω σε καὶ ὑπὲρ οὗ ἐντέταλμαί σοι καὶ τοῖς παιδαρίοις διαμεμαρτύρημαι ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τῷ λεγομένῳ θεοῦ πίστις Φελλανι Αλεμωνι 3 καὶ νῦν εἰ εἰσὶν ὑπὸ τὴν χεῖρά σου πέντε ἄρτοι δὸς εἰς χεῖρά μου τὸ εὑρεθέν 4 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ ἱερεὺς τῷ Δαυιδ καὶ εἶπεν οὐκ εἰσὶν ἄρτοι βέβηλοι ὑπὸ τὴν χεῖρά μου ὅτι ἀλ{L'} ἢ ἄρτοι ἅγιοι εἰσίν εἰ πεφυλαγμένα τὰ παιδάριά ἐστιν ἀπὸ γυναικός καὶ φάγεται 5 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Δαυιδ τῷ ἱερεῖ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ἀπεσχήμεθα ἐχθὲς καὶ τρίτην ἡμέραν ἐν τῷ ἐξελθεῖν με εἰς ὁδὸν γέγονε πάντα τὰ παιδάρια ἡγνισμένα καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ ὁδὸς βέβηλος διότι ἁγιασθήσεται σήμερον διὰ τὰ σκεύη μου 6 καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ Αβιμελεχ ὁ ἱερεὺς τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ὅτι οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἄρτος ὅτι ἀλ{L'} ἢ ἄρτοι τοῦ προσώπου οἱ ἀφῃρημένοι ἐκ προσώπου κυρίου παρατεθῆναι ἄρτον θερμὸν ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ἔλαβεν αὐτούς

1 It was to the priest Achimelech, at Nobe, that David betook himself. Achimelech was dismayed at his coming; Why art thou alone, he asked, with none to attend thee? 2 The king, David told him, has given me a task to perform, but errand and instructions are both secret; and he has given me a trysting-place where I am to meet my companions. 3 Hast thou food for them ready to hand, though it were but five loaves? Let me have what thou canst afford. 4 Why, answered the priest, never a loaf have I here for common uses; there is only the holy bread. Are they free from defilement, these followers of thine, from the touch of woman, at least? 5 As to women, David told the priest, we are as clean as when we set out a day or two back; and the packs the men carry are as clean as themselves. This is no holy errand of ours, but it will not bring any defilement, to-day, upon aught we carry with us.[1] 6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread, since he had nothing but the loaves which had been set out in the Lord’s presence, and must now be taken away to make room for a new batch.

1 Venit autem David in Nobe ad Achimelech sacerdotem: et obstupuit Achimelech, eo quod venisset David. Et dixit ei: Quare tu solus, et nullus est tecum? 2 Et ait David ad Achimelech sacerdotem: Rex præcepit mihi sermonem, et dixit: Nemo sciat rem propter quam missus es a me, et cujusmodi præcepta tibi dederim: nam et pueris condixi in illum et illum locum. 3 Nunc ergo si quid habes ad manum, vel quinque panes, da mihi, aut quidquid inveneris. 4 Et respondens sacerdos ad David, ait illi: Non habeo laicos panes ad manum, sed tantum panem sanctum: si mundi sunt pueri, maxime a mulieribus? 5 Et respondit David sacerdoti, et dixit ei: Equidem, si de mulieribus agitur: continuimus nos ab heri et nudiustertius quando egrediebamur, et fuerunt vasa puerorum sancta. Porro via hæc polluta est, sed et ipsa hodie sanctificabitur in vasis. 6 Dedit ergo ei sacerdos sanctificatum panem: neque enim erat ibi panis, nisi tantum panes propositionis, qui sublati fuerant a facie Domini, ut ponerentur panes calidi.

[1] The meaning of the Hebrew text is uncertain but the Latin version gives a clear sense. Ceremonial uncleanness could infect things as well as persons, and a body of soldiers must often have incurred the uncleanness which came from contact with a dead body (cf. Lev. 11.32). David assures the priest that his imaginary companions, although they have not set out to fulfil the conditions of a pious pilgrimage, are in fact free from defilement so far. Some think the word rendered ‘packs’ means ‘bodies’ here. Cf. Mt. 12.4.

Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd