I Samuel 21 Commentary
Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.
And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.
And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.
And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.
And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.
And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?
I Samuel 21 recounts David's desperate flight from Saul, highlighting his vulnerability and reliance on God amidst betrayal and danger. This chapter is a poignant reminder that even God's chosen leaders face moments of intense pressure and must navigate complex moral dilemmas. The narrative unfolds through David's interactions with Ahimelech the priest, Doeg the Edomite, and Achish, the king of Gath, each encounter revealing different facets of David's character and the challenges he faced. This chapter is pivotal in understanding David’s journey and prepares the reader for the trials and triumphs that lie ahead.
David Flees to Nob (I Samuel 21:1-9)
Cut off from Jonathan, his closest ally, and his family, David became a true fugitive. He fled south to Nob, a priestly city located approximately one mile north of Jerusalem. When Ahimelech saw David alone, the priest was afraid. Ahimelech was understandably suspicious of David's solitary arrival. David, to alleviate Ahimelech's concerns and secure assistance, told Ahimelech that he was on a secret mission for Saul. This was a lie, setting in motion a chain of tragic events. David requested sustenance for himself and his men, asking for bread or anything available.
Ahimelech explained that he only had the consecrated bread, also known as the "Bread of the Presence," which was reserved solely for the priests. This bread was set apart as holy (see Exodus 25:30; Leviticus 24:5-9). However, recognizing the urgency of David's situation, Ahimelech provided David with the day-old consecrated bread that had been replaced with fresh loaves. This was an extraordinary circumstance and a pivotal moment that reveals the tension between strict adherence to the law and the compassion needed in dire situations.
This act would later be referenced by Jesus in Matthew 12:1-8 when the Pharisees criticized His disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath. Jesus defended His disciples by comparing their actions to David's eating of the consecrated bread, which was technically unlawful for him to eat. Jesus highlighted that an overly rigid interpretation of the law could lead to unnecessary hardship and neglect of basic human needs.
David further implicated Ahimelech by requesting a weapon, claiming he had left in such haste that he didn't bring his sword or any other weapon. Ahimelech offered him the sword of Goliath, which David had kept after defeating the Philistine giant (I Samuel 17:54). This weapon, a symbol of David's past victory and God's faithfulness, now becomes a tool for survival in his present plight. Taking the sword, David felt increasingly unsafe within Israel.
Doeg the Edomite (I Samuel 21:7)
The narrative takes a somber turn with the introduction of Doeg the Edomite. Doeg, chief of Saul's shepherds, witnessed David's encounter with Ahimelech. The Edomites were historical enemies of Israel. Doeg's presence in Nob "detained before the LORD" is unexplained, but his subsequent actions reveal his malicious intent. He immediately reported David's presence to Saul (see I Samuel 22:9-10), setting in motion a devastating reprisal against the priests of Nob. This highlights the ever-present danger David faced, not only from Saul but also from those who harbored animosity toward Israel.
David Flees to Gath (I Samuel 21:10-15)
Feeling unsafe, David and his men fled to Gath, a Philistine city and the hometown of Goliath. This was a risky move, considering the Philistines were bitter enemies of Israel. David may have hoped to enter Gath unnoticed, perhaps even believing he could find refuge in anonymity.
However, David was quickly recognized by the servants of King Achish. They identified him as the very David of whom the Israelite women sang, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands" (I Samuel 18:7). Recognizing the mortal danger he was in, David feigned madness. He acted like a madman, scratching on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.
David's desperate act worked. Achish, perhaps influenced by the ancient superstition that harming an insane person would invite divine judgment, dismissed David as harmless. Achish questioned why they brought him a madman. He sent David away. David's deception highlights the extreme measures he was willing to take to survive.
This chapter reveals David's vulnerability, his dependence on God, and the difficult choices he faced while fleeing from Saul. It also underscores the ever-present threat of betrayal and the lengths to which David had to go to protect himself and his followers. It serves as a reminder that even those chosen by God experience moments of fear, doubt, and moral ambiguity.
Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.
And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.
And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.
And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.
And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.
And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?
I Samuel 21 recounts David's desperate flight from Saul, highlighting his vulnerability and reliance on God amidst betrayal and danger. This chapter is a poignant reminder that even God's chosen leaders face moments of intense pressure and must navigate complex moral dilemmas. The narrative unfolds through David's interactions with Ahimelech the priest, Doeg the Edomite, and Achish, the king of Gath, each encounter revealing different facets of David's character and the challenges he faced. This chapter is pivotal in understanding David’s journey and prepares the reader for the trials and triumphs that lie ahead.
David Flees to Nob (I Samuel 21:1-9)
Cut off from Jonathan, his closest ally, and his family, David became a true fugitive. He fled south to Nob, a priestly city located approximately one mile north of Jerusalem. When Ahimelech saw David alone, the priest was afraid. Ahimelech was understandably suspicious of David's solitary arrival. David, to alleviate Ahimelech's concerns and secure assistance, told Ahimelech that he was on a secret mission for Saul. This was a lie, setting in motion a chain of tragic events. David requested sustenance for himself and his men, asking for bread or anything available.
Ahimelech explained that he only had the consecrated bread, also known as the "Bread of the Presence," which was reserved solely for the priests. This bread was set apart as holy (see Exodus 25:30; Leviticus 24:5-9). However, recognizing the urgency of David's situation, Ahimelech provided David with the day-old consecrated bread that had been replaced with fresh loaves. This was an extraordinary circumstance and a pivotal moment that reveals the tension between strict adherence to the law and the compassion needed in dire situations.
This act would later be referenced by Jesus in Matthew 12:1-8 when the Pharisees criticized His disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath. Jesus defended His disciples by comparing their actions to David's eating of the consecrated bread, which was technically unlawful for him to eat. Jesus highlighted that an overly rigid interpretation of the law could lead to unnecessary hardship and neglect of basic human needs.
David further implicated Ahimelech by requesting a weapon, claiming he had left in such haste that he didn't bring his sword or any other weapon. Ahimelech offered him the sword of Goliath, which David had kept after defeating the Philistine giant (I Samuel 17:54). This weapon, a symbol of David's past victory and God's faithfulness, now becomes a tool for survival in his present plight. Taking the sword, David felt increasingly unsafe within Israel.
Doeg the Edomite (I Samuel 21:7)
The narrative takes a somber turn with the introduction of Doeg the Edomite. Doeg, chief of Saul's shepherds, witnessed David's encounter with Ahimelech. The Edomites were historical enemies of Israel. Doeg's presence in Nob "detained before the LORD" is unexplained, but his subsequent actions reveal his malicious intent. He immediately reported David's presence to Saul (see I Samuel 22:9-10), setting in motion a devastating reprisal against the priests of Nob. This highlights the ever-present danger David faced, not only from Saul but also from those who harbored animosity toward Israel.
David Flees to Gath (I Samuel 21:10-15)
Feeling unsafe, David and his men fled to Gath, a Philistine city and the hometown of Goliath. This was a risky move, considering the Philistines were bitter enemies of Israel. David may have hoped to enter Gath unnoticed, perhaps even believing he could find refuge in anonymity.
However, David was quickly recognized by the servants of King Achish. They identified him as the very David of whom the Israelite women sang, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands" (I Samuel 18:7). Recognizing the mortal danger he was in, David feigned madness. He acted like a madman, scratching on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.
David's desperate act worked. Achish, perhaps influenced by the ancient superstition that harming an insane person would invite divine judgment, dismissed David as harmless. Achish questioned why they brought him a madman. He sent David away. David's deception highlights the extreme measures he was willing to take to survive.
This chapter reveals David's vulnerability, his dependence on God, and the difficult choices he faced while fleeing from Saul. It also underscores the ever-present threat of betrayal and the lengths to which David had to go to protect himself and his followers. It serves as a reminder that even those chosen by God experience moments of fear, doubt, and moral ambiguity.