1Sa 21:1 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?
Then came David to Nob - Nob was a city of the priests, the high priest resided there, and the tabernacle was pitched there 1Sa_21:4, 1Sa_21:6,1Sa_21:9; 1Sa_22:10. It was situated on the road from the north to Jerusalem , near Anathoth, and within sight of the holy city Isa_10:32 Yet he shall remain in Nob today; he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. Neh_11:32 at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah.
Then came David to Nob - There were two places of this name, one on this side, the second on the other side of Jordan; but it is generally supposed that Nob, near Gibeah of Benjamin, is the place here intended; it was about twelve miles from Jerusalem.
Why art thou alone - Ahimelech probably knew nothing of the difference between Saul and David; and as he knew him to be the king’s son-in-law, he wondered to see him come without any attendants.
Ahimelech was afraid - hearing that he was come or coming, he went out to meet him, but when he saw him alone he trembled; especially if he had heard of his having fallen under the displeasure of Saul, and that he now fled from him, therefore he might fear that he should fall into disgrace and danger should he entertain him:
Ahimelech the priest - The high priest; he was the brother of Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, who being dead he succeeded him; though some scholars say he was the same; 1 Sam 22:3 And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone. 1 Sam 22:9 And answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. Who was now at Nob, the tabernacle being there, whither probably it was removed by Saul, and where and at Gibeon, according to the Jews, it continued fifty seven years; as in the times of Joshua it was in Shiloh, in the tribe of Ephraim, of which tribe he was; and in the times of David it was placed in the tribe of Judah, to which he belonged; so in the times of Saul it was in Nob, a city of his tribe; for that it was in the tribe of Benjamin appears by its being mentioned along with Anathoth, Neh_11:32;
Then came David to Nob - David, before he departed further off, was willing to see the tabernacle once more, and there worship his God, and inquire of him by the high priest, as he did, 1Sa_22:10; to direct him what way he should take, and that he would prosper and succeed him in it, grant him his presence, and keep him in safety:
1Sa 21:2 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.
The king hath commanded me a business - All said here is an untruth, and could not be dictated by the Spirit of the Lord; but there is no reason to believe that David was under the influence of Divine inspiration at this time. A fresh instance of David’s unscrupulous readiness to lie. This falsehood brought he greatest calamities upon Ahimelech and the priests at Nob (1Sa_22:9-19), and David was afterwards obliged to confess that he had occasioned it all (1Sa_22:22).
let no man know anything of the business - he pretended he was upon a secret expedition, by the order of Saul, which none were to know of, no, not his own servants, and that was the reason why he came to him alone; which was a downright lie, and was aggravated by its being told only for the sake of getting a little food; and especially told to an high priest, and at the tabernacle of God, and when he was come to inquire of the Lord there; and was attended with a dreadful consequence, the slaughter of the Lord's priests there, which afterwards lay heavy on David's mind, 1Sa_22:22; and is the very sin he is thought to refer to in Psa_119:28. This shows the weakness of the best of men, when left to themselves; David who as much hated lying as any man did, fell into it himself: David afterwards declares his repentance for this sin of lying, Psa_119:29 Remove from me the way of lying; and grant me Your law graciously.
appointed my servants to such and such a place - to such a place, of such an one, not naming place nor person, that they might not be known; so the Targum calls it a place hidden and kept; and that David had some servants, though not now with him, who ate of the shewbread, appears from Mat_12:3-4 But He said to them, Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him, how he entered into the house of God and ate the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
Let no man know--This was a direct falsehood, extorted through fear. David probably supposed, like many other persons, that a lie is quite excusable which is told for the sole purpose of saving the speaker's life. But what is essentially sinful, can never, from circumstances, change its immoral character; and David had to repent of this vice of lying Psa_119:29
1Sa 21:3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.
Now therefore what is under thine hand - Meaning, what food had he in his house
give me five loaves - David asked for five loaves, because he had spoken of several attendants, and probably wanted to make provision for two or three days.
1Sa 21:4 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.
there is no common bread - It gives an idea of the depressed and poor condition of the priesthood at that time, that Ahimelech should have had no bread at hand except the showbread.
there is no common bread - In the tabernacle, though he might have such in his own house; which was common for any man to eat of, even such as were not priests; but he had none there, and David was in haste to be gone because of Doeg, and could not stay till such was fetched:
There is hallowed bread - though it was not lawful for any but priests to eat of, yet in this case of necessity he seemed willing to give it to David and his men, on this condition: if the young men have kept themselves at least from women; from their wives or others, and from any pollution by them, in any way or manner;
There is hallowed bread - There was a double impediment to the giving this bread to them; Its sacredness in itself; which the priest implies, and David answers 1Sa_21:5, and the priest was satisfied therein by David's great necessities. The abstinence from all women, which he supposed should be in those that use it; concerning which he now enquires. And though he mentions this only concerning David's young men, and out of reverence forbears to name him; yet he is also included in the number, as David's answer shews.
There is hallowed bread - If they were clean at any rate in this respect, he would in such a case of necessity depart from the Levitical law concerning the eating of the shew-bread, for the sake of observing the higher commandment of love to a neighbor Lev_19:18 You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Mat_12:3-5 But He said to them, Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him, how he entered into the house of God and ate the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the Law that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath and are blameless?
there is hallowed bread-- Before entertaining the idea that this bread could be lawfully given to David and his men, the high priest seems to have consulted the oracle 1Sa_22:10 And he asked of the LORD for him and gave him food and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. as to the course to be followed in this emergency. A dispensation to use the hallowed bread was specially granted by God Himself.
1Sa 21:5 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.
The vessels of the young men - their clothes or other articles which might be Levitically unclean and need cleansing as well as the person.
these three days - this was the time which according to the law was required for the sanctifying of persons in this way, Exo_19:15 And he said to the people, Be ready for the third day. Do not approach a woman.
the bread is in a manner common - inasmuch as it was taken off of the shewbread table, and was now common to the priest and his family, though not to others, yet in case of necessity through hunger might be allowed to strangers:
it were sanctified this day in the vessel - especially when this day there is other sanctified in the vessel. Lev_8:26. This was the sabbath day; for on that day the removal of the shewbread loaves was made, Lev_24:8 and Jesus spoke of this event in connection with the Sabbath.
1Sa 21:6 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.
So the priest gave him hallowed bread - To this history our Lord alludes, Mar_2:25, in order to show that in cases of absolute necessity a breach of the ritual law was no sin. It was lawful for the priests only to eat the shew-bread; but David and his companions were starving, no other bread could be had at the time, and therefore he and his companions ate of it without sin.
So the priest gave him hallowed bread - Being satisfied with the account he gave of himself, and his young men, and of the lawfulness of it in case of necessity, acts of mercy being to be preferred to ritual services.
the shewbread that was taken from before the Lord - it seems to have been just taken off the shewbread table, it being sabbath day, and not as yet carried to the house of the priest, and divided among the other priests as usual; and which was then removed, to put hot bread, in the day that it was taken away; that is, new bread, twelve fresh cakes; for when the twelve, that had stood a week on the shewbread table were removed, twelve more were immediately put in their room,
put hot bread in - there arises a difficulty, how they could be put hot there, when it was not lawful to bake on a sabbath day. About this the Jews are divided; some say they were baked on the sabbath day, but the greater part say that baking did not drive away the sabbath, or it was lawful on the sabbath day; but others say that they were baked on the evening of the sabbath, and kept in the oven until the time of their being set upon the table; and the mouth of the oven might be stopped up till that time to keep in the heat;
1Sa 21:7 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.
Detained before the Lord - Either to fulfill a vow, as they did in Act_21:23-27, or on account of uncleanness, or under the law of lepers Lev_13:4, Lev_13:11, Lev_13:21, or as a proselyte or because it was sabbath day, and so he might not travel. It is not impossible that Doeg may have been in custody or in sanctuary for some crime.
And his name was Doeg - From 1Sa_22:9 we learn that this man betrayed David’s secret to Saul, which caused him to destroy the city, and slay eighty-five priests. We learn from its title that the fifty-second Psalm was made on this occasion. Psalms 52:1 To the Chief Musician. A contemplation. A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said to him, David has come to the house of Ahimelech. Why do you boast yourself in evil, O mighty man? The mercy of God endures forever.
Doeg an Edomite - being by birth an Idumean, but a proselyte to the Jewish religion; or he was of the seed of Israel , but because he had dwelt in Edom , he was called an Edomite.
the chiefest of the herdmen - Saul had his herds and men to look after them, and this man was set over them all, to see that they faithfully discharged their trust.
1Sa 21:8 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.
is there not here under thine hand spear or sword - he knew the sword of Goliath was there, and perhaps had a principal view to it, and put this question in order to get that in his possession:
1Sa 21:9 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.
Wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod - Rather, “in the cloak,” Goliath’s military cloak, which was part of the dedicated trophy. The ephod was naturally hung up where the high priest alone could get at it.
behind the ephod - That is, behind that holy place allotted for the keeping of the sacred, or priestly garments; Here it was laid up as a sacred monument of God 's power and goodness in delivering Israel .
There is none like that--not only for its size and superior temper, but for its being a pledge of the divine favor to him, and a constant stimulus to his faith.
1Sa 21:10 And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
Achish king of Gath - It appears from the title that Ps. 34 was composed on this occasion. Psalms 34:1 A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise always shall be in my mouth. Achish, the king of it, is called Abimelech in the title of the thirty fourth psalm, that name being common to the kings of the Philistines, as Pharaoh was to the kings of Egypt . Nothing can give a more lively impression of the straits to which David was reduced than the fact of his going to the country of the Philistines.
Went to Achish the king of Gath - This was the worst place to which he could have gone: it was the very city of Goliath , whom he had slain, and whose sword he now wore; and he soon found, from the conversation of the servants of Achish, that his life was in the most imminent danger in this place.
Went to Achish the king of Gath - The king elect is here an exile: anointed to the crown, and yet forced to run his country. So do God's providences sometimes run counter to his promises, for the trial of our faith, and the glorifying his name in accomplishing his counsels, notwithstanding the difficulties that lie in the way.
1Sa 21:11 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?
The king of the land - The Philistines gave him the title which their own lords bore for his conquest of Goliath; for this was what was proposed by him, that whoever was the conqueror should possess the kingdom. Or they might mean the king of the land of Israel, having heard that he was anointed king by Samuel, and was to succeed Saul; or rather, they called him so because he led out the armies of Israel as their general, and being victorious was more respected than even Saul was; for they had heard what the women sung in their songs Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? which are the burden of their song, 1Sa_18:7; and from whence the servants of Achish concluded, that he was in greater authority or honor, and in greater esteem than Saul their king was.
1Sa 21:12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
1Sa 21:13 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.
Scrabbled - literally, made marks, as if he was writing something there, and making marks upon them.
On the doors of the gate - The gate of Achish’s palace-yard or court, in which the attendants waited. The house itself stood in this court.
And he changed his behavior - Behaved like a fool, or a madman: or changed his "taste"; which some understand of his reason, acted as if he was deprived of it; and others of his speech, his words and the accent of them, drawled them out, as such persons do:
feigned himself mad in their hands - for in their hands he was, being taken by them, as the title of the fifty sixth psalm shows, Psa_56:1 Psalms 56:1 To the Chief Musician. Concerning the silent dove-- those far off. Of David, a secret treasure--when the Philistines took him in Gath. Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; fighting daily, he presses me down. and this stratagem he used to get himself out of their hands, acting the part of a madman, delirious, and out of his senses:
1Sa 21:14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
1Sa 21:15 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?
