The First Book of Samuel, otherwise called the First Book of the Kings
1 Samuel 21
Chapter XXI · Vol. II, pp. 662–663
1 David at Nob obtaineth of Ahimelech hallowed bread. 7 Doeg is present. 8 David taketh Goliath's sword. 10 He fleeth to Gath, where to save his life he feigneth himself mad.
1 Then came David to aNob bto Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech cwas afraid1 at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
B.C. 1058.
a ch.22.9,19. Ne.11. 32. Is.10.32.
b Mar. 2. 26. 2 Sa.8. 17. ch.22.10-13.
c ch.16.4. Mat.12.3.
1 It is most probable the antipathy of Saul to David was not unknown to Ahimelech, and that he anticipated the vengeance of Saul for any intercourse he might hold with him—a fear sadly realized within a brief period.—C.
2 And David dsaid 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 2place.
d ch. 22. 22. Ps. 119. 29. Col. 3. 9. Ep. 4.25. Zec.8.16.
2 It is melancholy to read this second instance of David's disingenuity and falsehood. See note ch. 20. 6. These are some of the iniquities for which God afterwards afflicts him till he sees his sin, and turns to the Lord, not with divided affections, but with all his heart.—C.
3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.3
3 Heb. found.
4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand; but there is ehallowed bread, if the young men have kept themselves at least ffrom women.
5 And David answered the priest,4 and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the gvessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is hin a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
4 The conduct of David in practising deception admits of no defence; and David, when more enlightened by the Spirit of God, and more dead to the world, would himself have been the last to attempt such defence. The record illustrates the sinfulness of man, and the weakness of David's faith, while the pardon of it displays the long-suffering and mercy of God. See note on ch. 20. 6.—C.
A.M. 2946. B.C. 1058.
g Bodies, Ac. 9.15. 2 Co.4.7. 1 Th.4.3,4. 1 Pe.3.7. 2 Ti.2.21.
h Mat.12.3,4,7.
6 So the priest igave him hallowed bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread that was taken from before the LORD, to put khot bread in the day when it was taken away.
7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, ldetained before the LORD; and his name was mDoeg, an Edomite,5 the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.6
l Je.7.9,10. Is. 1. 15. Tit.1.16. Mat.15.8. He was detained at the tabernacle to be purified; but he had no love to God's ordinances.
5 Either an Edomite born, and a proselyte to the Jewish religion, or an Israelite born and educated in the land of Edom.—C.
6 The state of Israel admitting scarcely of any revenue for the support of the king's dignity, or defraying the unavoidable expense of the public service, the king must become a large proprietor of cattle, the staple of the country, and these required regular officers for their management, of whom Doeg was the chief.—C.
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.7
7 Another act of deception, and liable to the same condemnation as every such former act. See notes on ch.20.6; 21.2.—C.
9 And the priest said, The nsword 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.
n ch.17.2-51,54.
10 And David arose, and ofled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
o 1 Ki. 19. 3. Ps. 34. title. Mat.10.23. ch.27. 2; 20.1.
11 And the pservants 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?
p Ps.56. title. ch. 18. 7; 29.5.
12 And David qlaid up these words in his heart, and rwas sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
q Lu.2.19,51.
13 And he schanged his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled8 on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.9
8 Or, made marks.
9 In eastern countries the beard is an object of much attention, and to spit upon it, or even to threaten to spit upon it, is the most heinous insult. Achish therefore concludes that the man who spits upon his own beard must have lost his reason. Some commentators are of opinion that David was really affected by epilepsy, a disease that might produce the effects recorded; but it seems much more natural to consider it another act of wilful deception, less criminal indeed than his former acts of the same kind, but still to be condemned as the result of timidity and want of faith in God.—C.
14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad:1 wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
1 Or, playeth the madman.
15 Have I need of madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?2
2 Among other qualities, David was an accomplished actor. Perfect coolness and fertility of resource, in circumstances of great danger, were prominent characteristics of his mind. Madmen were, and still are, privileged in the East. David's feigned madness saved his life, and embracing a favourable opportunity, he fled to the cave of Adullam. It was easy to escape when once he got outside the walls, for the wooded hills and secluded valleys adjoining the city afford a ready asylum to the fugitive.—P.
Notes
[Ver. 1. The word Nob signifies 'a high place,' and we may conclude that it stood on a height. Its geographical position is incidentally indicated in this narrative. It lay south of Gibeah, for David was on his way to Philistia when he called at Nob. It was also close to Gibeah. From Is. 10. 32 we learn that it was within sight of Jerusalem, and not far from Anathoth. About a mile south of the site of Gibeah is a conical rocky hill, on whose summit and sides are traces of a small but very ancient town. It commands a wide view, including the top of Mount Zion. This appears to me to be the site of Nob. P.]
Ver. 4. [The latter part of this verse as here translated is unintelligible. The meaning of it appears to be this—'The bodies of the young men are clean; and though the way (i.e. the purpose or enterprise on which we go) is common (that is, not strictly ecclesiastical), yet is it to-day sanctified through the instrument' (i.e. through me as the appointed ambassador of the king). David pretended that he was upon a royal commission, and that he was thus justified in taking even holy bread. P.]
Ver. 10. [The site of Gath has long been a subject of difficulty and doubt among biblical geographers. Its exact position is not described in Scripture. From a careful study of incidental notices, and of the topography of the country, I have come to the conclusion that it stood upon the conical hill now called Tell es-Sâfieh. It is about 7 miles from Bethshemesh, and 6 miles north of Eleutheropolis. It stands close to the base of the mountains of Judah. The site is a most commanding one, and well suited to a royal city. Gath appears to have been in ruins in the time of Amos, ch. 6. 2; and with the exception of an incidental allusion to it in a proverb, Mi. 1. 10, we hear no more of it in history. It is not mentioned by the later prophets among the royal cities of Philistia. P.]
Reflections.—High stations are slippery places. Often a person is scarcely fixed in when he is driven from them. How weak are the best of men when left to themselves; and how unreasonable therefore to be secure or self-confident! We know not what temptations are before us, or how weak we are to resist them. God will have mercy and not sacrifice: and what we have devoted to his honour may become the means of our protection. But even in the house of God Satan has his spies, who come pretending to worship, but are sent by him for mischief. Oppression sometimes makes a wise man mad; and the fear of man causeth a snare. But in every trial God can open a way for our escape, and make even our enemies instruments of our deliverance. In distress let me flee to God's sanctuary, where I may have spiritual armour, comfort, and direction. However Providence alter my lot, let me always retain my Christian candour: and if my troubles be great, let strong faith and prudent circumspection attend me; not craftiness or dissimulation.