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Joseph Benson’s Bible Commentary

1 Samuel 21:8,9

The king's business required haste He pretended to Ahimelech, that the reason why he had not brought his sword or any weapon with him was, because he had not time to go to his house; the king pressing him to go immediately about his business. Wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod That is, behind that holy place allotted for the keeping of the sacred, or priestly garments; all which are here comprehended under the ephod; which, as the chief, is put for all the rest. Here it was laid up as a sacred monument of God's power and goodness. There is none like it Because it not only served him for his use, for he was a strong and tall man, and one that could wield that sword; but it was also a pledge of God's favour to him. Whenever he looked upon it, it would be a support to his faith, by reminding him of what God had already done.

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See also 1 Samuel 21:8,9 in other biblical comments:

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    6. DAVID'S VARIED EXPERIENCES CHAPTER 21 _ 1. David at Nob with Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21:1)_ 2. David's flight to Achish, King of Gath (1 Samuel 21:10) With this chapter begins the record of David's...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 SAMUEL 21. DAVID AT NOB AND GATH. 1 Samuel 21:1 (J). From one of the ancient documents; it is not clear which of the previous sections finds its sequel here. It is often connected with 1 Samuel 19:1...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    David's Flight to Gath, 1 Samuel 21:1-15. _David At Nob._ 1 Samuel 21:1-9 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why _ar...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ No JFB...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE FLIGHT OF DAVID David first of all flees to Nob, where Ahimelech supplies him with food and gives him the sword of Goliath. He next takes refuge with Achish at Gath....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 21 DAVID GOES TO THE TOWN OF NOB V1 David went and visited Ahimelech the priest. He lived in the town of Nob. Ahimelech trembled when he went...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SPEAR OR SWORD? — We may well suppose _to what_ David pointed when he made his request — the famous sword, the trophy of the combat which had for ever made his name illustrious. In the first flush of...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[1 Samuel 21:9]_ וַ יֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ לַ אֲחִימֶ֔לֶךְ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXVIII. _ DAVID AT NOB AND AT GATH._ 1 Samuel 21:1. WE enter here on a somewhat painful part of David's history. He is not living so near to God as before; and in consequence his course beco...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    FOOD AND WEAPON: A SIDE STEP 1 Samuel 21:1 David fled to Nob, at the north of the Mount of Olives, where Ahimelech presided over the relics of the ancient sanctuary. His suspicions were removed by an...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Under such trying stress, the land itself seemed too hot to hold David, and he takes refuge in flight. The story of his period of exile, with its varied experiences, follows. His movements during this...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (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. (9) An...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We enter now on a portion of David's history sensibly different from what we have already had, which closed with the efforts of Jonathan to restore matters and to attach Saul to him at least openly. J...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _GOLIATH’S SWORD_ ‘And David said unto Abimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword?’ etc. 1 Samuel 21:8 The token of the victories of youth. There is nothing like that—no such...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The elect king is now rejected. He repairs to the priest, who gives him the hallowed bread, according to the sovereign grace of God, who rises above the ordinances that are connected with blessing, wh...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND DAVID SAID UNTO AHIMELECH,.... After he had given him some of the loaves of the shewbread: AND IS THERE NOT HERE UNDER THINE HAND SPEAR OR SWORD? any weapon, meaning in the tabernacle, and in his...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 8. _...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    [DAUID AT NOB.] 1 Dauid at Nob, obtaineth of Ahimelech hallowed bread. 7 Doeg was present. 8 Dauid taketh Goliaths sword. 10 Dauid at Gath faineth himselfe madde. 1 THEN came Dauid to Nob, to Ahi...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand, in his charge, SPEAR OR SWORD? FOR I HAVE NEITHER BROUGHT MY SWORD NOR MY WEAPONS WITH ME, BECAUSE THE KING'S BUSINESS REQUIRED H...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    DAVID AT NOB...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    David came down to Nob, which was a cause of alarm to Ahimelech the priest, who asks why he had no man with him. It would seem from the history here that he had no-one identified with him, yet there m...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-9 David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect directi...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    He left his weapons behind him, that he might with less suspicion remove from place to place, and hide himself from Saul and his spies. THE KING'S BUSINESS REQUIRED HASTE; the message came to me when...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 21:8 David H1732 said H559 (H8799) Ahimelech H288 there H3426 not H371 hand H3027 spear H2595 sword...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    DAVID THE CHAMPION SLAYER IS HUMILIATED BEFORE THE KING OF GATH (1 SAMUEL 21:8). It can surely not be a coincidence that in this passage David's miserable time in Gath is preceded by a reminder of ano...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Samuel 21:8 The token of the victories of youth. There is nothing like that no such talisman, no such weapon as that to be borne or wielded no marvel that David rejoices to hear it is within reach....

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: David flees to Ahimelech and Achish. CHARACTERS: David, Ahimelech, Doeg, Achish. CONCLUSION: If we would but trust God aright, we would not have to resort to miserable and dishonoring devi...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 21:1. _Nob;_ fifteen miles west of Jerusalem, and on the road to Gath, where the wandering ark now rested. It was a little city of priests. After they were all murdered, by Saul, the ark was...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The king’s business required haste._ HASTE! HASTE! 1. We are always called upon to work as if we had but one day to work in. 2. Such impetuosity need not involve carelessness. 3. The most deliber...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Then came David to Nob._ ALMOST GONE It is not easy to walk with God. I. The steps of David’s declension. The first sign of what was impending was his remark to Jonathan, that there was but a step...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 21:1 David begins his life as a fugitive. He moves around from place to place, gathering a group of 400 men, which later increases to 600. Saul is single-minded in his determ...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— 1 Samuel 21:1. The position of Nob cannot now be determined, only from Isaiah 10:28, we gather that it was on the road northward between Jerusalem and Anathoth. Porter i...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    DAVID'S FLIGHT TO NOB, AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE PHILISTINES (1 Samuel 21:1.). EXPOSITION DAVID'S FLIGHT TO NOB ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So David now fled to Nob to Ahimelech who was the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said to him, Why are you alone, why aren't there men with you? [You know David was a cap...

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