INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 21 This chapter relates that David went to Nob, and pretending he was on secret business for the king, got shewbread, and the sword of Goliath, from Ahimelech the priest, 1 Samuel 21:1; and that passing from thence to Gath, where he was known, through fear feigned himse... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CAME DAVID TO NOB, TO AHIMELECH THE PRIEST,.... The high priest, as Abarbinel rightly calls him; he was the brother of Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, who being dead he succeeded him; though some say a he was the same; see 1 Samuel 14:3; who was now at Nob, the tabernacle being there, whither probab... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID SAID UNTO AHIMELECH THE PRIEST,.... In reply to his question, and to account for such an appearance he made without an equipage: THE KING HATH COMMANDED ME A BUSINESS, AND HATH SAID UNTO ME, LET NO MAN KNOW ANYTHING OF THE BUSINESS THEREABOUT I SEND THEE, AND WHAT I HAVE COMMANDED THEE; h... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE WHAT IS UNDER THINE HAND?.... Meaning, what food had he in his house? GIVE [ME] FIVE [LOAVES OF] BREAD IN MINE HAND; to take with him, for him and his servants in such a place: OR WHAT THERE IS PRESENT; or to be found g in the tabernacle; if not five loaves, two, or three, or four, o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRIEST ANSWERED DAVID, AND SAID, [THERE IS] NO COMMON BREAD UNDER MINE HAND,.... 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... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID ANSWERED THE PRIEST, AND SAID UNTO HIM,.... In reply to the case of the young men his servants, and of himself too, who also was intended by the priest, though out of reverence to him not mentioned: OF A TRUTH WOMEN [HAVE BEEN] KEPT FROM US THESE THREE DAYS SINCE I CAME OUT; reckoning eit... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Whether he gave him five loaves, as he desired, is not said; but the reason o... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW A CERTAIN MAN OF THE SERVANTS OF SAUL [WAS] THERE THAT DAY,.... When David came to Nob, and asked bread of the priest, and had it, which this man was an eyewitness of, 1 Samuel 22:9; DETAINED BEFORE THE LORD; either because it was sabbath day, and so he might not travel, at least no more than t... [ Continue Reading ]
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 keeping, and at his disposal; he knew the sword of Goliath was there, and perhaps had a principal v... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRIEST SAID, THE SWORD OF GOLIATH THE PHILISTINE, WHOM THOU SLEWEST IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH,.... See 1 Samuel 17:2; BEHOLD, IT [IS HERE] WRAPPED IN A CLOTH BEHIND THE EPHOD; the garment of the high priest, in which were the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate, or the linen vestments of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID AROSE AND FLED THAT DAY FOR FEAR OF SAUL,.... He had fled before for fear of him both from his own house, and from Naioth, 1 Samuel 19:18; but now he fled out of the land of Israel, for fear of him; or it may be the reason of his fear and flight on this day was because of Doeg the Edomite,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SERVANTS OF ACHISH SAID UNTO HIM,.... Who knew who David was, and perceiving that he was respected by Achish: [IS] NOT THIS DAVID THE KING OF THE LAND? of the land of the Philistines; so some render the words, "the king of this land" q; which belongs unto him for his conquest of Goliath; fo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID LAID UP THESE WORDS IN HIS HEART,.... Pondered upon them, and thought them over in his mind, finding that he was known, and his character also, and considered with himself what might be the consequence of this: AND WAS SORE AFRAID OF ACHISH THE KING OF GATH; lest he should be set against... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CHANGED HIS BEHAVIOUR BEFORE THEM,.... Behaved like a fool, or a madman: or changed his "taste" s; 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: AND FEIGNED HIMSELF MAD... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID ACHISH TO HIS SERVANTS, LO, YOU SEE THE MAN IS MAD,.... Which he said, as willing his servants should think so, and therefore rather the object of their pity than of their rage and malice; or as really believing he was so, which he and they might conclude not merely from these his actions,... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE I NEED OF MADMEN?.... Or fools, do I want them? have not I enough of them already at my court? I want wise men, and not fools and madmen. The Jews say w that the wife and daughter of Achish were mad; that while David was playing the fool and madman without, they were acting the same part within... [ Continue Reading ]