Text -- 1 Samuel 21:9-15 (NET)

David Goes to Gath

21:9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the valley of Elah, is wrapped in a garment behind the ephod. If you wish, take it for yourself. Other than that, there’s nothing here.” David said, “There’s nothing like it! Give it to me!” 21:10 So on that day David arose and fled from Saul. He went to King Achish of Gath. 21:11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one that they sing about when they dance, saying, ‘Saul struck down his thousands, But David his tens of thousands’?” 21:12 David thought about what they said and was very afraid of King Achish of Gath. 21:13 He altered his behavior in their presence. Since he was in their power, he pretended to be insane, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting his saliva run down his beard. 21:14 Achish said to his servants, “Look at this madman! Why did you bring him to me? 21:15 Do I have a shortage of fools, that you have brought me this man to display his insanity in front of me? Should this man enter my house?”

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: 1Sa 21:9

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.

Wesley: 1Sa 21:9

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 was also a pledge of God's favour to him. Whenever be looked upon it, it would be a support to his faith, by reminding him of what God had already done.

Wesley: 1Sa 21:10

A strange action; but it must be considered, that Saul's rage was so great, his power also, and diligence in hunting after him that he despaired of escaping any other way: and a desperate disease, produceth a desperate remedy. 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.

Wesley: 1Sa 21:11

Of Canaan. They call him king, either more generally for the governor, the most eminent captain and commander, or, as the king elect, the person designed to be king: for, by this time, the fame of Saul's rejection, and David's destination to the kingdom, was got abroad among the Israelites, and from them, probably to the Philistines.

Wesley: 1Sa 21:11

And therefore consider what to do; and now our great enemy is in thy hand, be sure thou never let him go alive.

Wesley: 1Sa 21:12

Lest either their revenge or policy should prompt them to kill him. Perhaps he was the more apprehensive, because he wore Goliath's sword, which was probably well known at Gath. He now learned by experience what he afterward taught us, Psa 118:9. It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in princes.

Wesley: 1Sa 21:15

It is highly probable, Achish was aware, that this madness was counterfeit. But being desirous to preserve David, he speaks as if he thought it real.

JFB: 1Sa 21:9

(See on 1Sa 17:54).

JFB: 1Sa 21:9

In the place allowed for keeping the sacred vestments, of which the ephod is mentioned as the chief. The giant's sword was deposited in that safe custody as a memorial of the divine goodness in delivering Israel.

JFB: 1Sa 21:9

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.

JFB: 1Sa 21:10

Which was one of the five principalities of the Philistines. In this place his person must have been known, and to venture into that country, he their greatest enemy, and with the sword of Goliath in his hand, would seem to have been a perilous experiment; but, doubtless, the protection he received implies that he had been directed by the divine oracle. Achish was generous (1Sa 27:6). He might wish to weaken the resources of Saul, and it was common in ancient times for great men to be harbored by neighboring princes.

JFB: 1Sa 21:13

It is supposed to have been an attack of epilepsy, real or perhaps only pretended. This disease is relieved by foaming at the mouth.

JFB: 1Sa 21:13

No wonder that Achish supposed him insane, as such an indignity, whether done by another, or one's self, to the beard, is considered in the East an intolerable insult.

Clarke: 1Sa 21:9

The sword of Goliath - It has already been conjectured (see 1 Samuel 17:1-58) that the sword of Goliath was laid up as a trophy in the tabernacle.

Clarke: 1Sa 21:10

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.

Clarke: 1Sa 21:13

And he changed his behavior - Some imagine David was so terrified at the danger to which he was now exposed, that he was thrown into a kind of frenzy, accompanied with epileptic fits. This opinion is countenanced by the Septuagint, who render the passage thus: Ιδου ιδετε ανδρα επιλητον ; "Behold, ye see an epileptic man. Why have ye introduced him to me?" Μη ελαττουμαι επιληπτων εγω ; "Have I any need of epileptics, that ye have brought him to have his fits before me, ( επιληπτευεσθαι προς με ?") It is worthy of remark, that the spittle falling upon the beard, i.e., slavering or frothing at the mouth, is a genuine concomitant of an epileptic fit

If this translation be allowed, it will set the conduct of David in a clearer point of view than the present translation does. But others think the whole was a feigned conduct, and that he acted the part of a lunatic or madman in order to get out of the hands of Achish and his courtiers. Many vindicate this conduct of David; but if mocking be catching, according to the proverb, he who feigns himself to be mad may, through the just judgment of God, become so. I dare not be the apologist of insincerity or lying. Those who wish to look farther into this subject may consult Dr. Chandler, Mr. Saurin, and Ortlob, in the first volume of Dissertations, at the end of the Dutch edition of the Critici Sacri.

Clarke: 1Sa 21:15

Shall this fellow come into my house? - I will not take into my service a man who is liable to so grievous a disease. Chandler, who vindicates David’ s feigning himself, mad, concludes thus: "To deceive the deceiver is in many instances meritorious, in none criminal. And what so likely to deceive as the very reverse of that character which they had so misconstrued? He was undone as a wise man, he had a chance to escape as a madman; he tried, and the experiment succeeded."I confess I can neither feel the force nor the morality of this. Deceit and hypocrisy can never be pleasing in the sight of God.

Defender: 1Sa 21:10

It is ironic that David would take refuge in Gath, which was the home town of Goliath and other giants (1Sa 17:4). The city even contained Goliath's sword (1Sa 21:9, 1Sa 21:11-15; 1Sa 22:1)."

TSK: 1Sa 21:9

The sword : 1Sa 17:51-54

the valley : 1Sa 17:2, 1Sa 17:50

behold : 1Sa 31:10

behind : Exo 28:6-14

TSK: 1Sa 21:10

fled : 1Sa 27:1; 1Ki 19:3; Jer 26:21

Achish : or, Abimelech, 1Sa 27:2; Psa 34:1 *title

Gath : Jerome says there was a large town called Gath, in the way from Eleutheropolis to Gaza; and Eusebius speaks of another Gath, five miles from Eleutheropolis, towards Lydda (and consequently different from that mentioned by Jerome); and also of another Gath, between Jamnia and Antipatris. It appears to have been the extreme boundary of the Philistine territory in one direction, as Ekron was on the other (1Sa 7:14; 1Sa 17:52), and lay near Mareshah (2Ch 11:8. Mic 1:14), which agrees pretty well with the position assigned it by Jerome. But Reland and Dr. Wells agree with Eusebius; and the authors of the Universal History (b. i. c. 7) place it about six miles form Jamnia, fourteen south of Joppa, and thirty-two west of Jerusalem.

TSK: 1Sa 21:11

the servants : Psa 56:1 *title

the king : 1Sa 16:1, 1Sa 18:7, 1Sa 18:8, 1Sa 29:5

TSK: 1Sa 21:12

laid up : Psa 119:11; Luk 2:19, Luk 2:51

sore : 1Sa 21:10; Gen 12:11-13, Gen 26:7; Psa 34:4, Psa 56:3

TSK: 1Sa 21:13

changed : Psa 34:1 *title Pro 29:25; Ecc 7:7

scrabbled : or, made marks

TSK: 1Sa 21:14

is mad : or, playeth the madman, Ecc 7:7

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 1Sa 21:9

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.

Barnes: 1Sa 21:10

Achish king of Gath - It appears from the title that Ps. 34 was composed on this occasion. (See the note there.) 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.

Barnes: 1Sa 21:11

The king of the land - The Philistines gave him the title which their own lords bore.

Barnes: 1Sa 21:13

Scrabbled - literally, made marks (margin), namely, the mark of the "tau"(t), which in the ancient Hebrew and Phoenician was in the shape of a cross. (See Eze 9:4.)

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. (Compare Est 2:19, Est 2:21.)

Poole: 1Sa 21:9

Behind the ephod i.e. 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 of the kind, is put for all the rest. Here it was laid up as a sacred monument of God’ s power and goodness, and that famous victory, related 1Sa 17 .

There is none like that because it not only served him for his use, for he was a strong and tall man, and one that could wield that sword, as we saw, 1Sa 17 , but was also a pledge of God’ s favour to him, and a great encouragement to his faith.

Poole: 1Sa 21:10

A strange action; but it must be considered,

1. That Saul’ s rage was so great and implacable, his power also and diligence in hunting after him so great, that he despaired of escaping him any other way; and it is not strange if a desperate disease produceth a desperate remedy.

2. David might reasonably think, that being persecuted and banished by Saul, and the Israelites under his command, he should be welcome to the Philistines; who would be glad, not only to be freed from all those evils which he had from time to time done, and was likely further to do to them, but also to make him their friend, and oblige him by their kindness, and to make him the more odious and irreconcilable to Saul and the Israelites.

Quest. But why did he go to these, and not rather to some other neighbour nation?

Answ Because they were all at peace with Saul; and therefore would certainly have delivered him up, upon Saul’ s demands.

Poole: 1Sa 21:11

The king of the land or, of this land, i.e. of the land of Canaan. They call him king , either more generally for the governor, as that word is used Deu 33:5 , for the most eminent captain and commander, and, as it were, the king of the Israelitish armies; or rather, more specially, the king , to wit, the king elect, the person designed to be king; for by this time the fame of Saul’ s rejection, and David’ s destination to the kingdom, was got abroad among the Israelites, and from them probably to the Philistines’ ears.

Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? and therefore consider what to do; and now thine and our great enemy is in thy hand, be sure thou never let him go alive.

Poole: 1Sa 21:12

Lest either their revenge or policy should prompt them to kill him.

Poole: 1Sa 21:13

His behaviour his speech and gesture; and, it may be, his habit also.

Feigned himself mad which they might the more easily believe, partly because of the disappointment of his great hopes, and his extreme danger and trouble from Saul, which might well make him mad; and partly because he had put himself into their hands, which they supposed none but a fool or a madman would have done. And David counterfeited this madness, that he might procure both their pity and their contempt; that they being freed from jealousies and fears of future mischief from David, and from his wise conduct, of which they had sad experience, might be secure of him, and so spare him.

In their hands i.e. whilst he was in their power, and before them.

Poole: 1Sa 21:14

Ye see the man is mad and so were Achish and his men too, to be so soon cheated. But this must be ascribed to the wise and powerful providence of God, who, in answer to David’ s prayer now made, which is recorded Ps 34 Ps 61 , did infatuate them, as he hath done many others in like cases.

Wherefore then have ye brought him to me? what service can I expect from him? or what cause have I to fear him?

Poole: 1Sa 21:15

I need wise men, not such fools or madmen as this is. I will not have my court disgraced with entertaining such fellows.

Haydock: 1Sa 21:9

This. Chaldean observes, he gave this sword "after he had consulted the Lord with the ephod." In a just war, the ornaments of the temples may be used. Pro republic i plerumque templa nudantur. (Seneca) (Grotius, Jur. iii. 5, 2.) (Calmet) ---

Tostatus believes that David would restore this sword, as soon as he had procured other arms.

Haydock: 1Sa 21:10

Achis. He is elsewhere called Achimelech. This bold step was taken by God's order, (Salien) or secret impulse, as the high priest and Doeg knew not whither David had directed his course. (Haydock) ---

Sanchez thinks David received no express declaration, as the event was not very prosperous. (Menochius) ---

Many great men have taken refuge among their greatest enemies, as Themistocles, Alcibiades, and Coriolanus fled respectively to the Persians, Lacedæmonians, and Volscians, and were received with great respect. Indeed the acquisition of such men is equivalent to a victory. (Calmet) ---

Though David might expect that his name would be hateful at Geth, as he had slain their great champion, &c., yet he had done it in an open manner, and had displayed the most heroic courage, so that the king and nobility might raise their thoughts above the vulgar sentiments of jealousy and revenge. (Salien) ---

David only retired from the court of this king, to avoid the hatred of the courtiers; he returned again, and was kindly received, chap. xxvii. 1. (Calmet)

Haydock: 1Sa 21:11

Land, equal to a king in glory. (Menochius) ---

Perhaps they had heard of the rejection of Saul, and reflected that their own country belonged to him, according to the terms proposed by Goliath. (Calmet)

Haydock: 1Sa 21:13

Countenance. Hebrew, "sentiment, (Calmet) or, behaviour." (Haydock) ---

Chaldean, "reason." He no longer acted as a prudent man, but like a fool. ---

Down; not fainting, (Calmet) but like one in an epileptic fit. (Haydock) ---

Hebrew, "he feigned himself mad." Chaldean, "stupid." ---

Stumbled. Hebrew, "wrote, or made figures upon." Septuagint, "beat the drum upon the gates of the city, and he was carried about, or acted the fool, in his hands, ( Greek: parephereto en tais chersin, autou: Amama would have, Greek: auton, their ) and he fell against the doors of the gate," &c. They seem to give a double translation. St. Augustine says, "we cannot understand how David could be carried in his own hands. But we understand how it was verified in Christ. For Christ was carried in his own hands at his last supper, when he gave, or commending, his own body, he said, This, &c., for he then carried his own body in his own hands." (In Psalm xxxiii. conc. i.) Ferebat enim illud corpus in manibus suis. Amama may laugh at St. Augustine's ignorance of Hebrew, but the holy doctor was at least a sincere Catholic. (Haydock) ---

Beard. We find some wretched objects doing the same, Mark ix. 17. The spittle was deemed infectious. Et illic isti qui sputatur, morbus interdum venit. (Plautus in Captivis.)

Haydock: 1Sa 21:15

House. David had not rushed into the palace of his own accord, but wished to remain concealed. Some of the people however knew him, and would have him to enlist as one of the soldiers of Achis; (Menochius) or even designed to get him put to death, which made him have recourse to this expedient. Some of the saints have imitated him, to avoid worldly honours and dignities of the Church. (Haydock) ---

Thus the conduct of Jesus Christ himself, was accounted foolishness by worldlings, Mark iii. 21., Luke xxiii. 11., and 1 Corinthians i. 23. (Ven. Bede) (Worthington)

Gill: 1Sa 21:9

And the priest said, the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah,.... See 1Sa 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 priests; see 1Sa 22:18; which were laid up in a chamber for their use; and behind them the sword of Goliath was wrapped up in a linen cloth, and reserved as a monument of the goodness of God to Israel, and the salvation of them wrought by the hands of David, who slew Goliath with this his own sword, and brought it with him. The Targum understands this word, rendered "behind", not of the place where the sword was, but of the time when the priest said this, and paraphrases the words,"after he had inquired for him by the ephod;''see 1Sa 22:10,

if thou wilt take that, take it; as if he should say, it is not mine to give thee, but thou mayest take it if thou pleasest; none has a better right to it; it is what thou tookest from the Philistine, and may take it again for thy use if thou art so inclined; and thou must either take this or none:

for there is no other save that here; in the tabernacle, nor even in the priest's house, nor in the city; for it was a city of priests, who did not wear swords:

and David said, there is none like that, give it me; and which, as he was capable of wielding and making use of, as it is plain he was by cutting off Goliath's head with it; so it might serve to strengthen his faith in God, as often as he looked upon it, that he would keep and preserve him, and in due time deliver him out of the hands of Saul, and all his enemies.

Gill: 1Sa 21:10

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, 1Sa 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, lest he should go directly to Saul, and tell him where he was; and therefore through fear of him would not stay any longer, but the same day he came, he fled:

and went to Achish the king of Gath; Gath, according to Bunting ^p, was twenty four miles from Nob. Achish, the king of it, is called Abimelech in the title of the thirty fourth psalm, see Psa 34:1, that name being common to the kings of the Philistines, as Pharaoh was to the kings of Egypt. It may seem strange that David should go into an enemy's country, and especially to the country of the Philistines, by whom he was mortally hated for the victories he had obtained over them, and the numbers of them he had slain; and particularly that he should go to Gath, the place of Goliath, their champion, whom he had slain, and whose sword he now had with him: but this is to be said for him, that such was the fury of Saul against him, and his resolution to slay him, that he was as safe in an enemy's country as in the land of Israel; and that if he must die, he might as well die in one place as another; and that he went particularly here, the reason might be, because all other lands were at peace with Saul, and so would have delivered him up to him, had he went elsewhere; but this people were at war with him, and he might hope not to be known by them; and if he was, that they might think it their interest, to detain such a person that was so serviceable to Saul, and so harmful to them; and being Saul's enemy, they might hope to engage him on their side against him; and besides, he might know that Achish was well disposed towards him, as he seems to be, and might like him never the worse for cutting off Goliath's head, who might not be heartily in the interest of Achish. After all, as impolitic as this step of David's may seems to be, it is what great men have taken in their distress, to go over to their enemies, as Themistocles to the Molossians, and Alcibiades to the Lacedemonians.

Gill: 1Sa 21:11

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; for this was what was proposed by him, that whoever was the conqueror should possess the kingdom; and seeing it belongs to him, O Achish, why dost thou admit him to court? thou wilt be driven from the throne, and we shall be his servants, and not thine ^r: but rather they 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 as follows:

did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, 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 honour, and in greater esteem than Saul their king was.

Gill: 1Sa 21:12

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 him, and be prevailed upon by his servants to take away his life, or deliver him up into the hands of Saul.

Gill: 1Sa 21:13

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 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; and this stratagem he used to get himself out of their hands, acting the part of a madman, delirious, and out of his senses:

and scrabbled on the doors of the gate; as if he was writing something there, and making marks upon them:

and let his spittle fall down upon his beard; slavered, as idiots and madmen do; and however mean this may seem in David to act such a part, it cannot be condemned as wicked, since it was only a stratagem to deliver himself, out of an enemy's hand, and stratagems are always allowed to be used against an enemy; and such a method as this has been taken by men of the greatest sense and wit, as by Brutus ^t and Solon ^u; and yet, according to the Vulgate Latin and Septuagint versions, this case of his was real and not feigned; that through the surprise of being known in the court of Achish, he was seized with an epilepsy; that his countenance was changed, and his mouth distorted, as persons in such fits are; that he fell among them as one convulsed, and fell at, and dashed against the doors of the gates, and foamed at the mouth, as such persons do; see Luk 9:39; and so in the following words the Greek version is, ye see the man is an epileptic; I do not want epileptics; but the thirty fourth and fifty sixth psalms, composed by him at this time, show that as he was of a sound mind, so in good health of body, and not subject to such fits as here represented, see Psa 34:1; which would have rendered him unfit for such composures.

Gill: 1Sa 21:14

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, before described, which they might judge real and not feigned; but they might suppose this was truly his case, brought upon him by the ill usage of Saul, who pursuing him from place to place, and sending after him to take away his life, had really brought him to distraction; and this they might rather conclude from his coming to Gath, an enemy's country, and whose champion he had slain, and many others of them; which it might be thought no man in his senses would have done:

wherefore then have ye brought him to me? for if he was brought to be employed in his service, he seemed very unfit for it, whether in the camp, or in the court; and if to be tried and condemned as an enemy, since he was a madman, he was rather to be pitied.

Gill: 1Sa 21:15

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; so that Achish had enough of that sort of diversion, if it was to be reckoned such; as it was according to the taste of some persons, who used, as in later so in earlier times, to keep fools in their houses to make them sport; but Achish had enough of that, and too much, at least needed no more:

that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? or act the part of a fool before me:

shall this fellow come into mine house? court or palace, and have a post there; you need be in no pain about it; he is neither agreeable to me, nor fit for any; and therefore Achish drove him away as a fool or madman, instead of imprisoning him as an enemy, or taking away his life; see the title of the thirty fourth psalm, Psa 34:1.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Sa 21:12

¹ tn Heb “placed these matters in his heart.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 21:13

¹ tn Heb “in their eyes.”

² tn Heb “in their hand.”

Geneva Bible: 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 ^{( g )} 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.

^{( g )} Behind that place where the high priests garment lay.

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 21:10

And David arose, and ^{( h )} fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

^{( h )} That is, out of Saul's domain.

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 21:13

And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and ^{( i )} scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

^{( i )} By making marks and toys.

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 21:15

Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this [fellow] to play the mad man in my presence? ^{( k )} shall this [fellow] come into my house?

^{( k )} Is he fit to be in a king's house.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 1Sa 21:1-15

1 David at Nob obtains of Ahimelech hallowed bread.

7 Doeg is present.

8 David takes Goliath's sword.

10 David at Gath feigns himself mad.

MHCC: 1Sa 21:1-9

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 direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scripture does not conceal it, and we dare not justify it; it was ill done, and proved of bad consequence; for it occasioned the death of the priests of the Lord. David thought upon it afterward with regret. David had great faith and courage, yet both failed him; he fell thus foully through fear and cowardice, and owing to the weakness of his faith. Had he trusted God aright, he would not have used such a sorry, sinful shift for his own preservation. It is written, not for us to do the like, no, not in the greatest straits, but for our warning. David asked of Ahimelech bread and a sword. Ahimelech supposed they might eat the shew-bread. The Son of David taught from it, that mercy is to be preferred to sacrifice; that ritual observances must give way to moral duties. Doeg set his foot as far within the tabernacle as David did. We little know with what hearts people come to the house of God, nor what use they will make of pretended devotion. If many come in simplicity of heart to serve their God, others come to observe their teachers and to prove accusers. Only God and the event can distinguish between a David and a Doeg, when both are in the tabernacle.

MHCC: 1Sa 21:10-15

God's persecuted people have often found better usage from Philistines than from Israelites. David had reason to put confidence in Achish, yet he began to be afraid. His conduct was degrading, and discovered wavering in his faith and courage. The more simply we depend on God, and obey him, the more comfortably and surely we shall walk through this troublesome world.

Matthew Henry: 1Sa 21:1-9

Here, I. David, in distress, flies in the tabernacle of God, now pitched at Nob, supposed to be a city in the tribe of Benjamin. Since Shiloh was forsaken, the tabernacle was often removed, though the ark still remained at Kirjath-jearim. Hither David came in his flight from Saul's fury (1Sa 21:1), and applied to Ahimelech the priest. Samuel the prophet could not protect him, Jonathan the prince could not. He therefore has recourse next to Ahimelech the priest. He foresees he must now be an exile, and therefore comes to the tabernacle, 1. To take an affecting leave of it, for he knows not when he shall see it again, and nothing will be more afflictive to him in his banishment than his distance from the house of God, and his restraint from public ordinances, as appears by many of his psalms. He had given an affectionate farewell to his friend Jonathan, and cannot go till he has given the like to the tabernacle. 2. To enquire of the Lord there, and to beg direction from him in the way both of duty and safety, his case being difficult and dangerous. That this was his business appears 1Sa 22:10, where it is said that Ahimelech enquired of the Lord for him, as he had done formerly, 1Sa 21:15. It is a great comfort to us in a day of trouble that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our case, and from whom we may ask and expect direction.

II. Ahimelech the priest is surprised to see him in so poor an equipage; having heard that he had fallen into disgrace at court, he looked shy upon him, as most are apt to do upon their friends when the world frowns upon them. He was afraid of incurring Saul's displeasure by entertaining him, and took notice how mean a figure he now made to what he used to make: Why art thou alone? He had some with him (as appears Mar 2:26), but they were only his own servants; he had none of the courtiers, no persons of quality with him, as he used to have at other times, when he came to enquire of the Lord. He says (Psa 42:4) he was wont to go with a multitude to the house of God; and, having now but two or three with him, Ahimelech might well ask, Why art thou alone? He that was suddenly advanced from the solitude of a shepherd's life to the crowd and hurries of the camp is now as soon reduced to the desolate condition of an exile and is alone like a sparrow on the housetop, such charges are there in this world and so uncertain are its smiles! Those that are courted today may be deserted tomorrow.

III. David, under pretence of being sent by Saul upon public services, solicits Ahimelech to supply his present wants, 1Sa 21:2, 1Sa 21:3.

1. Here David did not behave like himself. He told Ahimelech a gross untruth, that Saul had ordered him business to despatch, that his attendants were dismissed to such a place, and that he was charged to observe secresy and therefore durst not communicate it, no, not to the priest himself. This was all false. What shall we say to this? The scripture does not conceal it, and we dare not justify it. It was ill done, and proved of bad consequence; for it occasioned the death of the priests of the Lord, as David reflected upon it afterwards with regret, 1Sa 22:22. It was needless for him thus to dissemble with the priest, for we may suppose that, if he had told him the truth, he would have sheltered and relieved him as readily as Samuel did, and would have known the better how to advise him and enquire of God for him. People should be free with their faithful ministers. David was a man of great faith and courage, and yet now both failed him, and he fell thus foully through fear and cowardice, and both owing to the weakness of his faith. Had he trusted God aright, he would not have used such a sorry sinful shift as this for his own preservation. It is written, not for our imitation, no, not in the greatest straits, but for our admonition. Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall; and let us all pray daily, Lord, lead us not into temptation. Let us all take occasion from this to lament, (1.) The weakness and infirmity of good men; the best are not perfect on this side heaven. There may be true grace where yet there are many failings. (2.) The wickedness of bad times, which forces good men into such straits as prove temptations too strong for them. Oppression makes a wise man do foolishly.

2. Two things David begged of Ahimelech, bread and a sword.

(1.) He wanted bread: five loaves, 1Sa 21:3. Travelling was then troublesome, when men generally carried their provisions with them in kind, having little money and no public houses, else David would not now have had to seek for bread. It seems David had known the seed of the righteous begging bread occasionally, but not constantly, Psa 37:25. Now, [1.] The priest objected that he had none but hallowed bread, show-bread, which had stood a week on the golden table in the sanctuary, and was taken thence for the use of the priests and their families, 1Sa 21:4. It seems the priest kept no good house, but wanted either a heart to be hospitable or provisions wherewithal to be so. Ahimelech thinks that the young men that attended David might not eat of this bread unless they had for some time abstained from women, even from their own wives; this was required at the giving of the law (Exo 19:15), but otherwise we never find this made the matter of any ceremonial purity on the one side or pollution on the other, and therefore the priest here seems to be over-nice, not to say superstitious. [2.] David pleads that he and those that were with him, in this case of necessity, might lawfully eat of the hallowed bread, for they were not only able to answer his terms of keeping from women for three days past, but the vessels (that is, the bodies) of the young men were holy, being possessed in sanctification and honour at all times (1Th 4:4, 1Th 4:5), and therefore God would take particular care of them, that they wanted not necessary supports, and would have his priest to do so. Being thus holy, holy things were not forbidden them. Poor and pious Israelites were in effect priests to God, and, rather than be starved, might feed on the bread which was appropriated to the priests. Believers are spiritual priests, and the offerings of the Lord shall be their inheritance; they eat the bread of their God. He pleads that the bread is in a manner common, now that what was primarily the religious use of it is over; especially (as our margin reads it) where there is other bread ( hot, 1Sa 21:6) sanctified that day in the vessel, and put in the room of it upon the table. This was David's plea, and the Son of David approves it, and shows from it that mercy is to be preferred to sacrifice, that ritual observance must give way to moral duties, and that may be done in a case of an urgent providential necessity which may not otherwise be done. He brings it to justify his disciples in plucking the ears of corn on the sabbath day, for which the Pharisees censured them, Mat 12:3, Mat 12:4. [3.] Ahimelech hereupon supplies him: He gave him hallowed bread (1Sa 21:6), and some think it was about this that he enquired of the Lord, 1Sa 22:10. As a faithful servant he would not dispose of his master's provisions without his master's leave. This bread, we may suppose, was the more agreeable to David for its being hallowed, so precious were all sacred things to him. The show-bread was but twelve loaves in all, yet out of these he gave David five (1Sa 21:3), though they had no more in the house; but he trusted Providence.

(2.) He wanted a sword. Persons of quality, though officers of the army, did not then wear their swords so constantly as now they do, else surely David would not have been without one. It was a wonder that Jonathan did not furnish him with his, as he had before done, 1Sa 18:4. However, it happened that he had now no weapons with him, the reason of which he pretends to be because he came away in haste, 1Sa 21:8. Those that are furnished with the sword of the Spirit and the shield of faith cannot be disarmed of them, nor need they, at any time, to be at a loss. But the priests, it seems, had no swords: the weapons of their warfare were not carnal. There was not a sword to be found about the tabernacle but the sword of Goliath, which was laid up behind the ephod, as a monument of the glorious victory David obtained over him. Probably David had an eye to that when he asked the priest to help him with a sword; for, that being mentioned, O! says he, there is none like that, give it to me, 1Sa 21:9. He could not use Saul's armour, for he had not proved it; but this sword of Goliath he had made trial of and done execution with. By this it appears that he was now well grown in strength and stature, that he could wear and wield such a sword as that. God had taught his hands to war, so that he could do wonders, Psa 18:34. Two things we may observe concerning this sword: - [1.] That God had graciously given it to him, as a pledge of his singular favour; so that whenever he drew it, nay, whenever he looked upon it, it would be a great support to his faith, by bringing to mind that great instance of the particular care and countenance of the divine providence respecting him. [2.] That he had gratefully given it back to God, dedicating it to him and to his honour as a token of his thankfulness; and now in his distress it stood him greatly in stead. Note, What we devote to God's praise, and serve him with, is most likely to redound, one way or other, to our own comfort and benefit. What we gave we have.

Thus was David well furnished with arms and victuals; but it fell out very unhappily that there was one of Saul's servants then attending before the Lord, Doeg by name, that proved a base traitor both to David and Ahimelech. He was by birth an Edomite (1Sa 21:7), and though proselyted to the Jewish religion, to get the preferment he now had under Saul, yet he retained the ancient and hereditary enmity of Edom to Israel. He was master of the herds, which perhaps was then a place of as much honour as master of the horse is now. Some occasion or other he had at this time to wait on the priest, either to be purified from some pollution or to pay some vow; but, whatever his business was, it is said, he was detained before the Lord. He must attend and could not help it, but he was sick of the service, snuffed at it, and said, What a weariness is it! Mal 1:13. He would rather have been any where else than before the Lord, and therefore, instead of minding the business he came about, was plotting to do David a mischief and to be revenged on Ahimelech for detaining him. God's sanctuary could never secure such wolves in sheep's clothing. See Gal 2:4.

Matthew Henry: 1Sa 21:10-15

David, though king elect, is here an exile - designed to be master of vast treasures, yet just now begging his bread - anointed to the crown, and yet here forced to flee from his country. Thus do God's providences sometimes seem to run counter to his promises, for the trial of his people's faith, and the glorifying of his name, in the accomplishment of his counsels, notwithstanding the difficulties that lay in the way. Here is, 1. David's flight into the land of the Philistines, where he hoped to be hid, and to remain undiscovered in the court or camp of Achish king of Gath, 1Sa 21:10. Israel's darling is necessitated to quit the land of Israel, and he that was the Philistine's great enemy (upon I know not what inducements) goes to seek for shelter among them. It should seem that as, though the Israelites loved him, yet the king of Israel had a personal enmity to him, which obliged him to leave his own country, so, though the Philistines hated him, yet the king of Gath had a personal kindness for him, valuing his merit, and perhaps the more for his killing Goliath of Gath, who, it may be, had been no friend to Achish. To him David now went directly, as to one he could confide in, as afterwards (1Sa 27:2, 1Sa 27:3), and Achish would not have protected him but that he was afraid of disobliging his own people. God's persecuted people have often found better usage from Philistines than from Israelites, in the Gentile theatres than in the Jewish synagogues. The king of Judah imprisoned Jeremiah, and the king of Babylon set him at liberty. 2. The disgust which the servants of Achish took at his being there, and their complaint of it to Achish (1Sa 21:11): " Is not this David? Is not this he that has triumphed over the Philistines? witness that burden of the song which was so much talked of, Saul has slain his thousands, but David, this very man, his ten thousands. Nay, Is not this he that (if our intelligence from the land of Israel be true) is, or is to be, king of the land? "As such, "he must be an enemy to our country; and is it safe or honourable for us to protect or entertain such a man?"Achish perhaps had intimated to them that it would be policy to entertain David, because he was now an enemy to Saul, and he might be hereafter a friend to them. It is common for the outlaws of a nation to be sheltered by the enemies of that nation. But the servants of Achish objected to his politics, and thought it not at all fit that he should stay among them. 3. The fright which this put David into. Though he had some reason to put confidence in Achish, yet, when he perceived the servants of Achish jealous of him, he began to be afraid that Achish would be obliged to deliver him up to them, and he was sorely afraid (1Sa 21:12), and perhaps he was the more apprehensive of his own danger, when he was thus discovered, because he wore Goliath's sword, which, we may suppose, was well known in Gath, and with which he had reason to expect they would cut off his head, as he had cut off Goliath's with it. David now learned by experience what he has taught us (Psa 118:9), that it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. Men of high degree are a lie, and, if we make them our hope, they may prove our fear. It was at this time that David penned Psalm 55 ( Michtam, a golden psalm ), when the Philistines took him in Gath, where having shown before God his distresses, he resolves (Psa 55:3), " What time I am afraid I will trust in thee; and therefore (Psa 55:11) will not be afraid what man can do unto me, no, not the sons of giants."4. The course he took to get out of their hands: He feigned himself mad, 1Sa 21:13. He used the gestures and fashions of a natural fool, or one that had gone out of his wits, supposing they would be ready enough to believe that the disgrace he had fallen into, and the troubles he was now in, had driven him distracted. This dissimulation of his cannot be justified (it was a mean thing thus to disparage himself, and inconsistent with truth thus to misrepresent himself, and therefore not becoming the honour and sincerity of such a man as David); yet it may in some degree be excused, for it was not a downright lie and it was like a stratagem in war, by which he imposed upon his enemies for the preservation of his own life. What David did here in pretence and for his own safety, which made it partly excusable, drunkards do really, and only to gratify a base lust: they made fools of themselves and change their behaviour; their words and actions commonly are either as silly and ridiculous as an idiot's or as furious and outrageous as a madman's, which has often made me wonder that ever men of sense and honour should allow themselves in it. 5. His escape by this means, 1Sa 21:14, 1Sa 21:15. I am apt to think Achish was aware that the delirium was but counterfeit, but, being desirous to protect David (as we find afterwards he was very kind to him, even when the lord of the Philistines favoured him not, 1Sa 28:1, 1Sa 28:2; 1Sa 29:6), he pretended to his servants that he really thought he was mad, and therefore had reason to question whether it was David or no; or, if it were, they need not fear him, what harm could he do them now that his reason had departed from him? They suspected that Achish was inclined to entertain him: "Not I,"says he. "He is a madman. I'll have nothing to do with him. You need not fear that I should employ him, or give him any countenance."He humours the thing well enough when he asks, " Have I need of madmen? Shall this fool come into my house? I will show him no kindness, but then you shall do him no hurt, for, if he be a madmen, he is to be pitied."He therefore drove him away, as it is in the title of Ps. 34, which David penned upon this occasion, and an excellent psalm it is, and shows that he did not change his spirit when he changed his behaviour, but even in the greatest difficulties and hurries his heart was fixed, trusting in the Lord; and he concludes that psalm with this assurance, that none of those that trust in God shall be desolate, though they may be, as he now was, solitary and distressed, persecuted, but not forsaken.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 21:1-9

1Sa 21:1-2

David at Nob . - The town of Nob or Nobeh (unless indeed theform נבה stands for נבה here and in 1Sa 22:9, and the ה attached is merely ה local, as the name is always written נב inother places: vid., 1Sa 22:11, 1Sa 22:19; 1Sa 21:1; Isa 10:32; Neh 11:32)was at that time a priests' city (1Sa 22:19), in which, according to thefollowing account, the tabernacle was then standing, and the legal worshipcarried on. According to Isa 10:30, Isa 10:32, it was between Anathoth ( Anata )and Jerusalem, and in all probability it has been preserved in the village of el-Isawiyeh , i.e., probably the village of Esau or Edom, which is midwaybetween Anata and Jerusalem, an hour from the latter, and the samedistance to the south-east of Gibeah of Saul (Tell el Phul), and which bearsall the marks of an ancient place, partly in its dwellings, the stones ofwhich date from a great antiquity, and partly in many marble columnswhich are found there (vid., Tobler , Topogr. v. Jerusalem ii. p. 720). Hence v. Raumer ( Pal . p. 215, ed. 4) follows Kiepert in the map which hehas appended to Robinson 's Biblical Researches , and set down this placeas the ancient Nob , for which Robinson indeed searched in vain (see Pal . ii. p. 150). Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, most probably the same person asAhiah (1Sa 14:3), was "the priest," i.e., the high priest (see at 1Sa 14:3). When David came to him, the priest " went trembling to meet him "( לקראת יחרד ) with the inquiry, " Why art thou alone, and no oneis with thee? "The unexpected appearance of David, the son-in-law of theking, without any attendants, alarmed Ahimelech, who probably imaginedthat he had come with a commission from the king which might involvehim in danger. David had left the few servants who accompanied him in hisflight somewhere in the neighbourhood, as we may gather from 1Sa 21:2,because he wished to converse with the high priest alone. Ahimelech's anxious inquiry led David to resort to the fabricationdescribed in 1Sa 21:2 : " The king hath commanded me a business, and said tome, No one is to know anything of this matter, in which ( lit . in relation tothe matter with regard to which) I send thee, and which I have entrusted tothee (i.e., no one is to know either the occasion or the nature of thecommission): and the servants I have directed to such and such a place ." יודע , Poel , to cause to know, point, show. Ahimelech had received noinformation as yet concerning the most recent occurrences between Sauland David; and David would not confess to him that he was fleeing fromSaul, because he was evidently afraid that the high priest would not givehim any assistance, lest he should draw down the wrath of the king. Thisfalsehood brought he greatest calamities upon Ahimelech and the priests atNob (1Sa 22:9-19), and David was afterwards obliged to confess that hehad occasioned it all (1Sa 22:22).

1Sa 21:3

" And now what is under thy hand? give into my hand (i.e., handme) five loaves, or whatever (else) is to be found ."David asked for fiveloaves, because he had spoken of several attendants, and probably wantedto make provision for two or three days (Thenius).

1Sa 21:4

The priest answered that he had no common bread, but only holybread, viz., according to 1Sa 21:6, shew-bread that had been removed, whichnone but priests were allowed to eat, and that in a sacred place; but that hewas willing to give him some of these loaves, as David had said that hewas travelling upon an important mission from the king, provided onlythat "the young men had kept themselves at least from women," i.e., hadnot been defiled by sexual intercourse (Lev 15:18). If they were clean atany rate in this respect, he would in such a case of necessity depart fromthe Levitical law concerning the eating of the shew-bread, for the sake ofobserving the higher commandment of love to a neighbour (Lev 19:18; cf. Mat 12:5-6; Mar 2:25-26).

(Note: When Mark (Mar 2:26) assigns this action to the days ofAbiathar the high priest, the statement rests upon an error ofmemory, in which Ahimelech is confounded with Abiathar.)

1Sa 21:5

David quieted him concerning this scruple, and said, "Nay, butwomen have been kept from us since yesterday and the day before." Theuse of אם כּי may be explained from the fact, that inDavid's reply he paid more attention to the sense than to the form of thepriest's scruple, and expressed himself as concisely as possible. Thewords, "if the young men have only kept themselves from women,"simply meant, if only they are not unclean; and David replied,That is certainly not the case, but women have been kept from us; so that אם כּי has the meaning but in this passage also, as itfrequently has after a previous negative, which is implied in the thoughthere as in 2Sa 13:33. " When I came out, the young men's things wereholy (Levitically clean); and if it is an unholy way, it becomes even holythrough the instrument ."David does not say that the young men wereclean when he came out (for the rendering given to הנּערים כּלי in the Septuagint, πάντα τὰ παιδάρια , iswithout any critical value, and is only a mistaken attempt to explain theword כּלי , which was unintelligible to the translator), but simplyaffirms that קדשׁ הנּערים כּלי , i.e., accordingto Luther's rendering ( der Knaben Zeug war heilig ), the young men's things(clothes, etc.) were holy. כּלים does not mean merely vessels,arms, or tools, but also the dress (Deu 22:5), or rather the clothes as wellas such things as were most necessary to meet the wants of life. By the coitus , or strictly speaking, by the emissio seminis in connectionwith the coitus , not only were the persons themselves defiled, but alsoevery article of clothing or leather upon which any of the semen fell (Lev 15:18); so that it was necessary for the purpose of purification that thethings which a man had on should all be washed. David explains, withevident allusion to this provision, that the young men's things were holy,i.e., perfectly clean, for the purpose of assuring the priest that there wasnot the smallest Levitical uncleanness attaching to them. The clause whichfollows is to be taken as conditional, and as supposing a possible case:"and if it is an unholy way." דּרך , the way that David was goingwith his young men, i.e., his purpose of enterprise, by which, however,we are not to understand his request of holy bread from Ahimelech, butthe performance of the king's commission of which he had spoken. כּי ואף , lit . besides (there is) also that, = moreover there isalso the fact, that it becomes holy through the instrument; i.e., as O. v. Gerlach has correctly explained it, "on the supposition of the importantroyal mission, upon which David pretended to be sent, through me as anambassador of the anointed of the Lord,"in which, at any rate, David'smeaning really was, "the way was sanctified before God, when he, as Hischosen servant, the preserver of the true kingdom of God in Israel, went tohim in his extremity."That פּלי in the sense of instrument is alsoapplied to men , is evident from Isa 13:5 and Jer 50:25.

1Sa 21:6-7

The priest then gave him (what was) holy, namely the shew-loaves "that were taken from before Jehovah," i.e., from the holy table,upon which they had lain before Jehovah for seven days (vid., Lev 24:6-9). - In 1Sa 21:7 there is a parenthetical remark introduced, which was of greatimportance in relation to the consequences of this occurrence. There at thesanctuary there was a man of Saul's servants, נעצר , i.e., " keptback (shut off) before Jehovah :"i.e., at the sanctuary of the tabernacle,either for the sake of purification or as a proselyte, who wished to bereceived into the religious communion of Israel, or because of supposedleprosy, according to Lev 13:4. His name was Doeg the Edomite, הרעים אבּיר , " the strong one (i.e., the overseer) of theherdsmen of Saul ."

(Note: The Septuagint translators have rendered these words νέμων τὰς ἡμιόνους , "feeding the mules of Saul;"and accordingly in 1Sa 22:9 also they have changed Saul's servants into mules, inaccordance with which Thenius makes Doeg the upper herdsman ofSaul. But it is very evident that the text of the lxx is nothing morethan a subjective interpretation of the expression before us, and doesnot presuppose any other text, from the simple fact that all the otherancient versions are founded upon the Hebrew text both here and in 1Sa 22:9, including even the Vulgate ( potentissimus pastorum ); andthe clause contained in some of the MSS of the Vulgate ( his pascebat mulas Saul ) is nothing more than a gloss that has crept in from theItala; and this is still more obvious in 1Sa 22:9, where נצּב והוּא is applicable enough to עבדי , but isaltogether unsuitable in connection with פרדי , since נצּב is no more applied in Hebrew to herdsmen or keepers of animals, thanwe should think of speaking of presidents of asses, horses, etc. Moreover, it is not till the reign of David that we read of mules beingused as riding animals by royal princes (2Sa 13:29; 2Sa 18:9); and theyare mentioned for the first time as beasts of burden, along with asses,camels, and oxen, in 1Ch 12:40, where they are said to have beenemployed by the northern tribes to carry provisions to Hebron to thefestival held at the recognition of David as king. Before David's timethe sons of princes rode upon asses (vid., Jdg 10:4; Jdg 12:14).)

1Sa 21:8

David also asked Ahimelech whether he had not a sword or ajavelin at hand; " for I have neither brought my sword nor my (other) weapons with me, because the affair of the king was pressing ,"i.e., veryurgent, נחוּץ , ἁπ. λεγ. , literally, compressed.

1Sa 21:9

The priest replied, that there was only the sword of Goliath,whom David slew in the terebinth valley (1Sa 17:2), wrapped up in acloth hanging behind the ephod (the high priest's shoulder-dress), - a sign ofthe great worth attached to this dedicatory offering. He could take that. David accepted it, as a weapon of greater value to him than any other,because he had not only taken this sword as booty from the Philistine, buthad cut off the head of Goliath with it (see 1Sa 17:51). When and howthis sword had come into the tabernacle is not known (see the remarks on1Sa 17:54). The form בּזּה for בּזה is only met withhere. On the Piska , see at Jos 4:1.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 21:10-11

David with Achish at Gath . - David fled from Nob to Achish of Gath. ThisPhilistian king is called Abimelech in the heading of Ps 34, according to thestanding title of the Philistian princes at Gath. The fact that David fled atonce out of the land, and that to the Philistines at Gath, may be accountedfor from the great agitation into which he had been thrown by theinformation he had received from Jonathan concerning Saul's implacablehatred. As some years had passed since the defeat of Goliath, and theconqueror of Goliath was probably not personally known to many of thePhilistines, he might hope that he should not be recognised in Gath, andthat he might receive a welcome there with his few attendants, as a fugitivewho had been driven away by Saul, the leading foe of the Philistines.

(Note: This removes the objection raised by modern critics to thehistorical credibility of the narrative before us, namely, that Davidwould certainly not have taken refuge at once with the Philistines, butwould only have gone to them in the utmost extremity (Thenius). Itis impossible to see how the words "he fled that day for fear of Saul "(1Sa 21:11) are to prove that this section originally stood in a differentconnection, and are only arbitrarily inserted here (Thenius). Unlesswe tear away the words in the most arbitrary manner from theforegoing word ויּברח , they not only appear quite suitable,but even necessary, since David's journey to Abimelech was not aflight, or at all events it is not described as a flight in the text; andDavid's flight from Saul really began with his departure from Nob. Stillless can the legendary origin of this account be inferred from the factthat some years afterwards David really did take refuge with Achish inthe Philistian country (1Sa 27:1-12 and 1Sa 29:1-11), or the conjecture sustainedthat this is only a distorted legend of that occurrence. For if the latersojourn of David with Achish be a historical fact, that popular legendcould not possibly have assumed a form so utterly different as theaccount before us, to say nothing of the fact that this occurrence hasa firm historical support in Psa 34:1.)

But in this he was mistaken. He was recognised at once by the courtiers ofAchish. They said to their prince, " Is not this David the king of the land?Have they not sung in circles, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David histen thousands? "(cf. 1Sa 18:6-7). " King of the land "they call David, notbecause his anointing and divine election were known to them, but onaccount of his victorious deeds, which had thrown Saul entirely into theshade. Whether they intended by these words to celebrate David as a hero,or to point him out to their prince as a dangerous man, cannot be gatheredfrom the words themselves, nor can the question be decided with certaintyat all (cf. 1Sa 29:5).

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 21:12-13

But David took these words to heart, and was in great fear of Achish, lesthe should treat him as an enemy, and kill him. In order to escape thisdanger, " he disguised his understanding (i.e., pretended to be out of hismind) in their eyes (i.e., before the courtiers of Achish), behaved insanelyunder their hands (when they tried to hold him as a madman), scribbledupon the door-wings, and let his spittle run down into his beard ."Thesuffix to וישׁנּו is apparently superfluous, as the object, את־טעמו , follows immediately afterwards. But it may be accounted forfrom the circumstantiality of the conversation of every-day life, as in 2Sa 14:6, and (though these cases are not perfectly parallel) Exo 2:6; Pro 5:22; Eze 10:3 (cf. Gesenius ' Gramm . §121, 6, Anm. 3). ויתו ,from תּוה , to make signs, i.e., to scribble. The lxx and Vulgaterender it ἐτυμπανίζειν , impingebat , he drummed , smote with his fistsupon the wings of the door, which would make it appear as if they hadread ויּתף (from תּפף ), which seems more suitable to thecondition of a madman whose saliva ran out of his mouth.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 21:14-15

By this dissimulation David escaped the danger which threatened him; forAchish thought him mad, and would have nothing to do with him. " Wherefore do ye bring him to me? Have I need of madmen, that ye havebrought this man hither to rave against me? Shall this man come into myhouse? "Thus Achish refused to receive him into his house. But whetherhe had David taken over the border, or at any rate out of the town; orwhether David went away of his own accord; or whether he was takenaway by his servants, and then hurried as quickly as possible out of theland of the Philistines, is not expressly mentioned, as being of noimportance in relation to the principal object of the narrative. All that isstated is, that he departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam.

Constable: 1Sa 16:1--31:13

IV. SAUL AND DAVID 1 Sam. 16--31

The basic theme in Samuel, that blessing, and in particular fertility of all kinds, follows from faithful commitment to God's revealed will, continues in this section. However another major motif now becomes more prominent. We might call it the theme of the Lord's anointed.

"The theological thread running through Samuel and Kings is God's choice of a leader to represent Him as He implements His covenants with Israel."¹⁶⁸

Saul had been God's anointed vice-regent, but with Saul's rejection David began to move into that position. These chapters record the gradual transition and slow transformation of the nation as the Israelites and others increasingly realized that David was now God's anointed. Saul remained the Lord's anointed as long as he lived. Part of the reason David succeeded was he recognized this and related to Saul accordingly. However, David too was God's anointed though God was still preparing him to take leadership and mount the throne. While the hero of this last half of 1 Samuel is David, Saul is also prominent. Saul declined as the old anointed as David arose as the new anointed.

"There will be many twists in the story of David's progress towards the throne, and not a few crisis-points, yet all is told in the knowledge that God can put his men where he wants them to be, whether the route is direct, or ever so circuitous."¹⁶⁹

Chronology of David's Life170
Event	Date	Age	Reference
Birth	1041	0	2 Sam. 5:4-5
Anointing by Samuel	1029	12	1 Sam. 16:1-13
Defeat of Goliath	1024	17	1 Sam. 17
Exile from Saul	1020-1011	21-30	1 Sam. 21-31
Anointing as King over Judah	1011	30	2 Sam. 2:1-4
Anointing as King over all Israel	1004	37	2 Sam. 5:1-3
Philistines Wars	1004	37	2 Sam. 5:17-25
Conquest of Jerusalem	1004	37	2 Sam. 5:6-10
Mephibosheth's Move to Jerusalem	996	45	2 Sam. 9:1-13
The Three Year Famine	996-993	45-48	2 Sam. 21:1-14
The Ammonite Wars	993-990	48-51	2 Sam. 10-12
Adultery and Murder	992	49	2 Sam. 11
Birth of Solomon	991	50	2 Sam. 12:24-25
Rape of Tamar	987	54	2 Sam. 13:1-22
Death of Amnon	985	56	2 Sam. 13:23-36
Exile of Absalom	985-982	56-59	2 Sam. 13:37-39
Absalom's Return to Jerusalem	982-980	59-61	2 Sam. 14:21-24
Construction of Palace	980-978	61-63	1 Chron. 15:1
Construction of Tabernacle	977	64	1 Chron. 15:1
Move of Ark to Jerusalem	977	64	2 Sam. 6:12-19
Absalom's Rebellion and David's Exile	976	65	2 Sam. 15-18
Rebellion of Sheba	976	65	2 Sam. 20:1-22
The Census	975	66	2 Sam. 24:1-17
Purchase of Temple Site	973	68	2 Sam. 24:18-25
The Davidic Covenant	973	68	2 Sam. 7
Co-regency with Solomon	973-971	68-70	1 Chron. 23:1
Rebellion of Adonijah	972	69	1 Kings 1:5-37
Coronation of Solomon	971	70	1 Chron. 29:22-23
Death	971	70	1 Kings 2:10-11

Constable: 1Sa 21:1--30:31

C. David in Exile chs. 21-30

In chapters 21-30 we see David's forces growing stronger and stronger while Saul's forces get weaker and weaker. This is a further demonstration of the fertility theme. However these chapters also develop the motif of the proper response to Yahweh's anointed.

Interesting, too, are the parallels between David's experiences as the Lord's anointed and Jesus Christ's as the Lord's anointed. Rejection preceded acceptance, and suffering preceded reigning in both cases. God blessed both of these servants personally, and they became a blessing to others because of their commitment to Yahweh and His Law.

"The true servant of God must willingly suffer affliction with the full assurance that God is performing His purposes. Positions of prominence and prestige are not to be sought and worked for. Rather, the leader who desires Christ's blessing must wait patiently on Him for advancement and promotion to opportunities of greater service."²²⁶

Several of the Psalms have their backgrounds in these chapters (Ps. 18; 34; 52; 54; 56; 57; 63; 124; 138; 142; and possibly others).

Constable: 1Sa 21:1--22:23

1. David's initial movements chs. 21-22

"The two chapters comprise a literary unit of three sections arranged in chiastic order. Chapters 21:1-9 and 22:6-23 are concerned with the priestly compound at Nob in Benjamin while the central section (21:10-22:5) summarizes David's flight to Gath in Philistia, Adullam in Judah, and Mizpah in Moab."²²⁷

Constable: 1Sa 21:1-9

David's flight to Nob 21:1-9

Nob stood one and one-half miles northeast of Jerusalem and two and one-half miles southeast of Gibeah. There Ahimelech served as high priest. Priestly activity and evidently the tabernacle were now there (cf. 17:54). It is significant that David's first place of refuge was among God's representatives on earth. He wanted to get help from the Lord through them (cf. 22:10) as he had done in the past (22:15). Apparently Ahimelech was trembling because David was alone (cf. 16:4). Had Saul sent him to harm the priests (cf. 22:6-23), or was David in some kind of trouble? Bear in mind that David was Saul's general, and as such he usually travelled with escorting soldiers.

David appears to have lied to Ahimelech (v. 2). However, he may have been referring to Yahweh when he mentioned "the king" who had sent him (cf. 20:22; 21:8). Even so he wanted Ahimelech to think that Saul had sent him. This was deception at best and a lie at worst rooted ultimately in selfishness and lack of faith in God. David made some mistakes in his early years as a fugitive. He handled himself better as time passed. During this time God was training him for future service. David proceeded to explain that the reason he was alone was that he had sent his soldiers elsewhere. He intended to rendezvous with them shortly and had come to Nob himself to obtain provisions, protection, and prayer (cf. 22:10).

Ahimelech gave David the showbread that the priests ate (Exod. 25:30; Lev. 24:5-9). This was the bread that for a week lay on the table of showbread in the tabernacle. Each Sabbath the priests replaced this bread with fresh loaves. Ahimelech was careful that David's men were ritually clean, not having had sexual relations with women that day (v. 4; cf. Lev. 15:8; Exod. 19:141-5). David assured him that their bodies were clean ritually (v. 5). This made it permissible for them to eat the consecrated bread. Ahimelech correctly gave David the provisions he needed (v. 6).

Jesus said this was proper for David to have done (Matt. 12:1-4). The reason was human life takes precedence over ceremonial law with God.²²⁸ David was probably not at the point of starvation. Certainly the Lord's disciples were not (Matt. 12). Nevertheless human need should always be a higher priority than the observance of a ritual used to worship God. We acknowledge the same priority today. Suppose you pass a house that is on fire. You stop, run up to the front door, bang on the door, and ring the doorbell. You look in the window and see someone lying on the floor. You then kick in the door and drag the unconscious person outside to safety. Even though breaking into someone else's house is a criminal offense, the law will not prosecute you since you saved that person's life.

The mention of Doeg, an Edomite who had risen high in Saul's government (v. 7), prepares the reader for his informing Saul about what happened at Nob (22:9-19). Perhaps Doeg was "detained before the Lord" because he had come to the tabernacle to present an offering or to conduct some other business there.

Having previously requested provisions of Ahimelech (v. 3) David now asked for protection, namely, a sword (v. 8). Goliath's huge sword, which had initially rested in David's tent (17:54), was now in the tabernacle wrapped in the priest's ephod, perhaps because it was a historic relic. David eagerly accepted it from Ahimelech since there was no sword like it. It is interesting that David, and later Solomon, used the same expression to describe the Lord (2 Sam. 7:22; 1 Kings 8:23). Though there was no better protection than Goliath's sword physically, the Lord was an even better protector spiritually. There is none like Him.

Constable: 1Sa 21:10-15

David's flight to Gath 21:10-15

David's next refuge also proved to be insecure. It is a mystery why he sought refuge with Goliath's sword in that giant's hometown. As Chuck Swindoll once said, David would have been as conspicuous in Gath as Dolly Parton in a convent. Evidently he thought he would be welcome in Gath since he was fleeing from Saul. Perhaps he went there since Achish was an enemy of Saul's, as David was. The people identified him at once and called him Israel's king (v. 11). This may have been a slight on his authority; they may have meant that he was only a local ruler (cf. Josh. 12:7). Alternatively they may have heard of David's anointing as Israel's next king. In any case Achish's advisers took David's presence as a threat (v. 11; cf. 29:1-5). Perhaps they felt as the American president might have felt if a high ranking Russian general defected and sought asylum in the United States during the Cold War. The potential of his helpfulness against the enemy needed weighing against the chance that he would prove disloyal, turn on his host, and do much damage.

David sensed his personal danger and pretended to be insane to save his life. Evidently Achish dismissed him concluding that David was mad and could be of no help to him against Saul (cf. 29:3, 6, 9; Ps. 34 title). Furthermore ancient Near Easterners regarded the insane as harbingers of evil and so avoided them.

". . . insanity was often believed in the ancient world to be an affliction of the gods, and it was customary to treat madmen as taboo if not holy, people who should not be harmed in any way."²²⁹

In both Nob and Gath David resorted to deception to protect himself, and in each place some bad consequences resulted. Doeg killed the priests, and David had to abandon Gath. However, he also trusted in the Lord. He wrote Psalms 56 and 34 during and after his time in Gath, according to the titles of those psalms. They reveal that he was trusting God. His ultimate hope for provision and protection was not the priests or Saul's enemies but the Lord Himself. This faith undoubtedly explains the fact that God preserved him and some good consequences came out of these experiences. David had two more encounters with Achish both of which were beneficial for David. 1 Samuel 21 helps us see the mixture of right and wrong in David's actions, but David's psalms clarify the proper response that the godly should make when opposition assails us.

Guzik: 1Sa 21:1-15

1 Samuel 21 - David at Nob and at Gath

A. David meets Ahimelech the priest at Nob.

1. (1-2) David, fleeing from Saul, comes to the city of Nob.

Now David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David, and said to him, "Why are you alone, and no one is with you?" So David said to Ahimelech the priest, "The king has ordered me on some business, and said to me, 'Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you, or what I have commanded you.' And I have directed my young men to such and such a place."

a. Now David came 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." (Clarke <Clarke.htm>)

b. To Ahimelech the priest: Ahimelech was a priest, and he was where a priest should be - at the house of God, the tabernacle of the LORD, where the sacred altar and Ark of the Covenant were. David, in leaving on a bleak road where all what is certain is behind him, and all what is uncertain is ahead of him, does a great thing: he goes to the house of the LORD.

i. David didn't write Psalm 73 (it is a Psalm of Asaph), but he had the same heart Psalm 73 shows. In that Psalm, Asaph describes how troubled he was at injustice and the prosperity of the wicked. It really troubled him, and didn't make any sense at all. He says, When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end. (Psalm 73:16-17). Nothing made sense to Asaph until he went to the house of the LORD, then he could understand things in light of eternity. That is how it should always be for us when we come to God's house.

ii. So, David begins his days as a fugitive in a good way - he comes to the house of the LORD.

c. Ahimelech was afraid when he met David: It seemed unusual to Ahimelech that a prominent man like David would wander around the villages of Judea all by himself. It made Ahimelech think something must be wrong, so he asked David, Why are you alone, and no one is with you?

i. As the story unfolds, it seems that Ahimelech knew nothing of the conflict between David and Saul. In fact, he knew that David was Saul's son-in-law. It seemed strange, and dangerous to him, that David was traveling alone. Plus, we can imagine that David looked tired, weary, disheveled, and probably looked like he had been crying a lot!

ii. "David, who was before beloved, admired, and reverenced of all, is now left and forsaken of all." (Trapp <Trapp.htm>)

d. The king has ordered me on some business: This was a plain lie. David has come to the house of the LORD, but when he came he lied to protect himself. David elaborated on his lie when he puts false words in the mouth of Saul to establish an environment of secrecy (Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you), and when he refers to my young men (David was all alone).

i. David's reasons for lying seem clear enough. First, he wants to protect himself, so he will not tell Ahimelech why he has come or where he is going, so Ahimelech can't inform on him to Saul. Probably, David doesn't feel that he knows Ahimelech well enough to really trust him. Second, he wants to protect Ahimelech and the priests by keeping them out of the conflict between himself and Saul.

ii. In many ways, we can understand why David lied, and even sympathize with him. Many of us would have done the same or worse in the same situation. At the same time, David would come to horribly regret this lie (as he says in 1 Samuel 22:22).

iii. Why couldn't David just tell the truth? Why couldn't he come to Ahimelech the priest, and say "Ahimelech, as strange as it might seem to you, Saul is trying to kill me. I don't understand the situation myself, but I know God does not want me to die at the hands of Saul. So I am running for my life, and trusting God will protect me and show me what to do. Please pray for me, because I'm pretty depressed and scared!" This might have been hard for David to say; but his lie became harder still.

iv. "Some go about to excuse David's lying here: but that cannot be. The consequences of it were very sad . . . and afterward made his soul melt for very heaviness, whilst he bewailed it, and begged pardoning and prevailing grace (Psalm 119:28-29)." (Trapp <Trapp.htm>)

v. "It is not easy to walk with God. The air that beats around the Himalaya heights of divine fellowship is rare and hard to breathe; human feet tire after a little; and faith, hard put to it, is inclined to give up the effort of keeping step with the divine pace." (Meyer <Meyer.htm>)

2. (3-6) David asks for and receives holy bread.

"Now therefore, what have you on hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever can be found." And the priest answered David and said, "There is no common bread on hand; but there is holy bread, if the young men have at least kept themselves from women." Then David answered the priest, and said to him, "Truly, women have been kept from us about three days since I came out. And the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in effect common, even though it was sanctified in the vessel this day." So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread which had been taken from before the LORD, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day when it was taken away.

a. Give me five loaves of bread: David was on the run from Saul, and didn't have time to properly prepare. When he came to the tabernacle in Nob, he was hungry, and knew he needed food both now and later.

b. There is no common bread on hand; but there is holy bread: The tabernacle of the LORD had a table which held twelve loaves of bread, symbolizing God's continual fellowship with Israel.

i. As one entered the tabernacle, the table of showbread stood on the right hand side, opposite the golden lampstand. The table of showbread was made of acacia wood, overlaid with gold; it was 3 feet long, 1 foot 6 inches wide, and 2 feet 3 inches high. It was made almost 500 years before David's time, when Israel came from Egypt and was on their way into the Promised Land (Exodus 25:23-30).

ii. On this table were twelve loaves of showbread, made of fine flower. Twelve cakes of showbread - one for each tribe of Israel - would stand on the table, sprinkled lightly with frankincense. Once a week, the bread would be replaced, and priests were to eat the old bread (Leviticus 24:5-9).

iii. What did the showbread mean? Why would God have a bakery rack in the tabernacle? The importance and meaning of the showbread is found in the name. Literally, showbread means "bread of faces." It is bread associated with, and to be eaten before, the face of God. F.B. Meyer calls the showbread "presence-bread." To eat the showbread was to eat God's bread in God's house as a friend and a guest of the LORD, enjoying His hospitality. In that culture, eating together formed a bond of friendship that was permanent and sacred. Eating the showbread was a powerful way of saying, "LORD I love You and I seek Your face. I'm in Your presence and I want to be transformed by seeing Your face."

iv. The showbread was always to be fresh. Ahimelech would give David the old showbread, which had been taken from before the LORD, in order to put hot bread in its place. God wants our fellowship with Him, our time before His face, to be fresh. Your time with God should be freshness dated! Don't be satisfied with a stale, moldy relationship with the LORD!

v. We might also see the showbread as a demonstration of our dependence on God, just as we depend on food. It was also a powerful way to say that just as bread is necessary for survival, so fellowship with God is necessary for man. It acted out the words of the Lord's prayer, Give us day by day our daily bread (Luke 11:3).

c. If the young men have at least kept themselves from women: The showbread was not to be treated casually. In fact, it was to be eaten by the priests: And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place; for it is most holy to him from the offerings of the LORD made by fire, by a perpetual statute (Leviticus 24:9). While this passage in Leviticus does not specifically say that only priests can eat the showbread, it establishes the principle that it is holy, and it must be regarded as holy, and can't be distributed casually. So, Ahimelech asks David for a basic level of ceremonial cleanness before he gives him the showbread.

i. Ahimelech was only concerned that those eating the bread be ceremonially clean according to the standards of Leviticus 15. Among other things, that chapter speaks of ceremonial cleanness as it relates to marital relations.

d. Truly, women have been kept from us: David, still acting as if he is traveling with a group, thinks "Sure, I haven't had marital relations in several days, so I meet the standard for ceremonial purity in this case." So, he gives Ahimelech this answer.

e. So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread: In giving David the bread, Ahimelech broke with priestly custom, but not with God's word. He rightly understood that human need was more important that Levitical observance.

i. Once, when Jesus' disciples were criticized for breaking religious custom by eating against traditions, Jesus used what Ahimelech did to explain the matter (Matthew 12:1-8). Jesus approved of what Ahimelech did, and Jesus honored him by standing on Ahimelech's same ground!

ii. The point with Ahimelech and Jesus is powerful: human traditions are never more important than God's word itself. If God had said, "Only the priests can eat this bread," it would have been different. But God never said that. To put the only in there seemed logical, but it was adding to God's word. We must never elevate our extension or application of God's word to the same level as God's word itself.

iii. "For though for a season, whilst it is to stand before the Lord, it be so holy, that the priest himself might not eat it; yet afterwards it is eaten by the priest, and by his whole family, as their common food; and so it may be by us, in our circumstances." (Poole <biblio.htm>)

3. (7-9) David receives a sword, and is spotted by one of Saul's royal officials.

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 chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul. And David said to Ahimelech, "Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste." So the priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it. For there is no other except that one here." And David said, "There is none like it; give it to me."

a. Doeg the Edomite: We meet a character we will meet again. Doeg was chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul, and he was not an Israelite, he was an Edomite.

i. Chief of the herdsmen: The word translated chief means mighty, but can also be used to mean violent or obstinate. Doeg will certainly show himself to be a violent and obstinate man.

ii. Why was Doeg detained before the LORD? By what we see of this man and his character, it is hard to think that he was doing real "spiritual business" before the LORD at the tabernacle. Probably, he was fulfilling some ceremonial requirement related to his employment for the king of Israel.

iii. "Doeg may set his foot as far within the tabernacle as David, and seem to be as devout: 'but God knoweth your hearts,' saith our Saviour to the Pharisees (Luke 16:15), and will wash off your paint with rivers of brimstone." (Trapp <Trapp.htm>)

b. Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? We can understand why David wants a weapon, and why he asks. But it is also sad that David continues his same lie about being on the king's business. David is desperately trying to avoid the king's business, because right now, the king's business is killing David!

i. Considering what the king's business really was, David told the truth when he said, "The king's business required haste." That was true, but not in the way David meant it!

ii. "It is painful to the last degree to see one whose faith towered to such a lofty height in the encounter with Goliath, coming down from that noble elevation, to find him resorting for self-protection to the lies and artifices of an impostor." (Balikie <biblio.htm>)

c. The sword of Goliath: As David took the sword of Goliath, imagine what he must have thought! Of course, he was happy to have a good weapon (There is none like it). On the other hand, did he remember how he came to win that sword for Israel? He didn't do it with lies and half-truths. He did it with a bold trust in God, a trust that believed God and trusted Him to sort out the consequences.

i. The last time David held that sword in his hand, he used it to cut the head off the giant he had killed with great faith in God (1 Samuel 17:51). But the sword was not the weapon of faith; the sling and the stones were. David now remembers the victory, but perhaps not the faith that brought the victory.

ii. David can have the sword of Goliath in his arsenal, but he would be even better equipped if he had the same sling, five smooth stones, and faith that killed Goliath. Is David now trusting in Philistine swords more than the shepherd tools? There was nothing wrong with Goliath's sword - the LORD used it before (1 Samuel 17:51), but only in the context of radical faith. The press of the trial with Saul is challenging these things in David's life, and it remains to be seen how it will all turn out. He is starting to trust more in his own cleverness than in the LORD, but will he stay there?

iii. "David lost confidence in God and in fulfillment of God's purpose for his life which had been revealed to him. He went to God's house for comfort and help and guidance, but he was detected as being wrong in his soul. Instead of acknowledging the truth to the only one who could help him and confessing that he had been telling a lie, he ran for his life again." (Redpath <Redpath.htm>)

d. There is none like it; give it to me: Knowing that something is precious and wonderful, it makes us want it. Being in a time of trial or stress makes us want the wonderful thing all the more. If this was true of Goliath's sword, how much more true is it of the sword of the Spirit, God's Word! How we should say, give it to me!

i. "There are some who are bent on taking away the Word of God. Well, if they discard it, 'Give it to me.' There are some who want to put it up on the self, as a thing that has seen its best days. They suppose the old sword is rusty, and worn out, but we can say, 'There is none like that; give is me!'" (Spurgeon)

ii. Trapp on there is none like it: "Say we so of the sword of the Spirit, the word, when preached especially. As milk warmed is fitter for nourishment, and as the rain from heaven hath a fatness with it, and a special influence more than standing waters: so there is not that life, operation, and blessing in the word read as preached."

B. David at Gath.

1. (10) David flees to Gath.

Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

a. David arose and fled that day: When David said goodbye to Jonathan, he did the right thing. First, he went to the house of the LORD. But when he was there, he did the wrong thing - he lied to Ahimelech the priest, and tried to protect himself with clever lies instead of trusting God to protect him.

b. Went to Achish the king of Gath: David is now among the Philistines. He must be discouraged or deceived to think he could find peaceful refuge among these enemies of Israel. In fact, as he walks into the city, he has with him the sword of Goliath, which he received from Ahimelech at Nob!

i. It didn't make sense for the man who carried Goliath's sword to go to Goliath's hometown (1 Samuel 17:4)! It didn't make sense for the man who was sustained by the sacred bread of God to find refuge among the pagans! It didn't make sense for the man after God's own heart to change his address to Gath!

2. (11-12) David's predicament in Gath.

And the servants of Achish said to him, "Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands'?" Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

a. Is this not David the king of the land? The Philistines of Gath recognize David as the king of the land of Israel. The ungodly understood David's destiny better than king Saul of Israel did!

b. Did they not sing of him to one another in dances: The song and dance about David that swept the nation of Israel (1 Samuel 18:6-7) apparently also made the charts among the Philistines. If he didn't know it before, now David found that there was real price for fame.

c. David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid: David knew that he had been discovered, and that King Achish was not likely to let the man who killed Goliath go.

i. When we remember that the song was a celebration of David's victory over Goliath, and remember that Goliath was from Gath (1 Samuel 17:4), and remember that David has Goliath's sword with him, we see just how much reason David had to be very much afraid.

ii. What possibly can David do now? He can remember the other thing he brought with him from the house of the LORD in Nob: the bread from the tabernacle, which pictured a life shared with God and sustained by God.

d. David's words in Psalm 56 help us understand what happened here. The title of that Psalm identifies as the song he wrote when the Philistines captured him in Gath. Apparently, although 1 Samuel 21 doesn't detail it, the Philistines captured David when he came to Gath. David thought he could find anonymity or sympathy among the ungodly Philistines in Gath, but he was wrong! So, at the end of 1 Samuel 21:10, when David wrote Psalm 56, he was in a bad place.

i. Psalm 56 begins the right way: Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up (Psalm 56:1). In other Psalms, David asks God to take up his righteous cause against his opponents. Here, David knows that his own sinful fears and choices brought him to this place, so he simply and wisely asks for mercy.

ii. In Psalm 56, David shows a different heart. Instead of trusting in his own cleverness or refuge among the ungodly, he says whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? (Psalm 56:3)

iii. In Psalm 56, David renews his relationship and confidence in God. You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God is for me (Psalm 56:8-9). When David trusted in himself or in the ungodly, he had forgotten that God was really for him. Now he remembers it!

iv. In Psalm 56, David gets back in touch with God's word. Three times in the Psalm, he repeats the phrase I will praise His word (Psalm 56:4, 10). When David trusted in himself or in the ungodly, he had distanced himself from God's truth. Now, he will praise His word! In 1998, a Marine Corps pilot flying low in the Italian Alps clipped a gondola cable, and 20 people plunged to their death. Just a few weeks later, a crew of five Navy fliers was killed in California's Sequoia National Forest when their helicopter smashed into power lines. Three years earlier, a crash involving the same power lines had killed two people. In 1999, NATO forces bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, killing three Chinese journalists and injuring 20 others. Each of these tragedies had the same cause: faulty maps. Investigators say that the National Imagery and Mapping Agency and its predecessor organization have played a role in at least a dozen accidents since 1985, some involving fatalities and loss of military aircraft. If you don't have the right map, you will get into trouble. God's Word is the map for our lives. So, when David says I will praise His word, he is back in touch with the essential road map for his life.

v. In Psalm 56, David starts praising the LORD again. Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God; I will render praises to You, for You have delivered my soul from death. (Psalm 56:12-13a). When David trusted in himself or in the ungodly, he didn't have much to praise the LORD about. Now he does!

e. The slide that started on the road from Jonathan and continued on into Gath is now stopped. David is on higher ground again! This was the difference between David and Saul; both of them slipped. But Saul kept sliding, while David turned back to the LORD.

f. Psalm 56 makes it clear that David's heart is changed. 1 Samuel 21:12 says David was very much afraid, but he came to the place of trust and confidence that he declares in Psalm 56. He isn't afraid anymore, but he is still in a mess! He is still a captive of the Philistines, and therefore in a bad place. How will God get him out of the situation?

3. (13-15) To escape, David pretends madness.

So he changed his behavior before them, feigned madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?"

a. David pretended madness in their hands. He acted in a strange manner, including scratching on the doors of the gate, and let saliva fall down on his beard. It was as if David was foaming at the mouth.

i. Basically, David humiliated himself before the Philistines and acted like a madman. The saliva on the beard was especially convincing, because men in that culture would have considered that something only a man out of his right mind would allow. "An indignity to the beard was considered an intolerable insult and would not have been permitted by a normal person." (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown)

b. This man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? David's plan worked. Achish decided that either David wasn't the man he thought he was, or that if he was, he was such a pathetic specimen that he may as well let him go.

i. Was David walking in the Spirit or in the flesh when he pretended madness? Some commentators believe that David was in the flesh and trusting in himself. But the turn around of Psalm 56 happened before David's escape, and it makes sense that the LORD would guide David into a path of escape that would humble him. When David tried to protect himself with lies, and when he tried to find refuge among the ungodly, he really was acting crazy. When David repented, asked for mercy, and trusted again in the LORD, it was as if the LORD said "You've been acting like a madman, David. So keep the act going and I'll get you out of this!"

ii. Of course, David may not have even been conscious of the LORD's guidance in his plan to pretend madness. But the LORD was guiding this righteous man just the same. The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD. (Psalm 37:23)

c. Psalm 34 is David's declaration of joy when he escaped from Gath with his life. The title of Psalm 34 reads, A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

i. Psalm 34 begins beautifully: I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears (Psalm 34:1-4). The whole Psalm is a glorious declaration of praise! David was amazed with gratitude to the LORD.

ii. David is especially joyful because the LORD got him out of a mess that David himself made. God's amazing goodness is shown when He delivers us when we don't really deserve it. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

© 2001 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Commentary -- Other

Critics Ask: 1Sa 21:9

1 SAMUEL 21:9 —Was Goliath’s armor kept in David’s tent or in Nob?

PROBLEM: In this text the sword of Goliath was located in Nob (cf. v. 1 ). However, in 1 Samuel 17:54 it says David “put his [Goliath’s] armor in his tent.”

SOLUTION: At first it was placed in his tent, but later it was taken to Nob. The two verses speak of different times. 1 SAMUEL 28:7 ff—How could God allow the Witch of Endor to raise Samuel from the dead when God condemned witchcraft?

PROBLEM: The Bible severely condemns witchcraft and communication with the dead ( Ex. 22:18 ; Lev. 20:6 , 27 ; Deut. 18:9-12 ; Isa. 8:19 ). In the OT those who practiced it were to receive capital punishment. King Saul knew this and even put all witches out of the land ( 1 Sam. 28:3 ). Nevertheless, in disobedience to God, he went to the witch of Endor for her to contact the dead prophet Samuel ( 1 Sam. 28:8ff ). The problem here is that she appears to be successful in contacting Samuel, which lends validity to the powers of witchcraft which the Bible so severely condemns.

SOLUTION: Several possible solutions have been offered to this episode at Endor. Three will be summarized here.

First, some believe that the witch worked a miracle by demonic powers and actually brought Samuel back from the dead. In support of this they cite passages which indicate that demons have the power to perform miracles ( Matt. 7:22 ; 2 Cor. 11:14 ; 2 Thes. 2:9-10 ; Rev. 16:14 ). The objections to this view include the fact that death is final ( Heb. 9:27 ), the dead cannot return ( 2 Sam. 12:23 ) because there is a great gulf fixed by God ( Luke 16:24-27 ), and demons cannot usurp God’s authority over life and death ( Job 1:10-12 ).

Second, others have suggested that the witch did not really bring up Samuel from the dead, but simply faked doing so. They support this by reference to demons who deceive people who try to contact the dead ( Lev. 19:31 ; Deut. 18:11 ; 1 Chron. 10:13 ) and by the contention that demons sometimes utter what is true (cf. Acts 16:17 ). The objections to this view include the fact that the passage seems to say Samuel did return from the dead, that he provided a prophecy from Samuel that actually came to pass, and that it is unlikely that demons would have uttered truth of God, since the devil is the father of lies ( John 8:44 ).

A third view is that the witch did not bring up Samuel from the dead, but God Himself intervened in the witch’s tent to rebuke Saul for his sin. In support of this view is the following: (a) Samuel seemed to actually return from the dead (v. 14 ), but (b) neither humans nor demons have the power to bring people back from the dead ( Luke 16:24-27 ; Heb. 9:27 ). © The witch herself seemed to be surprised by the appearance of Samuel from the dead (v. 12 ). (d) There is a direct condemnation of witchcraft in this passage (v. 9 ), and thus it is highly unlikely that it would give credence to witchcraft by claiming that witches can actually bring people back from the dead. (e) God sometimes speaks in unsuspecting places through unusual means (cf. Baalam’s donkey, Num. 22 ). (f) The miracle was not performed through the witch, but in spite of her. (g) Samuel seems to really appear from the dead, rebukes Saul, and utters a true prophecy (v. 19 ). (h) God explicitly and repeatedly condemned contacting the dead (see above) and would not contradict this by giving credence to witchcraft. The major objections to this view are that the text does not explicitly say that God performed the miracle, and that a witch’s tent is a strange place to perform this miracle.

Introduction / Outline

JFB: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS OF SAMUEL. The two were, by the ancient Jews, conjoined so as to make one book, and in that form could be called the Book of Samuel with more propriety than now, the second being wholly occupied with the relation of transactions that did not take place till after the death of that eminent judge. Accordingly, in the Septuagint and the Vulgate, it is called the First and Second Books of Kings. The early portion of the First Book, down to the end of the twenty-fourth chapter, was probably written by Samuel; while the rest of it and the whole of the Second, are commonly ascribed to Nathan and Gad, founding the opinion on 1Ch 29:29. Commentators, however, are divided about this, some supposing that the statements in 1Sa 2:26; 1Sa 3:1, indicate the hand of the judge himself, or a contemporary; while some think, from 1Sa 6:18; 1Sa 12:5; 1Sa 27:6, that its composition must be referred to a later age. It is probable, however, that these supposed marks of an after-period were interpolations of Ezra. This uncertainty, however, as to the authorship does not affect the inspired authority of the book, which is indisputable, being quoted in the New Testament (1Sa 13:14 in Act 13:22, and 2Sa 7:14 in Heb 1:5), as well as in many of the Psalms.

JFB: 1 Samuel (Outline)

• OF ELKANAH AND HIS TWO WIVES. (1Sa 1:1-8)
• HANNAH'S PRAYER. (1Sa 1:9-18)
• SAMUEL BORN. (1Sa 1:20)
• HANNAH'S SONG IN THANKFULNESS TO GOD. (1Sa 2:1-11)
• THE SIN OF ELI'S SONS. (1Sa 2:12-17)
• SAMUEL'S MINISTRY. (1Sa 2:18-26)
• A PROPHECY AGAINST ELI'S HOUSE. (1Sa 2:27-35)
• THE LORD APPEARS TO SAMUEL IN A VISION. (1Sa 3:1-10)
• ISRAEL OVERCOME BY THE PHILISTINES. (1Sa 4:1-11)
• ELI HEARING THE TIDINGS. (1Sa 4:12-22)
• THE PHILISTINES BRING THE ARK INTO THE HOUSE OF DAGON. (1Sa 5:1-2)
• DAGON FALLS DOWN. (1Sa 5:3-5)
• THE PHILISTINES ARE SMITTEN WITH EMERODS. (1Sa 5:6-12)
• THE PHILISTINES COUNSEL HOW TO SEND BACK THE ARK. (1Sa 6:1-9)
• THE ARK AT KIRJATH-JEARIM. (1Sa 7:1-2)
• THE ISRAELITES, THROUGH SAMUEL'S INFLUENCE, SOLEMNLY REPENT AT MIZPEH. (1Sa 7:3-6)
• WHILE SAMUEL PRAYS, THE PHILISTINES ARE DISCOMFITED. (1Sa 7:7-14)
• OCCASIONED BY THE ILL-GOVERNMENT OF SAMUEL'S SONS, THE ISRAELITES ASK A KING. (1Sa. 8:1-18)
• SAUL, DESPAIRING TO FIND HIS FATHER'S ASSES, COMES TO SAMUEL. (1Sa 9:1-14)
• GOD REVEALS TO SAMUEL SAUL'S COMING, AND HIS APPOINTMENT TO THE KINGDOM. (1Sa 9:15-27)
• SAMUEL ANOINTS SAUL, AND CONFIRMS HIM BY THE PREDICTION OF THREE SIGNS. (1Sa. 10:1-27)
• NAHASH OFFERS THEM OF JABESH-GILEAD A REPROACHFUL CONDITION. (1Sa 11:1-4)
• THEY SEND TO SAUL, AND ARE DELIVERED. (1Sa 11:5-11)
• SAUL CONFIRMED KING. (1Sa 11:12-15)
• SAMUEL TESTIFIES HIS INTEGRITY. (1Sa 12:1-5)
• HE TERRIFIES THEM WITH THUNDER IN HARVEST-TIME. (1Sa 12:17-25)
• SAUL'S SELECTED BAND. (1Sa 13:1-2)
• HE CALLS THE HEBREWS TO GILGAL AGAINST THE PHILISTINES. (1Sa 13:3-4)
• THE PHILISTINES' GREAT HOST. (1Sa 13:5)
• THE ISRAELITES' DISTRESS. (1Sa 13:6-8)
• SAUL, WEARY OF WAITING FOR SAMUEL, SACRIFICES. (1Sa 13:9-16)
• JONATHAN MIRACULOUSLY SMITES THE PHILISTINES' GARRISON. (1Sa 14:1-14)
• SAUL SENT TO DESTROY AMALEK. (1Sa 15:1-6)
• HE SPARES AGAG AND THE BEST OF THE SPOIL. (1Sa 15:7-9)
• GOD REJECTS HIS FOR DISOBEDIENCE. (1Sa 15:10-11)
• SAMUEL SENT BY GOD TO BETHLEHEM. (1Sa 16:1-10)
• HE ANOINTS DAVID. (1Sa 16:11-14)
• THE ISRAELITES AND PHILISTINES BEING READY TO BATTLE. (1Sa 17:1-3)
• GOLIATH CHALLENGES A COMBAT. (1Sa 17:4-11)
• DAVID ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE, AND SLAYS HIM. (1Sa. 17:12-58)
• JONATHAN LOVES DAVID. (1Sa 18:1-4)
• SAUL ENVIES HIS PRAISE. (1Sa 18:5-9)
• SEEKS TO KILL HIM. (1Sa 18:10-12)
• FEARS HIM FOR HIS GOOD SUCCESS. (1Sa 18:13-16)
• HE OFFERS HIM HIS DAUGHTER FOR A SNARE. (1Sa 18:17-21)
• JONATHAN DISCLOSES HIS FATHER'S PURPOSE TO KILL DAVID. (1Sa 19:1-7)
• SAUL'S MALICIOUS RAGE BREAKS OUT AGAINST DAVID. (1Sa 19:8-17)
• DAVID FLEES TO SAMUEL. (1Sa 19:18-23)
• SAUL PROPHESIES. (1Sa 19:24)
• DAVID CONSULTS WITH JONATHAN FOR HIS SAFETY. (1Sa 20:1-10)
• THEIR COVENANT RENEWED BY OATH. (1Sa 20:11-23)
• SAUL, MISSING DAVID, SEEKS TO KILL JONAHAN. (1Sa. 20:24-40)
• JONATHAN AND DAVID LOVINGLY PART. (1Sa 20:41-42)
• DAVID, AT NOB, OBTAINS OF AHIMELECH HALLOWED BREAD. (1Sa 21:1-7)
• HE TAKES GOLIATH'S SWORD. (1Sa 21:9)
• AT GATH HE FEIGNS HIMSELF MAD. (1Sa 21:10-15)
• DAVID'S KINDRED AND OTHERS RESORT TO HIM AT ADULLAM. (1Sa 22:1-8)
• DOEG ACCUSES AHIMELECH. (1Sa 22:9-16)
• SAUL COMMANDS TO KILL THE PRIESTS. (1Sa 22:17-19)
• ABIATHAR ESCAPES AND FLEES AFTER DAVID. (1Sa 22:20-23)
• DAVID RESCUES KEILAH. (1Sa 23:1-6)
• SAUL'S COMING, AND TREACHERY OF THE KEILITES. (1Sa 23:7-13)
• DAVID ESCAPES TO ZIPH. (1Sa 23:14-18)
• SAUL PURSUES HIM. (1Sa 23:19-29)
• DAVID IN A CAVE AT ENGEDI CUTS OFF SAUL'S SKIRT, BUT SPARES HIS LIFE. (1Sa 24:1-7)
• HE URGES THEREBY HIS INNOCENCY. (1Sa 24:8-15)
• SAMUEL DIES. (1Sa 25:1-9)
• THE CHURLISH ANSWER PROVOKES HIM. (1Sa 25:10-13)
• ABIGAIL PACIFIES HIM. (1Sa. 25:14-35)
• NABAL'S DEATH. (1Sa 25:36-44)
• SAUL COMES TO THE HILL OF HACHILAH AGAINST DAVID. (1Sa 26:1-4)
• DAVID STAYS ABISHAI FROM KILLING SAUL, BUT TAKES HIS SPEAR AND CRUSE. (1Sa. 26:5-25)
• SAUL HEARING THAT DAVID WAS FLED TO GATH, SEEKS NO MORE FOR HIM. (1Sa 27:1-4)
• DAVID BEGS ZIKLAG OF ACHISH. (1Sa 27:5-12)
• ACHISH'S CONFIDENCE IN DAVID. (1Sa 28:1-6)
• SAUL SEEKS A WITCH, WHO, BEING ENCOURAGED BY HIM, RAISES UP SAMUEL. (1Sa. 28:7-25)
• DAVID MARCHING WITH THE PHILISTINES TO FIGHT WITH ISRAEL. (1Sa 29:1-5)
• THE AMALEKITES SPOIL ZIKLAG. (1Sa 30:1-5)
• BUT DAVID, ENCOURAGED BY GOD, PURSUES THEM. (1Sa 30:6-15)
• AND RECOVERS HIS TWO WIVES AND ALL THE SPOIL. (1Sa. 30:16-31)
• SAUL HAVING LOST HIS ARMY AT GILBOA, AND HIS SONS BEING SLAIN, HE AND HIS ARMOR-BEARER KILL THEMSELVES. (1Sa 31:1-7)
• THE PHILISTINES TRIUMPH OVER THEIR DEAD BODIES. (1Sa 31:8-10)
• THE MEN OF JABESH-GILEAD RECOVER THE BODIES AND BURY THEM AT JABESH. (1Sa 31:11-13)

TSK: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

The First Book of SAMUEL, otherwise called " The First Book of the KINGS."

TSK: 1 Samuel 21 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

1Sa 21:1, David at Nob obtains of Ahimelech hallowed bread; 1Sa 21:7, Doeg is present; 1Sa 21:8, David takes Goliath’s sword; 1Sa 21:10, David at Gath feigns himself mad.

Poole: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL OTHERWISE CALLED

THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS.

THE ARGUMENT.

IT is not certainly known who was the penman of this Book, or whether it was written by one or more hands; nor is it or any great importance; for since there are sufficient evidences that God was the chief author of it, it matters not who was the instrument. As when it appears that such a thing was really an act of parliament, or of the council-table, it is not considerable who was the clerk or which was the pen that wrote it. And this is the less material in such historical hooks, wherein there is but little which concerns the foundation of faith and good life, and therefore it was not necessary to name the writer of them. It may abundantly suffice that there were in these times divers prophets and holy men of God; as Samuel, and Nathan, and Gad, and David himself, who might each of them write some part of this and the following book. But if any man will out of perverseness doubt or deny that these wrote it, yet this I suppose no discreet and impartial man will deny, that it is wholly incredible that such books should be written in their times, and recommended to the church as a part of the Holy Scriptures, and so received by the succeeding generation, without their approbation, who had so great a power and authority in the church and commonwealth of Israel.

Poole: 1 Samuel 21 (Chapter Introduction)

SAMUEL CHAPTER 21

David cometh to Nob to Ahimelech the priest; pretendeth secret business from Saul; asketh bread: Ahimelech giveth him the shew-bread, 1Sa 21:1-6 . Doeg seeth this, 1Sa 21:7 . David asketh arms: Ahimelech giveth him Goliath’ s sword, 1Sa 21:8,9 . David cometh to Achish; is known; and afraid; feigneth himself mad, 1Sa 21:10-13 . Achish is angry with his servants for bringing him, 1Sa 21:14,15 .

MHCC: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

In this book we have an account of Eli, and the wickedness of his sons; also of Samuel, his character and actions. Then of the advancement of Saul to be the king of Israel, and his ill behaviour, until his death made way for David's succession to the throne, who was an eminent type of Christ. David's patience, modesty, constancy, persecution by open enemies and feigned friends, are a pattern and example to the church, and to every member of it. Many things in this book encourage the faith, hope, and patience of the suffering believer. It contains also many useful cautions and awful warnings.

MHCC: 1 Samuel 21 (Chapter Introduction)

(1Sa 21:1-9) David with Ahimelech.

(1Sa 21:10-15) David at Gath feigns himself mad.

Matthew Henry: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The First Book of Samuel

This book, and that which follows it, bear the name of Samuel in the title, not because he was the penman of them (except of so much of them as fell within his own time, to the twenty-fifth chapter of the first book, in which we have an account of his death), but because the first book begins with a large account of him, his birth and childhood, his life and government; and the rest of these two volumes that are denominated from him contains the history of the reigns of Saul and David, who were both anointed by him. And, because the history of these two kings takes up the greatest part of these books, the Vulgar latin calls them the First and Second Books of the Kings, and the two that follow the Third and Fourth, which the titles in our English Bibles take notice of with an alias: otherwise called the First Book of the Kings, etc. The Septuagint calls them the first and second Book of the Kingdoms. It is needless to contend about it, but there is no occasion to vary from the Hebrew verity. These two books contain the history of the last two of the judges, Eli and Samuel, who were not, as the rest, men of war, but priests (and so much of them is an appendix to the book of Judges), and of the first two of the kings, Saul and David, and so much of them is an entrance upon the history of the kings. They contain a considerable part of the sacred history, are sometimes referred to in the New Testament, and often in the titles of David's Psalms, which, if placed in their order, would fall in these books. It is uncertain who was the penman of them; it is probable that Samuel wrote the history of his own time, and that, after him, some of the prophets that were with David (Nathan as likely as any) continued it. This first book gives us a full account of Eli's fall and Samuel's rise and good government, ch. 1-8. Of Samuel's resignation of the government and Saul's advancement and mal-administration, ch. 9-15. The choice of David, his struggles with Saul, Saul's ruin at last, and the opening of the way for David to the throne, ch. 16-31. And these things are written for our learning.

Matthew Henry: 1 Samuel 21 (Chapter Introduction)

David has now quite taken leave both of Saul's court and of his camp, has bidden farewell to his alter idem - his other self, the beloved Jonathan; and henceforward to the end of this book he is looked upon and treated as an outlaw and proclaimed a traitor. We still find him shifting from place to place for his own safety, and Saul pursuing him. His troubles are very particularly related in this and the following chapters, not only to be a key to the Psalms, but that he might be, as other prophets, an example to the saints in all ages, " of suffering affliction, and of patience," and especially that he might be a type of Christ, who, being anointed to the kingdom, humbled himself, and was therefore highly exalted. But the example of the suffering Jesus was a copy without a blot, that of David was not so; witness the records of this chapter, where we find David in his flight, I. Imposing upon Abimelech the priest, to get from him both victuals and arms (1Sa 21:1-9). II. Imposing upon Achish, king of Gath, by feigning himself mad (1Sa 21:10-15). Justly are troubles called temptations, for many are by them drawn into sin.

Constable: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Title

First and Second Samuel were originally one book called the Book of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. The Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament (made ca. 250 B.C.) was the first to divide it into two books. The Septuagint translators titled these books 1 and 2 Kingdoms. That division has persisted ever since and has even been incorporated into subsequent editions of the Hebrew Bible (since A.D. 1517). The title "Samuel" was given by Jerome in his Latin translation, the Vulgate (ca. A.D. 400).

The Jews gave the name "Samuel" to it because Samuel is the first major character in the book. Samuel anointed both Saul and David, so in this respect he was superior to them both.

Date and Writer

Statements in the Book of Samuel imply that someone who had witnessed at least some of the events recorded wrote it. However the original writer must have written most of it after Samuel's death (i.e., -1 Sam. 25-2 Sam. 24) and some of it even after the division of the kingdom following Solomon's death (e.g., 1 Sam. 27:6). These features have made it difficult to date the book.

"Our guess is that the author was a high state official in frequent attendance at the court, enjoying the full confidence of David and his household, who served David throughout his reign in Jerusalem and also Solomon during the early years of his reign, and whose duties may have been connected with literary work."¹

Most conservative scholars prefer the view that Samuel may have written or been responsible for noting the record of earlier events in the book (chs. 1-24). Then some unidentifiable writer put it in its final form later, perhaps soon after Solomon's death.

Rationalistic critics of the book tend to believe it was the result of much more piecing together, and some of them date its final form as late as 500 B.C.²

Scope

The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.³ David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11; 5:5). This means he came to power in 1011 B.C. Saul also reigned for 40 years (Acts 13:21) so he became king in 1051 B.C. We can estimate the date of Samuel's birth fairly certainly on the basis of chronological references in the text to have been about 1121 B.C.⁴ Thus the Book of Samuel covers about 1121-971 B.C., or about 150 years of history.

We should note that the first part of 1 Samuel overlaps historically with the end of the judges period that we find in the Book of Judges. Apparently Samson was born just a few years before Samuel. Samson's 20-year judgeship evidently began shortly before the battle of Aphek (1104 B.C.) at which time Eli died (1 Sam. 4:18). It ended not many years before the battle of Mizpah (1084 B.C.) when the Philistine domination of Israel ceased temporarily (1 Sam. 7:13). Samuel's ministry therefore probably ran concurrent with that of Samson until Samson died. Saul began to reign about 35 years after Samson died (i.e., 1051 B.C.). Samuel evidently lived about 30 years after that.⁵

Old Testament History
Events	Biblical References
Creation to Israel's move to Egypt	Genesis 1-50
The Exodus	Exodus 1-18
Israel at Mt. Sinai	Exodus 19--Numbers 10
The Wilderness Wanderings	Numbers 11-21
Israel on the Plains of Moab	Numbers 22--Joshua 2
The Conquest and Division of Canaan	Joshua 3-24
The Amphictyony	-Judges 1-1 Samuel 7
The Reign of Saul	1 Samuel 8-31; 1 Chronicles 10
The Reign of David	2 Samuel 1-24; 1 Chronicles 11-29
The Reign of Solomon	1 Kings 1-11; 2 Chronicles 1-9
The Divided Monarchy	-1 Kings 12-2 Kings 17; 2 Chronicles 10-31
The Surviving Kingdom of Judah	2 Kings 18-25; 2 Chronicles 32-36
The Return under Zerubbabel	Ezra 1-6
The Return under Ezra	Ezra 7-10
The Return under Nehemiah	Nehemiah 1-13

Message⁶

First and 2 Samuel are really one story. The translators divided them into two books for convenience, not because of subject matter.

First Samuel records Israel's transition from amphictyony to monarchy.

The key passage that explains this transition is 8:4-7. Two statements from this passage are especially significant.

The human desire that produced the transition expressed itself in verse 5: "Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations." God had brought Israel into existence as a nation to be unlike all the nations (Exod. 19:5-6). The essence of its uniqueness was Yahweh's rule over it as King. God wanted Israel to be a demonstration for all the world to see how glorious it can be to live under the authority of God.

The real meaning of the people's request comes out in verse 7: ". . . they have rejected me from being king over them." During the period of the judges, religious apostasy spread and characterized Israel. The people refused to obey their King. It is this attitude that finds expression in verse 5. The people wanted to substitute the false for the true. This is the essence of sin, and it results in idolatry. Every idol is a witness to man's need of God. When people reject the true God they must put something in His place to meet that need. Human beings must have a god.

Israel turned from God as her King in 1 Samuel. She desired a king like the other nations. This book shows the immediate effects of that desire.

One of the great revelations of 1 Samuel is how from the human viewpoint God adapts to continue His reign.

This statement appears to contradict 8:7, but it does not. The people rejected Yahweh, but they did not dethrone Him. The first act is possible, the second is not. This is a major lesson of 1 Samuel. The great revelation of this book is not primarily its three central figures: Samuel, Saul, and David. It is Yahweh reigning by adapting to human situations and moving surely and steadily toward the fulfillment of His purposes. In spite of disobedience or obedience, failure or success, rebellious or loyal people, the reign of God moves on. We see this great lesson in the history of 1 Samuel's three central figures: Samuel, Saul, and David.

The writer introduced Samuel's story with his mother Hannah's experience with God. Hannah was a great woman of faith who lived in the judges period. Her faith became God's foothold for advance. Her song reveals a profound appreciation for Yahweh as the God who reigns over all (2:6-8, 10). The similarities between this prayer and Mary's Magnificat in Luke 1 are interesting and noteworthy.

Samuel was a prophet. In one sense he was the first of the prophets (Acts 3:24). Of course, Moses was a prophet and so was Abraham, but Samuel was the first of the order of prophets who mediated between God and the Israelites during the monarchy. The kings of Israel and Judah were never mediators between God and the people in the sense of speaking for God to the people. When the Israelites rejected Yahweh as their king, He withdrew from close communion and intimate fellowship with them. He never recognized their kings as standing between Himself and them to mediate His Word to the people. He chose their kings for them. He allowed their desire for a human king to work itself out in ultimate disaster through the centuries that followed. Yet He never spoke to the people through the king. He always spoke to them through the prophets. Samuel was the first of these. David, of course, was a king and a prophet. The role of the kings was to govern the people. The role of the prophets was to reveal God's will to them.

With Samuel the office of prophet in Israel emerges as that of Yahweh's authoritative representative to His people. Samuel became the king-maker finding and anointing both Saul and David. >From now on when God had a message for the people it normally did not come directly to the king but to the king and the people through the prophet. The prophet's office was always superior to that of Israel's kings. (You have the privilege of speaking for God to your generation. You have a high calling similar to that of Israel's prophets.) When Israel rejected Yahweh as her king, God chose Samuel, the child of a woman's simple faith, trained him in the tabernacle, and called him when he was only a boy. Then He gave him a message to deliver and sent him to anoint Saul as the king after the people's own heart, and David as the king after God's own heart. The prophets became God's mediators, His messengers, and the interpreters of His law. Thus Yahweh reigned though He adapted His methods of ruling by raising up the prophets. He called Samuel as the first of these mediators. During the monarchy God provided guidance through two offices rather than through one as He had done previously. The kings provided political leadership, and the prophets gave the people spiritual leadership. God had previously provided both types of leadership through single individuals namely Moses, Joshua, and the judges.

Saul's story is one of the most tragic in Scripture. It is unusually fascinating and has tremendous power in its appeal to our lives. When God placed Saul on Israel's throne He answered the prayer of His rebellious people in 8:5. God "gave them their request, but sent a wasting disease among them" (Ps. 106:15; NASB).

Saul was a revelation to the Israelites of what the possession of "a king like the nations" really meant. He had unusual physical strength, but he was fitful and he failed the people. He had mental acumen, but he was moody and eventually turned into a madman. He was sluggish and dull spiritually lacking in spiritual insight and power, and eventually he abandoned Yahweh for a witch.

His reign was also a disaster. At the beginning of his reign, Israel was virtually without a leader. At its end it was under the control of an enemy neighbor. Saul was never able to expand the borders of Israel because he never was strong enough to dominate his enemy neighbors. David on the other hand did both of these things. At the end of Saul's reign, Israel had almost destroyed itself through its wars with the Philistines.

David's story is one of the most glorious in Scripture. After Saul, God gave His people another king, but this time he was a man after God's own heart.

God prepared David for the throne by putting him through training as a shepherd in the fields, a courtier in the palace, and an "outlaw" in exile. (By "outlaw" I do not mean David was lawless but that he lived outside Saul's control.) His shepherd training prepared him to care for and protect the Israelites under his charge. His courtier experience prepared him to deal with high governmental leaders. His "outlaw" years perfected the disciplines that enabled him to become a strong ruler. These disciplines included relying on God in every situation, practicing self-restraint, and leading his people.

In all David's training God was reigning, moving forward to the fulfillment of His plans and purposes. God had previously done this by making the child of faith, Samuel, His prophet. He had also done this by making outwardly promising Saul a revelation to the nation of her sins in turning away from God.

The second great revelation of this book is that people cooperate with God by either being loyal or by being disloyal to Him.

In Samuel's case he had opportunity to glorify God because of his parentage, his call by God, and his appointment as God's prophet. He responded obediently, with loyalty to God. Consequently God's messages got delivered, and God's work moved ahead. Samuel was an instrument of blessing.

In Saul's case he had opportunity to glorify God too. His opportunity came in his call by God, his anointing by Samuel, his friendship with Samuel, his popularity with the people, and his personal abilities. He responded disobediently, with disloyalty to God as seen in his vacillating and self-will. Consequently he failed as a king, and he died under the judgment of God. His life was a failure.

In David's case his opportunities were his call, his anointing, his waiting, and his suffering. He responded obediently, with loyalty to God. Consequently he became God's instrument of progress and blessing. He was a success.

Each man had his opportunity, made his response, and experienced the consequences of his response. Two obeyed, one disobeyed. All cooperated with God in fulfilling His ultimate purposes either to his own blessing or to his own blasting.

As a result of these two major revelations I would summarize the message of 1 Samuel as follows. God will accomplish His purposes regardless of man's personal response to Him. However man's response to God's revealed will determines a person's own success or failure in life.

First Samuel teaches us the methods of the sovereign God. All territory is within God's jurisdiction, every person is under His control, and all events are in His hands. All of God's plans and purposes are moving toward accomplishment. He makes use of all antagonistic facts and forces as well as all positive facts and forces. He also makes use of all the agents He has chosen to use regardless of their responses. Paul's comments in 2 Tim. 2:20-21 are very much to the point here.

First Samuel also teaches us that God's ultimate victory is independent of the attitudes and actions of individuals and groups of people (e.g., Israel) toward Him. Nevertheless the ultimate destiny of individuals and groups of people depends on their attitudes and actions toward Him.

Samuel was obedient, was God's instrument, and experienced deliverance. Saul was disobedient, was God's instrument, and experienced destruction. David was obedient, was God's instrument, and experienced deliverance. My attitudes and actions do not determine God's ultimate victory, but they do determine my ultimate destiny. Everything depends on my choices and me regarding my earthly destiny. Nothing depends on me regarding God's ultimate victory. God uses all people, loyal and rebellious, to produce His ultimate purposes. However we determine the outcome of our lives by our attitudes and responses to Him. We see these principles working themselves out around us all the time. Dr. Walvoord is an example of a Samuel or a David in our day. The DTS graduates in prison are examples of the Sauls of our day.

Constable: 1 Samuel (Outline)

Outline

I. Eli and Samuel chs. 1-3

A. The change from barrenness to fertility 1:1-2:10

1. Hannah's condition 1:1-8

2. Hannah's vow 1:9-18

3. Hannah's obedience 1:19-28

4. Hannah's song 2:1-10

B. The contrast between Samuel and Eli's sons 2:11-36

1. Eli's sons' wickedness 2:11-17

2. Hannah's godly influence on Samuel and its effect 2:18-21

3. Eli's lack of influence on his sons and its effect 2:22-26

4. The oracle against Eli's house 2:27-36

C. God's first revelation to Samuel ch. 3

1. Samuel's call 3:1-18

2. Samuel's ministry 3:19-4:1a

II. The history of the ark of the covenant 4:1b-7:1

A. The capture of the ark 4:1b-22

1. The battle of Aphek 4:1b-11

2. The response of Eli 4:12-18

3. The response of Phinehas' wife 4:19-22

B. Pagan fertility foiled by God ch. 5

C. The ark returned to Israel by God 6:1-7:1

1. The plan to terminate God's judgment 6:1-9

2. The return of the ark to Bethshemesh 6:10-18

3. The removal of the ark to Kiriath-jearim 6:19-7:1

III. Samuel and Saul 7:2-15:35

A. Samuel's ministry as Israel's judge 7:2-17

1. Samuel's spiritual leadership 7:2-4

2. National repentance and deliverance 7:5-14

3. Samuel's regular ministry 7:15-17

B. Kingship given to Saul chs. 8-12

1. The demand for a king ch. 8

2. The anointing of Saul 9:1-10:16

3. The choice of Saul by lot 10:17-27

4. Saul's effective leadership in battle 11:1-11

5. The confirmation of Saul as king 11:12-12:25

C. Kingship removed from Saul chs. 13-15

1. Saul's disobedience at Gilgal 13:1-15

2. Saul's struggle against the Philistines 13:16-14:23

3. Saul's cursing of Jonathan 14:24-46

4. Saul's limited effectiveness in battle 14:47-52

5. Yahweh's final rejection of Saul ch. 15

IV. Saul and David 1 Sam. 16-31

A. David's rise as the new anointed 16:1-18:5

1. God's selection of David for kingship ch. 16

2. The reason for God's selection of David ch. 17

3. The results of God's selection of David ch. 18:1-19:17

B. David driven out by Saul 19:18-20:42

1. God's deliverance in Ramah 19:18-24

2. Jonathan's advocacy for David ch. 20

C. David in exile chs. 21-31

1. David's initial movements chs. 21-22

2. Saul's pursuit of David ch. 23

3. David's goodness to two fools ch. 24-26

4. The end of Saul's reign 27-31

(Continued in notes on 2 Samuel)

Constable: 1 Samuel

1 Samuel

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL;

otherwise called,

THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS.

INTRODUCTION.

This and the following Book are called by the Hebrews, the Books of Samuel, because they contain the history of Samuel, and of the two kings, Saul and David, whom he anointed. They are more commonly named by the Fathers, the First and Second Book of Kings. As to the writer of them, it is the common opinion that Samuel composed the first book, as far as the twenty-fifth chapter; and that the prophets Nathan and Gad finished the first and wrote the second book. See 1 Paralipomenon, alias 1 Chronicles, xxix. 19. (Challoner) --- The authors of the Third and Fourth Books of Kings were also prophets, but we know not exactly their names. These works have nevertheless been always esteemed authentic (Haydock) and canonical. (Worthington) --- Ven. Bede takes occasion to observe, from the Books of Kings (or as the Septuagint read, "of kingdoms;" Haydock) being placed after that of Judges, that the everlasting kingdom of Christ will succeed the general judgment. The translation of the priesthood and of the regal dignity, recorded in these books, denote also that Christ would united both in his own person; as the two wives of Eleana intimated, that both Jews and Gentiles would acknowledge the same Lord. (St. Jerome; St. Augustine; &c.) --- The transactions of Heli, Samuel and Saul, and the persecutions which David sustained from the latter, form the subject of the first book, (Haydock) during the space of 100 years. All the four books carry down the sacred history near 600 years, from the year of the world 2849 till the transmigration of Juda, in the year 3420. (Calmet) (Usher)

Gill: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 1 SAMUEL

This book, in the Hebrew copies, is commonly called Samuel, or the Book of Samuel; in the Syriac version, the Book of Samuel the Prophet; and in the Arabic version, the Book of Samuel the Prophet, which is the First Book of the Kings; and the Septuagint version, the Book of the Kingdom: it has the name of Samuel, because it contains an history of his life and times; and the Jews say ^a it was written by him; and as it may well enough be thought to be, to the end of the twenty fourth chapter; and the rest might be written by Nathan and Gad, as may he gathered from 1Ch 29:29 as also the following book that bears his name; and both may be called the Books of Kings, because they give an account of the rise of the kings in Israel, and of the two first of them; though some think they were written by Jeremiah, as Abarbinel; and others ascribe them to Ezra: however, there is no doubt to be made of it that this book was written by divine inspiration, when we consider the series of its history, its connection and harmony with other parts of Scripture; the several things borrowed from it, or alluded to in the book of Psalms, particularly what is observed in Psa 113:7, seems to be taken out of 1Sa 2:8, and the sanction which the Lord gives to it, by referring to a fact in it, whereby he stopped the mouths of the Scribes and Pharisees cavilling at his disciples, Mat 12:3, compared with 1Sa 21:3, yea, even, as Huetius ^b observes, some Heathen writers have by their testimonies confirmed some passages in these books, which they seem to have been acquainted with, as Nicolaus of Damascus ^c, and Eupolemus ^d; it contains an history of the government of Eli, and of the birth of Samuel, and his education under him; of the succession of Samuel in it, and the resignation of it to Saul, when he was chosen king; of his administration of his office, and of things done in the time of it, both before and after his rejection, and of the persecution of David by Saul, and is concluded with his death.

Gill: 1 Samuel 21 (Chapter Introduction)

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, 1Sa 21:1; and that passing from thence to Gath, where he was known, through fear feigned himself mad, and so escaped from thence, 1Sa 21:10.