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1 Samuel
Chapter Twenty-one
1 Samuel 21
Chapter Contents
David with Ahimelech. (1-9) David at Gath feigns himself
mad. (10-15)
Commentary on 1 Samuel 21:1-9
(Read 1 Samuel 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.
Commentary on 1 Samuel 21:10-15
(Read 1 Samuel 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《Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel》
1 Samuel 21
Verse 1
[1] Then
came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the
meeting of David
and said unto him
Why art thou alone
and no man with thee?
Nob — A
city of priests
where the tabernacle now was. Hither David resorted
for a
supply of his necessities
which he supposed he might receive here
without
danger of being betrayed into Saul's hands: and principally
that in this great
distress
he might receive comfort and counsel from the Lord.
Ahimelech —
The chief priest
brother to that Ahiah
chap. 14:3
and he being now dead
his successor in
the priesthood
for they were both sons of Ahitub.
Was afraid —
Suspecting some extraordinary cause of his coming in such a manner.
Alone —
For though David had some servants as is manifest from verse 4
5
whom Jonathan probably had sent to a place
appointed
yet they were left at another place: as David himself affirmeth
verse 2. And David was now alone
as also he was when
he fled to Achish. He who had been suddenly advanced to the highest honour
is
as soon reduced to the desolate conditions of an exile. Such changes are there
in this world
and so uncertain are its smiles.
Verse 2
[2] And David said unto Ahimelech the priest
The king hath commanded me a
business
and hath said unto me
Let no man know any thing of the business
whereabout I send thee
and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my
servants to such and such a place.
The king
… —
This seems to be a plain lie extorted from him
by fear. But it was pernicious
to all the priests there. Whence David afterwards declares his repentance for
this sin of lying
Psalms 119:29.
To such a place — To
a certain place which it not convenient now to mention; because the whole
business requires concealment.
Verse 4
[4] And
the priest answered David
and said
There is no common bread under mine hand
but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least
from women.
There is
… —
Here in the tabernacle: though doubtless he had other provisions is his house;
but David was in great haste
and in fear of Doeg whom he saw
and knew and
therefore would not stay 'till any thing could be fetched thence. There was a
double impediment to the giving this bread to them; 1. Its sacredness in
itself; which the priest implies
and David answers verse 5
and the priest was satisfied therein by
David's great necessities. 2. The abstinence from all women
which he supposed
should be in those that use it; concerning which he now enquires. And though he
mentions this only concerning David's young men
and out of reverence forbears
to name him; yet he is also included in the number
as David's answer shews.
Verse 5
[5] And
David answered the priest
and said unto him
Of a truth women have been kept
from us about these three days
since I came out
and the vessels of the young
men are holy
and the bread is in a manner common
yea
though it were
sanctified this day in the vessel.
Three days — As
long as the law required
Exodus 19:15. And so long David
and his men
hid
it seems
hid themselves for fear of Saul
whereby they were kept both
from women: and from food convenient for them.
Vessels —
That is
Either
1. Their garments
or other utensils for their journey. Or 2.
their bodies.
The bread —
Heb. and this bread; is in a manner common: that is
considering the time
and
our necessity
this maybe used in a manner
like common bread. For though for a
season while 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 his whole
family
and so it may be by us
in our circumstances.
Tho' it were —
But newly put into the vessel
it must give place to the great law of
necessity
and charity; because God will have mercy preferred before sacrifice.
Verse 7
[7] Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day
detained
before the LORD; and his name was Doeg
an Edomite
the chiefest of the herdmen
that belonged to Saul.
Detained —
Not by force but by his choice; he fixed his abode there for that day; either
because it was the sabbath-day; on which he might not proceed in his journey
or for the discharge of some vow.
Before the Lord —
That is
at the tabernacle.
An Edomite — By
birth
but he was proselyted to the Jewish religion.
Verse 9
[9] And
the priest said
The sword of Goliath the Philistine
whom thou slewest in the
valley of Elah
behold
it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou
wilt take that
take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said
There is none like that; give it me.
Ephod —
That is
behind that holy place allotted for the keeping of the sacred
or
priestly garments; all which are here comprehended under the ephod; which
as
the chief is put for all the rest. Here it was laid up as a sacred monument of
God's power and goodness.
None like it —
Because it not only served him for his use
for he was a strong and tall man
and one that could wield that sword
but 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.
Verse 10
[10] And
David arose
and fled that day for fear of Saul
and went to Achish the king of
Gath.
To Achish — 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.
Verse 11
[11] And
the servants of Achish said unto him
Is not this David the king of the land? did
they not sing one to another of him in dances
saying
Saul hath slain his
thousands
and David his ten thousands?
King of the land — 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.
Did they not sing
… — And therefore consider what to do; and now our great enemy is in thy
hand
be sure thou never let him go alive.
Verse 12
[12] And
David laid up these words in his heart
and was sore afraid of Achish the king
of Gath.
Was afraid —
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
Psalms 118:9. It is better to trust in the Lord
than to put any confidence in princes.
Verse 15
[15] Have
I need of mad men
that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my
presence? shall this fellow come into my house?
Mad men — 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.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on 1 Samuel》
21 Chapter 21
Verses 1-15
Then came David to Nob.
Almost gone
It is not easy to walk with God.
I. The steps of
David’s declension. The first sign of what was impending was his remark to
Jonathan
that there was but a step between himself and death (1 Samuel 20:3). Evidently his faith
was beginning to falter; for nothing could have been more definite than the
Divine assurances that he was to be king. The winds and waves were more
daunting than the promise of God was inspiring. Perchance David relied too
absolutely on what he had received
and neglected the daily renewal of the
heavenly unction (John 1:33-34; 1 John 3:24). Next he adopted a
subterfuge
which was not worthy of him
nor of his great and mighty Friend.
Late in the afternoon of the day preceding the weekly Sabbath
the king’s
son-in-law arrived
with a mere handful of followers
at the little town of
Nob
situated among the hills about five miles to the south of Gibeah. Probably
the great annual convocations had fallen into disuse
and the path to the
simple sanctuary was only trodden by occasional visitors
such as Doeg
who
came to pay their vows
or be cleansed from ceremonial pollution. There was
evidently
no attempt made to prepare for large numbers; the hard fare of the
priests only just sufficed for them
and the presence of two or three
additional strangers completely overbalanced the slender supply; there were not
five loaves of common bread to spare. It was necessary to answer the questions
and allay the suspicions of the priest; and David did this by pleading the
urgency of the mission on which his royal master had sent him. But a chill
struck to his heart whilst making these excuses to the simpleminded priest
and
enlisting his willing cooperation in the matter of provisions and arms
as he
saw the dark visage of Doeg
the Edomite
“the chiefest of the herdmen that
belonged to Saul.” He knew that the whole story would be mercilessly retailed
to the vindictive and vengeful monarch. Ten miles beyond lay the proud
Philistine city of Gath
which at that time had sent its champion forth in all
the pride of his stature and strength. What worse fate could await him at Gath
than that which threatened him each hour he lingered within the limits of
Judah! He therefore resolved to make the plunge. Not a little to his dismay
and perhaps on account of Goliath’s sword hanging at his belt he was instantly
recognised; and the servants of Achish recalled the refrain
which had already
awoke the jealousy of Saul. He was instantly regarded with hatred
as having
slain his ten thousands. He saved himself by descending to the unworthy
subterfuge of counterfeiting the behaviour of a madman.
II. The Psalm of
the silent dove. At first sight we are startled with the apparently
irreconcilable discrepancy between the scenes we have just described and the
56th Psalm
the inscription of which associates it with them. Closer inspection
will reveal many resemblances between the singer’s circumstances and his
touching words. First stanza (1-4).
He turns to God from man; to the Divine mercy from the serried
ranks of his foes
who
surging around him
threaten to engulf and swallow him
up. Thus he climbs up out of the weltering waves
his feet on a rock
a new
song in his mouth
the burden of which is
“I will not be afraid.” Second
Stanza (5-9).--Again
he is in the depths. The returning wave has sucked him
back. His boast changed to a moan
his challenge to complaint. Yet as we
condole
we hear the voice of faith again ringing out the positive assurance
“I know that God is for me
” and again the old refrain comes back. Third Stanza
(10-13).--There is no further relapse. His heart is fixed
fruiting the Lord;
the vows of God are upon his head. And now
as once again he regains the sunny
uplands
which he had so shamefully renounced in his flight from Gibeah to Nob
from Nob to Gath
from Gath to feigned insanity
he is sure that henceforth he
will walk before God in the light of life. Truth
purity
joy
shall be the
vesture of his soul.
III. The
consequences to ahimelech. A child of God may be forgiven and restored
yet the
consequences of his sin may involve sufferings to many innocent lives. So it
was in this instance. Doeg took the opportunity of ingratiating himself in the
royal favour
by narrating what he had seen at Nob. He carefully withheld the
unsuspecting innocence and ignorance of the priest
and so told the tale as to
make it appear that he and his house were accomplices with David’s action
and
perhaps bent on helping David to gain supreme power. By one ruthless act
the
entire priestly community was exterminated. There was but one survivor
for
Abiathar escaped
carrying the ephod in his hands; and one day
to his horror
David beheld the disheveled
blood-besmeared form of the priest
as he sped
breathless and panic-stricken up the valley of Elah
to find shelter with the
outlaw band in the Cave of Adullam. We shall hear of him again. Meanwhile
let
children of God beware! Sin is bitter to the conscience of the sinner and in
its consequences upon others. (F. B. Meyer
B. A.)
Verses 1-15
Then came David to Nob.
Almost gone
It is not easy to walk with God.
I. The steps of
David’s declension. The first sign of what was impending was his remark to
Jonathan
that there was but a step between himself and death (1 Samuel 20:3). Evidently his faith
was beginning to falter; for nothing could have been more definite than the
Divine assurances that he was to be king. The winds and waves were more
daunting than the promise of God was inspiring. Perchance David relied too
absolutely on what he had received
and neglected the daily renewal of the
heavenly unction (John 1:33-34; 1 John 3:24). Next he adopted a
subterfuge
which was not worthy of him
nor of his great and mighty Friend.
Late in the afternoon of the day preceding the weekly Sabbath
the king’s
son-in-law arrived
with a mere handful of followers
at the little town of
Nob
situated among the hills about five miles to the south of Gibeah. Probably
the great annual convocations had fallen into disuse
and the path to the
simple sanctuary was only trodden by occasional visitors
such as Doeg
who
came to pay their vows
or be cleansed from ceremonial pollution. There was
evidently
no attempt made to prepare for large numbers; the hard fare of the
priests only just sufficed for them
and the presence of two or three
additional strangers completely overbalanced the slender supply; there were not
five loaves of common bread to spare. It was necessary to answer the questions
and allay the suspicions of the priest; and David did this by pleading the
urgency of the mission on which his royal master had sent him. But a chill
struck to his heart whilst making these excuses to the simpleminded priest
and
enlisting his willing cooperation in the matter of provisions and arms
as he
saw the dark visage of Doeg
the Edomite
“the chiefest of the herdmen that
belonged to Saul.” He knew that the whole story would be mercilessly retailed
to the vindictive and vengeful monarch. Ten miles beyond lay the proud
Philistine city of Gath
which at that time had sent its champion forth in all
the pride of his stature and strength. What worse fate could await him at Gath
than that which threatened him each hour he lingered within the limits of
Judah! He therefore resolved to make the plunge. Not a little to his dismay
and perhaps on account of Goliath’s sword hanging at his belt he was instantly
recognised; and the servants of Achish recalled the refrain
which had already
awoke the jealousy of Saul. He was instantly regarded with hatred
as having
slain his ten thousands. He saved himself by descending to the unworthy
subterfuge of counterfeiting the behaviour of a madman.
II. The Psalm of
the silent dove. At first sight we are startled with the apparently
irreconcilable discrepancy between the scenes we have just described and the
56th Psalm
the inscription of which associates it with them. Closer inspection
will reveal many resemblances between the singer’s circumstances and his
touching words. First stanza (1-4).
He turns to God from man; to the Divine mercy from the serried
ranks of his foes
who
surging around him
threaten to engulf and swallow him
up. Thus he climbs up out of the weltering waves
his feet on a rock
a new
song in his mouth
the burden of which is
“I will not be afraid.” Second
Stanza (5-9).--Again
he is in the depths. The returning wave has sucked him back.
His boast changed to a moan
his challenge to complaint. Yet as we condole
we
hear the voice of faith again ringing out the positive assurance
“I know that
God is for me
” and again the old refrain comes back. Third Stanza
(10-13).--There is no further relapse. His heart is fixed
fruiting the Lord;
the vows of God are upon his head. And now
as once again he regains the sunny
uplands
which he had so shamefully renounced in his flight from Gibeah to Nob
from Nob to Gath
from Gath to feigned insanity
he is sure that henceforth he
will walk before God in the light of life. Truth
purity
joy
shall be the
vesture of his soul.
III. The
consequences to ahimelech. A child of God may be forgiven and restored
yet the
consequences of his sin may involve sufferings to many innocent lives. So it
was in this instance. Doeg took the opportunity of ingratiating himself in the
royal favour
by narrating what he had seen at Nob. He carefully withheld the
unsuspecting innocence and ignorance of the priest
and so told the tale as to
make it appear that he and his house were accomplices with David’s action
and
perhaps bent on helping David to gain supreme power. By one ruthless act
the
entire priestly community was exterminated. There was but one survivor
for Abiathar
escaped
carrying the ephod in his hands; and one day
to his horror
David
beheld the disheveled
blood-besmeared form of the priest
as he sped
breathless and panic-stricken up the valley of Elah
to find shelter with the
outlaw band in the Cave of Adullam. We shall hear of him again. Meanwhile
let
children of God beware! Sin is bitter to the conscience of the sinner and in
its consequences upon others. (F. B. Meyer
B. A.)
Verse 7
A certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day
detained
before the Lord.
Doeg the Edomite
Doeg was “detained there before the Lord.” How or why he “was
detained before the Lord
” we are not informed. Doeg the Edomite was “detained
there that day before the Lord
” and with his eyes upturned and his arms across
his breast
very probably groaning as if moved to the heart by the aspect of
poor David and his few straggling companions
dusty
and dirty and hungry. Doeg
witnessed all and hurrying off to the royal palace told King Saul all he saw
and all he heard during his stay at Nob
as passing between David and
Ahimelech. This malicious spy was glad to violate all confidence.
I. Doeg was
detained there that day before the Lord as a spy. Now of all the characters in
the world the spy is the meanest and the most despicable. It was allowed at the
time
and historians confirm it
that the espionage system of the Duke of
Wellington
during his Peninsular campaign
was the most perfect ever known in
any European army
and yet his scouts were selected without regard to
character. No man respects a spy. Is Doeg dead? It is to be feared that in
every age there have been those who come to the house of God only to hear and
report
and misrepresent the services of the sanctuary. The spy has neither
character nor conscience.
II. Doeg is there
that day as a malicious tale bearer and wicked slanderer. The tale bearer and
murderer are regarded by God as one and the same. A heathen once said
“The slanderer
is the most terrible of wild beasts.”
III. It is possible
that Doeg may have been “detained there that day before the Lord
” for the very
reason that he knew he was not wanted. It is clear that Ahimelech did not want
him
and equally clear that the eighty-five priests whom he afterwards murdered
so wantonly did not want him
and still more obvious that David did not want
him. Not a single worshipper in the priestly City of Nob. Some men are woefully
gifted with a perverse spirit
and their happiness consist in trying to make
other men miserable. Their aim is annoy; evil is their good.
IV. It may be that
Doeg was “detained there that day before the Lord
” from the force of habit. He
had been a churchgoing man.
V. It may be that
Doeg was “detained there that day before the Lord
” from the love of the
service. The old Rabbis have a tradition that Doeg was a skilful performer on
the psaltery
and wherever music was the prevailing part of the worship
he was
present to take part in “the service of song.” If there is no higher motive
than the mere gratification of a refined ear or a cultivated taste
or even a
delicate sentimentalism
the ordinances cannot profit.
VI. It may be that
Doeg was “detained there that day before the Lord
” from the hope of patronage
or preferment. He was only chief of the herdsmen of King Saul; probably
by
acting as a spy and a tale bearer
be hoped to be advanced to some situation of
honour and emolument. Doeg is ready for any work
from that of the highest
seraph in heaven down to the lowest fiend in hell
if it will only pay!
VII. It may be that
Doeg was “detained there that day before the Lord
” because the service at Nob
was a branch of the national worship. This was a priestly city
and the Divine
arrangement provided that the house of Levi should have the sacerdotal cities
and their suburbs. Doeg
therefore
as a Hebrew
had a right to attend upon any
altar that represented the religion of the Hebrew commonwealth. Oh! that is
God’s meeting place with the inquiring saint who is there that day “detained
before the Lord.” because he wants to meet and hold communion with God. (R.
Irvine
D. D.)
Verse 8
The king’s business required haste.
Haste! Haste!
1. We are always called upon to work as if we had but one day to work
in.
2. Such impetuosity need not involve carelessness.
3. The most deliberate things are to be done with the intensest
earnestness
and the intensest earnestness is never to allow itself to be
deprived of the advantage and utility of the highest spiritual dignity.
When
the king’s business relates to the salvation of souls
who dare say there is a
moment to be lost?
4. In all things let us hear the voice of the Saviour saying
“That
thou doest
do quickly.” (J. Parker
D. D.)
Verse 9
And David said
There is none like that: give it me.
Goliath’s sword
I. First
then
the history of Goliath’s sword. See it
in the first instance
hanging at the
giant’s side. The man himself is mighty. Hark how he challenges the hosts of
Israel. The after history of this sword is interesting. What became of it after
David
having no sword of his own
put it to the giant’s throat and cut off his
head with it? It was Goliath’s no longer; it was David’s
really. It is evident
that he was not content to have it ornamenting his own residence--he would give
it to the Lord. He found it in his heart to hang the sword in the Holy Place
that God might have the glory. What happened next? Why
long afterwards
when
David wanted a sword
God gave this very weapon back to him. Nobody is ever the
poorer for lending to the Lord. God gave the sword back to David in the hour of
his extremity. Now I want to say to you
surely you remember some great
deliverance of days gone by. You remember the weapons with which God enabled
you to carve your way through obstacles which you supposed must overwhelm you.
You are getting into a tight place again
are you? Well
call to mind the
previous experience; grasp the old sword
and trust the same
unchanging God.
Use the promise that helped you out before.
II. But we shall
I
hope
get still further blessing when we think of this sword from a spiritual
point of view. These things may well be called an allegory. The war is still
waging. The Philistine is still in the land. And what is David’s sword? The
sword is God’s Word
Divine Truth
the Gospel of the Grace of God. “The Word of
God is quick and powerful
sharper than any two-edged sword
piercing even to
the dividing asunder of soul and spirit
and of the joints and marrow
and is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” We do not want another
weapon. There is nothing to induce us to try another. We have watched the
others trying them. They have had such poor success that it makes us the more
content with the old Jerusalem blade. (Thomas Spurgeon.)
Tried Weapons
We propose to treat this text with special reference to the sword
of the Spirit
which is the Word of God.
1. There is none like it for variety of adaptation.
2. As for argument
where can we find a blade more keenly
argumentative?
3. I would impress all young readers with the comprehensiveness of
the Bible
with its universality of adaptation to all the circumstances and
necessities of human life.
4. There is none like it for ease of carriage. There are weapons that
are very difficult to carry
but the sword of the Lord is not one of them.
5. There is none like it for universality of use. Children and sick
persons can use it; the poorest man can avail himself of it; the busiest man
may find a moment for its exercise.
6. The sick can use this sword of the Lord. (J. Parker
D. D.)
Verse 11
And he changed his behaviour before them.
David scrabbling at the gate
Taking the behaviour of David as a suggestion
I wish to tell you
how many of the wise
and the brave
and the regal sometimes play the fool.
I. I remark that
those men as badly play the fool as this man of the text
who in any crisis of
life take their case out of the hand of God. David
in this case
acted as
though there were no God to lift him out of the predicament. The life of the
most insignificant man is too vast for any human management.
II. I remark that
all those persons play the fool
as certainly as did this man of the text
who
allow the technicalities of religion to stop their salvation.
III. I go still
further
and say to you that those men play the fool who undertake to pay out
eternity for time.
IV. I say to you
that those men play the fool who
while they admit the righteousness of
religion
set it down for future attendance. (T. De Witt Talmage.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》