21:1ffThis is the first time Ahimelech is mentioned. Either he was the Ahijah mentioned in 14:3, 18, or, more likely, he was Ahijah’s successor. tn either case, Ahimelech had to go against the law to give the holy bread to David because the bread was supposed to be given only to the priests (Leviticus 24:5-9). But Ahimelech put David's need and tife ahead of religious ceremony and ted him the holy food. This upheld a higher law of love (Leviticus 19:18). Centuries later, Jesus would refer to this incident to show that God's laws should be applied with compassion. To do good and to save life is God’s greater law (Matthew 12:1-8; Luke 6:1-5).
Life Application Study Bible1 SamuelChapter 21
1 Samuel 21
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 445, 446
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211 Samuel 21
David Runs from Saul
121 1*David went to the town of Nob to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw him. “Why are you alone?” he asked. “Why is no one with you?” 2"The king has sent me on a private matter,” David said. “He told me not to tell anyone why I am here. I have told my men where to meet me later. 3Now, what is there to eat? Give me five loaves of bread or anything else you have.”; 4We don’t have any regular bread,” the priest replied. 6But there is the holy bread, which you can have if your young men have not slept with any women recently.” 5“Don't worry,” David replied. “I never allow my men to be with women when they are on acampaign. And since they stay clean even on ordinary trips, how much more on this one!” 6Since there was no other food available, the priest gave him the holy bread—the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the LORD in the Tabernacle. It had just been replaced that day with fresh bread. 7Now Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief herdsman, was there that day, having been detained before the LORD.* 8David asked Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or sword? The king’s business was so urgent that I didn’t even have time to grab a weapon!” 9“ only have the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah,” the priest replied. “It is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. Take that if you want it, for there is nothing else here.” “There is nothing like it!” David replied. “Give it to me!” 10So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. '*But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. 11Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” 12David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him. 13So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard. 14Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring mea madman? 5 We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?”
Textual footnotes
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Life Application Notes 5 notes
21:2David lied to protect himself from Saul (21:10). Some excuse this lie because a war was going on, and it is the duty
21:5The men’s bodies were ceremonially clean because they had not had sexual intercourse during this journey. Therefore, the priest allowed them to eat the holy bread.
21:6Once a week on the Sabbath, a priest entered the Holy Place in the Tabernacle and placed 12 freshly baked loaves of _ ~ DAVID FLEES FROM SAUL David and his men attacked the Philistines at Keilah from the forest of Hereth. Saul came from Gibeah to attack David, but David escaped into the wilderness of Ziph. At Horesh he met Jonathan, who encouraged him. Then he fled into the wilderness of Maon and into the strongholds of En-gedi.
21:7The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
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bread on a small table. This bread, called the Bread of the Presence, symbolized God's presence among his people as well as his loving care that met their physical needs. The bread that was replaced was to be eaten only by the priests on duty. 21:9 An ephod was a vest worn by the priest (see the note on 9:18 for a more detailed explanation). David didn’t know Goliath’s sword was there, probably because David was a young man when he killed the giant and he had spent much of his time at home. 21:10-15 Gath was one of the five major Philistine cities. Why did the Philistines allow their archenemy, David, into their camp? The Philistines may have been initially happy to accept a defector who was a high military leader. Any enemy of Saul would have been a friend of theirs. They could not have known that David had been anointed Israel's next king (16:13). Soon, however, the Philistines became nervous about David's presence. After all, he had slain thousands of their people (18:7). David then protected himself by acting insane because it was the custom not to harm mentally unstable people. 22:2 Those in trouble, in debt, or discontented joined David, who himself was an outlaw. These people were outcasts themselves and could only improve their lot by helping David become king. David’s control over this band of men again shows his resourcefulness and ability to lead and motivate others. It is difficult enough to build an army out of good men, but it takes even greater leadership to build one out of the kind of men that followed David. This group eventually formed the core of his military leadership (2 Samuel 23:8ff).
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