1 Samuel 21:1-22:23

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 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 (1 Sam. 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:1

Then came David to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest ,.... The high priest, as Abarbinel rightly calls him; he was the brother of Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, who being dead he succeeded him; though some say F1 Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 76. H. he was the same; see 1 Samuel 14:3 ; who was now at Nob, the tabernacle being there, whither probably it was removed by Saul, and where and at Gibeon, according to the Jews F2 Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Zebachim, c. 14. sect. 7. ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 21:1

Then came David 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. Why art thou alone - Ahimelech probably knew nothing of the difference between Saul and David; and as he knew him to be the king's son-in-law, he wondered to see him come without any attendants. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:1

DAVID 'S FLIGHT TO NOB , AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE PHILISTINES ( 1 Samuel 21:1-15 .). EXPOSITION DAVID 'S FLIGHT TO NOB ( 1 Samuel 21:1-9 ). Then came David to Nob. Nob means a knoll or hill, and apparently was situated a little to the north of Jerusalem on the road leading to Gath. The ark had evidently been removed thither by Saul early in his reign, after it had remained for twenty years in the house of Abinadab; and as eighty-five priests... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 21:1

Nob was a city of the priests, the high priest resided there, and the tabernacle was pitched there 1 Samuel 21:4, 1 Samuel 21:6,1 Samuel 21:9; 1 Samuel 22:10. It was situated on the road from the north to Jerusalem, near Anathoth, and within sight of the holy city Isaiah 10:32; Nehemiah 11:32. But the site has not been identified with certainty. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 21:1

1 Samuel 21:1. Then came David to Nob A city of the priests in the tribe of Benjamin, about twelve miles from Gibeah, not far from Anathoth and Jerusalem, Nehemiah 11:32; Isaiah 10:32. The tabernacle, it appears, had been removed hither, and hither David now resorts, in hopes of finding shelter for a season, and a supply of his necessities, which he supposed he might obtain here without danger of being betrayed into the hands of Saul; and principally that in this great distress he might... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:1-15

Flight from Saul (21:1-15)The first place to which David fled was Nob, which, since the destruction of Shiloh, had become the city of priests (21:1). About this time a few personal servants joined him, according to an arrangement he had made with them earlier. David obtained food for himself and his men by deceiving Ahimelech the priest concerning the purpose of his journey. Unfortunately for him, and for Ahimelech and the other priests, he was seen by someone sympathetic to Saul (2-9).From Nob... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 21:1

Ahimelech . So called here and in 1 Samuel 22:9 , 1 Samuel 22:11 , 1 Samuel 22:14 , 1 Samuel 22:16 , 1 Samuel 22:20 . See note on 1 Samuel 14:3 and Mark 2:26 , man . Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Samuel 21:1

DAVID FLEES FIRST TO NOB; THEN TO ACHISHCritical commentators waste much of their energies questioning the chronological arrangement of the various episodes from the life of David that are recorded in First Samuel, overlooking the important fact that the inspired author of this Biblical document does not claim that he has set down all of these incidents in the chronological order of their occurrence. Bennett has a word of wisdom on this subject."It is likely that originally stories of single... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 21:1

1 Samuel 21:1. Then came David to Nob— Nob was in the tribe of Benjamin, about twelve miles from Gibeath, not far from Anathoth, Neh 11:32 and Jerusalem, Isaiah 10:32. It appears from the 19th verse, of the next chapter, that it was one of the sacerdotal cities; and it is probable that Saul had removed the tabernacle from Shiloh thither. It should be observed, that Ahimelech is no where called the high-priest, but simply the priest. From the whole of this affair it is manifest, that Ahimelech... read more

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