1 Samuel 21:1-6 NIV

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:2

And David said unto Ahimelech the priest ,.... In reply to his question, and to account for such an appearance he made without an equipage: the king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, let no man know anything of the business thereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee ; he pretended he was upon a secret expedition, by the order of Saul, which none were to know of, no, not his own servants, and that was the reason why he came to him alone; which was a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:3

Now therefore what is under thine hand ?.... Meaning, what food had he in his house? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand ; to take with him, for him and his servants in such a place: or what there is present ; or to be found F7 הנמצא "quicquid inveneris", V. L, "inventum", Montanus; "quicquid inventum fuerit", Tigurine version. in the tabernacle; if not five loaves, two, or three, or four, or what food soever he had by him. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:4

And the priest answered David, and said, there is no common bread under mine hand ,.... In the tabernacle, though he might have such in his own house; which was common for any man to eat of, even such as were not priests; but he had none there, and David was in haste to be gone because of Doeg, and could not stay till such was fetched: but there is hallowed bread ; such as was devoted to sacred use. Kimchi's father thinks this was the bread of the thank offering, to which Ben Gersom... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:5

And David answered the priest, and said unto him ,.... In reply to the case of the young men his servants, and of himself too, who also was intended by the priest, though out of reverence to him not mentioned: of a truth women have been kept from us these three days since I came out ; reckoning either from the time he fled from Saul at Naioth, or from the time he left Jonathan, during which time both he and his men could have no converse with women, and receive no pollution by them;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:6

So the priest gave him hallowed bread ,.... Being satisfied with the account he gave of himself, and his young men, and of the lawfulness of it in case of necessity, acts of mercy being to be preferred to ritual services. Whether he gave him five loaves, as he desired, is not said; but the reason of his giving him such sort of bread is observed: for there was no bread there ; in the tabernacle, whatever might be in the house of the priest: but the shewbread that was taken from... 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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 21:2

The king hath commanded me a business - All said here is an untruth, and could not be dictated by the Spirit of the Lord; but there is no reason to believe that David was under the influence of Divine inspiration at this time. It is well known that from all antiquity it was held no crime to tell a lie, in order to save life. Thus Diphilus: - Ὑπολαμβανω το ψευδος επι σωτηριᾳπ Λεγομενον, ουδεν περιποιεισθαι δυσχερες. "I hold it right to tell a lie, in order to procure... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 21:6

So the priest gave him hallowed bread - To this history our Lord alludes, Mark 2:25 , in order to show that in cases of absolute necessity a breach of the ritual law was no sin. It was lawful for the priests only to eat the shew-bread; but David and his companions were starving, no other bread could be had at the time, and therefore he and his companions ate of it without sin. read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:1-9

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:6

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 21:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 21:6

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