1 Samuel 22:1-23 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:8

That all of you have conspired against me ,.... For though they had not revolted from him, and been guilty of overt acts of treason, yet since they did not discover to him what he supposed they knew, and showed no concern for the circumstances in which he was, he interpreted this a conspiracy against him: and there is none that showeth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse ; Saul did not know this certainly, he only suspected it from the strict and close friendship... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:9

Then answered Doeg the Edomite ,.... Josephus F4 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 12. sect. 1, 4. calls him a Syrian, and so the Septuagint version; see 1 Samuel 21:7 ; being full of enmity to David, and willing to curry favour with Saul, and eager of further preferment, which Saul seemed to promise; and being more forward than the rest of his servants, prevented them and spoke first: (which was set over the servants of Saul) : over his herdsmen; see 1 Samuel 21:7 , and said, I saw the son... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:10

And he inquired of the Lord for him ,.... Which not being expressed before, some have taken it to be a lie of Doeg's, he being charged with lying by David, Psalm 52:3 ; but it is not at all improbable that David should desire him to inquire of the Lord for him, and that he did; and he seems to acknowledge it, 1 Samuel 22:15 ; but according to the Jewish writers Doeg meant by this to prove a charge of treason both against David and Ahimelech; that the former made himself king, and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:11

Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub ,.... Sent messengers to him, and summoned him to appear before him: and all his father's house ; the family of Eli, which God had threatened to destroy, and now the time was hastening on: the priests that were in Nob ; in which dwelt none but priests, at least these were the chief of the inhabitants, and therefore called the city of the priests, 1 Samuel 22:19 , and they came all of them to the king ; not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:12

And Saul said, hear now, thou son of Ahitub ,.... The charge exhibited against him; in contempt of him, he does not so much as call him by his name, nor give him the title of his office, as high priest; though he was the second person in the kingdom, and to whose office a few years ago the civil government was annexed: and he answered, here I am , my lord ; giving due honour to Saul, though he received none from him, and appearing with great boldness, as having a clear conscience, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:13

And Saul said unto him, why have ye conspired against me , thou, and the son of Jesse ?.... No less than treason and rebellion is he charged with, in conjunction with David; the proof follows: in that thou hast given him bread and a sword ; the shewbread, and the sword of Goliath, 1 Samuel 21:6 , and so had furnished him with food and arms; one that he suggests was in rebellion against him, and therefore he must be involved in the same crime; but the stronger proof follows and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:14

Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said ,.... First with respect to David, and then with regard to himself; with respect to David as follows: and who is so faithful amongst thy servants as David ; I considered him, as if he should say, as a servant of thine, upon an errand of thine, and doing thy business; and as a faithful one, none more so, and as such I valued and regarded him, not as a rebel to thee, having no such thought of him: which is the king's son in law ; who has... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:15

Did I then begin to inquire of God for him ?.... Was this the first time of inquiring of God for him? no; I have done this many a time, when he has been going upon the king's business, engaging in war with his enemies; he has then consulted the Lord by me, and I have inquired of the Lord for him, as I now did; and which I did as innocently, and as much for the king's service, as ever I did any. Kimchi observes it may be read without the interrogation, "that day I began to inquire of God for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:16

And the king said, thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech ,.... He pronounces the sentence himself, without taking the opinion and advice of others, or further time; which was an act of arbitrary power, and upon an innocent person, which was an act of great injustice: thou, and all thy father's house ; more unrighteous still; but God suffered him to do this to fulfil his will, and execute his threatenings against the house of Eli, which was this priest's father's house, for former wickedness;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:17

And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him ,.... Or the "runners" F6 לרצים "cursoribus", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. ; the running footmen, that used to run before him when he went out from place to place, and were here waiting on him, ready to set out whenever he should give the orders to go elsewhere. The tradition of the Jews is, that these were Abner and Amasa F7 Midrash Tillim apud Abarbinel. in loc. ; but, as Kimchi observes, they... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:17

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