1 Samuel 21

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 21

David has now quite taken leave both of Saul's court and of his camp, has bidden farewell to his alter idem?his other self, the beloved Jonathan; and henceforward to the end of this book he is looked upon and treated as an outlaw and proclaimed a traitor. We still find him shifting from place to place for his own safety, and Saul pursuing him. His troubles are very particularly related in this and the following chapters, not only to be a key to the Psalms, but that he might be, as other... read more

Matthew Henry

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:10-15

David, though king elect, is here an exile?designed to be master of vast treasures, yet just now begging his bread?anointed to the crown, and yet here forced to flee from his country. Thus do God's providences sometimes seem to run counter to his promises, for the trial of his people's faith, and the glorifying of his name, in the accomplishment of his counsels, notwithstanding the difficulties that lay in the way. Here is, 1. David's flight into the land of the Philistines, where he hoped to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 21 This chapter relates that David went to Nob, and pretending he was on secret business for the king, got shewbread, and the sword of Goliath, from Ahimelech the priest, 1 Samuel 21:1 ; and that passing from thence to Gath, where he was known, through fear feigned himself mad, and so escaped from thence, 1 Samuel 21:10 . 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

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