1 Samuel 21:2

_AND DAVID SAID UNTO AHIMELECH THE PRIEST, THE KING HATH COMMANDED ME A BUSINESS, AND HATH SAID UNTO ME, LET NO MAN KNOW ANY THING OF THE BUSINESS WHEREABOUT I SEND THEE, AND WHAT I HAVE COMMANDED THEE: AND I HAVE APPOINTED MY SERVANTS TO SUCH AND SUCH A PLACE._ The king hath commanded me a business ... Let no man know. This was a direct falsehood, extorted through fear. David probably supposed, like many other persons, that a lie is quite excusable which is told for the sole purpose of saving the speaker's life; or perhaps it was for the preservation of Ahimelech; for, as David saw Doeg there, who he was sure would inform Saul, he might wish to furnish the high priest with some reasonable excuse for the assistance rendered to the fugitive-an excuse which Ahimelech urged in defending himself from the charge of the incensed king (1 Samuel 22:14). But what is essentially

1-9 David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scripture does not conceal it, and we dare not justify it; it was ill done, and proved of bad consequence; for it occasioned the death of the priests of the Lord. David thought upon it afterward with regret. David had great faith and courage, yet both failed him; he fell thus foully through fear and cowardice, and owing to the weakness of his faith. Had he trusted God aright, he would not have used such a sorry, sinful shift for his own preservation. It is written, not for us to do the like, no, not in the greatest straits, but for our warning. David asked of Ahimelech bread and a sword. Ahimelech supposed they might ea...

Verse 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 σωτηριᾳ Λεγομενον, ουδεν περιποιεισθαι δυσχερες. "I hold it right to tell a lie, in order to procure my personal safety; nothing should be avoided in order to save life." A _heathen_ may _say_ or _sing_ thus; but no _Christian_ can act thus, and _save his soul_, though he by doing so may save his lif

A fresh instance of David’s unscrupulous readiness of invention (compare 1 Samuel 20:6)....

DAVID'S FLIGHT TO NOB, AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE PHILISTINES (1 Samuel 21:1.). EXPOSITION DAVID'S FLIGHT TO NOB (1 Samuel 21:1). 1 SAMUEL 21:1 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; a

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 downright lie, and was aggravated by its being told only for the sake of getting a little food; and especially told to an high priest, and at the tabernacle of God, and when he was come to inquire of the Lord there; and was attended with a dreadful consequence, the slaughter of the Lord's priests there, which afterwards lay heavy on David's mind, 1 Samuel 22:22; and is the very sin he is thought

6. DAVID'S VARIED EXPERIENCES CHAPTER 21 _ 1. David at Nob with Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21:1)_ 2. David's flight to Achish, King of Gath (1 Samuel 21:10) With this chapter begins the record of David's wanderings as an exile. A number of Psalms were written by him during this period of the rejection of the Lord's anointed. We shall point out some of them. These Psalms are prophetic also foreshadowing the rejection and the sufferings of Christ as well as the tribulations of the pious remnant of Israel during the closing years of the age, preceding the coming and enthronement of the King of Israel, our Lord. He reached Nob after his separation from Jonathan. At Nob the tabernacle of the Lord had been established and Ahimelech (my brother is King) the son of Ahitub (22:9) and g

1 SAMUEL 21. DAVID AT NOB AND GATH. 1 Samuel 21:1 (J). From one of the ancient documents; it is not clear which of the previous sections finds its sequel here. It is often connected with 1 Samuel 19:17: if this is right, David fled straight from his own house to Nob. It is likely that originally stories of single episodes of David's adventures circulated separately by oral tradition or otherwise, not forming a connected narrative. When they were collected, different editors might arrange and connect them in different ways. David fled to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. Nob was probably a little N. of Jerusalem, on the way from Gibeah to Bethlehem. According to 1 Samuel 22:9 Ahimelech was the son of Ahitub, and

_The king_, &c. Again David has, recourse to a lie. See 1 Samuel 20:6, and note on 1 Samuel 19:17. The consequences of it were disastrous. my _servants_ THE YOUNG MEN, as in 1 Samuel 21:4. The words are David's own, not the continuation of Saul's directions. They were probably true. He must have had friends at court who were prepared to share his flight, and with whom he had made arrangements for a rendezvous....

David's Flight to Gath, 1 Samuel 21:1-15. _David At Nob._ 1 Samuel 21:1-9 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why _art_ thou alone, and no man with thee? 2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed _my_ servants to such and such a place. 3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give _me_ five _loaves of_ bread in mine hand, or what there is present. 4 And the priest answered David, and said, _There is_ no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men ha