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? Ver. 1. _Then came David to Nob._] Not to that Nob beyond Jordan, Num 32:42 Jdg 8:11 - as more remote from Saul; _Procul a Iove, et procul... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 2. _The king hath commanded me... [ Continue Reading ]
Now therefore what is under thine hand? give [me] five [loaves of] bread in mine hand, or what there is present. Ver. 3. _Or what there is present._] Heb., Found; anything to preserve life. Eat that which is set before you, _a_ said our Saviour to his disciples. Eat to live; hunger is the best sauc... [ Continue Reading ]
And the priest answered David, and said, [There is] no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. Ver. 4. _There is no common bread under mine hand._] He kept house at Anathoth, where doubtless he had common bread; but David... [ Continue Reading ]
And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women [have been] kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and [the bread is] in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel. Ver. 5. _And the vessels of... [ Continue Reading ]
Now a certain man of the servants of Saul [was] there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name [was] Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that [belonged] to Saul. Ver. 7. _Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day._] Doeg may set his foot as far within the tabern... [ Continue Reading ]
And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste. Ver. 8. _Is there not here under thine hand spear or sword?_] He well knew there was Goliath's sword, and he... [ Continue Reading ]
And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it [is here] wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take [it]: for [there is] no other save that here. And David said, [There is] none like that; give it me. Ver. 9. _And... [ Continue Reading ]
And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. Ver. 10. _And went to Achish,_] _i.e., _ Into his country, - any whither from Saul, that _Hercules furens,_ that flung firebrands, - where he had little likelihood of being safe; but he hoped to live there sec... [ Continue Reading ]
And the servants of Achish said unto him, [Is] not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? Ver. 11. _And the servants of Achish._] Who had some way discovered and apprehended David, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. Ver. 12. _And David laid up._] He was much affected with them, and as greatly afflicted as if he had been crushed in a winepress: so the word _Gath_ signifieth.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. Ver. 13. _And he changed his behaviour_] See the title of Psa 34:1 This was a sorry shift, and can hardly be excused. The chameleon... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore [then] have ye brought him to me? Ver. 14. _Lo, ye see the man is mad._] Ay, or else you are infatuated to dismiss him for mad, to your further ruth _grief_ and utter ruin.... [ Continue Reading ]
Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this [fellow] to play the mad man in my presence? shall this [fellow] come into my house? Ver. 15. _Have I need of mad men?_] The Rabbis say that Achish's wife and daughter were mad: and therefore was he so loath to be further troubled with any such crea... [ Continue Reading ]