1 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 have kept themselves at least from women.
5 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.
6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
10 And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
11 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?
12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
13 And he changed his behavior 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.
14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
15 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?
The book of 1 Samuel is the ninth book in the Old Testament of the KJV Holy Bible. It is a historical and prophetic book that tells the story of the rise of Israel's monarchy and the reign of its first king, Saul. Chapter 21 of 1 Samuel is a pivotal chapter in the book, as it marks the beginning of David's journey as a fugitive and his eventual rise to power. This chapter also highlights important themes such as faith, loyalty, and God's protection.
The chapter begins with David fleeing from Saul, who is seeking to kill him out of jealousy and fear. David, accompanied by a few loyal men, goes to the city of Nob, where the tabernacle of the Lord is located. He seeks refuge with Ahimelech, the priest, and requests for food and weapons. Ahimelech, not knowing the true reason for David's visit, gives him the holy bread and the sword of Goliath, which was kept in the tabernacle as a sacred object.
David's actions in seeking refuge with Ahimelech demonstrate his faith in God. Despite being on the run from Saul, David trusts in the Lord to provide for him and protect him. This shows David's unwavering faith and reliance on God, even in the face of danger.
As David and his men leave Nob, they encounter the Philistines, who are Saul's enemies. Fearing for his life, David pretends to be mad, foaming at the mouth and scribbling on the doors of the gate. The Philistine king, Achish, recognizes David as the one who had killed Goliath and brings him to his court. David continues to act insane, and Achish, believing him to be harmless, lets him go.
This incident highlights the theme of loyalty in the chapter. Despite being in a desperate situation, David remains loyal to his people and his king, even though Saul is seeking to kill him. He does not betray his people by joining forces with the Philistines, who are enemies of Israel. Instead, he uses his wit and cunning to escape the situation, proving his loyalty to both God and his people.
Meanwhile, Saul learns of David's visit to Ahimelech and summons the priest and his family to his court. When Ahimelech arrives, Saul accuses him of aiding David and conspiring against him. Ahimelech defends himself, stating that he was unaware of David's true intentions and that he was only trying to help a fellow Israelite. However, Saul orders his soldiers to kill Ahimelech and all the priests of Nob, along with their families.
This event highlights the theme of God's protection in the chapter. Despite Saul's ruthless actions, God protects David's loyal supporters, Abiathar, who escapes the massacre and goes to join David. This event also serves as a reminder of the consequences of Saul's disobedience and his turn away from God.
As David hears of the massacre of the priests of Nob, he is filled with guilt and remorse. He acknowledges that his actions have caused the death of innocent people and seeks God's forgiveness and protection. David prays to God, asking for His guidance and protection as he continues to be on the run from Saul. He also asks for forgiveness for the innocent people who died because of his actions.
David's prayer highlights the theme of repentance and forgiveness. Despite being a man after God's own heart, David is not immune to sin. However, he acknowledges his mistakes and asks for God's forgiveness, showing his humility and faith in God's mercy. His prayer also serves as a reminder that no matter how dire the circumstances, God is always ready to forgive and protect His people.
Chapter 21 of 1 Samuel is a pivotal chapter in the book, as it marks the beginning of David's journey as a fugitive and his eventual rise to power. It also highlights important themes such as faith, loyalty, God's protection, repentance, and forgiveness. David's actions and prayers show his unwavering faith and trust in God, even in the face of danger. It also serves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of remaining loyal to God. This chapter is a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness and His constant protection of His people, even in the most challenging of circumstances.
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