1 Samuel 21

1 Samuel 21:1

21:1 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?

(a) Where the ark then was to ask counsel of the Lord.

1 Samuel 21:2

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.

(b) These infirmities that we see in the saints of God, teach us that no one has his justice in himself, but receives it from God’s mercy.

1 Samuel 21:4

21:4 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.

(c) If they have not accompanied with their wives.

1 Samuel 21:5

21:5 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.

(d) That is, their bodies. (e) Shall be more careful to keep his vessel holy, when he has eaten of this holy food.

1 Samuel 21:7

21:7 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.

(f) Tarrying to worship before the ark.

1 Samuel 21:9

21:9 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.

(g) Behind that place where the high priests garment lay.

1 Samuel 21:10

21:10 And David arose, and \ fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

(h) That is, out of Saul’s domain.

1 Samuel 21:13

21:13 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.

(i) By making marks and toys.

1 Samuel 21:15

21:15 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?

(k) Is he fit to be in a king’s house.