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

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? Then came David ... to Ahimelech.

1 SAMUEL CHAPTER 21 David cometh to Nob to Ahimelech the priest; pretendeth secret business from Saul; asketh bread: Ahimelech giveth him the shew-bread, . Doeg seeth this, . David asketh arms: Ahimelech giveth him Goliath’ s sword, ,9. David cometh to Achish; is known; and afraid; feigneth himself mad, . Achish is angry with his servants for bringing him, ,15. Nob; a city of priests, as it is called ; either, 1. Because it was assigned to the priests. For though it be not expressed by this name among their cities, Joshua 21, yet it might be one of those cities there named by some other name, which name might be changed; or another new name added to the old for some reason now unknown, as was very usual among the Hebrews: compare 1Ch 6$. Or, 2. Because it was now inhabited by the priests for the service of the tabernacle, which now was here; as appears from ,9; for as the kings of Israel were to consult with God’ s oracle in all their weighty affairs, so they endeavoured to have it in or near their own habitations. Hence it was first carried by Joshua to Shiloh in his tribe of Ephraim; and afterwards by David into his tribe and city; and now, as it seems, had been by Saul carried to Nob, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, , near to Anathoth, . Hither David resorted, partly for a supply of his necessities, which he supposed he might receive here, without danger of being betrayed into Saul’ s hands; and principally, that in this great distress, and his resolution of going out of the kingdom, he might seek and receive comfort and counsel from the Lord. Ahimelech the priest, to wit, the chief priest, brother to that Ahiah, ; and he being now dead, his successor in the priesthood, for they were both sons of Ahitub, 22:11. Ahimelech was afraid; suspecting some extraordinary cause of his coming in such a manner, and fearing the worst, as men usually do in such cases. Why art thou alone? for though David had some servants and companions, as is manifest from ,5, and from ,4, whom Jonathan probably had sent to a place appointed to serve and guard him; yet they were left at another place, as David himself affirmeth, . And David was now alone, as also he was when he fled to Achish, .

1 Samuel 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?Ver. 1. Then came David to Nob.] Not to that Nob beyond Jordan, - as more remote from Saul; Procul a Iove, et procul a fulmine, - but to Nob a city of Benjamin near unto Anathoth, where, at this time, was the tabernacle, with the altar; and therefore great store of priests attending upon it. Hither resorted David in this distress: as to consult with God, so to get relief in that necessity from the high priest: to whom he flieth, when hunted from the prophet Samuel; as knowing that justice and compassion should dwell in those breasts which are consecrated to God. To Ahimelech the priest.] Otherwise called Ahiah, but certainly Abiathar. And Ahimelech was afraid.] As were likewise the Bethlehemites at the coming of Samuel. See the note there. The priest suspected David fled as a proscribed person. Why art thou alone?] “ Tempera si fuerint nubila, solus eris. ” Herein appeareth the inconstancy of courtly favour, saith Peter Martyr. David, who was before beloved, admired, and reverenced of all, is now left and forsaken of all. If the sun shine not on the dial, no man will look at it; so fareth it with great subjects, when out of favour with their prince. Serrer. Jun.

(1) Then came David to Nob.—Before leaving his native land, David determined once more to see, and if practicable to take counsel with, the old high priest of Israel, with whom, no doubt, in the past years of his close connection with Samuel, he had had frequent and intimate communion. He hoped, too, in that friendly and powerful religious centre to provide himself and his few companions with arms and other necessaries for his exile; nor is it improbable that he purposed, through the friendly high priest, to make some inquiry of the Divine oracle, the Urim and Thuinmim, concerning his doubtful future. The unexpected presence of Doeg, the powerful and unscrupulous servant of Saul, at the sanctuary, no doubt hurried him away in hot haste across the frontier. The town of Nob, situated between Anathoth and Jerusalem—about an hour’s ride from the latter—has been with great probability identified with the “village of Esau,” El-Isaurizeb, a place bearing all the marks of an ancient town, with its many marble columns and ancient stones. There, in these latter days of Saul, “stood the last precious relic of the ancient nomadic times—the tabernacle of the wanderings, round which, since the fall of Shiloh, had dwelt the descendants of the house of Eli. It was a little colony of priests; no less than eighty-five persons ministered there in the white linen dress of the priesthood, and all their families and herds were gathered round them. The priest was not so ready to befriend as the prophet (we allude to David’s reception by Samuel at Naioth by Ramah, 1 Samuel 19). As the solitary fugitive, famished and unarmed, stole up the mountain side, he met with but a cold welcome from the cautious and courtly Ahimelech.”—Stanley, Lectures on the Jewish Church, Lect. 12 To Ahimelech the priest.—He was the great grandson of Eli, thus— Died at Shiloh after news of capture of Ark, EliPhinehasAhitubIchabodAhimelechAbiathar.Slain by Philistines in battle Reign of Saul—High Priest, Reign of David—High Priest, (See 1 Samuel 22:19-20.) He was probably identical with Ahiah (1 Samuel 14:3); this, however, is not certain. Dean Payne Smith believes Ahiah was a younger brother of Ahimelech, who, while Ahimelech remained with the Ark, acted as high priest at the camp for Saul, especially in consulting God for him by means of the ephod with the breastplate (the Urim). Why art thou alone?—The not unfriendly but cautious priest, who, though unaware of the final rupture of Saul and David, was of course cognisant of the strained relations of the king and his great servant, was uneasy at this sudden appearance of the king’s son-in-law—the well-known military chieftain, David—alone and travel-stained at the sanctuary.

CHAPTER XXI David comes to Ahimelech at Nob, receives provisions from him, and the sword of Goliath; and is noticed by Doeg, one of the servants of Saul, 1-9. He leaves Nob, and goes to Achish, king of Gath, 10. But on being recognised as the vanquisher of Goliath by the servants of Achish, he feigns himself deranged, and Achish sends him away, 11-15. NOTES ON CHAP. XXI Verse 1. Then came David to Nob] There were two places of this name, one on this side, the second on the other side of Jordan; but it is generally supposed that Nob, near Gibeah of Benjamin, is the place here intended; it was about twelve miles from Jerusalem. Why art thou alone] Ahimelech probably knew nothing of the difference between Saul and David; and as he knew him to be the king's son-in-law, he wondered to see him come without any attendants.

1 Samuel 21:1-9. David’s visit to Nob 1. to Nob] Nob was at this time a city of the priests (1 Samuel 22:19), though it is not specified among the places assigned to them by Joshua: here, as is clearly to be inferred from 1 Samuel 21:6, the Tabernacle, which has not been mentioned since the death of Eli, was now standing. The site of Nob has not been identified. The description of Sennacherib’s march in Isaiah 10:28-32 shews that it was a day’s march south of Geba on the road to Jerusalem, and within sight of the city. Dean Stanley supposes it to be the northern summit of Mount Olivet, the place of worship which David passed in his flight from Absalom (2 Samuel 15:31). Sin. and Pal. p. 187. Hither David betook himself not as a permanent refuge, but to inquire the will of God concerning his future movements, and to procure food and weapons, for in the hurry of his flight he had brought nothing away with him. Ahimelech the priest] See note on 1 Samuel 14:3. was afraid at the meeting of David] Came to meet David trembling. Cp. 1 Samuel 16:4. Seeing the king’s son-in-law unattended, he may have suspected the truth, and have been afraid of incurring Saul’s displeasure.

Nob was a city of the priests, the high priest resided there, and the tabernacle was pitched there 1 Samuel 21:4, 1 Samuel 21:6,1 Samuel 21:9; 1 Samuel 22:10.

1. Nob — This city was situated a little to the north of Jerusalem, and apparently upon an eminence in sight of it, so that the Assyrian army, having advanced thus far, could “shake his hand against