1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

84 Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 2007 Editionsome kind of trouble? Bear in mind that David was Saul's general, and as such he usuallytraveled with escorting soldiers.David appears to have lied to Ahimelech (v. 2). However, he may have been referring toYahweh when he mentioned "the king" who had sent him (cf. 20:22; 21:8). Even so hewanted Ahimelech to think that Saul had sent him. This was deception at best and a lie atworst rooted ultimately in selfishness and lack of faith in God. David made somemistakes in his early years as a fugitive. He handled himself better as time passed. Duringthis time God was training him for future service. David proceeded to explain that thereason he was alone was that he had sent his soldiers elsewhere. He intended torendezvous with them shortly and had come to Nob himself to obtain provisions,protection, and prayer (cf. 22:10).Ahimelech gave David the showbread that the priests ate (Exod. 25:30; Lev. 24:5-9).This was the bread that for a week lay on the table of showbread in the tabernacle. EachSabbath the priests replaced this bread with fresh loaves. Ahimelech was careful thatDavid's men were ritually clean, not having had sexual relations with women that day (v.4; cf. Lev. 15:8; Exod. 19:141-5). David assured him that their bodies were clean ritually(v. 5). This made it permissible for them to eat the consecrated bread. Ahimelechcorrectly gave David the provisions he needed (v. 6).Jesus said this was proper for David to have done (Matt. 12:1-4). The reason was humanlife takes precedence over ceremonial law with God. 252 David was probably not at thepoint of starvation. Certainly the Lord's disciples were not (Matt. 12). Neverthelesshuman need should always be a higher priority than the observance of a ritual used toworship God. We acknowledge the same priority today. Suppose you pass a house that ison fire. You stop, run up to the front door, bang on the door, and ring the doorbell. Youlook in the window and see someone lying on the floor. You then kick in the door anddrag the unconscious person outside to safety. Even though breaking into someone else'shouse is a criminal offense, the law will not prosecute you since you saved that person'slife.The mention of Doeg, an Edomite who had risen high in Saul's government (v. 7),prepares the reader for his informing Saul about what happened at Nob (22:9-19).Perhaps Doeg was "detained before the Lord" because he had come to the tabernacle topresent an offering or to conduct some other business there.Having previously requested provisions of Ahimelech (v. 3) David now asked forprotection, namely, a sword (v. 8). Goliath's huge sword, which had initially rested inDavid's tent (17:54), was now in the tabernacle wrapped in the priest's ephod, perhapsbecause it was a historic relic. David eagerly accepted it from Ahimelech since there wasno sword like it. It is interesting that David, and later Solomon, used the same expressionto describe the Lord (2 Sam. 7:22; 1 Kings 8:23). Though there was no better protectionthan Goliath's sword physically, the Lord was an even better protector spiritually. Thereis none like Him.252 See F. F. Bruce, The Hard Sayings of Jesus, p. 33.