The King is Nuts

1 Samuel 21 CSB

1 David went to the priest Ahimelech (Achiymelek) at Nob. Ahimelech was afraid to meet David, so he said to him, “Why are you alone and no one is with you?” 2 David answered the priest Ahimelech, “The king gave me a mission, but he told me, ‘Don’t let anyone know anything about the mission I’m sending you on or what I have ordered you to do.’ I have stationed my young men at a certain place. 3 Now what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever can be found.” 4 The priest told him, “There is no ordinary bread on hand. However, there is consecrated bread, but the young men may eat it only if they have kept themselves from women.” 5 David answered him, “I swear that women are being kept from us, as always when I go out to battle. The young men’s bodies are consecrated even on an ordinary mission, so of course their bodies are consecrated today.” 6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, for there was no bread there except the Bread of the Presence that had been removed from the presence of the Lord. When the bread was removed, it had been replaced with warm bread. 7 One of Saul’s servants, detained before the Lord, was there that day. His name was Doeg the Edomite, chief of Saul’s shepherds. 8 David said to Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or sword on hand? I didn’t even bring my sword or my weapons since the king’s mission was urgent.” 9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want to take it for yourself, then take it, for there isn’t another one here.” “There’s none like it!” David said. “Give it to me.”

Nob was a city just northeast of Jerusalem and about 2 miles south of David’s Naioth (Nawveeth) hideout.

It was not a Levitical city but there was a small group of descendants of Aaron who operated a worship center there.

For some reason the priest was afraid when David showed up - maybe he knew about the events surrounding David and Saul, maybe it is just the fact that it is David, the kings son-in-law.

It was unusual that David was alone so the priest asked him why.

David’s answer may be taken as self-serving deception or as a shrewd but honest use of language - David said the “king” gave him a mission but he failed to clarify in his opening words to Ahimelech the name of the king to which he was referring.

There is a high probability David is referring to King Yahweh since David is recorded elsewhere referring to God as king - if this is the case then David is not being misleading at all.

David’s flight was hurried so he made no provision for food so he asks Ahimelech for 5 loaves of bread or whatever is available.

The issues is that there was not ordinary bread - all they had was holy bread or bread consecrated to the Lord and normally that bread could only be consumed by the priests.

There might be an exception if a higher-level of considerations warranted - ie. the preservation of life and as an Aaronic priest Ahimelech had the authority to interpret and apply Torah guidelines to specific cases with some latitude.

Ahimelech rules that the bread could be eaten as long as it was done so in a Levite-like way.

Not all ritual cleanliness laws could be held to while on a military mission but ritual cleanliness that related to sexual contact could - agreeing to those terms David was given the consecrated bread.

Doeg was a prisoner of war who had proved useful to Saul but his presence at Nob is not clearly understood but it may be related to some form of punishment or penance.

David also needed a weapon so he ask - it is reasonable to assume he asked because he had left Goliath’s weapons there as a gift of dedication. Such gifts

could be returned to the person who gave them.

Ahimelech granted David permission to reclaim it so he did.

1 Samuel 21 CSB

10 David fled that day from Saul’s presence and went to King Achish (Aw-keesh) of Gath. 11 But Achish’s servants said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Don’t they sing about him during their dances: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands?” 12 David took this to heart and became very afraid of King Achish of Gath, 13 so he pretended to be insane in their presence. He acted like a madman around them, scribbling on the doors of the city gate and letting saliva run down his beard. 14 “Look! You can see the man is crazy,” Achish said to his servants. “Why did you bring him to me? 15 Do I have such a shortage of crazy people that you brought this one to act crazy around me? Is this one going to come into my house?”

David was seeking sanctuary from Saul and to avoid endangering the lives of family and friends David went to Achish, king of Gath.

Of course his arrival caused a stir - the servants were poorly informed yet ironically insightful when the called him “the king of the land”

His reputation has preceded him and that puts David in danger so he changes their perception of him by acting crazy.

He drooled and vandalized public property (probably scribbling nonsense).

The king remarked that there were enough “madmen” in the city and he didn’t need another - we shouldn’t take him literally that the town was full of crazy people but there were some with unusual physical characteristics - excessive height (Goliath was from Gath) and someone with 24 digits (2Sam21.20)

David finds himself in good company (Abraham and Isaac) - the outwitted a Philistine king when the sensed their lives were in danger too.

This also sharpens the contrast between David and Saul - David took upon himself the trappings of insanity to hide his sanity; Saul surrounded himself with the trapping fo sanity to cloak his insanity.

1 Samuel 22 CSB

1 So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When David’s brothers and his father’s whole family heard, they went down and joined him there. 2 In addition, every man who was desperate, in debt, or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him. 3 From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God will do for me.” 4 So he left them in the care of the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time David was in the stronghold. 5 Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Leave and return to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.

David fled again to a Judahite territory where his brothers and family heard he was in town. They came out to meet him probably not because they loved him so much but more likely because they feared reprisals from Saul.

in addition to his family about 400 of societies outcasts came out and joined him as well.

They didn’t hang around but left and went to Mizpah of Moab.

David spoke with the king of Moab and requested that his father and mother be granted sanctuary until he figured out (I like David’s attitude here) what “God will do for” him.

The king agreed to keep watch of them for two potential reasons - 1. he was honoring the ancient practice of providing sanctuary for adversaries of enemies or 2. David has a great-grandmother who was a Moabite (Ruth).

The prophet Gad told David not to stay there but to return to Judah - the reason is that the Torah prohibited the establishment of friendly treaties with Moabites and staying could put him at risk of bringing judgment on himself and all who were with him.

So the left and hid in the forest of Hereth which would provided excellent protection against large, organized forces.

1 Samuel 22 CSB

6 Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree at the high place. His spear was in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him. 7 Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin: Is Jesse’s son going to give all of you fields and vineyards? Do you think he’ll make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? 8 That’s why all of you have conspired against me! Nobody tells me when my own son makes a covenant with Jesse’s son. None of you cares about me or tells me that my son has stirred up my own servant to wait in ambush for me, as is the case today.” 9 Then Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul’s servants, answered, “I saw Jesse’s son come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. 10 Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

Saul had previously issued an order to all those in his service to kill David and now he recieved a report that David and his men have been found.

Saul was out conduction royal business - the “hilltop” or “high place” , the presence of Saul’s throne under a type of tree associated with the worship of God, and the spear in his hand all lend authority and dignity to the conduct of royal business.

Well hearing about David sent Saul into a fit directed at all those “servants” standing around him. Saul addresses them as “men of Benjamin” playing on their kinsman connection. He also appealed to their greed by suggesting that they had much to lose if David became king.

David was from Judah and would someone not of the same clan allow them to keep or give them lands of positions of authority?

Saul then accuses them of conspiring against him - the king is nuts, he is irrational and paranoid.

See not only is Saul accusing them but he takes a turn and puts it back on Jonathan - Saul now believes that David is not actually his primary enemy but he was merely a pawn in a scheme hatched by Jonathan. Apparently Saul considers it plausible that Jonathan hired David a s hit man in a plan to become king instead of his father.

It was Doeg who speaks up and gives a full report of David’s location and activities to get him there - mainly David’s encounter with Ahimelech. We are also given a new piece of information - Ahimelech inquired of the Lord on behalf of David.

Two very different conclusions from this new info - 1. David was deeply committed to submitting to and receiving help from the Lord during his time of trouble and 2. Saul’s perspective is that Ahimelech was using the unique powers of his office to give aid to an enemy of the king.

1 Samuel 22 CSB

11 The king sent messengers to summon the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. 12 Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub!” “I’m at your service, my lord,” he said. 13 Saul asked him, “Why did you and Jesse’s son conspire against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him, so he could rise up against me and wait in ambush, as is the case today.” 14 Ahimelech replied to the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David? He is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and honored in your house. 15 Was today the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Please don’t let the king make an accusation against your servant or any of my father’s family, for your servant didn’t have any idea about all this.” 16 But the king said, “You will die, Ahimelech—you and your father’s whole family!”

Saul has lost it - after hearing Doeg’s report he irrationally believes the conspiracy against him was far greater than previously imagined - it was no longer a son, a son-in-law but now hundreds of people and the entire priestly establishment at Nob.

The king summons Ahimelech and the rest of the family. Obediently, the adult males made the hour-long journey to the king - they had no idea why.

Saul now accuses the priests of conspiring with David against him.

Ahimelech’s replay is interesting, he did not directly defend himself but gave a fivefold defense of David - 1. He’s your servant, 2. He’s loyal, 3. He’s the kings son-in-law, 4. He’s the captain of the bodyguard and 5. He’s highly respected in your household.

He also characterized his priestly actions toward David as routine - this was not the first time he “inquired of God” for David.

Finally, Ahimelech declared his noninvolvement in any plot against Saul and he affirms his loyalty to Saul when he calls himself “your servant”

Saul was so far gone that reason did not exist and he did not believe Ahimelech - instead Saul declares him guilty and sentenced to death.

1 Samuel 22 CSB

17 Then the king ordered the guards standing by him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord because they sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they didn’t tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to execute the priests of the Lord. 18 So the king said to Doeg, “Go and execute the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite went and executed the priests himself. On that day, he killed eighty-five men who wore linen ephods. 19 He also struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword—both men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen, donkeys, and sheep. 20 However, one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar (ab-yaw-thawr), and he fled to David. 21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that Doeg the Edomite was there that day and that he was sure to report to Saul. I myself am responsible for the lives of everyone in your father’s family. 23 Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, for the one who wants to take my life wants to take your life. You will be safe with me.”

Saul ordered the guards to kill the priests. David mentioned earlier how devout the men were toward the Lord and as such they refused to lift a finger against God’s priests.

But here is Doeg again - being an Edomite he had no hesitation in killing the men - 85 men of God were struck down by Doeg.

Apparently this pleased the king and Saul approved and even larger slaughter - Doeg went and killed the inhabitants of Nob (men, women, children, babies, and livestock)

This type of mass slaughter was permissible in the Torah but only toward non-Yahwistic peoples who would otherwise teach the Israelites to sin against the Lord… never against Israelites and especially Aaronic priests - this was an unspeakable crime.

Remember the people asked for a king “such as all the other nations have”…. well they got him.

One person escaped, Abiathar, Ahimelech’s son.

Again we see the difference between David and Saul - David takes responsibility for the deaths of the people, not because of something he did but something he failed to do.

David knew Doeg was there and that there was a good chance he would tell Saul and David feels he should have prevented that from happening but killing Doeg.

His guilt could not bring them back but if could motivate David to care for the lone survivor - so David invited him to stay with him and vowed to protect him so Abiathar did.