1 Samuel 21:1-7 David went to the city of Nob to see Ahimelech, the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw him.
“Why are you alone?” he asked. “Why is no one with you?”
“The king has sent me on a private matter,” David lied. “He told me not to tell anybody why I am here. I have told my men where to meet me later. Now, what is there to eat? Give me five loaves of bread or anything else you can.”
“We don’t have any regular bread,” the priest replied, “but there is the holy bread, which I guess you can have if only your young men have not slept with any women for a while.”
“Rest assured,” David replied. “I never let my men run wild when they are on an expedition, and since they stay clean even on ordinary trips, how much more so on this one!”
So, since there was no other food available, the priest gave him the holy bread—the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the Lord in the Tabernacle. It had just been replaced that day with fresh bread.
(Incidentally, Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief herdsman, was there at that time for ceremonial purification.)
8 David asked Ahimelech if he had a spear or sword he could use. “The king’s business required such haste, and I left in such a rush that I came away without a weapon!” David explained.
9 “Well,” the priest replied, “I have the sword of Goliath, the Philistine—the fellow you killed in the valley of Elah. It is wrapped in a cloth in the clothes closet.[b] Take that if you want it, for there is nothing else here.”
“Just the thing!” David replied. “Give it to me!”
David is on the run from Saul, hoping to find a safe place to hide. But he has no food for himself or for his men. David stops in Nob to see Ahimelech, the priest, who has consulted God for him on other occasions. Ahimelech releases the show bread that has already been removed from the side altar, assured that David’s men have not engaged in sex recently. And Ahimelech also gives David Goliath’s sword, that has been kept in the temple at Nob since Goliath’s death.
In the outer court, Doeg, an Edomite and Saul’s chief herdsman, is going through ritual purification. Considering Doeg’s subsequent acts, we must wonder why Doeg is bothering, for he is also spying on behalf of Saul and will subsequently commit atrocities.
David leaves Nob and heads to Gath, where he hopes to hide among the Philistines. But when that plan fails, David and his men return to Israel and hide in the Cave of Adullam.
I have always wondered if things would have been different had David told Ahimelech the truth. David is desperate; however, does that excuse his failing to confide in Ahimelech? Perhaps Ahimelech would have given David the show bread anyway; after all, King Saul has already garnered a bad reputation while David has become quite popular. Perhaps Ahimelech might have refused to give David anything, but God might have provided for David and his men in a different manner. This is one of the few times documented where David lies, and his reputation for honesty falsely assures Ahimelech that everything is all right.
And then there’s the matter of Doeg. David has probably already begun conferring with Ahimelech when he sees Doeg in the outer courtyard. As an Edomite, Doeg is allowed to enter the temple; however, is he going through purification as a means of gaining favor with Saul? In the light of later activities, Doeg is obviously not a true believer. Doeg is the ultimate snitch. As David collects the bread and Goliath’s sword, Doeg is already headed off to see Saul, certain that this tidbit of information will gain him a rich reward. Who knows? Perhaps Saul will even promote Doeg to be a commander rather than a herdsman. Doeg is certain this is his lucky day!
As we will study tomorrow, Ahimelech and all the other residents of Nob will pay with their lives for Ahimelech’s innocent assistance to David. Work situations can become quite complicated. It’s sad but true that we will run from one person to the next, seeking validation, help, and advice while we refuse to ask God, the only One who knows all the details of our situation. What’s even worse, God is the only One who is really safe because confiding in others might put them at risk as well as our receiving bad advice. Here David manipulates an innocent priest and then runs, leaving him to a terrible fate. Nothing suggests that David has prayed about this situation before approaching Ahimelech. God does not force Himself on anyone; if we want His counsel, we must ask.
When a superior chooses to be vindictive toward some workers, those workers are then faced with another difficult challenge: to confide or not confide? How much information is too much? While our natural inclination is to seek like-minded people for comfort, we must consider if we are putting our friends at risk for punishment or persecution. Many times, it’s best to keep confidences between God and you. That way, when queried, friends can truthfully say that you have not shared any details with them. This protects your friends and also discourages harmful gossip.
May God help us, so that we always trust Him first!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to confide in You and trust in You, rather than burdening and perhaps endangering friends and family. You are the Source of all knowledge and comfort and You are the One who can handle all our problems. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment