1,2 Companies resort unto David at Adullam 3,4 At Mizpeh he commends his parents unto the king of Moab 5 Admonished by Gad, he comes to Hareth, 6-8 Saul going to pursue him, complains of his servants' unfaithfulness 9,10 Doeg accuses Ahimelech 11-16 Saul commands to kill the priests 17-19 The footmen refusing, Doeg executes it 20-23 Abiathar escaping, brings David the news

David 1Sa 21:10-15 Ps 34:1 57:1

the cave Jos 12:15 15:35 2Sa 23:13,14 1Ch 11:15 Ps 142:1 Mic 1:3,15 Heb 11:38

Adullam Adullam was a city of Judah; and, according to Eusebius, ten miles (Jerome says eleven) eastward from Eleutheropolis.

2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

distress Jud 11:3 Mt 11:12,28

was in debt [heb] had a creditor Mt 18:25-34

discontented [heb] bitter of soul 1Sa 1:10 30:6 Jud 18:25 2Sa 17:8 Pr 31:6

a captain 1Sa 9:16 25:15,16 30:22-24 2Sa 5:2 2Ki 20:5 1Ch 11:15-19 Ps 72:12 Ps 72:13,14 Mt 9:12,13 Heb 2:10

3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.

Mizpeh Jud 11:29

the king 1Sa 14:47 Ru 1:1-4 4:10,17

Let my father Ge 47:11 Ex 20:12 Mt 15:4-6 1Ti 5:4

till I know 1Sa 3:18 2Sa 15:25,26 Php 2:23,24

4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.

in the hold 2Sa 23:13,14 1Ch 12:16

Gad 2Sa 24:11 1Ch 21:9 29:29 2Ch 29:25

depart 1Sa 23:1-6 Ne 6:11 Ps 11:1 Isa 8:12-14

David departed Mt 10:23

5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.

6 When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)

tree. or, grove in a high place.
spear 1Sa 18:10 19:9 20:33

7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

the son of Jesse 1Sa 22:9,13 18:14 20:27,30 25:10 2Sa 20:1 1Ki 12:16 Isa 11:1,10

give 1Sa 8:14,15

captains 1Sa 8:11,12

8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that showeth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or showeth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

sheweth me [heb] uncovereth mine ear. 1Sa 20:2 Job 33:16

that my son 1Sa 18:3 20:8,13-17,30-34,42 23:16-18

9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

Doeg. He is also said to be `the chiefest of the herdsmen that belonged to Saul;' and the Septuagint intimates that he was over the mules of Saul. He may have been what we call the king's equerry or groom. 1Sa 21:7 Ps 52:1-5 Pr 19:5 29:12 Eze 22:9 Mt 26:59-61

Ahimelech 1Sa 21:1

Ahitub

10 And he inquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

he enquired 1Sa 22:13,15 23:2,4,12 30:8 Nu 27:21

him victuals 1Sa 21:6-9

11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

sent to call Ro 3:15

12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

thou son 1Sa 22:7,13

Here I am [heb] Behold me 2Sa 9:6 Isa 65:1

13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

Why have 1Sa 22:8 Ps 119:69 Am 7:10 Lu 23:2-5

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honorable in thine house?

And who 1Sa 19:4,5 20:32 24:11 26:23 2Sa 22:23-25 Pr 24:11,12 31:8,9

the king's 1Sa 22:13 17:25 18:27

goeth 1Sa 18:13 21:2

15 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.

Did I then He seems to intimate, that his enquiring now for David was no new thing, having often done so before, without ever being informed it was wrong in itself or displeasing to the king.

the servant Ge 20:5,6 2Sa 15:11 2Co 1:12 1Pe 3:16,17

less or more [heb] little or great 1Sa 25:36

16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

Thou shalt 1Sa 14:44 20:31 1Ki 18:4 19:2 Pr 28:15 Da 2:5,12 3:19,20 Ac 12:19

thou, and De 24:16 Es 3:6 Mt 2:16

17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD: because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not show it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

footmen. or, guard [heb] runners 1Sa 8:11 2Sa 15:1 1Ki 1:5

slay the priests 1Sa 22:13 20:33 25:17 1Ki 18:4

would not 1Sa 14:45 Ex 1:17 2Ki 1:13,14 Ac 4:19

18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

Doeg 1Sa 22:9

he fell 2Ch 24:21 Ho 5:11 7:3 Mic 6:16 Zep 3:3 Ac 26:10,11

fourscore. The LXX. read, (), `three hundred and eighty-five men.' Probably the eighty five were priests and the three hundred the families of the priests; three hundred and eighty-five being the whole population of Nob. 1Sa 2:30-33,36 3:12-14

a linen ephod 1Sa 2:28 Ex 28:40

19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

Nob 1Sa 22:9,11 21:1 Ne 11:32 Isa 10:32

men 1Sa 15:3,9 Jos 6:17,21 Ho 10:14 Jas 2:13

with the edge This is one of the worst acts of Saul's life: his malice was implacable, and his wrath cruel; and there is no motive of justice or policy by which such a barbarous massacre can be justified.

20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

one 1Sa 23:6 30:7 2Sa 20:25 1Ki 2:26,27

escaped 1Sa 2:33 4:12 Job 1:15-17,19

21 And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the LORD's priests.

22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.

I have occasioned 1Sa 21:1-9 Ps 44:22

23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.

he that seeketh 1Ki 2:26 Mt 24:9 Joh 15:20 16:2,3 Heb 12:1-3

but with me Joh 10:28-30 17:12 18:9