This chapter relates that David went to Nob, and pretending he was on secret business for the king, got shewbread, and the sword of Goliath, from Ahimelech the priest, 1 Sam.

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 [[0]] he was the same; see ; who was now at Nob, the tabernacle being there, whither probably it was…

And David said unto Ahimelech the priest In reply to his question, and to account for such an appearance he made without an equipage: the king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, let no man know anything of the business thereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee; he…

Now therefore what is under thine hand? &c.] Meaning, what food had he in his house? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand; to take with him, for him and his servants in such a place: or what there is present; or to be found [[6]] in the tabernacle; if not five loaves, two, or three, or four,…

And the priest answered David, and said, there is no common bread under mine hand In the tabernacle, though he might have such in his own house; which was common for any man to eat of, even such as were not priests; but he had none there, and David was in haste to be gone because of Doeg, and could…

And David answered the priest, and said unto him In reply to the case of the young men his servants, and of himself too, who also was intended by the priest, though out of reverence to him not mentioned: of a truth women have been kept from us these three days since I came out; reckoning either…

So the priest gave him hallowed bread Being satisfied with the account he gave of himself, and his young men, and of the lawfulness of it in case of necessity, acts of mercy being to be preferred to ritual services.

Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day When David came to Nob, and asked bread of the priest, and had it, which this man was an eyewitness of, (1 Sam. 22:9, 1 Sam.

And David said unto Ahimelech After he had given him some of the loaves of the shewbread: and is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? any weapon, meaning in the tabernacle, and in his keeping, and at his disposal; he knew the sword of Goliath was there, and perhaps had a principal view…

And the priest said, the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah See (1 Sam. 17:2, 1 Sam. 17:51) ; behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; the garment of the high priest, in which were the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate, or the linen vestments…

And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul He had fled before for fear of him both from his own house, and from Naioth, ; but now he fled out of the land of Israel, for fear of him; or it may be the reason of his fear and flight on this day was because of Doeg the Edomite, lest he should go…

And the servants of Achish said unto him Who knew who David was, and perceiving that he was respected by Achish: is not this David the king of the land? of the land of the Philistines; so some render the words, “the king of this land” [[15]]; which belongs unto him for his conquest of Goliath; for…

And David laid up these words in his heart Pondered upon them, and thought them over in his mind, finding that he was known, and his character also, and considered with himself what might be the consequence of this: and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath; lest he should be set against him,…

And he changed his behaviour before them Behaved like a fool, or a madman: or changed his “taste” [[17]]; which some understand of his reason, acted as if he was deprived of it; and others of his speech, his words and the accent of them, drawled them out, as such persons do: and feigned himself mad…

Then said Achish to his servants, lo, you see the man is mad, &c.] Which he said, as willing his servants should think so, and therefore rather the object of their pity than of their rage and malice; or as really believing he was so, which he and they might conclude not merely from these his…

Have I need of madmen? &c.] Or fools, do I want them? have not I enough of them already at my court? I want wise men, and not fools and madmen. The Jews say [[21]] that the wife and daughter of Achish were mad; that while David was playing the fool and madman without, they were acting the same part…