The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 390

with s~mething. of its old splendour. And hand." I have no ordinary food ; there is this· agrees with Saul's character. At the only hallowed bread, that is, the shewbread, commencement of his reign wo find Ahiah which, after remaining in ,Jehovah's presence with hiin as high priest, and even when he from sabbath to sabbath, was then to be fell his excuse was the necessity for perform- eaten hy the priests in the holy place (Levit. ing the public rites of l'Cligion (eh. xv. 15). xxiv. 8, 9). As Ahimelcch could not '<'enture But with him the king's will was first, the to refuse Dal"id's request, he asks if his at- will of J ehovnh second; and while he restores tendants are at least ceremonially clean, as God's public worship as part of the glory of in that case the urgency of the king's busi- his reign, he ruthlessly puts the priests with ness might excuse the breach of the letter of their wives and families to death when he the commandment. Our Lord in Matt xii. suppooes .that •they have given aid to his 3 cites this as a case in which the inward enemy; ' Ahimelech·was afraid at the meet- spirit of the law was kept, and the violation ingof David. ]\fore literally, "went trembling of its literal precept thereby justified. to meet David." Ahiah, described as high Vers. 5, 6.-About these three days since priest in eh., xiv. 3, was either dead or, more I came out. This exact! y agrees with the probably, was II younger brother, who, while time during which Daviu had lain concealed Ahimelech remained. with the ark, acted as (eh. xx. 24, 27, 35), anu explains the hunger high priest at the camp for Saul, especially under which he was suffering, as he had no in consulting God for him by means of the doubt taken with him only food sufficient ephod with the breastplate. Why art thou for his immedi,1te wants. He wishes, how- alone·1 Nevertheless, in Mark ii. 26 our ever, the high priest to believe that he had Lord speaks of those "who were with David," been engaged with his men during this time and the "young men" are mentioned in on public business, whereas they had been vers. 4, 5. While David went alone to at home, and some of them possibly were consult .Ahimelech, that his visit might be unclean. The whole chapter sets David kept quite secret, he had taken a few of i before us in a very humiliating light. Just his servants with him, and had left them as some books of Homer are styled II the so1J1ewhere in the neighbourhood, or even, prowess" of some hero, so this chapter might more probably, had instructed some one to be called David's degradation. The deter- meet him with such men as he could collect. mined hatred of Saul seems to have thrown The arrival of the king's son-in-law without him off his balance, and it was not till he an escort would naturally strike the high got among the hills of Judah, wherein was priest as strange, and therefore as alarming. the cave of Adullam, that he recovered his Ver. 2.-The king hath commanded me a serenity. The vessels· of the young men. business. This pretence of a private com- Their scrips, in which they would carry the mission from the king was a mere invention, bread, and their baggage generally. The but his "appointing his servants to meet bread is in a manner common, &c. The him at such and such a place" was probably word bread is supplied by the translators, the exact truth. After parting with Jona- to give some sense to this most difficult than, David probably did not venture to passage. Literally translated, the two last show himself at home, but, while Saul still clauses are, 11 And the way is profane, supposed him to be at Bethlehem, gave orders although it be sanctified to-day in the vessel." to some trusty officer to gather together a Among the numerous interpretations of these few of his most faithful men, and await him words the following seems the best: "And with them at some fit place. Meanwhilo though our journey be not connected with alone he sets out on his flight, nnd, having a religious object, yet it (the bread) will be as yet no settlerl plan, goes to Nob, because kept holy in the vessel (in which it will be it was out of the way of the road to Bethle- carried)." There is no difficulty in snpplyina- hem, whither Saul would send to arrest him. bread in the last clause, as the shewbread Naturally such a visit would seem strange was the subject of the conversation, !lnd to Ahimelech ; but David needed food ancl a nomimtivo is constantly supplied by the rums, and probably counsel ; ancl but for mind from the principal matter that is the chance of the presence of Doeg, no harm occupying the thoughts of the speakers. might have ensued. As it was, this visit of David's nrgnment, therefore, is that both his David completed the ruin of Eli's house. attendants nm! their wallets were free from Vers. 3, 4.-Whe.t is under thine hand 1 legal delilcmont, anu that though their This does not mean that Ahimelech was oxpedition was on some secular business, yet himself carrying the shewbrea,l out of the that !lt nil events the bread would be secure tabernacl~, but simply, 11 What hast thou!" from pollution. The shewbread that was The sense of the whole verse is, 11 Now, thlre- taken from before Jehovah. The Talmn,l fore what hast thou at hand 1 Give me five ('i\lenach.,' 92, 2) points out tlrnt this brea,l loa;es, or whatever there may be." Ahime- was not newly taken out of the sanctuary, lech answers, "Thoro is no common bread at hut, as the last clause shows, h,tu been re•  THE FlRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. [CH. XXI. 1-15,