Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob; and they all came to the king. Saul said, “Hear now, you son of Ahitub.” He answered, “Here I am, my lord.”
Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as it is today?”
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, “Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your body guard, and honored in your house? Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? Be it far from me! Don’t let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more.”
The king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father’s house.” The king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn, and kill the priests of Yahweh; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and didn’t disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king wouldn’t put out their hand to fall on the priests of Yahweh.
The king said to Doeg, “Turn and attack the priests!” Doeg the Edomite turned, and he attacked the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five people who wore a linen ephod.
He struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies, and cattle and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv11, 15, 17 Which were the remnant of the house of Eli,…
Which were the remnant of the house of Eli, whose house God threatened to punish.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv11–19 1Sa 22:11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech…
1Sa 22:11 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.
Ver. 11. Then the king sent to call Ahimelech.] Under a pretence of justice, but himself will needs be both his accuser and his judge; and let him make never so good an apology, he must die for it; that is resolved on.
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And all his father’s house.] The remnant of Eli’s house, so long since doomed to destruction. {1Sa 2:31} If God’s word sleep, it shall not die; but, after long intermissions, breaks forth into those effects which we had forgotten to look for and ceased to fear.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 All his father’s house; of the house of Eli,…
All his father’s house; of the house of Eli, which God had threatened to cut off, 1Sa 2:31.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv11–19 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest,…
Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub,.... Sent messengers to him, and summoned him to appear before him:
and all his father's house; the family of Eli, which God had threatened to destroy, and now the time was hastening on:
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the priests that were in Nob; in which dwelt none but priests, at least these were the chief of the inhabitants, and therefore called the city of the priests, Sa1 22:19,
and they came all of them to the king; not being conscious of any evil they had committed, or that could be charged upon them; or otherwise they would not have appeared, but would have fled to David for protection.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv11, 14, 15, 18, 19 The priests - Of the house of Eli, which…
The priests - Of the house of Eli, which God had threatened to cut off, chap. ii, 31.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv14, 15, 17, 18, 19 Verse 14. And who is so faithful] The word…
Verse 14. And who is so faithful] The word נאמן neeman, which we here translate faithful, is probably the name of an officer. See Clarke on Nu 12:7.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19 1Sa 22:11. The king sent to call Ahimelech and…
1Sa 22:11. The king sent to call Ahimelech and all his father’s house —
The priests of the house of Eli, whom God had threatened to cut off, chap. 1Sa 2:31; and which threatening, by a strange chain of providences, was now about to be fulfilled.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv14, 15, 18, 19 Goeth at thy bidding - Better, “has access to…
Goeth at thy bidding - Better, “has access to thy (private) audience,” or council (compare 2Sa 23:23, margin).
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 Achitob. He gives him no honourable title, no more…
Achitob. He gives him no honourable title, no more than David, (ver. 7, &c.) out of disrespect. (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv17, 19 SAUL COMMANDS TO KILL THE PRIESTS. (Sa1 22:17-19)
SAUL COMMANDS TO KILL THE PRIESTS. (Sa1 22:17-19)
the footmen that stood about him--his bodyguard, or his runners (Sa1 8:11; Sa2 15:1; Kg1 1:5; Kg1 14:28), who held an important place at court (Ch2 12:10). But they chose rather to disobey the king than to offend God by imbruing their hands in the blood of his ministering servants. A foreigner alone (Psa 52:1-3) could be found willing to be the executioner of this bloody and sacrilegious sentence. Thus was the doom of the house of Eli fulfilled [Sa1 2:30-36].
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv14, 15, 17, 18 14. Goeth at thy bidding — Rather, approaches into…
14. Goeth at thy bidding — Rather, approaches into thy privy council; that is, has access to thy private audience, and is one of thy confidential advisers.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv14, 15, 17, 18, 19 14. goeth at thy bidding] Probably, “has access to…
14. goeth at thy bidding] Probably, “has access to thy audience,” i.e. is a trusted privy-councillor. Cp. 2Sa_23:23, marg.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 (11) Then the king sent to call Ahimelech.—This sending…
(11) Then the king sent to call Ahimelech.—This sending for all the priestly house to Gibeah when alone Ahimelech was to blame—if blame there was—looks as though Saul and Doeg had determined upon the wholesale massacre which followed.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv11, 14, 17, 18 Vers. 11-13. All his father"s house. Doeg"s suggestion that…
Vers. 11-13. All his father"s house. Doeg"s suggestion that the priests were David"s allies at once arouses all Saul"s worst passions. As if he had determined from the first upon the massacre of the whole body, he sends not merely for Ahimelech, but forevery priest at Nob. Shortly afterwards they arrived, for Nob was close to Gibeah, and Saul himself arraigns them before the court for treason, and recapitulates the three points mentioned by Doeg as conclusive proofs of their guilt.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v14 And Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who…
1Sa_22:14
And Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David.
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In defence of the king
Now, it was for acts of kindness to David, the outcast and fugitive, that Ahimelech the high priest was confronted by the infuriated king. Ahimelech answered the king and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, the kings son-in-law, who goes at thy bidding and is honourable in thine house? Did I pray for him as against thee? That were far from me. Let not the king accuse me falsely; for as to trouble between Saul and David I knew nothing, less or more. Brave words, O priest! Never did martyr witness more magnificently for the truth, and never with less hope of pardon. The gigantic figure of the king, clad in armour and terrible in wrath, towered before the white-robed priest. It is a vary beautiful, even if it be a very costly, thing to live a righteous life. The whole spirit and range of heroism is to be found in that order of piety which this high priest illustrated and adorned. Analyse this great high priestly life.
I. It was a life often up in defence of the kings better nature against his worse nature. He aimed to rescue Saul from Saul. It is as if he had said, Why do you so unking yourself as to injure a man who would not injure you? David is your friend. Jealousy demeans you. Jealousy and not David is your real foe.
II. Again, it was a life given up in defence of Ahimelechs own better nature against his lower nature. Doubtless this high priestly life was of value to him who had it. But he made no plea foe it. He pleaded only for the life of the outcast and fugitive.
III. It was a life given up in defence of the innocent fugitive. Ahimelech, friend of the king, dared to defend the outcast David.
IV. Now consider that this defence--three fold--is worth whatever it costs. The defence of my neighbours better nature against his worse nature; of my own better nature against my worse nature, and of Christ against the world, is worth whatever it may cost. First, because a mans soul, or immortal nature, is of more value to him than any imaginable physical safety or comfort. Second, because my neighbours better nature is of more value to the world and to me, than anything else I can give to the world, or the world can give me. This world has enough of everything but goodness. It does not need that I give it anything, unless I can give it goodness. Let me help a man to conquer himself and I am a philanthropist. Third, it is worth all it costs because, in defending the outcast against the king, we may be defending the king against the outcast. In the councils of heaven Saul the king is the outcast and David the outcast is the king. This striking reversal of the real and the apparent is one of the most ordinary of processes when heaven looks at earth. Things are not what they seem. However little the evidence of it, Righteousness is the one true monarch over men. (Edward Braislin, D. D.)
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The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv11, 14, 16, 18 in that you have given
in that you have given
"by giving"
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rise up
"rebel" or "fight"
translationWords
king
send
priest
ancestor
house
Saul (OT)
lord
Jesse
bread
sword
God
raise
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv13, 14, 18, 19 22:13 David had deceived Ahimelech into thinking he was…
22:13 David had deceived Ahimelech into thinking he was on a mission for Saul (21:1-9), so Saul’s accusations of conspiracy were baseless.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.