David Hides in Nob

Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? —1 Samuel 21:1

Here is the first in a series of disappointing scenarios in David’s life.

“David knew not whither to flee for refuge, except to the servant of God. The priest looked upon him with astonishment, as he came in haste and apparently alone, with a countenance marked by anxiety and sorrow. He inquired what had brought him there. The young man was in constant fear of discovery, and in his extremity he resorted to deception. David told the priest that he had been sent by the king on a secret errand, one which required the utmost expedition. Here he manifested a want of faith in God, and his sin resulted in causing the death of the high priest. Had the facts been plainly stated, Ahimelech would have known what course to pursue to preserve his life. God requires that truthfulness shall mark His people, even in the greatest peril.” Observing this conversation was Doeg, an Edomite, who was head herdsman for the king. David must have thought things simply could not get worse.

David had to assume Doeg would tell the king of his visit and conversation with Ahimelech. Seeking to deceive Doeg as to why he had come to Nob, David requested bread for his journey. Ahimelech replied there was no bread other than the shewbread, which had been replaced that day with freshly baked bread. Of this bread, David was welcome as long as his men were ceremonially clean. Five loaves were hardly enough for David and his men. It was quite obvious food was not the reason for David’s visit to Nob.

Furthermore, no “captain of a thousand” (1 Samuel 18:13) would leave on a sanctioned mission without supplies for his men. Something was very wrong with David’s story! “Doeg had embraced the Hebrew religion and was at the tabernacle paying his vows. . . . The circumstances of these vows are not known. Evidently he had committed some trespass which merited the rebuke of Ahimelech, for this action of the priest was one of the primary reasons why Doeg later turned informer against Ahimelech.” “Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously” (Psalm 119:29).