Readers of the New Testament likely know the next part of David’s story. He is fleeing for his life because Saul wants to kill him.
David reaches Nob and asks the priests for bread. Let’s look at how this story unfolds and how Jesus connects his ministry to David’s experience.
Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David trembling and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?”
And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.’ I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place.
Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is here” (1 Samuel 22:1-3).
David and his men needed food and weapons. First, they asked for food.
The bread the priest had was placed before God on the altar each week. At the end of the week, it was removed and replaced with new bread. The removed bread was usually eaten by the priests. However, this time, it was offered to David.
And the priest answered David, “I have no common bread on hand, but there is holy bread — if the young men have kept themselves from women.”
And David answered the priest, “Truly women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it is an ordinary journey. How much more today will their vessels be holy?”
So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the Lord, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away (1 Samuel 21:4-6).
Why was it acceptable for David to eat the bread? Jesus explained the principle when He and His disciples were walking through a grain field on the Sabbath.
The disciples rubbed wheat husks between their hands and ate the kernels. The Pharisees saw this as breaking the Sabbath law and criticized Jesus for allowing it.
But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”
And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:
How he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?”
And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath” (Luke 6:2-5).
One of Jesus’ points was that human need matters more than ceremonial law. David and his soldiers, like the disciples, showed this idea.
Another thing Jesus said was that he was the Lord of the Sabbath. This was different from the issue of human need and ceremonial law. When Jesus claimed to be Lord of the Sabbath, he angered the religious authorities and added another reason why they wanted Him dead.
Weapons Needed
It’s tough to fight a battle without weapons. David asked the priest for a sword and learned that it was Goliath’s sword.
Then David said to Ahimelech, “Then have you not here a spear or a sword at hand? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.”
And the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it, for there is none but that here.” And David said, “There is none like that; give it to me” (1 Samuel 21:8-9).
The story of David among the priests of Nob starts with Ahimelech being terrified of David. He likely knew about David’s victory over Goliath and the Philistines. Having such a powerful warrior around was a cause for fear and trembling.
Pretending to be Insane
One of the key features of the Bible is its honest depiction of its heroes. Take David, for example. He is a young man who defeats a giant, but he also becomes scared for his life and pretends to be insane to escape his enemies.
David’s presence was made known, and [He] took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard.
Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me?
Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?” (1 Samuel 21:12-15).
Reflections
There was only one King David, and my blog readers and I won’t match his greatness.
However, today’s story about David at Nob with the bread, the weapon, and his pretend madness shows a relatable side. We all face times of fear or great need. (Hopefully, none of us will ever need a weapon.)
But remember, the Lord is enough for our needs. We can trust Him and accomplish the mission He has given us.
YouTube Discussion
Due to my recent vacation, Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I couldn’t make videos on this chapter. They will be back soon, and I can’t wait. It’s much more fun to do videos with friends.
Real Voices 