1 Samuel 22:9 Commentary and Bible Study

None of Saul’s men are prepared to say anything against David, even though they are from Saul’s own tribe. David has behaved himself wisely, and there is no accusation that can be honestly brought against him. But there is one man present who is prepared to gratify Saul’s jealous suspicions. Doeg no doubt sees an opportunity to advance himself, by currying the favour of this paranoid king. But it will not serve Doeg’s purpose to recount every detail on this occasion, for that might have provided the priests with a justifiable reason for helping David, so he says, ‘And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.’ He wants to present himself as the only one who has the king’s interests at heart, and so he is ready to sully the good name to the priests to achieve his ends. He will tell Saul how Ahimelech assisted David, but he will not reveal how David hid from the priest the true reason for his journey. These half-truths are going to lead to the slaughter of the entire priestly family, but what does Doeg care about that? He was an Edomite who had outwardly become a proselyte to the Jewish religion – otherwise he would surely not have been allowed to serve in Saul’s court – but he had real love for no one but himself. He could see as clearly as anyone else that Saul was consumed with irrational jealousy, but because he was a man without principle, he was ready to use this and any other foothold that would allow him to climb the ladder of ambition. Saul therefore sends for Ahimelech, and all his father’s house, all of the priests that were in Nob, those who were descended from Eli, and they come in all innocence, not realising the danger that they are in. The king was supposed to administer justice, but there is no justice to be had before such a man as Saul. He interviews Ahimelech, but insults him by not even using his name, but referring to him as ‘thou son of Ahitub’. It is obvious by now that Saul means to do them evil. The king is a man of deep prejudice and envy, and it will not be possible to turn him from his evil purpose. He charges Ahimelech with treason, and without any proof he assumes that there is a conspiracy against him, and that all the priestly family are involved in it. He is not prepared to listen to a word that Ahimelech says in his defence, but acts on the basis of his suspicions alone. Ahimelech protests – and there is no reason to think that he is lying, even though he was uneasy about the reason for David’s visit – that he is innocent. He did not know why David had come, but he quite reasonably assumed that he was on the king’s business as David stated. He helped David because he believed that no one was as loyal to the king as David. ‘Did I begin to enquire of God for him?’ well he didn't actually; that was something that Derek seems to have made up, to make things worse for Ahimelech. He can now see that David was not honest with him, and that this has put him in great danger, for the king is worked up into an irrational rage. But as Matthew Henry says, he does not charge David with lying, not wanting to harm the reputation of a man so generally good in his conduct, even though it might have provided him with a defence. But Saul is so angry and so carried away, that he would probably not have believed him anyway. Ahimelech speaks with respect and with deference to the king, but it does no good. He offers a whole list of powerful reasons why he could be expected to believe David, but none of these move Saul who has already made up his mind. Saul concludes that they are all in it together, and in his irrational suspicion he issues the terrible judgment: Ahimelech and all his entire father’s house must die. God has taken his hand of protection off Ahimelech and his household, because they have no business to be in the priesthood, and so the hatred and the viciousness of Saul comes down upon them. All the court witnesses this, and they are deeply unhappy with the king’s judgment as seen in what follows, but they are too afraid to oppose him openly. Saul is not afraid to lift up his hand against the priests of the Lord. He calls for no other witnesses; he believes the testimony of this Edomite against all the word of the priests. His suspicions have blinded him. David will prove on further occasions that Saul had absolutely nothing to fear from him, and that his reverence for God meant that he could never harm the Lord’s anointed. He knew the prophecy concerning himself and his taking the throne, but he would wait until the Lord’s time for Saul to be removed. Until then he would serve the king with all integrity: he was never involved in any sort of conspiracy, nor did he do anything to stir up ill feeling against the king.