1 SAMUEL CHAPTER 21 David cometh to Nob to Ahimelech the priest; pretendeth secret business from Saul; asketh bread: Ahimelech giveth him the shew-bread, 1 Samuel 21:1-6. Doeg seeth this, 1 Samuel 21:7. David asketh arms: Ahimelech giveth him Goliath's sword, 1 Samuel 21:8,9. David cometh to Achish; is known; and afraid; feigneth himself mad, 1 Samuel 21:10-13. Achish is angry with his servants for bringing him, 1 Samuel 21:14,15. Nob; a city of priests, as it is called 1 Samuel 22:19; either,
1. Because it was assigned to the priests. For though it be not expressed by this name among their cities, Jos 21, yet it might be one of those cities there named by some other name, which name might be changed; or another new name added to the old for some reason now unknown, as was very usual among the Hebrews: compare 1Ch 6 $. Or,
2. Because it was now inhabited by the priests for the service of the tabernacle, which now was here; as appears from 1 Samuel 21:7,9; for as the kings of Israel were to consult with God's oracle in all their weighty affairs, so they endeavoured to have it in or near their own habitations. Hence it was first carried by Joshua to Shiloh in his tribe of Ephraim; and afterwards by David into his tribe and city; and now, as it seems, had been by Saul carried to Nob, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, Nehemiah 11:32, near to Anathoth, 1 Kings 2:26. Hither David resorted, partly for a supply of his necessities, which he supposed he might receive here, without danger of being betrayed into Saul's hands; and principally, that in this great distress, and his resolution of going out of the kingdom, he might seek and receive comfort and counsel from the Lord. Ahimelech the priest, to wit, the chief priest, brother to that Ahiah, 1 Samuel 14:3; and he being now dead, his successor in the priesthood, for they were both sons of Ahitub, 1 Samuel 14:3, 1 Samuel 22:11. Ahimelech was afraid; suspecting some extraordinary cause of his coming in such a manner, and fearing the worst, as men usually do in such cases. Why art thou alone ? for though David had some servants and companions, as is manifest from 1 Samuel 21:4,5, and from Matthew 12:3,4, whom Jonathan probably had sent to a place appointed to serve and guard him; yet they were left at another place, as David himself affirmeth, 1 Samuel 21:2. And David was now alone, as also he was when he fled to Achish, 1 Samuel 21:10.