David escapes and assembles an “army” of all those who were “in distress or in debt or discontented” (v. 2)! His family comes to David and he gets permission from the king of Moab for his family to stay there “until I learn what God will do for me” (v. 3).
The prophet Gad advises David not to stay in the stronghold in Mizpah but to go to the land of Judah.
Saul learns that David and his men had been discovered and, in his paranoia, chastises the men of Benjamin for their alleged conspiracy against him and his son Jonathan for his friendship with David. Saul thinks David is lying in wait for him (v. 8).
Doeg rats out Ahimelek for praying for David and for giving him provisions and Goliath’s sword. Saul summons Ahimelek and all the men of his family. Saul accuses Ahimelek of conspiracy and Ahimelek defends David. (vv. 14-15).
Commanding his guards to kill the priests of the Lord, they refuse. Saul commands Doeg to slaughter 85 priests and he annihilates the town of Nob (women, children, animals) (v. 19).
Abiathar, one of Ahimelek’s sons, escapes and reports the tragedy to David. David feels he is responsible for the whole family’s death. He then invites Abiathar to stay with him and guarantees his safety (v. 23).
Some takeaways for me:
1. God cares about the three D’s: those “in distress or in debt or discontented”! And He can make an army out of them!
2. There are some incredibly evil people in this world. There are Doegs who will do despicable things! We should not be shocked at the inhumanity and depravity of man.
3. Somehow God’s sovereignty is intimately involved in all this. He detained Doeg who then does the unspeakable. And God allows the slaughter of the 85 priests and the annihilation of the town of Nob.
Dr. Larry Dixon
larrydixon.wordpress.com 