1 Samuel 21 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

1 Samuel 21 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• Israel’s first king, Saul, was appointed in approximately 1050 B.C.

• The events documented in 1 Samuel 21 took place between approximately 1015-1010 B.C.

CHARACTERS:

• David – He was selected by God to eventually become the second king of Israel.

• Ahimelech – A priest who served God at the Tabernacle in Nob.

• Saul – God selected Saul to be the first king of Israel. He was from the tribe of Benjamin.

• Achish – The king of Gath, a Philistine city.

• Doeg – An Edomite. He was Saul’s chief herdsman.

WHERE:

• In 1 Samuel 21, David spent time in Nob and in Gath.

• Most archeologists place Nob just to the northeast of Jerusalem. The two towns my have been within eyesight of one another.

OUTLINE:

• DAVID, THE HOLY BREAD, AND THE SWORD OF GOLIATH (21:1-9):

  • After fleeing from Saul, David went to Nob, where the priests of God worked in the Tabernacle.

  • He spoke to Ahimelech the priest and asked him if he had any bread.

  • Ahimelech told him he didn’t have any common bread, only holy bread.

  • Holy bread, called the bread of the Presence, was put in the Tabernacle each Sabbath day. It was later removed and eaten by the priests (see Leviticus 24:5-9).

  • Ahimelech gave David the holy bread.

  • Ahimelech also gave David the sword of Goliath which had been stored at Nob.

  • Unfortunately, Ahimelech’s actions were observed by an Edomite, Doeg, who was the chief herdsmen of Saul. 

• DAVID IN GATH (21:10-15):

  • David continued running until he came to Gath, a Philistine city.

  • The people of Gath recognized him and remembered how the people of Israel had praised him for his military victories, including many against the Philistines.

  • David knew he was in a tricky situation, so he changed his behavior and “pretended to be insane.”

  • He made “marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard.”

  • Achish, the king of Gath, didn’t view David as a threat but as a madman.

APPLICATION:

• Don’t skip over small stories like these in the Old Testament, because sometimes they’re important when trying to understand passages in the New Testament.

• Jesus references the meeting of David and Ahimelech in Matthew 12:1-8.

• If you don’t understand what happened in Nob in 1 Samuel 21, you’ll have difficulty understanding the point Jesus is making.