Sāmǔĕrjìshàng 21

1 Dàwèi dào le Nuóbǎi jìsī yà xī mǐ lè nàli , yà xī mǐ lè zhàn zhàn jīng jīng dì chūlai yíngjiē tā , wèn tā shuō , nǐ wèishénme dúzì lái , méiyǒu rén gēnsuí ne .

2 Dàwèi huídá jìsī yà xī mǐ lè shuō , wáng fēnfu wǒ yī jiàn shì shuō , wǒ chāiqiǎn nǐ wĕi tuō nǐde zhè jiàn shì , búyào shǐ rén zhīdào . gùcǐ wǒ yǐ paì déng shàonián rén zaì mǒu chù dĕnghòu wǒ .

3 Xiànzaì nǐ shǒu xià yǒu shénme . qiú nǐ gĕi wǒ wǔ gè bǐng huò shì bié yàng de shíwù .

4 Jìsī duì Dàwèi shuō , wǒ shǒu xià méiyǒu xún cháng de bǐng , zhǐyǒu shèng bǐng . ruò shàonián rén méiyǒu qīnjìn fùrén cái kĕyǐ gĕi .

5 Dàwèi duì jìsī shuō , shízaì yuē you sān rì wǒmen méiyǒu qīnjìn fùrén . wǒ chūlai de shíhou , suī shì xún cháng xíng lù , shàonián rén de qìmǐn háishì jiéjìng de . hékuàng jīnrì bú gèng shì jiéjìng ma .

6 Jìsī jiù ná shèng bǐng gĕi tā . yīnwei zaì nàli méiyǒu bié yàng bǐng , zhǐyǒu gēnghuàn xīn bǐng , cóng Yēhéhuá miànqián chè xià lái de chénshèbǐng .

7 Dāng rì yǒu Sǎoluó de yī gè chén zǐ liú zaì Yēhéhuá miànqián . tā míng jiào duō yì , shì Yǐdōng rén , zuò Sǎoluó de sī mù zhǎng .

8 Dàwèi wèn yà xī mǐ lè shuō , nǐ shǒu xià yǒu qiāng yǒu dāo méiyǒu . yīnwei wáng de shì shén jí , lián dāo jiàn qìxiè wǒ dōu méiyǒu daì .

9 Jìsī shuō , nǐ zaì Yǐlā gǔ shā Fēilìshì rén gē Lìyà de nà dāo zaì zhèlǐ , guǒ zaì bù zhōng , fàng zaì Yǐfúdé hòubiān , nǐ yào jiù kĕyǐ ná qù . chú cǐ yǐwaì , zaì méiyǒu biéde . Dàwèi shuō , zhè dāo méiyǒu kĕ bǐ de . qiú nǐ gĕi wǒ .

10 Nà rì Dàwèi qǐlai , duǒbì Sǎoluó , taó dào Jiātè wáng yà jí nàli .

11 Yà jí de chénpú duì yà jí shuō , zhè bú shì Yǐsèliè guówáng Dàwèi ma . nàli de fùnǚ tiàowǔ chàng hé , bú shì zhǐ zhe tā shuō Sǎoluó shā sǐ qiā qiā , Dàwèi shā sǐ wàn wàn ma .

12 Dàwèi jiāng zhè huà fàng zaì xīnli , shén jùpà Jiātè wáng yà jí ,

13 Jiù zaì zhòngrén miànqián gǎibiàn le xún cháng de jǔ dòng , zaì tāmen shǒu xià jiǎ zhuāng fēng diān , zaì chéng mén de mén shān shàng hú xiĕ luàn huà , shǐ tuòmo liú zaì hú zǐ shàng .

14 Yà jí duì chénpú shuō , nǐmen kàn , zhè rén shì fēng zǐ . wèishénme daì tā dào wǒ zhèlǐ lái ne .

15 Wǒ qǐ quē shǎo fēng zǐ , nǐmen daì zhè rén lái zaì wǒ miànqián fēng diān ma . zhè rén qǐ kĕ jìn wǒde jiā ne .

Sāmǔĕrjìshàng 21 Commentary

Chapter 21

David with Ahimelech. (1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad. (10-15)

Verses 1-9 David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scripture does not conceal it, and we dare not justify it; it was ill done, and proved of bad consequence; for it occasioned the death of the priests of the Lord. David thought upon it afterward with regret. David had great faith and courage, yet both failed him; he fell thus foully through fear and cowardice, and owing to the weakness of his faith. Had he trusted God aright, he would not have used such a sorry, sinful shift for his own preservation. It is written, not for us to do the like, no, not in the greatest straits, but for our warning. David asked of Ahimelech bread and a sword. Ahimelech supposed they might eat the shew-bread. The Son of David taught from it, that mercy is to be preferred to sacrifice; that ritual observances must give way to moral duties. Doeg set his foot as far within the tabernacle as David did. We little know with what hearts people come to the house of God, nor what use they will make of pretended devotion. If many come in simplicity of heart to serve their God, others come to observe their teachers and to prove accusers. Only God and the event can distinguish between a David and a Doeg, when both are in the tabernacle.

Verses 10-15 God's persecuted people have often found better usage from Philistines than from Israelites. David had reason to put confidence in Achish, yet he began to be afraid. His conduct was degrading, and discovered wavering in his faith and courage. The more simply we depend on God, and obey him, the more comfortably and surely we shall walk through this troublesome world.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 21

This chapter relates that David went to Nob, and pretending he was on secret business for the king, got shewbread, and the sword of Goliath, from Ahimelech the priest, 1Sa 21:1-9; and that passing from thence to Gath, where he was known, through fear feigned himself mad, and so escaped from thence, 1Sa 21:10-15.