1 Samuel 21

7–9 In verse 7, we are told that one of Saul’s servants, Doeg, was at the tabernacle that day and saw all that took place. This was to have dire consequences, as we shall see in the next chapter.

David then asked Ahimelech for a weapon, but all that was available was Goliath’s sword, with which David had cut off the giant’s head (1 Samuel 17:15,54). Sometime after killing Goliath, David had apparently left the sword in the care of the priests.

David at Gath (21:10–15)

10–15 David left Ahimelech that same day and went to the Philistine city of Gath, where Goliath had lived (1 Samuel 17:4). It is not known why David fled to Philistine territory; perhaps he thought he would be safe from Saul there. He evidently hoped he wouldn’t be recognized, but when he was, he feared that Achish king of Gath might kill him. So he pretended to be a madman, and in this way he fooled Achish into thinking that he wasn’t the famous David after all. Thus Achish let him go.

As we think about young David, as revealed in this chapter, we may be left with a poor impression of him—and rightly so. However, we must remember that God was leading David through these difficult circumstances in order to prepare him for what lay ahead. Indeed, later on, David included in his psalms many of the truths he learned during this period as a fugitive.⁸⁵