Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 22:11
Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that [were] in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
All his fathers house; of the house of Eli, which God had threatened to cut off, 1Sa 2:31.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub,…. Sent messengers to him, and summoned him to appear before him:
and all his father’s house; the family of Eli, which God had threatened to destroy, and now the time was hastening on:
the priests that [were] in Nob; in which dwelt none but priests, at least these were the chief of the inhabitants, and therefore called the city of the priests, 1Sa 22:19;
and they came all of them to the king; not being conscious of any evil they had committed, or that could be charged upon them; or otherwise they would not have appeared, but would have fled to David for protection.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
On receiving this information, Saul immediately summoned the priest Ahimelech and “ all his father’s house,” i.e., the whole priesthood, to Nob, to answer for what they had done. To Saul’s appeal, “ Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, by giving him bread? ” Ahimelech, who was not conscious of any such crime, since David had come to him with a false pretext, and the priest had probably but very little knowledge of what took place at court, replied both calmly and worthily (1Sa 22:14): “ And who of all thy servants is so faithful (proved, attested, as in Num 12:7) as David, and son-in-law of the king, and having access to thy private audience, and honoured in thy house? ” The true explanation of may be gathered from a comparison of 2Sa 23:23 and 1Ch 11:25, where occurs again, as the context clearly shows, in the sense of a privy councillor of the king, who hears his personal revelations and converses with him about them, so that it corresponds to our “ audience.” , lit. to turn aside from the way, to go in to any one, or to look after anything (Exo 3:3; Rth 4:1, etc.); hence in the passage before us “ to have access,” to be attached to a person. This is the explanation given by Gesenius and most of the modern expositors, whereas the early translators entirely misunderstood the passage, though they have given the meaning correctly enough at 2Sa 23:23. But if this was the relation in which David stood to Saul, – and he had really done so for a long time, – there was nothing wrong in what the high priest had done for him; but he had acted according to the best of his knowledge, and quite conscientiously as a faithful subject of the king. Ahimelech then added still further (1Sa 22:15): “ Did I then begin to inquire of God for him this day? ” i.e., was it the first time that I had obtained the decision of God for David concerning important enterprises, which he had to carry out in the service of the king? “ Far be from me,” sc., any conspiracy against the king, like that of which I am accused. “ Let not the king lay it as a burden upon thy servant, my whole father’s house (the omission of the cop. before may be accounted for from the excitement of the speaker); for thy servant knows not the least of all this.” , of all that Saul had charged him with.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(11) Then the king sent to call Ahimelech.This sending for all the priestly house to Gibeah when alone Ahimelech was to blameif blame there waslooks as though Saul and Doeg had determined upon the wholesale massacre which followed.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
(11) Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. (12) And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. (13) And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? (14) Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house? (15) Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute anything unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.
I never read the process of an unjust tribunal like this of Saul’s, but I desire to have my thoughts directed, by the Holy Ghost to contemplate thy matchless humbleness and purity of soul, dearest Jesus, when, before Pontius Pilate, thou didst witness a good confession. The conscious rectitude of Ahimelech in the instance before us, lovely as it is, sinks to nothing in the comparison. Who is faithful among all the Lord’s servants, as the servant whom Jehovah had chosen? And yet was not he accused of blasphemy? Oh! thou Lamb of God, who didst endure such a contradiction of sinners against thyself. Heb 12:3 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 22:11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that [were] in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
Ver. 11. Then the king sent to call Ahimelech. ] Under a pretence of justice, but himself will needs be both his accuser and his judge; and let him make never so good an apology, he must die for it; that is resolved on.
And all his father’s house.] The remnant of Eli’s house, so long since doomed to destruction. 1Sa 2:31 If God’s word sleep, it shall not die; but, after long intermissions, breaks forth into those effects which we had forgotten to look for and ceased to fear.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the Slaughter of Davids Friends
1Sa 22:11-23
The Apostle James says that the tongue is set on fire of hell. Surely this was the case when Saul, encamped on the height above Gibeah, scattered his biting words like firebrands. They met with a ready response in Doegs evil heart, and the two perpetrated one of the most atrocious tragedies of history.
This black act-the blackest of Sauls life-was not to be extenuated, although it executed the malediction, uttered long before in the days of Eli, against the latters evil house. That Sauls footmen refused to execute the kings sentence should have made Him hesitate. Doegs tale was true in its statement, but false in its implications.
There is nothing to alleviate the lurid horror of this incident, except Davids welcome to Abiathar. Are not such words addressed by our Lord to all who escape to Him? Abide with me may be understood in the light of Joh 15:1-27. With Christ there is safeguard. Your life is hid with Christ in God. Fear not, trembling soul; Christ stands surety for thee! See Psa 52:1-9, where David predicts Doegs fate, and contrasts it with his own happy lot.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
sent to call: Rom 3:15
Reciprocal: 1Sa 22:19 – Nob 1Ki 18:12 – he shall slay me Pro 29:10 – The bloodthirsty
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 22:11. The king sent to call Ahimelech and all his fathers house
The priests of the house of Eli, whom God had threatened to cut off, chap. 1Sa 2:31; and which threatening, by a strange chain of providences, was now about to be fulfilled.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
22:11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, {h} the priests that [were] in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
(h) Which were the remnant of the house of Eli, whose house God threatened to punish.