References (11)
Then David came to Nov [a Levitical city in the territory of Benjamin, probably just northeast of Jerusalem on Mount Scopus, only 3 km south of David's hiding place in Anathoth], to the priest Ahimelech, and Ahimelech came trembling to meet David and said to him, "Why are you alone and have no man with you?"
David answered the priest Ahimelech, "The king has commanded me to do a task and has said to me, 'Let no one know anything about the task I am sending you on, and what I have commanded you, and I have appointed the young men to such and such a place.
David asked Ahimelech, "Don't you have a sword or spear here in your hand? I have neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business was urgent."
Then Doeg the Edomite, who was set over Saul's servants, answered and said, "I saw the son of Jesse [David] come to Nov [a Levitical city just northeast of Jerusalem on Mount Scopus, see ], to Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub. [; ]
And the king sent for Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in [the city] Nov, and they came to the king.
And Achimelech answered the king and said, "Who among all your servants is as trustworthy as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and keeps the king's commands and is honored in your house?
And the king said, "You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house." [Saul uses language similar to that used by God, see ; .]
One of Ahimelech's sons, Ahitub's son, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to David. [The beginning of the fulfillment of , see .]
And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Gath, that he brought down an ephod [the priest's sacred vest] in his hand.
[The ephod was the high priest's garment, a vest that covered the chest and back, see . It is likely that the ephod also included the Urim and Thummim, which were used to determine God's will, see .]
And David said to the priest Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, "I beg you, bring the ephod here." [] And Ahimelech brought the ephod to David. []
Your tongue devises destruction,
it works deceitfully like a sharp sword.
