I Samuel 21

שמואל א׳ פרק כ״א

Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: I Samuel | Chapter: 21 of 31 | Day: 66 of 742

Date: April 18, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

Chapter 21 marks one of the most desperate episodes in David’s flight from Saul, a chapter defined by deception born of survival and laden with consequences that will reverberate through the narrative. Having just parted from Jonathan in the emotionally charged farewell of chapter 20, David is now truly alone — stripped of allies, weapons, and provisions. The opening verse captures this starkly: Jonathan returns to the city (ויהונתן בא העיר), back to the structures of power and normalcy, while David goes “his way” into the wilderness of fugitive existence. Everything that follows in this chapter flows from that solitude and the improvisations it demands.

David’s arrival at the priestly city of Nob and his encounter with Ahimelech the priest constitute the chapter’s first major episode. Ahimelech’s alarm at seeing David alone — “Why are you alone? Not a soul is with you!” (מדוע אתה לבדך ואיש אין אתך) — immediately signals that something is wrong. David responds with a fabricated royal mission, a lie that will prove fatal not for David but for the innocent priests who aid him. Rashi notes that David’s request for “five loaves” (חמשה לחם) is a modest, specific request that underscores his genuine desperation rather than greed. The halakhic exchange that follows, regarding whether the consecrated showbread (לחם הפנים) may be eaten by non-priests, is remarkable: Ahimelech permits it on the condition that David’s men have maintained ritual purity, and David assures him they have. This passage became a foundational text in discussions of pikuach nefesh and the suspension of ritual law in cases of urgent need. Radak explains that the showbread had already been removed from the table and replaced with fresh loaves, making it technically available, though still consecrated.

The ominous parenthetical notice in verse 8 — that Doeg the Edomite (דאג האדמי), Saul’s chief herdsman, was present at Nob that day, “detained before the Lord” (נעצר לפני ה׳) — is one of the most foreboding asides in all of Samuel. The text does not explain why Doeg was detained at the sanctuary; Rashi and the Talmud (Sanhedrin 93b) offer various explanations, including that he was under a vow or quarantined for ritual impurity. Whatever the reason, his presence transforms a private act of priestly compassion into witnessed evidence that Saul will exploit. Metzudat David emphasizes that the narrator introduces Doeg here precisely to foreshadow the massacre of the priests in chapter 22 — the reader is meant to feel dread even as David secures bread and Goliath’s sword.

The second half of the chapter shifts to Gath, where David flees to the court of the Philistine king Achish. This is a stunning reversal: the slayer of Goliath seeks refuge among the Philistines. The courtiers immediately identify him — “Is this not David, king of the land?” (הלוא זה דוד מלך הארץ) — and David, realizing the mortal danger, feigns madness, scratching on the doors and letting saliva run down his beard. Radak observes that David’s willingness to utterly debase himself reveals the depth of his fear; there is no pride left, only the raw instinct to survive. Achish’s dismissive response — “Do I lack madmen?” (חסר משגעים אני) — is darkly comic, but it saves David’s life. The Midrash (Tehillim 34) connects this episode to Psalm 34, whose superscription attributes it to David “when he feigned madness before Abimelech” (a variant name for Achish), and whose opening line — “I will bless the Lord at all times” (אברכה את ה׳ בכל עת) — suggests that even in the depths of degradation, David found grounds for gratitude.

The chapter as a whole presents David at a moral and existential nadir. He lies to a priest, endangering an entire community. He takes consecrated bread and a trophy sword under false pretenses. He debases himself before Israel’s enemies. And yet the narrative does not condemn him — it presents these acts as the desperate measures of a man whom God has chosen but not yet established. The tension between David’s anointing and his present condition is the engine of the entire fugitive narrative, and chapter 21 brings that tension to its sharpest point. The consequences of this chapter — the destruction of Nob, David’s complex relationship with the Philistines, and the moral weight of survival at others’ expense — will shape the remainder of I Samuel.

פרק כ״א · Chapter 21

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וַיָּ֖קׇם וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ וִיהוֹנָתָ֖ן בָּ֥א הָעִֽיר׃

English:

David then went his way, and Jonathan returned to the town.

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וַיָּבֹ֤א דָוִד֙ נֹ֔בֶה אֶל־אֲחִימֶ֖לֶךְ הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיֶּחֱרַ֨ד אֲחִימֶ֜לֶךְ לִקְרַ֣את דָּוִ֗ד וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ מַדּ֤וּעַ אַתָּה֙ לְבַדֶּ֔ךָ וְאִ֖ישׁ אֵ֥ין אִתָּֽךְ׃

English:

David went to the priest Ahimelech at Nob. Ahimelech came out in alarm to meet David, and he said to him, “Why are you alone? Not a soul is with you!”

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד לַאֲחִימֶ֣לֶךְ הַכֹּהֵ֗ן הַמֶּ֘לֶךְ֮ צִוַּ֣נִי דָבָר֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י אִ֣ישׁ אַל־יֵ֧דַע מְא֛וּמָה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־אָנֹכִ֥י שֹׁלֵחֲךָ֖ וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֑ךָ וְאֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֣ים יוֹדַ֔עְתִּי אֶל־מְק֥וֹם פְּלֹנִ֖י אַלְמוֹנִֽי׃

English:

David answered the priest Ahimelech, “The king has ordered me on a mission, and he said to me, ‘Absolutely no one must know anything about the mission on which I am sending you and for which I have given you orders.’ So I have directed [my] young men toadirected [my] young men to Meaning of Heb. uncertain. 4QSamᵇ (cf. Septuagint) reads “made an appointment with [my] young men at…” such and such a place.

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וְעַתָּ֗ה מַה־יֵּ֧שׁ תַּחַת־יָדְךָ֛ חֲמִשָּׁה־לֶ֖חֶם תְּנָ֣ה בְיָדִ֑י א֖וֹ הַנִּמְצָֽא׃

English:

Now then, what have you got on hand? AnybAny Lit. “five.” loaves of bread? Let me have them—or whatever is available.”

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֨עַן הַכֹּהֵ֤ן אֶת־דָּוִד֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר אֵֽין־לֶ֥חֶם חֹ֖ל אֶל־תַּ֣חַת יָדִ֑י כִּֽי־אִם־לֶ֤חֶם קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יֵ֔שׁ אִם־נִשְׁמְר֥וּ הַנְּעָרִ֖ים אַ֥ךְ מֵאִשָּֽׁה׃ {פ}

English:

The priest answered David, “I have no ordinary bread on hand; there is only consecrated bread—provided the young men have kept away from women.”

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֩עַן֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶת־הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ כִּ֣י אִם־אִשָּׁ֤ה עֲצֻֽרָה־לָ֙נוּ֙ כִּתְמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁ֔ם בְּצֵאתִ֕י וַיִּהְי֥וּ כְלֵֽי־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְהוּא֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ חֹ֔ל וְאַ֕ף כִּ֥י הַיּ֖וֹם יִקְדַּ֥שׁ בַּכֶּֽלִי׃

English:

In reply to the priest, David said, “I assure you that women have been kept from us, as always. Whenever I went on a mission, even if the journey was a common one, the vessels of the young men were consecrated; all the more then may consecrated food be put into their vessels today.”cmay consecrated food … today Meaning of Heb. uncertain in part.

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וַיִּתֶּן־ל֥וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן קֹ֑דֶשׁ כִּי֩ לֹא־הָ֨יָה שָׁ֜ם לֶ֗חֶם כִּֽי־אִם־לֶ֤חֶם הַפָּנִים֙ הַמּֽוּסָרִים֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לָשׂוּם֙ לֶ֣חֶם חֹ֔ם בְּי֖וֹם הִלָּֽקְחֽוֹ׃

English:

So the priest gave him consecrated bread, because there was none there except the bread of display, which had been removed from GOD’s presence to be replaced by warm bread as soon as it was taken away.—

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וְשָׁ֡ם אִישׁ֩ מֵעַבְדֵ֨י שָׁא֜וּל בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נֶעְצָר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וּש��ְמ֖וֹ דֹּאֵ֣ג הָאֲדֹמִ֑י אַבִּ֥יר הָרֹעִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְשָׁאֽוּל׃

English:

Now one of Saul’s officials was there that day, detained before GOD;ddetained before GOD I.e., excluded from the shrine, perhaps because of ritual impurity. his name was Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief herdsman.echief herdsman Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ לַאֲחִימֶ֔לֶךְ וְאִ֛ין יֶשׁ־פֹּ֥ה תַֽחַת־יָדְךָ֖ חֲנִ֣ית אוֹ־חָ֑רֶב כִּ֣י גַם־חַרְבִּ֤י וְגַם־כֵּלַי֙ לֹא־לָקַ֣חְתִּי בְיָדִ֔י כִּֽי־הָיָ֥ה דְבַר־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ נָחֽוּץ׃ {ס}        

English:

David said to Ahimelech, “Haven’t you got a spear or sword on hand? I didn’t take my sword or any of my weapons with me, because the king’s mission was urgent.”

פסוק י״ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַכֹּהֵ֗ן חֶ֩רֶב֩ גׇּלְיָ֨ת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֜י אֲשֶׁר־הִכִּ֣יתָ ׀ בְּעֵ֣מֶק הָאֵלָ֗ה הִנֵּה־הִ֞יא לוּטָ֣ה בַשִּׂמְלָה֮ אַחֲרֵ֣י הָאֵפוֹד֒ אִם־אֹתָ֤הּ תִּֽקַּח־לְךָ֙ קָ֔ח כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין אַחֶ֛רֶת זוּלָתָ֖הּ בָּזֶ֑ה {ס}        וַיֹּ֧אמֶר דָּוִ֛ד אֵ֥ין כָּמ֖וֹהָ תְּנֶ֥נָּה לִּֽי׃

English:

The priest said, “There is the sword of Goliath the Philistine whom you slew in the valley of Elah; it is over there, wrapped in a cloth, behind the ephod. If you want to take that one, take it, for there is none here but that one.” David replied, “There is none like it; give it to me.”

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַיָּ֣קׇם דָּוִ֔ד וַיִּבְרַ֥ח בַּיּוֹם־הַה֖וּא מִפְּנֵ֣י שָׁא֑וּל וַיָּבֹ֕א אֶל־אָכִ֖ישׁ מֶ֥לֶךְ גַּֽת׃

English:

That day David continued on his flight from Saul and he came to King Achish of Gath.

פסוק י״ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ עַבְדֵ֤י אָכִישׁ֙ אֵלָ֔יו הֲלוֹא־זֶ֥ה דָוִ֖ד מֶ֣לֶךְ הָאָ֑רֶץ הֲל֣וֹא לָזֶ֗ה יַעֲנ֤וּ בַמְּחֹלוֹת֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִכָּ֤ה שָׁאוּל֙ בַּאֲלָפָ֔ו וְדָוִ֖ד בְּרִבְבֹתָֽו׃

English:

The courtiers of Achish said to him, “Why, that’s David, king of the land! That’s the one of whom they sing as they dance:Saul has slain his thousands;David, his tens of thousands.”

פסוק י״ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וַיָּ֧שֶׂם דָּוִ֛ד אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה בִּלְבָב֑וֹ וַיִּרָ֣א מְאֹ֔ד מִפְּנֵ֖י אָכִ֥ישׁ מֶלֶךְ־גַּֽת׃

English:

These words worried David and he became very much afraid of King Achish of Gath.

פסוק י״ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וַיְשַׁנּ֤וֹ אֶת־טַעְמוֹ֙ בְּעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּתְהֹלֵ֖ל בְּיָדָ֑ם וַיְתָו֙ עַל־דַּלְת֣וֹת הַשַּׁ֔עַר וַיּ֥וֹרֶד רִיר֖וֹ אֶל־זְקָנֽוֹ׃ {ס}        

English:

So he concealed his good sense from them; he feigned madness for their benefit.ffor their benefit Lit. “in their hand”; meaning of Heb. uncertain. He scratched marks on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.

פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָכִ֖ישׁ אֶל־עֲבָדָ֑יו הִנֵּ֤ה תִרְאוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִשְׁתַּגֵּ֔עַ לָ֛מָּה תָּבִ֥יאוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֵלָֽי׃

English:

And Achish said to his courtiers, “You see the man is raving; why bring him to me?

פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

חֲסַ֤ר מְשֻׁגָּעִים֙ אָ֔נִי כִּֽי־הֲבֵאתֶ֣ם אֶת־זֶ֔ה לְהִשְׁתַּגֵּ֖עַ עָלָ֑י הֲזֶ֖ה יָב֥וֹא אֶל־בֵּיתִֽי׃ {פ}

English:

Do I lack madmen that you have brought this one to rave for me? Should he enter my house?”

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