Today we continue our story of the life of David seeking to learn what we can to be good followers of the leader above us.
We pick up on the story in 1 Samuel chapter 21. In chapter 20 David hides out in a field and Jonathan comes to tell him that Saul has a plan to kill him. So, David decides to run away.
In chapter 21 (which you can read here for free) David goes to see Ahimelech the priest in Nob. Ahimelech is surprised to see David and asks why he is traveling alone. David slightly misleads Ahimelech saying that “The king has sent me on a private matter” (v. 2). Little does Ahimelech know that David is running from Saul and trying to keep from being killed!
This is a tough time for David. He has had to run from his king, Saul; his best friend, Jonathan; and his wife, Michal. He is all alone in another town having to lie about why he is there. Bible Teacher Chuck Swindoll captures the context of David’s frame of mind beautifully when we writes,
“David had a position and he lost it. He had a wife and he lost her. He had a wise counselor [Samuel], and he lost him. He had a friend [Jonathan], and he lost him. He had self-respect, and he lost it” [1]