1 Samuel 22

Verses 1-5, “David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him. Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, 'Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me.' So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. Now the prophet Gad said to David, 'Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.' So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.”

David had to leave everything behind and flee to a cave to hide from Saul. Without the distractions of life, and in the midst of severe persecution, he would be able to hear from God and be used mightily. When we are at our weakest, then God can be strong on our behalfs. Matthew 5:11‭-‬12, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

II Corinthians 4:7‭-‬12, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we  are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.”

David's family heard of his situation and came to him in support. Also, those who were discontented with life came to him. These are the people that had been affected by hardship, and were broken vessels ready for God's use, and David became a captain over them. When you are in a place where you think you are awesome and have everything under control, you are not useful to God because you will glorify yourself for His work. I Corinthians 1:26‭-‬29, “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

Verses 6-10, “When Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered—now Saul was staying in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing about him— then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, 'Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.' Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, 'I saw the son of Jesse going to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. And he inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.' ”

Saul threatens his servants, reminding them of what he can do for them in the flesh. What he ignores is what God can do for one in the Spirit. He is upset that they have not taken his side against David, even though David had done nothing to deserve this betrayal. However, Doeg the Edomite, was hanging around even though he was a foreigner. He tells Saul what he observed when he went to Ahimelech on business, how David was given bread and Goliath's sword. Doeg was an opportunist, looking for the right time to promote himself. He did not care about what was right nor have any desire to honor God, but much like Saul, served himself. Philippians 3:18‭-‬21, “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame— who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

Verses 11-17, “So the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob. And they all came to the king. And Saul said, 'Hear now, son of Ahitub!' He answered, 'Here I am, my Lord.' Then Saul said to him, 'Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day?' So Ahimelech answered the king and said, 'And who among all your servants is as  faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house? Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute anything to his servant, or to any in the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, little or much.' And the king said, 'You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!' Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, 'Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me.' But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the Lord.”

Even though Ahimelech had no idea that David was running from Saul when he gave him provisions, Saul will still punish him by death. You can see how David's lies will now have consequences for those around him. Sin often affects more than just us, but we lie to ourselves and make it a personal matter, thinking it is our own business. When you are part of the body of Christ, the whole body suffers when you are not walking in righteousness. However, the whole body benefits when you do. When Saul orders the death of Ahimelech and the other priests, his servants refuse to carry out the order, fearing that they are men of God. This is when Doeg (the foreigner) steps in to take advantage of the situation and gain position in Saul's eyes, ignoring what is right in God's eyes.

Verses 18-23, “And the king said to Doeg, 'You turn and kill the priests!' So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod. Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep—with the edge of the sword. Now one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord ’s priests. So David said to Abiathar, 'I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father’s house. Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe.' ”

Doeg did not hesitate to carry out Saul's order. There will always be those in the church, mixed in among the true believers, that will look for opportunities to gain earthly advantage. He murdered 85 men of God, along with their women and children, all of whom were innocent of betraying Saul. Only one would escape death, Abiathar, who would flee for his life and find David in hiding. Now they both were hiding from the hand of Saul, but David reminds him that they will be safe and not to fear. David could do nothing to undo the wrong that was committed against the priests as a result of his lies, but he could choose now to do the right thing by protecting Abiathar.