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David has now quite taken leave both of Saul's court and of his camp, has bidden farewell to his alter idem—his other self, the beloved Jonathan; and henceforward to the end of this book he is looked upon and treated as an outlaw and proclaimed a traitor. We still find him shifting from place to place for his own safety, and Saul pursuing him. His troubles are very particularly related in this and the following chapters, not only to be a key to the Psalms, but that he might be, as other prophets, an example to the saints in all ages, "of suffering affliction, and of patience," and especially that he might be a type of Christ, who, being anointed to the kingdom, humbled himself, and was therefore highly exalted. But the example of the suffering Jesus was a copy without a blot, that of David was not so; witness the records of this chapter, where we find David in his flight, I. Imposing upon Abimelech the priest, to get from him both victuals and arms, 1Sa 21:1-9. II. Imposing upon Achish, king of Gath, by feigning himself mad, 1Sa 21:10-15. Justly are troubles called temptations, for many are by them drawn into sin.
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David Obtains the Show-Bread; David Gets the Sword of Goliath (1057 BC)
简体中文
大卫得陈设饼；大卫得歌利亚的刀（主前1057年）
¹ 大卫到了挪伯祭司亚希米勒那里。亚希米勒战战兢兢地出来迎接他，问他说："你为什么独自来，没有人跟随呢？" ² 大卫回答祭司亚希米勒说："王吩咐我一件事，说：'我所差遣你去办的这事，并我所吩咐你的，都不可使人知道。'我已派定仆人在某处某处。" ³ 现在你手下有什么？求你给我五个饼，或别的食物，放在我手里。" ⁴ 祭司回答大卫说："我手下没有寻常的饼，只有圣饼；若是少年人近几天没有亲近妇人，才可以给。" ⁵ 大卫回答祭司说："我们实在三天没有亲近妇人；我出来的时候，少年人的器皿还是圣的；这饼虽是圣的，就算是寻常的也罢了，何况今日才在器皿里分别为圣呢。" ⁶ 祭司就拿圣饼给他，因为那里没有别的饼，只有从耶和华面前撤下来的陈设饼，为要在撤下的那日换上热饼。 ⁷ 当日有扫罗的一个臣仆在那里，留在耶和华面前。他名叫多益，是以东人，是扫罗的司牧长。 ⁸ 大卫对亚希米勒说："你手下没有枪或刀么？因为王的事甚急，我连刀剑兵器都没有带。" ⁹ 祭司说："你在以拉谷杀的非利士人歌利亚的刀，在这里，裹在以弗得后边；你要拿去就可以拿去，这里再没有别的。"大卫说："这再好没有，给我罢。"
这里我们看到：I. 大卫在患难之中投奔神的会幕——如今设在挪伯，据认为是便雅悯支派中的一座城。自从示罗被弃之后，会幕屡次迁移，而约柜仍留在基列耶琳。大卫在逃避扫罗怒火时来到这里（撒上21:1），求助于亚希米勒祭司。先知撒母耳不能保护他，王子约拿单也不能。于是他转而投奔亚希米勒祭司。他预见自己如今必作流亡之人，所以来到会幕，1. 与之辞别，情怀难舍，因为他不知何时再能见它——在放逐之中，再没有什么比远离神的家、不能与众人同守公开的圣礼更叫他伤痛的了，这从他许多诗篇可以见出。他已向挚友约拿单深情告别，就不能不去会幕作同样的告别。2. 在那里求问耶和华，求他在当尽本分与求保安全之道上指引他，因为他的处境既难且险。这原是他此来的本意，可见于撒上22:10——那里记着亚希米勒为他求问耶和华，如从前所作的一样（撒上21:15 在马所拉文本中的位置）。在患难之日，我们有一位可投奔的神，可以向他将自己的情形陈明，又可向他求问并指望他的引导，这是我们极大的安慰。
II. 祭司亚希米勒见他随行如此寒酸，便大为诧异；既听见他在朝廷失宠，便对他存着戒心——这正是世人待失势朋友的常态。他怕因款待大卫而惹扫罗不悦，又留意他如今的排场与从前何等不同：你为何独自一人？ 大卫其实还有几名随从（可见可2:26），但都只是自己的仆人；既无朝臣，也无显贵相随，不似他从前来求问耶和华时的光景。他曾说（诗42:4）：他素常与守节的众人同往神殿； 如今既只有两三人相随，亚希米勒自可问：你为何独自一人？ 他从牧人孤寂的生活被骤然抬举到军营的纷扰喧嚷之中，如今又同样骤然沦为流亡的孤苦之境，如同房顶上孤孤单单的麻雀一般——这世界的变幻何其急，它的笑脸又何其无常！今日被趋奉的人，明日便可能被遗弃。
III. 大卫托词奉扫罗之命办理公务，请亚希米勒供给眼前的急需（撒上21:2-3）。
1. 这里大卫的行径不像他平日所为。他对亚希米勒撒了一个赤裸的谎——说扫罗派他办差事，吩咐随从在某处等候，又嘱咐他严守机密，连祭司也不敢相告。这全是假的。这事当怎么说呢？圣经并不掩饰，我们也不敢为之辩。这事行得不正，且招致了恶果——它导致了耶和华众祭司的死，大卫事后追悔痛思（撒上22:22）。他其实无需对祭司如此欺瞒，因为我们可设想，他若如实相告，亚希米勒必像撒母耳那样乐意庇护周济他，也更懂得如何为他谋策、为他求问神。人对忠心的牧者当坦率无隐。大卫本是极具信心勇气之人，如今二者皆失，因惧怕胆怯而如此跌倒——其根都在信心软弱。他若信靠神得法，断不会用这样可怜可罪的巧计来自保。这事记下来，并非为我们的效法——即在极大困迫中也不可——乃为我们的警戒。自以为站得稳的，须谨慎，免得跌倒； 我们都当每日祷告：主啊，不叫我们遇见试探。 我们都当借此机会哀叹：（1.）善人的软弱与缺欠；在天这边，再善的也并非完全。真正的恩典可能确在，却仍有许多过失。（2.）恶时的险恶，把善人逼入如此困迫，竟使试探强过他们。压迫使智者行愚妄事。
2. 大卫向亚希米勒求两样东西——饼和刀。
（1.）他缺饼：五个饼（撒上21:3）。那时旅行艰难，人通常须自带干粮，因钱帛少，又无客店，否则大卫此刻也不至于求饼。可见大卫也曾偶尔认识义人的子孙讨饭之苦，却未曾长久如此（诗37:25）。如今，[1.] 祭司提出异议：他手边只有圣饼——陈设饼，就是在圣所金桌上摆了一周、撤下供祭司及其家人食用的（撒上21:4）。看来这位祭司并不善于款客，不是缺了厚待之心，就是缺了款客之资。亚希米勒以为，大卫随行的少年人若非近日禁戒妇人——甚至自己的妻子——就不能吃这饼；这原是颁律法之时所要求的（出19:15），但此外我们不见圣经以此作为礼仪洁净或不洁的定规，所以这位祭司似乎过于拘泥，甚至近乎迷信。[2.] 大卫辩称，他和同行的人在此急需情形下，按理可吃这圣饼，因为他们不但能答允祭司所定的条件——禁戒妇人已经三日——而且少年人的器皿（即身体）是圣的， 因常以圣洁尊贵守着自己的器皿（帖前4:4-5），所以神必特别看顾他们，使他们不至缺乏所需，也必叫他的祭司如此待他们。既如此圣洁，圣物并不被禁给他们。敬虔的以色列贫民，实际上便是神的祭司；与其饿死，宁可吃那分别为圣归祭司的饼。信徒是属灵的祭司，耶和华的供物便是他们的产业；他们吃他们神的饼。他又辩称：这饼既已过了宗教上的首要用途，如今便与寻常之饼无甚分别；尤其（如我们边注所读）那里有别饼（热的， 撒上21:6）今日才在器皿里分别为圣， 已摆在桌上取代了它。这是大卫的辩护，大卫的子孙也予以嘉许，并由此表明：怜悯胜于献祭，礼仪的遵守当让位于道德的本分；在紧迫的神护理所需之时可行的事，在别时便不可行。他引用此例，以为门徒在安息日掐麦穗被法利赛人非议一事辩护（太12:3-4）。[3.] 亚希米勒于是供给他：他就拿圣饼给他（撒上21:6），有人以为他为大卫求问耶和华正是为此（撒上22:10）。作为忠心的仆人，他不愿未经主人允准就处置主人的食物。这饼既是分别为圣的，想必更合大卫之意——因凡圣物在他眼中都极宝贵。陈设饼一共不过十二个，他却从其中给了大卫五个（撒上21:3），虽家中再无别饼；他信靠神护理。
（2.）他缺刀。当时的贵胄，虽身为军中将领，也不像今日那样时常佩刀，否则大卫断不至于无刀在手。奇怪的是约拿单未将自己的刀供给他，像从前所作的一样（撒上18:4）。无论缘由如何，他如今身上并无兵器；他托辞是因为出发仓促（撒上21:8）。至于那配了圣灵的剑和信德的藤牌的人，却绝不会被夺去武装，也无需在任何时候手足无措。但祭司似乎并无刀剑：他们争战的兵器原不是属血气的。会幕四周除歌利亚的刀之外，再无别刀——那刀包在以弗得后边，作为大卫胜过他所获荣耀胜利的纪念。大概大卫向祭司求刀时，正想到这刀；一经提及，他便说：噢，这再好没有，给我罢（撒上21:9）。扫罗的盔甲他不能用，因为未曾试过；但歌利亚这刀他却用过、杀过敌。由此可见他如今体力身量都已长成，能佩能用这样一把刀。神已教导他的手争战， 所以他能行奇事（诗18:34）。关于这刀，有两点可留意：——[1.] 神已恩慈地将它赐给他，作为他独特恩宠的凭据；所以每当他拔刀——不，每当他看见它，都必坚固他的信心，使他记起那次神护理对他特别看顾眷顾的光辉明证。[2.] 他已感恩地把它献还神，作为感谢的记号，归神为圣、为神的荣耀而献；如今在患难之中，它大大助他一臂之力。注意：我们归与神的赞美、用以事奉神的，最有可能在或此或彼的路上反归于我们自己的安慰与益处。我们所给的，便是我们所有的。
这样，大卫得了兵器和粮食；但不幸之至，扫罗的一名臣仆当时正在耶和华面前伺候，名叫多益，竟成为大卫与亚希米勒双方的卑鄙叛徒。他本是以东人（撒上21:7），虽为得着如今在扫罗手下的官职而入了犹太教，却仍存着以东对以色列那古老的世仇。他是扫罗的司牧长——这职位或许与今日的御马总管一样尊荣。他这次或因某事要见祭司——或为洁净某种污秽，或为还愿；但无论何事，经上记着说，他留在耶和华面前。他不得不留下伺候，无可奈何，但他厌烦这服事，嗤之以鼻，说，这是何等烦琐！（玛1:13）。他宁可去任何地方也不愿留在耶和华面前，所以他不专心办理所来之事，反倒图谋陷害大卫，又因亚希米勒把他留下而怀恨报复。神的圣所从来保不住这等披着羊皮的狼。见加2:4。
英文原文
David Obtains the Show-Bread; David Gets the Sword of Goliath (1057 BC)
¹ Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
² And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
³ Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.
⁴ And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.
⁵ And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
⁶ So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
⁷ Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.
⁸ And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.
⁹ And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.
Here, I. David, in distress, flies in the tabernacle of God, now pitched at Nob, supposed to be a city in the tribe of Benjamin. Since Shiloh was forsaken, the tabernacle was often removed, though the ark still remained at Kirjath-jearim. Hither David came in his flight from Saul's fury (1Sa 21:1), and applied to Ahimelech the priest. Samuel the prophet could not protect him, Jonathan the prince could not. He therefore has recourse next to Ahimelech the priest. He foresees he must now be an exile, and therefore comes to the tabernacle, 1. To take an affecting leave of it, for he knows not when he shall see it again, and nothing will be more afflictive to him in his banishment than his distance from the house of God, and his restraint from public ordinances, as appears by many of his psalms. He had given an affectionate farewell to his friend Jonathan, and cannot go till he has given the like to the tabernacle. 2. To enquire of the Lord there, and to beg direction from him in the way both of duty and safety, his case being difficult and dangerous. That this was his business appears 1Sa 22:10, where it is said that Ahimelech enquired of the Lord for him, as he had done formerly, 1Sa 21:15. It is a great comfort to us in a day of trouble that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our case, and from whom we may ask and expect direction.
II. Ahimelech the priest is surprised to see him in so poor an equipage; having heard that he had fallen into disgrace at court, he looked shy upon him, as most are apt to do upon their friends when the world frowns upon them. He was afraid of incurring Saul's displeasure by entertaining him, and took notice how mean a figure he now made to what he used to make: Why art thou alone? He had some with him (as appears Mk 2:26), but they were only his own servants; he had none of the courtiers, no persons of quality with him, as he used to have at other times, when he came to enquire of the Lord. He says (Ps 42:4) he was wont to go with a multitude to the house of God; and, having now but two or three with him, Ahimelech might well ask, Why art thou alone? He that was suddenly advanced from the solitude of a shepherd's life to the crowd and hurries of the camp is now as soon reduced to the desolate condition of an exile and is alone like a sparrow on the housetop, such charges are there in this world and so uncertain are its smiles! Those that are courted to-day may be deserted to-morrow.
III. David, under pretence of being sent by Saul upon public services, solicits Ahimelech to supply his present wants, 1Sa 21:2,3.
1. Here David did not behave like himself. He told Ahimelech a gross untruth, that Saul had ordered him business to despatch, that his attendants were dismissed to such a place, and that he was charged to observe secresy and therefore durst not communicate it, no, not to the priest himself. This was all false. What shall we say to this? The scripture does not conceal it, and we dare not justify it. It was ill done, and proved of bad consequence; for it occasioned the death of the priests of the Lord, as David reflected upon it afterwards with regret, 1Sa 22:22. It was needless for him thus to dissemble with the priest, for we may suppose that, if he had told him the truth, he would have sheltered and relieved him as readily as Samuel did, and would have known the better how to advise him and enquire of God for him. People should be free with their faithful ministers. David was a man of great faith and courage, and yet now both failed him, and he fell thus foully through fear and cowardice, and both owing to the weakness of his faith. Had he trusted God aright, he would not have used such a sorry sinful shift as this for his own preservation. It is written, not for our imitation, no, not in the greatest straits, but for our admonition. Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall; and let us all pray daily, Lord, lead us not into temptation. Let us all take occasion from this to lament, (1.) The weakness and infirmity of good men; the best are not perfect on this side heaven. There may be true grace where yet there are many failings. (2.) The wickedness of bad times, which forces good men into such straits as prove temptations too strong for them. Oppression makes a wise man do foolishly.
2. Two things David begged of Ahimelech, bread and a sword.
(1.) He wanted bread: five loaves, 1Sa 21:3. Travelling was then troublesome, when men generally carried their provisions with them in kind, having little money and no public houses, else David would not now have had to seek for bread. It seems David had known the seed of the righteous begging bread occasionally, but not constantly, Ps 37:25. Now, [1.] The priest objected that he had none but hallowed bread, show-bread, which had stood a week on the golden table in the sanctuary, and was taken thence for the use of the priests and their families, 1Sa 21:4. It seems the priest kept no good house, but wanted either a heart to be hospitable or provisions wherewithal to be so. Ahimelech thinks that the young men that attended David might not eat of this bread unless they had for some time abstained from women, even from their own wives; this was required at the giving of the law (Ex 19:15), but otherwise we never find this made the matter of any ceremonial purity on the one side or pollution on the other, and therefore the priest here seems to be over-nice, not to say superstitious. [2.] David pleads that he and those that were with him, in this case of necessity, might lawfully eat of the hallowed bread, for they were not only able to answer his terms of keeping from women for three days past, but the vessels (that is, the bodies) of the young men were holy, being possessed in sanctification and honour at all times (1Th 4:4,5), and therefore God would take particular care of them, that they wanted not necessary supports, and would have his priest to do so. Being thus holy, holy things were not forbidden them. Poor and pious Israelites were in effect priests to God, and, rather than be starved, might feed on the bread which was appropriated to the priests. Believers are spiritual priests, and the offerings of the Lord shall be their inheritance; they eat the bread of their God. He pleads that the bread is in a manner common, now that what was primarily the religious use of it is over; especially (as our margin reads it) where there is other bread (hot, 1Sa 21:6) sanctified that day in the vessel, and put in the room of it upon the table. This was David's plea, and the Son of David approves it, and shows from it that mercy is to be preferred to sacrifice, that ritual observance must give way to moral duties, and that may be done in a case of an urgent providential necessity which may not otherwise be done. He brings it to justify his disciples in plucking the ears of corn on the sabbath day, for which the Pharisees censured them, Mt 12:3,4. [3.] Ahimelech hereupon supplies him: He gave him hallowed bread (1Sa 21:6), and some think it was about this that he enquired of the Lord, 1Sa 22:10. As a faithful servant he would not dispose of his master's provisions without his master's leave. This bread, we may suppose, was the more agreeable to David for its being hallowed, so precious were all sacred things to him. The show-bread was but twelve loaves in all, yet out of these he gave David five (1Sa 21:3), though they had no more in the house; but he trusted Providence.
(2.) He wanted a sword. Persons of quality, though officers of the army, did not then wear their swords so constantly as now they do, else surely David would not have been without one. It was a wonder that Jonathan did not furnish him with his, as he had before done, 1Sa 18:4. However, it happened that he had now no weapons with him, the reason of which he pretends to be because he came away in haste, 1Sa 21:8. Those that are furnished with the sword of the Spirit and the shield of faith cannot be disarmed of them, nor need they, at any time, to be at a loss. But the priests, it seems, had no swords: the weapons of their warfare were not carnal. There was not a sword to be found about the tabernacle but the sword of Goliath, which was laid up behind the ephod, as a monument of the glorious victory David obtained over him. Probably David had an eye to that when he asked the priest to help him with a sword; for, that being mentioned, O! says he, there is none like that, give it to me, 1Sa 21:9. He could not use Saul's armour, for he had not proved it; but this sword of Goliath he had made trial of and done execution with. By this it appears that he was now well grown in strength and stature, that he could wear and wield such a sword as that. God had taught his hands to war, so that he could do wonders, Ps 18:34. Two things we may observe concerning this sword:—[1.] That God had graciously given it to him, as a pledge of his singular favour; so that whenever he drew it, nay, whenever he looked upon it, it would be a great support to his faith, by bringing to mind that great instance of the particular care and countenance of the divine providence respecting him. [2.] That he had gratefully given it back to God, dedicating it to him and to his honour as a token of his thankfulness; and now in his distress it stood him greatly in stead. Note, What we devote to God's praise, and serve him with, is most likely to redound, one way or other, to our own comfort and benefit. What we gave we have.
Thus was David well furnished with arms and victuals; but it fell out very unhappily that there was one of Saul's servants then attending before the Lord, Doeg by name, that proved a base traitor both to David and Ahimelech. He was by birth an Edomite (1Sa 21:7), and though proselyted to the Jewish religion, to get the preferment he now had under Saul, yet he retained the ancient and hereditary enmity of Edom to Israel. He was master of the herds, which perhaps was then a place of as much honour as master of the horse is now. Some occasion or other he had at this time to wait on the priest, either to be purified from some pollution or to pay some vow; but, whatever his business was, it is said, he was detained before the Lord. He must attend and could not help it, but he was sick of the service, snuffed at it, and said, What a weariness is it! Mal 1:13. He would rather have been any where else than before the Lord, and therefore, instead of minding the business he came about, was plotting to do David a mischief and to be revenged on Ahimelech for detaining him. God's sanctuary could never secure such wolves in sheep's clothing. See Ga 2:4.
10-15
David Driven from Achish (1057 BC)
简体中文
大卫被亚吉赶逐（主前1057年）
¹⁰ 那日大卫起来，躲避扫罗，逃到迦特王亚吉那里。 ¹¹ 亚吉的臣仆对他说：「这不是以色列国王大卫吗？那里的妇女跳舞唱和，不是指着他说『扫罗杀死千千，大卫杀死万万』吗？」 ¹² 大卫将这话放在心里，甚惧怕迦特王亚吉。 ¹³ 就在众人面前改变了寻常的举动，在他们手下假装疯癫，在城门的门扇上胡写乱画，使唾沫流在胡子上。 ¹⁴ 亚吉对臣仆说：「你们看，这人是疯子。你们为什么带他到我这里来呢？ ¹⁵ 我岂缺少疯子，你们竟带这人来在我面前疯癫吗？这人岂可进我的家呢？」
大卫虽是受膏为王的人，在这里却是流亡者——本注定要掌管极大财富，如今却讨饭糊口——受膏承受冠冕，如今却被迫逃离本国。 神的护理有时似乎与他的应许背道而驰，为要试验他百姓的信心，并在成就他的旨意上荣耀他的名——尽管路途中有种种艰难。这里包含：1. 大卫逃入非利士地，盼望在迦特王亚吉的宫廷或军中藏身，不被发现（撒上21:10）。以色列的宠儿竟不得不离开以色列地；那原是非利士人的大仇敌（我不知道是出于什么动机），竟去他们中间寻求庇护。看来虽然以色列人爱他，以色列王却对他怀有私仇，迫他离开本国；照样，虽然非利士人恨他，迦特王却对他个人有些恩情，看重他的功劳——也许更因他杀了迦特的歌利亚，那歌利亚也许向来不是亚吉的朋友。大卫如今直接投奔他，当作一个可以信赖的人，正如后来那样（撒上27:2-3）；亚吉若不是怕得罪自己的百姓，本不会不保护他。 神受逼迫的百姓，往往从非利士人所得的待遇比从以色列人所得的更好——在外邦的戏院里比在犹太人的会堂里更好。犹大王囚禁了耶利米，巴比伦王却释放了他。2. 亚吉的臣仆因他在那里而生的嫌恶，并向亚吉投诉（撒上21:11）：「这不是大卫吗？这不是那向非利士人夸胜的大卫吗？那被人传扬的歌就是见证：『扫罗杀死千千，但大卫——就是这人——杀死万万。』不，这不是那（如果我们从以色列地所得的情报属实）已经是、或将要作『那地之王』的人吗？」既然如此，「他必是我国之敌；我们保护、款待这样的人，安全吗？光彩吗？」亚吉也许曾向他们暗示，款待大卫是策略，因为他如今是扫罗的仇敌，日后可作他们的朋友。一国的法外之徒被那国的仇敌所庇护，本是常事。但亚吉的臣仆反对他的策略，认为留他在他们中间丝毫也不合适。3. 这事使大卫陷入何等的惊恐。他虽有几分理由信任亚吉，但当他察觉亚吉的臣仆对他起疑，他就开始害怕亚吉会被迫把他交给他们；他「甚惧怕」（撒上21:12），也许他既这样被识破，对自己的危险就更感深切，因为他佩着歌利亚的刀——那刀在迦特想必人所共知；他很有理由担心他们会用那刀砍他的头，正如他曾用那刀砍歌利亚的头。大卫如今亲身体验了他教导我们的（诗118:9）：「投靠耶和华，强似倚赖人王子。」上流人都是虚假；我们若以他们为盼望，他们也许反成我们的惊恐。大卫正是在此时写下诗55:1-23（金诗，一首宝贵的诗），「那时非利士人在迦特拿住他」；他既在 神面前陈明他的困苦，就决意（撒上21:3）：「我惧怕的时候要倚靠你；所以」（撒上21:11）「血气之辈能把我怎样呢，连巨人之子也不能。」4. 他为脱身所采的办法：「他假装疯癫」（撒上21:13）。他作出天生愚人或失心之人的姿态举动，以为他们必乐意相信他所陷入的羞辱、他如今的烦恼，已叫他失了常。他的这番佯装不能被称义——如此贬损自己是卑鄙的事，如此曲解自己也与诚实不合，因此不配大卫这样的人的尊荣和真诚；然而在某种程度上可以原谅，因为这不是彻头彻尾的谎言，倒像争战中的计谋，他借此欺骗仇敌以保全性命。大卫在此不过是装作如此、为着自身安全（这使得这事部分可恕），醉酒的人却是真实地如此行，只为满足卑贱的情欲：他们自作愚人，改变寻常的举动；他们的言语举动通常要么像白痴一样愚蠢可笑，要么像疯子一样狂暴凶猛——这常常令我惊奇，明理自尊的人怎会容让自己如此。5. 他藉此逃脱（撒上21:14-15）。我倾向于认为亚吉知道这疯狂是装出来的；但他既愿保护大卫（正如我们后来所见，纵然非利士的首领不喜欢他，亚吉仍十分恩待他，撒上28:1-2、29:6），便对臣仆装作真以为他疯了，因此有理由怀疑这人到底是不是大卫；若是，他们也不必怕他，他既失了理智，还能害他们什么呢？他们怀疑亚吉有意款待他。「不是的，」他说，「他是个疯子。我与他无干。你们不必怕我会用他，或给他什么礼遇。」他又恰好地问：「我岂缺少疯子吗？这愚顽人岂可进我的家呢？我不向他施恩；但你们也不可害他，因为他若是疯子，是当怜恤的。」因此他「赶逐他」，正如诗34:1的标题所说——那诗是大卫为此事所写，实在是一篇极好的诗，表明他改变举动的时候并没有改变心灵；即使在极大的困难和忙乱中，他的心仍然「坚定」，倚靠耶和华；他以这样的把握结束那诗：「凡投靠他的，必不至定罪」——虽然他们也许像他现在这样，孤单受苦，「遭逼迫，却不被丢弃」。
英文原文
David Driven from Achish (1057 BC)
¹⁰ And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
¹¹ And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
¹² And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
¹³ And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
¹⁴ Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
¹⁵ Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?
David, though king elect, is here an exile—designed to be master of vast treasures, yet just now begging his bread—anointed to the crown, and yet here forced to flee from his country. Thus do God's providences sometimes seem to run counter to his promises, for the trial of his people's faith, and the glorifying of his name, in the accomplishment of his counsels, notwithstanding the difficulties that lay in the way. Here is, 1. David's flight into the land of the Philistines, where he hoped to be hid, and to remain undiscovered in the court or camp of Achish king of Gath, 1Sa 21:10. Israel's darling is necessitated to quit the land of Israel, and he that was the Philistine's great enemy (upon I know not what inducements) goes to seek for shelter among them. It should seem that as, though the Israelites loved him, yet the king of Israel had a personal enmity to him, which obliged him to leave his own country, so, though the Philistines hated him, yet the king of Gath had a personal kindness for him, valuing his merit, and perhaps the more for his killing Goliath of Gath, who, it may be, had been no friend to Achish. To him David now went directly, as to one he could confide in, as afterwards (1Sa 27:2,3), and Achish would not have protected him but that he was afraid of disobliging his own people. God's persecuted people have often found better usage from Philistines than from Israelites, in the Gentile theatres than in the Jewish synagogues. The king of Judah imprisoned Jeremiah, and the king of Babylon set him at liberty. 2. The disgust which the servants of Achish took at his being there, and their complaint of it to Achish (1Sa 21:11): "Is not this David? Is not this he that has triumphed over the Philistines? witness that burden of the song which was so much talked of, Saul has slain his thousands, but David, this very man, his ten thousands. Nay, Is not this he that (if our intelligence from the land of Israel be true) is, or is to be, king of the land?" As such, "he must be an enemy to our country; and is it safe or honourable for us to protect or entertain such a man?" Achish perhaps had intimated to them that it would be policy to entertain David, because he was now an enemy to Saul, and he might be hereafter a friend to them. It is common for the outlaws of a nation to be sheltered by the enemies of that nation. But the servants of Achish objected to his politics, and thought it not at all fit that he should stay among them. 3. The fright which this put David into. Though he had some reason to put confidence in Achish, yet, when he perceived the servants of Achish jealous of him, he began to be afraid that Achish would be obliged to deliver him up to them, and he was sorely afraid (1Sa 21:12), and perhaps he was the more apprehensive of his own danger, when he was thus discovered, because he wore Goliath's sword, which, we may suppose, was well known in Gath, and with which he had reason to expect they would cut off his head, as he had cut off Goliath's with it. David now learned by experience what he has taught us (Ps 118:9), that it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. Men of high degree are a lie, and, if we make them our hope, they may prove our fear. It was at this time that David penned Ps 55:1-23 (Michtam, a golden psalm), when the Philistines took him in Gath, where having shown before God his distresses, he resolves (1Sa 21:3), "What time I am afraid I will trust in thee; and therefore (1Sa 21:11) will not be afraid what man can do unto me, no, not the sons of giants." 4. The course he took to get out of their hands: He feigned himself mad, 1Sa 21:13. He used the gestures and fashions of a natural fool, or one that had gone out of his wits, supposing they would be ready enough to believe that the disgrace he had fallen into, and the troubles he was now in, had driven him distracted. This dissimulation of his cannot be justified (it was a mean thing thus to disparage himself, and inconsistent with truth thus to misrepresent himself, and therefore not becoming the honour and sincerity of such a man as David); yet it may in some degree be excused, for it was not a downright lie and it was like a stratagem in war, by which he imposed upon his enemies for the preservation of his own life. What David did here in pretence and for his own safety, which made it partly excusable, drunkards do really, and only to gratify a base lust: they made fools of themselves and change their behaviour; their words and actions commonly are either as silly and ridiculous as an idiot's or as furious and outrageous as a madman's, which has often made me wonder that ever men of sense and honour should allow themselves in it. 5. His escape by this means, 1Sa 21:14,15. I am apt to think Achish was aware that the delirium was but counterfeit, but, being desirous to protect David (as we find afterwards he was very kind to him, even when the lord of the Philistines favoured him not, 1Sa 28:1,2,29:6), he pretended to his servants that he really thought he was mad, and therefore had reason to question whether it was David or no; or, if it were, they need not fear him, what harm could he do them now that his reason had departed from him? They suspected that Achish was inclined to entertain him: "Not I," says he. "He is a madman. I'll have nothing to do with him. You need not fear that I should employ him, or give him any countenance." He humours the thing well enough when he asks, "Have I need of madmen? Shall this fool come into my house? I will show him no kindness, but then you shall do him no hurt, for, if he be a madmen, he is to be pitied." He therefore drove him away, as it is in the title of Ps 34:1, which David penned upon this occasion, and an excellent psalm it is, and shows that he did not change his spirit when he changed his behaviour, but even in the greatest difficulties and hurries his heart was fixed, trusting in the Lord; and he concludes that psalm with this assurance, that none of those that trust in God shall be desolate, though they may be, as he now was, solitary and distressed, persecuted, but not forsaken.
大卫如今已与扫罗的宫室和军营彻底作别，也已与他"另一半自我"——他所亲爱的约拿单——诀别。自此直到本书末了，他都被人视为亡命之徒，被定为叛党。我们仍看见他为保安全而辗转流离，扫罗则紧追不舍。本章及随后数章极为详尽地记载了他的患难，这不仅是为了作为解读《诗篇》的钥匙，也使他像其他先知一样，成为历代圣徒"受苦与忍耐"的榜样，更使他成为基督的预表——基督既受膏为王，便自己降卑，因而被神高举。然而受苦之耶稣所立的榜样毫无瑕疵，大卫的却不然；本章的记载便是明证。其中可见大卫在逃亡途中：I. 欺瞒祭司亚比米勒，从他那里既取得食物，又取得兵器，撒上 21:1-9。II. 欺瞒迦特王亚吉，装作癫狂，撒上 21:10-15。患难之所以被称作"试探"，实在合宜，因许多人正是在其中被引入罪中。