Useful Bible Studies > 1 Samuel Commentary > chapter 22
Doeg had heard Saul’s speech to his officials (22:7-8). In that speech, Saul reminded his officials how much they had benefited from his rule. He urged them strongly to be loyal to him, and to fight against David.
Doeg was a foreigner, from Edom. He clearly had strong ambitions; he was in charge of the men who looked after Saul’s sheep (21:7). Doeg wanted Saul to be pleased with him; he wanted Saul to make him more important.
This mattered because Doeg had some information about David. It was old information, perhaps from several months earlier. It did not seem important at the time. However, now Doeg saw an opportunity to benefit by it.
Doeg had seen David on the day when he escaped from Saul. David was elsewhere now; in fact, Saul now knew where David was (22:6).
So Doeg’s information was not really about David. It was about someone who had supported David. That important person had helped David to escape from Saul. He had given David food, and a sword.
The person whom Doeg accused was: Ahimelech, Israel’s chief priest.
That fact would have caused a great shock to everyone who heard it. It surprised nobody when Saul opposed an important official or an army commander. Even the fact that Saul was trying to kill David did not seem unusual to Saul’s officials. However, the decision to accuse the chief priest was a very severe matter. Israel’s chief priest was responsible to God, not to men. People were afraid of him because of his sacred duties in front of God (22:17).
Next part: Saul accuses the chief priest (1 Samuel 22:11-15)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.