What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 21:10? That day • The phrase points us to a specific, literal day immediately following David’s visit to the priest Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21:1-9). • On that very day David: – Ate the consecrated bread (cf. Matthew 12:3-4, where Jesus affirms the historicity of the event). – Received Goliath’s sword, reminding us of God’s earlier victory for Israel (1 Samuel 17:50-51). • The urgency of “that day” signals no delay; David had to act at once, echoing later statements such as “Saul searched for him every day” (1 Samuel 23:14). David fled from Saul • “Fled” is plain narrative fact. Saul’s jealousy had already led to multiple murder attempts (1 Samuel 18:11; 19:10; 20:33). • David’s flight does not contradict his faith; Scripture repeatedly portrays godly people taking wise steps to preserve life (cf. Matthew 10:23; Acts 9:25). • God’s anointed king is now a fugitive, prefiguring Christ, who although King, “had no place to lay His head” (Luke 9:58). • The flight fulfills Samuel’s earlier warning that Israel’s demand for a human king would bring oppression (1 Samuel 8:11-18). and went to Achish • Achish (also called Abimelech in Psalm titles) was a Philistine ruler (see 1 Samuel 27:2; 1 Kings 2:39-40). • Crossing into Philistine territory looks risky, yet God often shields His servants in unlikely places (cf. Elijah in Sidon, 1 Kings 17:9). • David’s choice highlights: – The depth of Saul’s hostility—enemy land seemed safer than Israel. – David’s resourcefulness: he carried Goliath’s sword, possibly to gain Achish’s respect. – God’s providence: this contact later opens a door for David to find long-term refuge in Ziklag (1 Samuel 27:5-6). king of Gath • Gath was Goliath’s hometown (1 Samuel 17:4). David now enters the stronghold of the very giant he slew—a striking reversal that tests trust in the Lord. • The title “king” underscores Achish’s full authority; David is placing himself under foreign rule, foreshadowing Israel’s later exiles (2 Kings 17:6; 24:14). • Psalm 56 and Psalm 34, both inscribed “when the Philistines seized him in Gath,” record David’s heart during this season—he admits fear yet declares, “In God I trust; I will not be afraid” (Psalm 56:3-4). • The scene demonstrates God’s sovereignty over all nations (Psalm 22:28). Even a Philistine throne is no barrier to His plan. summary 1 Samuel 21:10 presents a literal snapshot of David’s life on the run: on the very day he secured bread and Goliath’s sword, he urgently escaped Saul’s murderous pursuit and sought asylum with Achish, the Philistine king of Gath. The verse highlights Saul’s escalating danger, David’s practical yet faith-filled response, and God’s hidden hand guiding His anointed—even into enemy territory—to preserve the royal line and advance the bigger redemptive story that culminates in Christ. |
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