Saul’s grievance

Unable to capture David, Saul’s frustration grew day by day. (1) Saul sat on his throne in Gibeah, using a spear as a scepter, and voiced his grievances to his attendants and officials. He complained that even though David, who was from the tribe of Judah, would not favor the Benjaminites once he became king, no one comes to inform David’s whereabouts. He also lamented that his son Jonathan was inciting David against him, and yet, this too had not been reported. (2) At this time, Saul was in a state of paranoia. His statement, “There is no one of you who cares about me,” also reveals that he had fallen into self-pity. Continued rebellion against God leads to an inability to make sound judgments, and eventually, everyone around starts to seem like an enemy. Saul, having no friends around him, is truly a pitiable person.

Doeg the Edomite

At this time, instead of offering counsel to Saul, a figure appeared who sought to ingratiate himself with Saul. This was Doeg the Edomite. (1) He pushed aside Saul‘s officials and said, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech son of Ahitub.” Doeg referred to David as “the son of Jesse” in an attempt to express contempt for David and by doing so win favor with Saul. (2) Next, Doeg testified, “He [Ahimelech] inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” While it’s true that Ahimelech provided David with bread and the sword, the claim that Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for David is not accurate. (3) Doeg’s statement was intended to implicate Ahimelech as complicit with David. Filled with suspicion, Saul became decisively distrustful of Ahimelech based on Doeg’s words. The sin of Doeg lay in telling only half-truths, which is as grievous as telling outright lies. As a result, Ahimelech and the priests of Nob were massacred by Saul’s orders. Let us remember that words can also be weapons and be mindful of guarding our tongues.