Fulfilling Prophecy

Angry that David had escaped again, Saul ordered that the entire city of Nob be killed.  Fearing the Lord and knowing what he Law said, the soldiers refused.   Doeg, was an Edomite, some of Israels enemies, and, although he participated in the Jewish religion, had little or no concern for the God’s law or the Jewish people.  When Saul asked him to kill the people of Nob, he didn’t hesitate, as II Samuel 22:18-19 tells us.  “And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.  And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.”

Doeg murdered everyone in the city, including eighty five priests and their families.  Only one priest, Abiathar, one of Eli’s great-great grandsons escaped, as I Samuel 22:20-23 tells us.  “And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.  And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests.  And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.  Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.”

Doeg’s murder of the priests at Nob was a partial fulfillment of the prophecy against Eli, in I Samuel 2:31-33.  “Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.  And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.  And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.”  It happened because of Saul’s selfishness, but David felt responsible for their deaths and offered to protect Abiathar.   Saul blamed their deaths on Ahimelech’s effort to help David and took no responsibility for it, like most proud and selfish people.    

While Saul was busy trying to find David, The Philistines had invaded Judah, attacking the city of Keilah, terrorizing the surrounding area.  When David prayed about whether he should go help them God directed him to go, in I Samuel 23:1-5.  “Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.  Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines?

And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah: for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.  So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.”

David’s men were hesitant about fighting the Philistines at Keilah.  As king, it was Saul’s responsibility to protect Israel, and they were concerned that taking time to fight the Philistines might leave them open to an attack by Saul.  God told him to go anyway, so they went and defeated the Philistines, killing many of them and taking herds of cattle from them.  It was after the battle at Keilah that Abiathar caught up with David and told him about the slaughter of the Priests at Nob, as I Samuel 23:6 tells us.  “And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.”  When he came, Abiathar brought the necessary accoutrements of the high priest.