David answered Ahimelek the priest, “The king sent me on a mission and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about the mission I am sending you on.’ As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place. – 1 Samuel 21:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (March 8, 2019): 1 Samuel 21

Finding an excuse is always a difficult proposition. Even the word excuse often implies an untruth. Most excuses seem to be on par with “My dog ate my homework.” George Washington argued that “It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.” Looking back on my life, most of my excuses, even the ones where I went overboard to try to tell the truth, have been bad. Sometimes it is better simply to acknowledge that this is where we are and to not try to give any kind of explanation as to how we got there, especially if our excuse is nothing more than an explanation attempting to lessen our guilt. It is a lesson I am still trying to learn.

David lied. There is absolutely no way to get around that one fact. We understand why he lies and provides his excuse. Some have argued that the circumstances demanded a lie, and it is likely that we, too, would have lied if we were standing in his shoes. There is also some evidence that this is an abridged version of the story. It is possible that the lie of David might not have been delivered directly to Ahimelek, the high priest. Jesus refers back to this story during his defense of his disciples against the accusations of the Pharisees that Jesus’s followers had violated Sabbath laws by picking grain on the Sabbath.

He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions” (Mark 2:25-26).

Abiathar was the son of Ahimelek. Some commentators have argued that it is possible that Ahimelek and his son Abiathar might have shared the office of High Priest later in the life of Ahimelek. But it would seem equally as probable that David dealt with Abiathar, the son, as the mediator between him and the High Priest, Ahimelek, But the suggestion that David didn’t lie directly to Ahimelek does not lessen David’s sin. He still lied.

David’s lie was that he states to either Ahimelek or Abiathar that he is on a mission for the King. David then doubles down on the lie by putting the command that David’s mission was to remain secret in the mouth of King Saul himself. David lies, and that lie would lay heavy on him.

Shortly after the lie, Saul slaughters the priests at Nob, including Ahimelek, because of the assistance that they gave to David, even though the priests believed that they were helping Saul as well. Abiathar escaped the slaughter and personally brought the news of the deaths to David. And it is at that moment that David realizes the extraordinary power of the lie. 

Then David said to Abiathar, “That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family. Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me” (2 Samuel 22:22-23).

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 52