I Shmuel 22: Avimelech and Achimelech

Chapter 22 is a difficult read. David has to jump from location to location to save himself and his family. He only finds refuge in foreign lands. The Israelites want nothing to do with him. Meanwhile, Doeg informs on Achimelech and Shaul brings the high priest and his family to answer for their actions. Unsatisfied with Achimelech’s protestations of innocence, Shaul instructs his soldiers to massacre the priests. When none of them agree to do so, Doeg himself takes on the task and not only kills 85 priests, but he also massacres the entire city of Nov. This chapter brings back bad memories of the age of Judges when the nation turned on itself and innocent people were killed. Once again, the Navi drops a few references to Judges. This time, the most overt ones are to the story of Avimelech. Avimelech was the bastard son of Gideon. He had seventy brothers, who he considered his rivals. “When he went to his father’s house in Ophrah and killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men on one stone. Only Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he went into hiding” (וַיָּבֹא בֵּית־אָבִיו עׇפְרָתָה וַיַּהֲרֹג אֶת־אֶחָיו בְּנֵי־יְרֻבַּעַל שִׁבְעִים אִישׁ עַל־אֶבֶן אַחַת וַיִּוָּתֵר יוֹתָם בֶּן־יְרֻבַּעַל הַקָּטֹן כִּי נֶחְבָּא) (Judges 9:5). Doeg massacres the entire family of Achimelech, except “one son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped—his name was Abiathar—and he fled to David” (וַיִּמָּלֵט בֶּן־אֶחָד לַאֲחִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן־אֲחִטוּב וּשְׁמוֹ אֶבְיָתָר וַיִּבְרַח אַחֲרֵי דָוִד) (verse 20). Doeg also massacres the entire city of Nov, just like Avimelech massacres the entire city of Schem. Avimelech is considered the first of the bad judges. He comes right after Gideon, who was offered the crown but declined. Through the massacre of Nov, Shaul has finally turned from a good king to an evil one. Like the line of Judges until Avimelech, Shaul may not have been perfect, but he never crossed the line to evil. With his actions in this chapter, much like Avimelech, Shaul turns away from righteousness and threatens to sink the entire nation. But there is also a connection with Dovid to Avimelech in the chapter. In Judges 9:4, Avimelech gathers together a crew of “some worthless and reckless fellows” (וַיִּתְנוּ־לוֹ שִׁבְעִים כֶּסֶף מִבֵּית בַּעַל בְּרִית וַיִּשְׂכֹּר בָּהֶם אֲבִימֶלֶךְ אֲנָשִׁים רֵיקִים וּפֹחֲזִים וַיֵּלְכוּ אַחֲרָיו). At the beginning of chapter 22, David attracts a similar group of misfits and people down on their luck. Why would the Navi also connect David to the story of Avimelech? David’s connection is not about the similarities, but for what he does differently. At the end of the chapter, when Aviathar runs to David, David takes full responsibility. “David said to Abiathar… I am to blame for all the deaths in your father’s house” (וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לְאֶבְיָתָר יָדַעְתִּי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כִּי־שָׁם דּוֹאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי כִּי־הַגֵּד אַגִּיד לְשָׁאוּל אָנֹכִי סַבֹּתִי בְּכׇל־נֶפֶשׁ בֵּית אָבִיךָ) (verse 22). Avimelech may have signaled the turning point in the era of Judges from good to evil, David will not let that happen. Faced with the tragedy of the chapter, David takes full responsibility. The Navi connects him to Avimelech to show how different he is.