So the priest gave him holy [bread]; for there was no bread there but the show bread, that was taken from before Yahweh, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
The mention of Doeg, an Edomite who had risen high in Saul’s government (1 Samuel 21:7), prepares the reader for his informing Saul about what happened at Nob (1 Samuel 22:9-19). Perhaps Doeg was "detained before the Lord" because he had come to the tabernacle to present an offering or to conduct some other business there.