TO THE CAVE ADULLAM - Or rather “of Adullam.” Adullam was the name of a town of Judah in the “Shephelah,” not far from Bethlehem, and below it. Innumerable caverns, one nearly 100 feet long, are excavated in the soft limestone hills in the neighborhood of Beit-Jibrin. (The cave is placed by Ganneau... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCONTENTED - See the margin. (Compare 1 Samuel 30:6; 2 Samuel 17:8.) The phrase here denotes those who were exasperated by Saul’s tyranny.... [ Continue Reading ]
MIZPEH OF MOAB - A good conjecture connects it with “Zophim” (a word of the same root as Mizpeh) on the top of Pisgah Numbers 23:14. It is probable that David’s descent from Ruth the Moabitess may have had something to do with his seeking an asylum for Jesse, Ruth’s grandson, in the land of her birt... [ Continue Reading ]
HE BROUGHT THEM BEFORE ... - The Septuagint renders it “he persuaded (the face of) the king.” IN THE HOLD - Where David was after he left the cave of Adullam, probably in the land of Moab. The phrase “all the while,” would indicate that David sojourned a considerable time in Moab.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROPHET GAD - Mentioned here for the first time. One may conjecture that Samnel had sent him privately from Naioth to tell David not to abide in the hold. Whether he stayed with David or returned to the College of the prophets does not appear. For later notices of him see marginal references. T... [ Continue Reading ]
UNDER A TREE IN RAMAH - Rather, “under the tamarisk-tree on the high place,” where he always held such meetings. It was a kind of parliament in the open air, and all his tribesmen gathered round him. (Compare Judges 4:5.)... [ Continue Reading ]
YE BENJAMITES - Showing how isolated the tribes still were, and how for the most part Saul was surrounded by his own tribesmen only.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE INQUIRED OF THE LORD ... - This was not true, but Ahimelech’s going to fetch the sword from behind the ephod might have given occasion to the belief on Doeg’s part that he had put on the ephod to inquire of the Lord for David.... [ Continue Reading ]
GOETH AT THY BIDDING - Better, “has access to thy (private) audience,” or council (compare 2 Samuel 23:23, margin).... [ Continue Reading ]
DID I THEN BEGIN ... - Some lay the stress upon the word “begin,” as though Ahimelech’s justification was that he had often before inquired of the Lord for David when employed on the king’s affairs. But it is much better to understand the words as Ahimelech’s solemn denial of having inquired of the... [ Continue Reading ]
We are not to suppose that Doeg killed them all with his own hand. He had a band of men under his command, many or all of whom were perhaps foreigners like himself, and very likely of a Bedouin caste, to whom bloodshed would be quite natural, and the priests of the Lord of no more account than so Ea... [ Continue Reading ]
BOTH MEN AND WOMEN ... - The language employed in the case of the Amalekites 1 Samuel 15:3 and of Jericho Joshua 6:21. Nothing could be more truculent than Saul’s revenge.... [ Continue Reading ]
ABIATHAR - He may have remained at Nob to take care of the sanctuary when the other priests went to Saul, and so escaped. He continued David’s faithful friend throughout his reign 1Sa 23:9; 1 Samuel 30:7; 2 Samuel 15:24, 2Sa 15:29, 2 Samuel 15:35, but gave offence by taking Adonijah’s part against S... [ Continue Reading ]
The characteristic generosity of David’s disposition breaks out in these words. He never forgot a friend. (Compare 2 Samuel 1:26; 2 Samuel 9:1, etc.) David acknowledges that Saul’s enmity against Abiathar is the consequence of his enmity against himself, and therefore David makes common cause with h... [ Continue Reading ]