INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 22
This chapter gives us an account of the flight of David from place to
place, from Gath to the cave of Adullam, where his relations came to
him; from thence to Mizpeh in Moab, where he got leave of the king of
Moab for his father and mother to dwell there; and from th... [ Continue Reading ]
DAVID THEREFORE DEPARTED FROM THENCE,.... From Gath, being driven by
Achish from his court, and let go by his servants, and glad he was of
the deliverance:
AND ESCAPED TO THE CAVE ADULLAM; which was no doubt near to a city of
the same name in the tribe of Judah, of which Joshua 15:35; this being
a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EVERYONE [THAT WAS] IN DISTRESS,.... In straitened circumstances,
through the oppression of men, through poverty, and afflictive
providences in their families:
AND EVERYONE [THAT WAS] IN DEBT; and not able to pay their debts, and
whose creditors were pressing upon them:
AND EVERYONE [THAT WAS]... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID WENT THENCE TO MIZPEH OF MOAB,.... So called to distinguish
it from a place of the same name in the land of Israel; which Junius
says is the same with Malle, and signifies a fortified place, and
refers to the Apocrypha:
"And how that many of them were shut up in Bosora, and Bosor, and
Ale... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE BROUGHT THEM BEFORE THE KING OF MOAB,.... Having leave from him
for it, and left them with him; so the Targum,
"caused them to remain before him:''
AND THEY DWELT WITH HIM ALL THE WHOLE TIME THAT DAVID WAS IN THE HOLD;
either in the cave of Adullam, as some think; or rather at Mizpeh in
Moa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PROPHET GAD SAID UNTO DAVID,.... Who either accompanied him in
his exile, or was sent unto him on this account, being one of the
company of the prophets, over whom Samuel was president, 1 Samuel
19:20;
ABIDE NOT IN THE HOLD, DEPART, AND GET THEE INTO THE LAND OF JUDAH;
this seems to confirm... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN SAUL HEARD THAT DAVID WAS DISCOVERED, AND THE MEN THAT [WERE]
WITH HIM,.... That it was known where David was, and what number of
men were gathered to him, and that they now openly appeared in the
tribe of Judah; for some time Saul had heard nothing of him, but now a
report had reached his ears... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAUL SAID UNTO HIS SERVANTS THAT STOOD ABOUT HIM,.... He took
this opportunity of addressing them in the following manner, upon the
report of David being at the head of a certain number of men:
HEAR NOW, YE BENJAMITES; for Saul being of the tribe of Benjamin, his
courtiers and his bodyguards c... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE CONSPIRED AGAINST ME,.... For though they had not
revolted from him, and been guilty of overt acts of treason, yet since
they did not discover to him what he supposed they knew, and showed no
concern for the circumstances in which he was, he interpreted this a
conspiracy against... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ANSWERED DOEG THE EDOMITE,.... Josephus d calls him a Syrian, and
so the Septuagint version; see 1 Samuel 21:7; being full of enmity to
David, and willing to curry favour with Saul, and eager of further
preferment, which Saul seemed to promise; and being more forward than
the rest of his servan... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE INQUIRED OF THE LORD FOR HIM,.... Which not being expressed
before, some have taken it to be a lie of Doeg's, he being charged
with lying by David, Psalms 52:3; but it is not at all improbable that
David should desire him to inquire of the Lord for him, and that he
did; and he seems to acknow... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE KING SENT TO CALL AHIMELECH THE PRIEST, THE SON OF
AHITUB,.... Sent messengers to him, and summoned him to appear before
him:
AND ALL HIS FATHER'S HOUSE; the family of Eli, which God had
threatened to destroy, and now the time was hastening on:
THE PRIESTS THAT [WERE] IN NOB; in which dwe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL SAID, HEAR NOW, THOU SON OF AHITUB,.... The charge exhibited
against him; in contempt of him, he does not so much as call him by
his name, nor give him the title of his office, as high priest; though
he was the second person in the kingdom, and to whose office a few
years ago the civil gove... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL SAID UNTO HIM, WHY HAVE YE CONSPIRED AGAINST ME,
THOU, AND THE SON OF JESSE?.... No less than treason and rebellion is
he charged with, in conjunction with David; the proof follows:
IN THAT THOU HAST GIVEN HIM BREAD AND A SWORD; the shewbread, and the
sword of Goliath, 1 Samuel 21:6, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN AHIMELECH ANSWERED THE KING, AND SAID,.... First with respect to
David, and then with regard to himself; with respect to David as
follows,
AND WHO [IS SO] FAITHFUL AMONGST THY SERVANTS AS DAVID; I considered
him, as if he should say, as a servant of thine, upon an errand of
thine, and doing th... [ Continue Reading ]
DID I THEN BEGIN TO INQUIRE OF GOD FOR HIM?.... Was this the first
time of inquiring of God for him? no; I have done this many a time,
when he has been going upon the king's business, engaging in war with
his enemies; he has then consulted the Lord by me, and I have inquired
of the Lord for him, as... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KING SAID, THOU SHALT SURELY DIE, AHIMELECH,.... He pronounces
the sentence himself, without taking the opinion and advice of others,
or further time; which was an act of arbitrary power, and upon an
innocent person, which was an act of great injustice:
THOU, AND ALL THY FATHER'S HOUSE; mor... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KING SAID UNTO THE FOOTMEN THAT STOOD ABOUT HIM,.... Or the
"runners" f; the running footmen, that used to run before him when he
went out from place to place, and were here waiting on him, ready to
set out whenever he should give the orders to go elsewhere. The
tradition of the Jews is, tha... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KING SAID TO DOEG, TURN THOU AND FALL UPON THE PRIESTS,....
For determined he was they should die; if one would not put them to
death, another should, and who so fit for this bloody work as the
false accuser of them, and false witness against them?
AND DOEG THE EDOMITE TURNED; immediately,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOB, THE CITY OF THE PRIESTS, SMOTE HE WITH THE EDGE OF THE
SWORD,.... Either Doeg or Saul; who, as Josephus i says, sent men
thither to slay all the inhabitants of it:
BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, CHILDREN AND SUCKLINGS; not sparing sex nor age:
AND OXEN, AND ASSES, AND SHEEP, WITH THE EDGE OF THE SWO... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ONE OF THE SONS OF AHIMELECH, THE SON OF AHITUB, NAMED ABIATHAR,
ESCAPED,.... Who very probably was left by his father to take care of
the sanctuary, and the holy things in it, when he and the rest of the
priests were summoned to appear before Saul; who having heard of his
bloody execution of th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABIATHAR SHOWED DAVID THAT SAUL HAD SLAIN THE LORD'S PRIESTS. Of
which perhaps he had not as yet heard; though tidings of such a nature
generally fly swiftly; and a sorrowful shocking account he had to
give, and which was so to David.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID SAID UNTO ABIATHAR, I KNEW [IT] THAT DAY,.... That is, he
thought in his mind at that time:
WHEN DOEG THE EDOMITE [WAS] THERE; at Nob; in the tabernacle, at the
same time that David was there:
THAT HE WOULD SURELY TELL SAUL; that he saw David there, and what
passed between him and Ahimel... [ Continue Reading ]
ABIDE THOU WITH ME, FEAR NOT,.... He appeared to be in a fright; which
is not to be wondered at, as not knowing what to do, and where to go
and provide for his safety; when, to allay his fears, and make him
easy, David invites and encourages him to stay with him, and not be
afraid of Saul, nor any o... [ Continue Reading ]