1 Samuel 22

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 22

David, being driven from Achish, returns into the land of Israel to be hunted by Saul. I. David sets up his standard in the cave of Adullam, entertains his relations (1 Sam. 22:1), enlists soldiers (1 Sam. 22:2), but removes his aged parents to a more quiet settlement (1 Sam. 22:3, 4), and has the prophet Gad for his counsellor, 1 Sam. 22:5. Saul resolves to pursue him and find him out, complains of his servants and Jonathan (1 Sam. 22:6-8), and, finding by Doeg's information that Ahimelech... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:1-5

Here, I. David shelters himself in the cave of Adullam, 1 Sam. 22:1. Whether it was a natural or artificial fastness does not appear; it is probable that the access to it was so difficult that David thought himself able, with Goliath's sword, to keep it against all the forces of Saul, and therefore buried himself alive in it, while he was waiting to see (and he says here, 1 Sam. 22:3) what God would do with him. The promise of the kingdom implied a promise of preservation to it, and yet David... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:6-19

We have seen the progress of David's troubles; now here we have the progress of Saul's wickedness. He seems to have laid aside the thoughts of all other business and to have devoted himself wholly to the pursuit of David. He heard at length, by the common fame of the country, that David was discovered (that is, that he appeared publicly and enlisted men into his service); and hereupon he called all his servants about him, and sat down under a tree, or grove, in the high place at Gibeah, with... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:20-23

Here is, 1. The escape of Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, out of the desolations of the priests? city. Probably when his father went to appear, upon Saul's summons, he was left at home to attend the altar, by which means he escaped the first execution, and, before Doeg and his bloodhounds came to Nob, he had intelligence of the danger, and had time to shift for his own safety. And whither should he go but to David? 1 Sam. 22:20. Let those that suffer for the Son of David commit the keeping of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22

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 thence, by the advice of Gad the prophet, departed into the land of Judah, and came to the forest of Hareth, 1 Samuel 21:1 ; and of the complaint of Saul to his servants of their unfaithfulness... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:1

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 See Gill on Joshua 15:35 ; this being a strong place, and in his own tribe, he might hope to be in greater safety; here he penned his hundred forty second psalm, see Psalm 142:1 , and when his brethren and all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:2

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 discontented ; with Saul's government and conduct: or "bitter in soul" F24 מר נפש "amarus animo", Pagninus, Montanus. ; distressed and uneasy in their minds, being pinched with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:3

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 Alema, Casphor, Maked, and Carnaim; all these cities are strong and great:' (1 Maccabees 5:26)here he might think himself safer, though in an enemy's country, than in the land of Israel: and he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:4

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 Moab, which might be a fortified place; or the sense may be, while he was in any hold in those parts, as he might go from one to another; what became of David's parents afterwards, we nowhere else... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:5

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 it that the hold David was in was not the cave of Adullam, because that was in the tribe of Judah; but rather some hold in the land of Moab, which he is directed by the prophet to leave,... read more

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