1 Samuel22
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave of Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.
2And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
3And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
4And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the stronghold.
5And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the stronghold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.
6And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk-tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.
7And Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,
8that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that discloseth to me when my son maketh a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or discloseth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
9Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
10And he inquired of Jehovah for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
11Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
12And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.
13And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and is honorable in thy house?
15Have I to-day begun to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute anything unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for thy servant knoweth nothing of all this, less or more.
16And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house.
17And the king said unto the guard that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of Jehovah; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of Jehovah.
18And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and he slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.
19And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and asses and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
20And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
21And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Jehovah’s priests.
22And David said unto Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’s house.
23Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: for with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Samuel 22.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: David at Adullam, Many resort to him. (1–5). Saul destroys the priests of Nob. (6–19). Abiathar escapes to David. (20–23).
vv1-5
See what weak instruments God sometimes uses, to bring about his own purposes. The Son of David is ready to receive distressed souls, who will be commanded by him. He receives all who come unto Him, however vile and miserable; he changes them into a holy people, and employs them in his service: those who would reign with him must be contented first to suffer with and for him. Observe with what tender concern David provided for his aged parents. The first thing he does is to find them a quiet habitation, whatever became of himself. Let children learn to honour their parents, in every thing consulting their ease and satisfaction. Though highly preferred, and much employed, let them not forget their aged parents. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. And the Lord will preserve his people for their appointed work, however they may be hated and exposed.
vv6-19
See the nature of jealous malice and its pitiful arts. Saul looks upon all about him as his enemies, because they do not just say as he says. In Ahimelech's answer to Saul we have the language of conscious innocence. But what wickedness will not the evil spirit hurry men to when he gets the dominion! Saul alleges that which was utterly false and unproved. But the most bloody tyrants have found instruments of their cruelty as barbarous as themselves. Doeg, having murdered the priests, went to the city, Nob, and put all to the sword there. Nothing so vile but those may do it, who have provoked God to give them up to their hearts' lusts. Yet this was the accomplishment of the threatenings against the house of Eli. Though Saul was unrighteous in doing this, yet God was righteous in permitting it. No word of God shall fall to the ground.
vv20-23
David greatly lamented the calamity. It is great trouble to a good man to find himself any way the cause of evil to others. He must have been much pained, when he considered that his falsehood was one cause of this fatal event. David speaks with assurance of his own safety, and promises that Abiathar should have his protection. With the Son of David, all who are his may be sure they shall be in safeguard, Ps 91:1. In the hurry and distraction David was continually in, he found time for communion with God, and found comfort in it.
Key Words
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
יָלַךְ: to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
שָׁם: there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence
מָלַט: properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit sparks
מְעָרָה: a cavern (as dark)
עֲדֻלָּם: Adullam, a place in Palestine
אָח: a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
אָב: father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
Cross References
1 Samuel 22The slaughter of Ahimelech and the priests fulfills the judgment pronounced on the house of Eli.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
David's psalm written directly concerning Doeg the Edomite reporting to Saul that David came to Ahimelech.
Supported by JFB
Verifies the Cave of Adullam as a strategic, strong hold used by David and his men.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Establishes Doeg's presence at Nob when David first visited Ahimelech.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Records Abiathar fleeing to David with the high priest's ephod in his hand.
Supported by JFB
Provides a biblical parallel of desperate, empty men gathering to a chosen leader.
Supported by JFB
Shows how David governed his men to act as a wall of defense, not lawless bandits.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Saul's hostility toward Moab explains why the king of Moab welcomed David.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Saul's appeal to his fellow Benjamites matches his fierce, jealous rage against his own son.
Supported by JFB
The previous chapter's events which Doeg reports to Saul, including the bread and sword.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Solomon references Abiathar escaping the slaughter of his father's house by Saul.
Supported by Matthew Poole
David receiving the distressed and indebted typifies Christ welcoming the spiritually weary.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Contrasts Saul's wicked command to slaughter priests with Obadiah saving God's prophets.
Supported by Matthew Henry