THE FIRST BOOK OF
SAMUEL,

1 Samuel 22

1David's kindred and others resort unto him at Adullam. 3At Mizpeh he commendeth his parents to the protection of the king of Moab. 5Admonished by Gad he removeth to Harath. 6Saul complaineth of the unfaithfulness of his servants. 9Doeg accuseth Ahimelech. 11Ahimelech is sent for with the priests, and answereth the charge. 17The footmen refusing to slay the priests at the king's command, Doeg executeth it: their city Nob is destroyed. 20Abiathar escaping bringeth David the news.


1DAVID therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave 1Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.

1 See the annotation on Joshua 12:15.

2And 2every one that was in 3distress, and every one 4that was in debt, and every one 5that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

2 Hebr. every man of distress.

3 Namely, by reason of poverty, or any other misery.

4 Namely, who vexed him sore and daily urged payment, contrary to the law, Exod. 22:25.

5 Hebr. to whom the soul was bitter. See a similar phrase, 1 Sam. 1:10; 2 Kings 4:27.

3¶And David went thence to 6Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto 7the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be 8with you, till I know what God will do for me.

6 See of this city the 25th annotation at Judges 10:17.

7 This king was Saul’s enemy, as appears, 1 Sam. 14:47. Therefore he rather granted unto David a place of residence in his land. As the Philistines also did, 1 Samuel 27. Others conceive, that David fled that way, because his grandfather’s wife, namely, Obed’s mother, was a Moabitish woman, hoping in that respect to find more favor with the Moabites, than with other nations.

8 That is, go out and in under your protection; dwell and sojourn among you for a while. Other, go out unto you.

4And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the 9hold.

9 Understand this of Mizpeh of the Moabites, verse 3.

5¶And the prophet 10Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.

10 This prophet was much with David, as appears, 2 Sam. 24:11; 1 Chron. 21:9; 2 Chron. 29:25 and elsewhere.

6¶When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in 11Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)

11 Other, in Gibeah. Other, in an high place.

7Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye 12Benjamites; will 13the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

12 See Judges 19 on verse 16.

13 See 1 Sam. 20:27, likewise below, verse 9.

8That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that 14sheweth me that 15my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that 16my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

14 That is, discovers to me, or, makes known. See Ruth 4:4.

15 Saul speaks this, either by guess, because Jonathan spoke in David’s behalf, or it was told him by somebody that Jonathan and David had entered into a covenant one with another, whereof mention is made 1 Sam. 18:3.

16 This Saul speaks out of suspicion, the rather because David was come into the land of Judah, with four hundred men, conceiving that he had secret intelligence with Jonathan.

9¶Then answered Doeg the 17Edomite, 18which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw 19the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of 20Ahitub.

17 Other, Adomite. See 1 Sam. 21:7.

18 Other, which stood by the servants of Saul.

19 This courtly flatterer also speaks in the same language as does his master Saul, verse 7. See likewise of Doeg, 1 Sam. 21:7; Psalm 52 title, etc.

20 Of Ahitub mention is made 1 Sam. 14:3.

10And he enquired of the LORD 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 21Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

21 This Ahitub was the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli. He had two sons, namely, Ahiah, of whom mention is made 1 Sam. 14:3, and Ahimelech, of whom mention is made in this place.

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 enquired 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 is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and 22goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

22 That is, he goes whither so ever you appoint, or send him. See 1 Sam. 21:2. Ahimelech knew no otherwise, than what he speaks here, when he gave David the showbread and Goliath’s sword.

15Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? 23be it far from me: let not the king impute 24any thing 25unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing 26of all this, less or more.

23 Namely, that I should have conspired with David against you: as Saul upbraided him, verse 13.

24 Namely, any matter of conspiracy or rebellion against the king.

25 That is, unto me.

26 Namely, of any conspiracy or banded together against the king, whereof mention is made in verse 8.

16And the king said, 27Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

27 Hebr. dying thou shalt die; as if he would say: Later I shall have thee to be put to death.

17¶And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and 28slay the priests of the LORD; 29because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

28 Saul indeed passed wrong sentence against these priests, and through his own wantonness caused them to be put to death. Nevertheless, in doing this, he fulfills what the Lord in His just judgment had determined against the house of Eli. See 1 Sam. 2:30.

29 That is, because they hold intelligence with David, and are co-partners with him in his disloyalty against me.

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 slew on that day fourscore and five persons 30that did wear a linen ephod.

30 That is, who performed the service of God in the tent; for, when they performed that, they were to put on linen garments. See Exod. 28:42.

19And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the 31edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

31 Hebr. mouth.

20¶And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, 32and fled after David.

32 He came to him at Keilah, 1 Sam. 23:6.

21And Abiathar 33shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD's priests.

33 Namely, when he was come to David at Keilah.

22And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would 34surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all 35the persons of thy father's house.

34 Hebr. relating would relate.

35 Hebr. souls, that is, persons, as Gen. 14:21. As if David had said, I am the cause of what has come upon all the persons of your father’s house. It was for my sake, but without my intent and purpose.

23Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me 36thou shalt be in safeguard.

36 That is, God will preserve and keep us both: Or, I take thee into my custody. Other, for thou shall be custody (or guard) with me, that is, thou shalt be with me to keep the guard over the service and worship of God, and I will enquire of the Lord by thee in all concurrences. See 1 Sam. 30:7.