25 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 comments on Joshua 15:35]; this being a strong place, and in his own...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
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 (ver. 1), enlists soldiers (ver. 2), but removes his aged parents to a more quiet settlement (ver. 3, 4), and has the prophet Gad for his counsellor, ver. 5. Saul resolves to pursue...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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:...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 that David was in arms, and at the head of a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 chiefly, if not altogether, consisted of persons of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 him: and [there is] none that showeth me that my...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 servants, prevented them and spoke first: (which was...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 acknowledge it, 1 Samuel 22:15; but according to the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 dwelt none but priests, at least these were the chief...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 government was annexed: and he answered, here I [am],...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 so had furnished him with food and arms; one that...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 thy business; and as a faithful one, none more so,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 I now did; and which I did as innocently, and as...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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; more unrighteous still; but God suffered him to do...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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, that these were Abner and Amasa (g); but, as...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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, he at once obeyed the king's orders, as brutish as...