8 That all of you have conspired H7194 against me, and there is none that sheweth H1540 H241 me that my son H1121 hath made a league H3772 with the son H1121 of Jesse, H3448 and there is none of you that is sorry H2470 for me, or sheweth H1540 H241 unto me that my son H1121 hath stirred up H6965 my servant H5650 against me, to lie in wait, H693 as at this day? H3117
The LORD H3068 do H6213 so H3541 and much more H3254 to Jonathan: H3083 but if it please H3190 my father H1 to do thee evil, H7451 then I will shew H1540 H241 it thee, and send thee away, H7971 that thou mayest go H1980 in peace: H7965 and the LORD H3068 be with thee, as he hath been with my father. H1 And thou shalt not only while yet H518 I live H2416 shew H6213 me the kindness H2617 of the LORD, H3068 that I die H4191 not: But also thou shalt not cut off H3772 thy kindness H2617 from my house H1004 for H5704 ever: H5769 no, not when the LORD H3068 hath cut off H3772 the enemies H341 of David H1732 every one H376 from the face H6440 of the earth. H127 So Jonathan H3083 made H3772 a covenant with the house H1004 of David, H1732 saying, Let the LORD H3068 even require H1245 it at the hand H3027 of David's H1732 enemies. H341 And Jonathan H3083 caused David H1732 to swear H7650 again, H3254 because he loved H160 him: for he loved H157 him as he loved H160 his own soul. H5315
Then Saul's H7586 anger H639 was kindled H2734 against Jonathan, H3083 and he said H559 unto him, Thou son H1121 of the perverse H5753 rebellious H4780 woman, do not I know H3045 that thou hast chosen H977 the son H1121 of Jesse H3448 to thine own confusion, H1322 and unto the confusion H1322 of thy mother's H517 nakedness? H6172 For as long as H3117 the son H1121 of Jesse H3448 liveth H2425 upon the ground, H127 thou shalt not be established, H3559 nor thy kingdom. H4438 Wherefore now send H7971 and fetch H3947 him unto me, for he shall surely die. H1121 H4194 And Jonathan H3083 answered H6030 Saul H7586 his father, H1 and said H559 unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? H4191 what hath he done? H6213 And Saul H7586 cast H2904 a javelin H2595 at him to smite H5221 him: whereby Jonathan H3083 knew H3045 that it was determined H3617 of his father H1 to slay H4191 David. H1732 So Jonathan H3083 arose H6965 from the table H7979 in fierce H2750 anger, H639 and did eat H398 no meat H3899 the second H8145 day H3117 of the month: H2320 for he was grieved H6087 for David, H1732 because his father H1 had done him shame. H3637
And Jonathan H3083 Saul's H7586 son H1121 arose, H6965 and went H3212 to David H1732 into the wood, H2793 and strengthened H2388 his hand H3027 in God. H430 And he said H559 unto him, Fear H3372 not: for the hand H3027 of Saul H7586 my father H1 shall not find H4672 thee; and thou shalt be king H4427 over Israel, H3478 and I shall be next H4932 unto thee; and that also Saul H7586 my father H1 knoweth. H3045 And they two H8147 made H3772 a covenant H1285 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 and David H1732 abode H3427 in the wood, H2793 and Jonathan H3083 went H1980 to his house. H1004
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 22
Commentary on 1 Samuel 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 22
1Sa 22:1-8. David's Kindred and Others Resort to Him at Adullam.
1. David … escaped to the cave Adullam—supposed to be that now called Deir-Dubban, a number of pits or underground vaults, some nearly square, and all about fifteen or twenty feet deep, with perpendicular sides, in the soft limestone or chalky rocks. They are on the borders of the Philistine plain at the base of the Judea mountains, six miles southwest from Beth-lehem, and well adapted for concealing a number of refugees.
his brethren and all his father's house … went down—to escape the effects of Saul's rage, which seems to have extended to all David's family. From Beth-lehem to Deir-Dubban it is, indeed, a descent all the way.
2. every one that was in distress—(See on Jud 11:3).
3. David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab—"Mizpeh" signifies a watchtower, and it is evident that it must be taken in this sense here, for it is called "the hold" or fort (1Sa 22:4). The king of Moab was an enemy of Saul (1Sa 14:47), and the great-grandson of Ruth, of course, was related to the family of Jesse. David, therefore, had less anxiety in seeking an asylum within the dominions of this prince than those of Achish, because the Moabites had no grounds for entertaining vindictive feelings against him, and their enmity, to Saul rendered them the more willing to receive so illustrious a refugee from his court.
5. the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold—This sound advice, no doubt, came from a higher source than Gad's own sagacity. It was right to appear publicly among the people of his own tribe, as one conscious of innocence and trusting in God; and it was expedient that, on the death of Saul, his friends might be encouraged to support his interest.
forest of Hareth—southwest of Jerusalem.
6. Saul abode … under a tree in Ramah—literally, "under a grove on a hill." Oriental princes frequently sit with their court under some shady canopy in the open air. A spear was the early scepter.
7, 8. Hear now, ye Benjamites—This was an appeal to stimulate the patriotism or jealousy of his own tribe, from which he insinuated it was the design of David to transfer the kingdom to another. This address seems to have been made on hearing of David's return with his four hundred men to Judah. A dark suspicion had risen in the jealous mind of the king that Jonathan was aware of this movement, which he dreaded as a conspiracy against the crown.
1Sa 22:9-16. Doeg Accuses Ahimelech.
9. Doeg … set over the servants—Septuagint, "the mules of Saul."
10. he inquired of the Lord for him—Some suppose that this was a malicious fiction of Doeg to curry favor with the king, but Ahimelech seems to acknowledge the fact. The poor simple-minded high priest knew nothing of the existing family feud between Saul and David. The informer, if he knew it, said nothing of the cunning artifice by which David obtained the aid of Ahimelech. The facts looked against him, and the whole priesthood along with him were declared abettors of conspiracy [1Sa 22:16, 17].
1Sa 22:17-19. Saul Commands to Kill the Priests.
17, 18. the footmen that stood about him—his bodyguard, or his runners (1Sa 8:11; 2Sa 15:1; 1Ki 1:5; 1Ki 14:28), who held an important place at court (2Ch 12:10). But they chose rather to disobey the king than to offend God by imbruing their hands in the blood of his ministering servants. A foreigner alone (Ps 52:1-3) could be found willing to be the executioner of this bloody and sacrilegious sentence. Thus was the doom of the house of Eli fulfilled [1Sa 2:30-36].
19. Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword—The barbarous atrocities perpetrated against this city seem to have been designed to terrify all the subjects of Saul from affording either aid or an asylum to David. But they proved ruinous to Saul's own interest, as they alienated the priesthood and disgusted all good men in the kingdom.
1Sa 22:20-23. Abiathar Escapes and Flees after David.
20-23. one of the sons of Ahimelech … escaped—This was Abiathar, who repaired to David in the forest of Hareth, rescuing, with his own life, the high priest's vestments (1Sa 23:6, 9). On hearing his sad tale, David declared that he had dreaded such a fatal result from the malice and intriguing ambition of Doeg; and, accusing himself as having been the occasion of all the disaster to Abiathar's family, David invited him to remain, because, firmly trusting himself in the accomplishment of the divine promise, David could guarantee protection to him.