1 Samuel 22 - Printer Friendly

What does 1 Samuel 22 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

After confirming with Jonathan that Saul wanted to kill him, David fled. He tricked the priest Ahimelech into giving him provisions. David then made a short, tense visit to the Philistine city of Gath (1 Samuel 20:35—21:15).

David now hides in the cave of Adullam. He's soon joined by his brothers and all his father's household from Bethlehem. They, too, have become King Saul's targets. Four hundred men, distressed, discontent, and indebted, arrive. David suddenly has an army (1 Samuel 22:1–2).

David travels to Moab to a town called Mizpeh. There, he asks the king of Moab to allow David's elderly parents to stay there until it's safe for them to return home. There may have been family connections there already. Jesse's grandmother, David's great-grandmother, was Ruth, the Moabitess (Ruth 4:17). David finds a new stronghold, but the prophet Gad tells him the Lord wishes for David to return to Judah. David and his followers settle into the forest of Hereth (1 Samuel 22:3–5).

Meanwhile, Saul still rages. He insists his servants should reveal all they know. They won't receive any reward from David for their silence. He whines that no one supports him, and that they wouldn't even tell him when his son Jonathan betrayed him. In these ways, Saul displays traits associated with paranoid dictators (1 Samuel 22:6–8).

Doeg the Edomite (1 Samuel 21:7) tells Saul what he saw at the tabernacle in Nob. There, Ahimelech the priest prayed for David and gave him food and the sword of Goliath (1 Samuel 21:1–9). Saul summons Ahimelech and all the other priests at Nob. The king accuses Ahimelech of joining David's conspiracy to rebel against Saul. Ahimelech is caught completely off guard. David had told him that he was on a secret mission from the king and in need of supplies (1 Samuel 21:2). Ahimelech reminds Saul of David's faithfulness and asks the king to find him and his extended family not guilty of the false accusations (1 Samuel 22:9–15).

Saul refuses to consider the priest's plea and sentences Ahimelech and his father's household to death. This is clearly unreasonable, especially as it is aimed at Israel's priests. The king's guard refuses to follow through on this command. Saul commands Doeg the Edomite to kill them. Doeg strikes down eighty-five priests and then slaughters the priestly town of Nod, killing every man, woman, child, and animal (1 Samuel 22:16–19).

One priest escapes and flees to David. This is Ahimelech's son, Abiathar. David admits he knew that he saw Doeg at the tabernacle, and that the Edomite would report to Saul. David takes responsibility for the deaths of Abiathar's family—or, at least, he realizes that his actions led directly to the carnage. David tells the priest to stay with him under his protection (1 Samuel 22:20–23).

David had an army; now he has a priest who can tell him God's will. He begins his career as a loyal mercenary by defending the city of Keileh from attacking Philistines. Next, David's army faces Saul's for the first of four times. All four times, the two armies part without engaging in battle (1 Samuel 23).

First Samuel 22:1–5 describes how David somewhat accidentally raises an army. He had fled from King Saul, leaving his wife and best friend behind. After quick stops to Abimelech the priest and a Philistine city, he finds himself hiding in a cave (1 Samuel 19:11—21:15). Before long, his father's household and 400 disgruntled men have joined him. David is safe, but soon he'll discover the cost of his lie to Abimelech (1 Samuel 22:6–23).

First Samuel 22:6–10 records King Saul's temper tantrum. Thanks to his daughter Michal, who was also David's wife, and his son Jonathan, David's best friend, David has escaped Saul's murderous plans (1 Samuel 19:11—20:42). Saul moans that his servants won't tell him where David has gone and insists he'll reward them more than David will. Finally, Doeg the Edomite reveals what he witnessed when David visited the priest Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21:1–9). Saul finally has a target for his anger (1 Samuel 22:11–19).

In 1 Samuel 22:11–19, the city of Nob pays for David's deception. When David escaped Saul, he had nothing but his clothes. He fled to Ahimelech and tricked the priest into giving him bread and Goliath's sword (1 Samuel 21:1–9). But Doeg the Edomite was watching and finally tells Saul what he heard (1 Samuel 22:1–10). Saul takes his anger out on Abimelech, killing him and his entire city. Only the priest's son Abiathar survives. Abiathar runs to David, and David takes full responsibility for the destruction of Nob's people.

In 1 Samuel 22:20–23, God turns tragedy into blessing. When David ran from Saul, he had no thought but his own survival. His first stop was to Abimelech the priest who gave him bread and Goliath's sword (1 Samuel 21:1–9). Saul found out and slaughtered Abimelech's entire city (1 Samuel 22:6–19). Abimelech's son Abiathar survives and flees to David. David takes responsibility for the deaths. Abiathar stays on and provides David with God's guidance in his new career as a mercenary (1 Samuel 23:1–14).

Chapter Summary:

In 1 Samuel 22, David hides at the cave of Adullam and is joined by his family and about 400 men. He leaves his parents at Moab and takes refuge in the forest of Hereth. Meanwhile, Saul accuses his servants of siding with David against him. Doeg the Edomite reports that Ahimelech the priest gave David provisions at the tabernacle. Saul summons Ahimelech and accuses him of being part of David's conspiracy. Refusing to listen to Ahimelech's defense, Saul orders him and all the priests, people, and animals of Nob killed. One priest escapes and reports the events to David.

Chapter Context:

In 1 Samuel 22, David's rift with Saul deepens. David had escaped Saul and tricked the priest Ahimelech into giving him provisions (1 Samuel 21:1–9). After a foolish stop in Gath (1 Samuel 21:10–15), David hides in the cave of Adullam and accidentally raises an army. Meanwhile, Saul learns of David's interaction with Ahimelech. Enraged, Saul orders the entire city of Nob destroyed. One priest escapes and tells David who takes responsibility. With an army to fight and a priest to provide wisdom, David is ready to start his career as a mercenary (1 Samuel 23).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.

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