1 Samuel 22

22:1-23 Saul’s character becomes evident here. Unable to exact revenge on David himself, Saul slaughtered those he believed to be guilty of giving aid and comfort to David.22:1 Adullam was some sixteen miles southwest of Jerusalem, near Philistine territory. • Had David’s brothers and all his other relatives stayed in Bethlehem, they would have been vulnerable to Saul’s revenge.

22:2 in trouble . . . in debt . . . discontented: By attracting such down-and-out people to himself, David foreshadowed Jesus, who would attract to himself the hurting, the burdened, and the outcast (Matt 11:25-30).

22:3-4 Mizpeh in Moab lay east of the Dead Sea and the Jordan River—not an easy trip from Adullam, especially if the 400 men (22:2) accompanied David. • David’s parents stayed in Moab: Jesse’s grandmother was Ruth, a Moabite (Ruth 4:13-22).

22:5 The prophet Gad was David’s special adviser (2 Sam 24:11). God was no longer communicating with Saul but was guiding David.

22:7-8 men of Benjamin: Saul was suspicious of his own tribesmen, believing that David had bought their loyalty. Worse, Saul did not even trust his own son, convinced that he had joined the supposed conspiracy.

22:13 David had deceived Ahimelech into thinking he was on a mission for Saul (21:1-9), so Saul’s accusations of conspiracy were baseless.

22:14 your son-in-law: David had married Saul’s daughter (18:17-29).

22:18 Doeg the Edomite . . . killed them: As a non-Israelite, Doeg had no concern for the sanctity of God-anointed priests. He knew he was executing innocent men. This evil foreigner partially fulfilled the prophecy about the condemned priestly line of Eli (2:27-34; see 1 Kgs 2:27). • still wearing their priestly garments: This incident illustrates how mad Saul had become. Not even those holding a sacred office were safe.

22:19 Saul had been unwilling to carry out God’s orders to destroy completely the Amalekites and their possessions (15:3, 9). Yet now, in his rage, he did not hesitate to decimate the priests’ families and their possessions (see Prov 14:29; 16:14; 27:4).

22:20 Abiathar became an adviser to David, providing guidance from the Lord through the ephod (23:2-12; 2 Sam 15:24-36). Later, he conspired with Adonijah against David and Solomon (1 Kgs 1–2).