David Goes to Adullam and Mizpah
22:1 So David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s family learned about it, they went down there to him.
David escaped and moved to live in the caves of Adullam. Adullam was about twenty miles southwest of Jerusalem and ten miles northeast of Gath, meaning that it was closer to Philistine territory than Israelite territory. David’s family was in jeopardy of being imprisoned or slaughtered by King Saul, so David moved them to the caves as well.
22:2 All those who were in trouble or owed someone money or were discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. He had about four hundred men with him.
David’s leadership qualities enabled him to recruit and train 400 outcasts of society. These outcasts were enemies of Saul. They had perhaps lost position or property with Saul, so they merged with David. These men would become David’s mighty men. They would be able to do what Saul’s regular army could not accomplish. They would continually defeat the Philistines and other enemies of Israel.
22:3 Then David went from there to Mizpah in Moab, where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God is going to do for me.”
David was from the line of Ruth the Moabites, so he still had family connections among the Moabites.
22:4 So he had them stay with the king of Moab; they stayed with him the whole time that David was in the stronghold.
The King of Moab agreed to protect David’s family. David stayed at a stronghold, or a cave, in Abdullam. Psalm 57 was written while David was in this cave. It was also during this time that three of David’s mighty men brought him water from the well of Bethlehem.
22:5 Then Gad the prophet said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Go to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
A new prophet arose and began to give David divine information. He may have been chosen from the school of prophets to accompany David.
Saul Executes the Priests
22:6 But Saul found out the whereabouts of David and the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk tree at an elevated location with his spear in hand and all his servants stationed around him.
Saul’s spies found out the location of David and reported it to King Saul.
22:7 Saul said to his servants who were stationed around him, “Listen up, you Benjaminites! Is Jesse’s son giving fields and vineyards to all of you? Or is he making all of you commanders and officers?
Saul was using national tax money to make sure that his Benjaminite tribe was materially prosperous. David was from the tribe of Judah, so he would never treat the Benjaminite tribe with such prestige and wealth.
22:8 For all of you have conspired against me! No one informs me when my own son makes an agreement with this son of Jesse! Not one of you feels sorry for me or informs me that my own son has commissioned my own servant to hide in ambush against me, as is the case today!”
Saul rebuked the Benjaminites for not aiding him enough in his pursuit of David. Even Jonathan had conspired against Saul. There was not a single Benjaminite who was willing to reveal the location of David to King Saul. Saul was betrayed by his own family tribe.
22:9 But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with the servants of Saul, replied, “I saw this son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.
Doeg was an Edomite from the house of Esau. He cared nothing about Jewish religious rituals.
22:10 He inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
Doeg betrayed the priest to Saul.
22:11 Then the king arranged for a meeting with the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all the priests of his father’s house who were at Nob. They all came to the king.
King Saul invited the priests of Nob to his house, basically upon house arrest.
22:12 Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub.” He replied, “Here I am, my lord.”
Ahimelech was a son of Ahitub who was a descendant of Eli. It was predicted that Eli’s house would all receive early and violent deaths.
22:13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and this son of Jesse? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God on his behalf, so that he opposes me and waits in ambush, as is the case today!”
Saul accused a Levite priest of conspiring with David. David was prophesied to be God’s true choice as king.
22:14 Ahimelech replied to the king, “Who among all your servants is faithful like David? He is the king’s son-in-law, the leader of your bodyguard, and honored in your house!
Ahimelech reminded Saul that David was one of Saul’s most righteous and loyal men.
22:15 Was it just today that I began to inquire of God on his behalf? Far be it from me! The king should not accuse his servant or any of my father’s house. For your servant is not aware of all this – not in whole or in part!”
Ahimelech was not aware that David was declared a fugitive.
22:16 But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!
Saul decided to kill the entire Levitical priesthood. This was a blasphemous decision for a King of Israel to make, because the Levites were responsible for teaching Israel the Word of God and offering sacrifices which pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ.
22:17 Then the king said to the messengers who were stationed beside him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, for they too have sided with David! They knew he was fleeing, but they did not inform me.” But the king’s servants refused to harm the priests of the Lord.
King Saul commanded his servants to kill all of the Levitical priests, but they refused. This type of brutality was too blasphemous and too gruesome for his servants to administer.
22:18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests. He killed on that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.
Doeg was an Edomite, one who came from the line of Esau. He cared nothing about Jewish priesthoods. For some reason, Saul had previously made Doeg the Edomite as a leader over other Jewish servants. Saul forced Jews living under the Mosaic Law to serve an Edomite who did not honor the Mosaic Law.
22:19 As for Nob, the city of the priests, he struck down with the sword men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep – all with the sword.
Doeg committed his own חֵ֫רֶם (cherem) curse against the Levite house of Eli. Every man, woman, child, and livestock was exterminated.
22:20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped and fled to David. His name was Abiathar.
Eli had two ungodly sons who served in the Tabernacle. Eli refused to discipline his own sons, so God stepped in and administered the discipline. Samuel predicted that the whole house of Eli would be slaughtered. The whole family of Eli, except for Abiathar, was slaughtered at this time.
22:21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord.
Abiathar escaped. He was the last of the line of Eli. He would serve David as priest, and then later serve Solomon. However, Solomon would later remove Abiathar as priest, ending the priestly line of Eli.
22:22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would certainly tell Saul! I am guilty of all the deaths in your father’s house!
David knew that Doeg would have reported this incident to Saul, but he did nothing to stop it. David blamed himself for the slaughter of Eli’s priestly line, but it actually was a judgment from God. God decreed the judgment, but Samuel gave the bad news.
22:23 Stay with me. Don’t be afraid! Whoever seeks my life is seeking your life as well. You are secure with me.”
David asked Abiathar to stay with him and become his priest. This marked the beginning of David’s priestly staff which would later lead the tabernacle worship in Jerusalem.