Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Samuel · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII.
Verſ. 1. DAvid therefore departed thence and went to the cave of Adullam.] Which was in the Tribe of Judah, Joſh. 15.21, 35. a place of good ſtrength, as appears, 2. Sam. 23.13. and thither no doubt David went, hoping to find relief and comfort in his own tribe, and here perhaps he made the 142. Pſalme; for that was made when he was in a cave, as appears by the title, Maſchil of David a prayer when he was in the cave.
And when his brethren and his fathers houſe heard it, they went down thither to him.] To wit, as being or fearing to be perſecuted and oppreſſed by Saul for Davids ſake; and this no doubt added much to his affliction, not onelyonly becauſe it muſt needs greive him to ſee them forced to flie from their lands, houſes, and eſtates for his ſake; but alſo, becauſe it may well be, that his brethren, who did formerly caſt an envious eye upon him, and upbraided him with the pride and naughtineſſe of his heart, would now perhaps, upbraid him with the miſeries he had brought upon them; telling how much better it had been for them, if he had contented himſelf with that meaner condition wherein before he lived in his fathers family. But beſides, in that which Davids brethren ſuffered for Davids ſake, Chriſtians may ſee what they muſt look to ſuffer for Chriſts ſake; they are dear and precious to Chriſt as his mother and brethren▪ Luke 8.21. My mother and my brethren are theſe, which hear the word of God▪ and do it: But becauſe of this, therefore doth the world hate them: Matth. 10.22. Ye ſhall be hated of all men for my names ſake: See alſo, John 15.19▪ 20, 21.
Verſ. 2. And every one that was in diſtreſſe, and every one that was in debt, &c.] Theſe doubtleſſe aimed at the ſheltring themſelves, though they ſtrengthened David by coming in to him. But was it well done in David to entertain ſuch as theſe? I anſwer, that what David did herein, he might do it by a ſpeciall inſtinct of the ſpirit of God, and ſo that might be lawfull in him, which would not be lawfull in an ordinary way: but then beſides, much may be ſaid in defence of David herein, even in an ordinary way. For firſt, David might not know of the ſeverall ingagements by debt, or otherwiſe, of thoſe that came in to him. Secondly, he had no purpoſe to ſhelter them againſt any that ſhould demand juſtice againſt them. Thirdly, he meant not to make uſe of them againſt Saul, or to make a prey of the people, but onelyonly for his own juſt defence; we ſee what a teſtimony Nabals ſervants gave of Davids ſouldiers, Chap. 25.15. The men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt neither miſſed we any thing, as long as we were converſant with them when we were in the fields. And fourthly, It is probable, that by this time it came to be generally known, that Saul perſecuted David becauſe he was anointed of God by Samuel to ſucceed him in the throne; and if they came, pretending this for their coming, the cauſe they alledged was juſt, and how could David then reject them? It is likely indeed, that the mouths of many were opened againſt him, becauſe of thoſe that followed him▪ alledging that they were a company of needy and diſcontented people, men that had exhauſted their ſtates, and durſt not before ſhew their heads, the very ſcumme and dregs of the people, fit onelyonly to prey upon the eſtates of others; and that David ſhewed now what love he bare to his countrey, and what loyalty to his Prince, in giving entertainment to ſuch as theſe. But ſo long as Davids cauſe was juſt, and that he did not undertake to defend them in any evil, nor made uſe of them to oppreſſe others, theſe reproches were unjuſtly caſt upon him; yea in this, as in other things, David was a notable type of Chriſt. For ſuch as theſe that came into David, were whileſt Chriſt lived upon earth, and ſtill are uſually the diſciples of Chriſt; to wit, firſt, poore and deſpiſed men and women, whence was that of the Phariſees, Joh. 7.48. Have any of the Rulers, or of the Phariſees, believed on him? Ye ſee your calling brethren, (ſaith the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 1.26.) how that not many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, &c. and chap. 14.13. We are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-ſcouring of all things unto this day: and ſecondly, men and women that lay under the burden of a grievous debt of ſinnes; for publicans and harlots followed Chriſt, when the ſelf-righteous Phariſees, and many of the civiler ſort of people were enemies to him, Matth. 21.31, 32. and at this the world took great offence: Why eateth your Master with Publicans and ſinners, Matth. 9.11. and again, Matth. 11.19. the ſonne of man came eating and drinking, and they ſaid behold a man gluttonous, and a wine-bibber, a friend of Publicans and ſinners, and hence is that too, in the ſame chapter, verſ. 5.6. The poore have the Goſpell preached to them, and bleſſed is he whoſoever ſhall not be offended in me: ſome are of opinion, that it was when David was in this hold of Adullam, that thoſe worthies came to him alſo, that are ſpoken of, 1. Chron. 12.16. &c. but of that ſee the note there.
Verſ. 3. And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab, and he ſaid unto the King of Moab, &c.] Becauſe his parents, by reaſon of age, were not able well to endure the hardneſſe of being with him in the cave, therefore David went to Mizpeh of Moab, to provide them a place there to ſtay a while in; hoping that the king of Moab would favour him out of hatred to Saul, who had made warre againſt Moab: 1. Sam. 14.47. Let, ſaith he, my father and my mother come forth, that is, out of the land of Iſrael, and be with you, &c.
Verſ. 4. And they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.] That is, in the cave of Adullam. Moſt Expoſitours indeed underſtand this of a hold in Mizpeh of Moab: but firſt, there is no ſuch hold mentioned in the foregoing words; and ſecondly, had David been in Mizpeh of Moab, why ſhould it be ſaid he left his father and mother, with the king of that countrey.
Verſ 5. And the Prophet Gad ſaid unto David, Abide not in the hold, depart, and get thee into the land of Judah.] The cave, or hold of Adullam, was indeed in the tribe of Judah; but the Lord appoints him not to hide himſelf any longer there, but to go forth abroad and to ſhew himſelf openly in the land of Judah, and that no doubt partly for the triall of his faith, that it might be ſeen, that his confidence was in the Lords protection, and partly that he might by degrees gain eſteem and reſpect amongſt the people.
Verſ. 6. Now Saul abode in Gibeah, under a tree in Ramah, &c.] This may be tranſlated under a tree in a high place (as it is in the margin of our Bibles) and then the meaning of the words is clear, to wit, that Saul was in ſome hill or high place in Gibeah, but according to that tranſlation which is here in our Bibles, Saul abode in Gibeah, under a tree in Ramah: it may be queſtioned how it can be ſaid, that he was in Gibeah, and in Ramah too; and no other anſwer can be given, but that Ramah, or the land about it, was in the territories of Gibeah, and ſo becauſe he was under a tree in, or near unto Ramah, it is ſaid that he was in Gibeah, under a tree in Ramah; as for that clauſe which next follows, having his ſpear in his hand, this is added either, firſt, to imply how full of iealouſies and fears Saul was, as one that had ſcarce any confidence, in any that were about him, he had ſtill his Javelin or his ſpear in his hand; or ſecondly, to intimate that he had muſtered his forces, and was ready to go forth in the purſuit of David, or thirdly, becauſe in thoſe times, kings were wont to uſe ſpears in ſtead of Sceptres, as the Enſigne of their Regall powers, which is indeed expreſſely affirmed in many humane Authours.
Verſ. 7. Heare now ye Benjamites, Will the ſonne of Jeſſe give every one of you fields and vineyards, &c.] To wit, as I have done, and am ready ſtill to do; and thus he puts them in mind that David was not able to preferre them as he was, nor yet likely to do it if he were able, becauſe David was not of their tribe as he was.
Verſ. 8. There is none that ſheweth me that my ſonne hath made a league with the ſonne of Jeſſe, &c.] Becauſe David (as he had heard) was returned into the land, and Jonathan ſince that diſpleaſure taken, chap. 20.24. had perhaps forborn to come into his preſence; he ſuſpects there was ſome conſpiracie betwixt David and him (as thinking that David durſt not elſe have entered the land, having no greater a power then he had) and condemnes his followers for not revealing it to him, intimating the more therewith to affect them, what an odious thing it was, that his own ſonne and ſervant, ſhould conſpire againſt him.
Verſ. 9. Then anſwered Doeg the Edomite, which was ſet over the ſervants of Saul, &c.] That is, over his herdmen: ſee the note chap. 21.7. the bait of preferment, which Saul had caſt forth in the foregoing verſes, this profane Edomite quickly ſnapped at, and thereupon accuſed Ahimelech to Saul.
Verſ. 10. And he enquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, &c.] Which Ahimelech acknowledged, verſ, 15, but whileſt Doeg told Saul this, like a malicious wretch, he ſpoke not a word to him of Davids excuſe, wherewith Ahimelech was deceived, whence are thoſe words of David, Pſal. 52.2, 3. Thy tongue deviſeth miſchief like a ſharp Raſour, working deceitfully, thou loveſt evil more then good, and lying rather then to speak righteouſneſſe:) for that Pſalme was compoſed upon this occaſion, as is evident by the title: A pſalme of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and ſaid unto him, David is come to the houſe of Ahimelech.
Verſ. 12. And Saul ſaid, Heare now thou ſonne of Ahitub.] So he calls him by way of contempt, as when they called David the ſon of Jeſſe, in a way of ſleighting him.
Verſ. 15, Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? Be it …arre from me. &c.] That is, this was not the firſt time that I have enquired of the Lord for him; and what I have done without blame at other times, what cauſe had I to queſtion the doing of it now? ſo that it is clear that I intended no ſuch evil in this as is now ſuſpected; had I done it now onelyonly (when it ſeems there was ſome jealouſie of David) it had been another matter; but to intend the aiding of one that ſhould riſe up againſt my Lord and Sovereigne, was never in my heart, be it farre from me, ſaith he, that is, God forbid I ſhould have ſuch a thought in my heart.
Verſ. 16. And the king ſaid, Thou ſhalt ſurely die Ahimelech, thou and all thy fathers houſe.] Thus he that was ſo pitifull, that he would needs ſpare Agag, whom God had commanded him to deſtroy, was now ſo hard hearted, that he could command eighty and five of the Lords Prieſts to be ſlain in his ſight: and afterwards the citie to be deſtroyed, and all that was in it, old and young, and never be troubled at it.
Verſ. 18. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the Prieſts, and ſlew on that day foureſcore and five perſons that did wear a linen Ephod.] Thus that which the Lord had threatened againſt the houſe of Ely, chap. 2.31, 32. was in part fulfilled; for of that family theſe prieſts were.
Verſ. 19. And Nob the city of the Priests ſmote he with the edge of the ſword, &c.] The Tabernacle was at this time in Nob, as is before noted, ver. 1. and therefore it is probable, that upon the occaſion of deſtroying this city at this time, the Tabernacle was removed from hence to Gibeon, where it continued to the dayes of Solomon. 2. Chron. 1.3. So Solomon, and all the congregation that was with him, went unto the high place that was in Gibeon: for there was the Tabernacle of the congregation of God, &c.
Verſ. 20. And one of the ſonnes of Ahimelech the ſonne of Ahitub, named Abiathar, eſcaped and fled after David.] To wit, to Keilah, chap. 23.6. This Abiathar was he that ſucceeded his father Ahimelech in the place of high Prieſt, and continued in that place and office, till he was removed by Solomon, 1. Kings 2.27.
Verſ. 22. And David ſaid unto Abiathar, I knew it that day when Doeg the Edomite was there, &c.] The meaning of this is, that his heart miſgave him, that it would be ſo, when he ſaw Doeg there.