DAVID AT THE ADULLAM CAVE; SAUL MURDERS THE PRIESTS
A. David at Adullam cave
1. (1 Sam 22:1a) David's distress at Adullam
So David departed from there and escapes to the cave of Adullam
The cave of Adullam: Adullam means refuge and was an ancient royal city of the Canaanites, in the neighborhood of Jarmuth, Socoh, Azekah and Shaarim, all places near the valley of Elah (Joshua 12:15 and Joshua 15:35). In this valley, some ruins have been discovered bearing the name Aid el Ma, which is thought to be a corruption of Adullam. They lie at the foot of a high rounded hill and has a commanding view over the main valley to the east. It forms a natural fortress, well adapted for the site of a city, which numerous ruins show once stood there. The sides of the tributary valleys are lined with rows of caves, amply sufficient to accommodate David and his 400 men.
And escaped to the cave of Adullam: This was David's place of refuge. He could not go to his house. He could not go to the palace. He could not go to Samuel. He could not go to Jonathan. He could not go to the house of the LORD. He could not go to the ungodly. The one place David could go was to a cave and find refuge.
The title of Psalm 142 reads: "A contemplation of David. A prayer when he was in the cave." Psalm 142 goes on to describe David's discouraged heart. "I cry out to the LORD with my voice; with my voice to the LORD I make my supplication. I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk they have secretly set a snare for me. Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; refuge has failed me; no one cares for my soul." (Psalm 142:1-4)
The title of Psalm 57 reads "A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave." Psalm 57 describes David as the LORD strengthened him in the cave and prepared him for what was next.
In verse one, Psalm 57 shows David with a humble heart: "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!"
In verse two, Psalm 57 shows David with a prayerful heart: "I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me."
In verses four and five, Psalm 57 shows David with a realistic heart: "My soul is among lions...they have prepared a net for my steps."
In verses five and eleven, Psalm 57 shows a heart of trusting praise to the LORD: "I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations...Be exalts, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth."
The LORD brought David into this place while he was still in the Adullam cave. We often think we have to get out of the cave to have the heart David has in Psalm 57. The truth is, no matter what our circumstances, we can have a heart like David's right now.
2. (1 Sam 22:1b-2) Others come to David at the Adullam cave
And when his brothers and all his father's household heard of it, they went down there to him. Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him.
When his brothers and all his father's household heard of it: The first people to join David in his exile is his family. This is a precious gift from God. Previously, all David had was trouble persecution from his father and brothers (1 Samuel 16:11 and 1 Samuel 17:28). Now they were the first people to join David at Adullam.
Everyone who was in distress...in debt...discontented: Had Saul's government been just and upright, David would have had no followers. But, Saul never rose above the level of a soldier and seems entirely unaware of it being his duty to attend to the righteous administration of the law.
The Israelites had the very king they had desired, but they found a brave general might at home be a ruthless tyrant.
Debt was one of the worst evils of ancient times. The rate of usury was so exorbitant that a loan was sure to end in utter ruin, and not only the debtor, but his children might end up being slaves to repay the debt. ("Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, 'You servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves" 2 Kings 4:1.) It was one of the first duties of an upright governor to enforce Torah against usury. ("Now in the case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his means with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. Do not take usurious interest from him, but revere your God, that your countryman may live with you" Leviticus 25:35-36.) There were probably many in the land impoverished by Saul's own taxation and made bitter of soul by his cruelty and injustice. All such were glad to join David in his life as an outlaw.
He became captain over them: This was not an undisciplined ragtag gang of discontents. These men David quickly organized by degrees, among whom, many were men of valor and of great military skill. These men needed a leader, and David was just the man for the task.
3. (1 Sam 22:3-4) David cares for his parents
And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me." Then he left them with the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.
Mizpah of Moab: This particular Mizpah is mentioned nowhere else in Scripture. Mizpah means a watch tower. It was probably some mountain fortress in Moab. David evidently sought hospitality among his kin in Moab. Jesse, David's father, was the grandson of Ruth the Moabitess. The distance from the south of Judah, where David and his group were located, to Moab was not far. Additionally, Saul had waged war on Moab ("Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab..." 1 Samuel 14:47.), and the king was probably happy to help one of Saul's enemies.
Until I know what God will do for me: David expresses his hopes, as one that had entirely cast himself upon God, and committed his way to Him. David was trusting not in his own strength but in the wisdom, power and goodness of God.
All the time that David was in the stronghold: This does not refer simply to the time David was in Moab, but it refers to the entire time until David is settled in Hebron. According to Jewish tradition, the king of Moab betrays David and murders his parents. This perhaps is supported in Scripture when David exacts a heavy vengeance on Moab when he comes to the throne. ("Now after this it came about that David defeated the Philistines and subdued them; and David took control of the chief city from the hand of the Philistines. He defeated Moab, and measured them with the line, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death and one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became servants to David, bringing tribute" 2 Samuel 8:1-2.)
4. (1 Sam 22:5) David hears from the prophet Gad
The prophet Gad said to David, "Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah." So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.
The prophet Gad: From this time onward throughout the life and reign of David, Gad the prophet occupies a significant place. He is mentioned as the king's seer in 2 Samuel 24:11 ("When David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying"). In 2 Chronicles 29:29 ("Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer, in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet and in the chronicles of Gad the seer"), Gad is a compiler of the acts of David, along with Samuel and Nathan. In 2 Chronicles 29:25 ("He then stationed the Levities in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with harps and with lyres, according to the command of David and of Gad the king's seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for the command was from the LORD through His prophets"), he is mentioned with Nathan the prophet as the man who had drawn up the plan of the great temple services. Lastly, it was Gad who was sent to offer David his choices of punishments for his sin in numbering the people of Israel (2 Samuel 24:11 and following verses).
Depart and go into the land of Judah: Gad gives David essential information; David should flee Moab and return to Judah. Had David not done so, he probably would no have become king. By living in Judah, and protecting the people from the Philistines, which Saul could not longer do, David grew in reputation and power. From the list of those who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:1-22), it is evident that not only did the people support David, but there was a strong enthusiasm for him throughout all Israel.
B. Saul murders the priests
1. (1 Sam 22:6-8) Feeling sorry for himself, Saul accuses his aides of treason
Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him. Saul said to his servants who stood around him, "Hear now, O Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse also give to all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? For all of you have conspired against me so that there is no one who discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in ambush, as it is this day."
Then Saul heard: No note of time here is given as to how long it was after David's exile in which the news of David's whereabouts were divulged to Saul. It is most likely, Saul heard of David's location when David had set up camp in the forest of Hareth with a disciplined, armed force.
Saul was sitting in Gibeah: We have a very vivid picture here of Saul and his officials meeting to administer justice against David. The king sits under a tamarisk with his spear, the symbol of royalty, in his hand, and his servants, still mainly from Saul's own tribe of Benjamin, standing around him.
O Benjamites: Saul had evidently failed in blending the twelve tribes of Israel into one nation. He had begun well, and his great feat of delivering Jabesh-Gilead by summoning troops from all Israel together must have given them a nationalistic feeling of unity. Yet, now we find King Saul isolated, and this address to his officers seems to show that he had aggrandized his own tribe at the expense of the rest. Moreover, Saul appeals to the worst passions of these men, and asks whether they can expect David to continue this favoritism, which had given them riches and posts of power.
For all of you have conspired against me: Saul turns upon his officers and fiercely accuses them of banding together in a conspiracy against him, to conceal from him the private friendship which existed between his son, Jonathan, and his enemy, David.
When my son makes a covenant: It seems as though Saul had learned something of what passed between Jonathan and David when they met for their farewell during the New Moon feast. ("So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, 'May the LORD require it at the hands of David's enemies'" 1 Samuel 20:16.)
There is none of you who is sorry for me: These words of the sad king, tormented by the evil spirit ever whispering doubt and jealous thoughts into the king's mind, are here strangely real and pathetic.
2. (1 Sam 22:9-10) Doeg reports on Ahimelech and David to King Saul
Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing by the servants of Saul, said, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. He inquired of the LORD for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine."
Then Doeg the Edomite: Doeg has already been mentioned in Scripture in the preceding chapter. His presence in this meeting under the tamarisk tree among the Benjamite chieftains indicates that he was a person of no insignificant importance at the Court of Saul. Jewish tradition tells us that Doeg was skilled in all learning. Doeg the Edomite and Ahitophel (whose counsel was taken as the oracle of God) are represented in the Talmud as the most learned men of their time.
He inquired of the LORD for him: This, although not expressly mentioned in 1 Samuel chapter 21, was probably the main object of David's visit, and Ahimelech does not dispute this charge in 1 Samuel 22:15.
Gave him provisions: Ahimelech did this very innocently, and Doeg knew that. But Doeg represented these acts as a conspiracy against Saul, in which Ahimelech aided and abetted David.
No comments:
Post a Comment