David's four hundred men
1 Sam 22:1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.
Adullam meant refuge. It was David's home, his refuge in the world from a mad king Saul. His father and mother and his brothers came to him. They were his family and family is supposed to be with us in our difficult times. God was good to David to bring him this support from those he loved. Their lives were in danger too, from the mad and vindictive king.
Psalm 142 describes David's thoughts
Psa 142:1 Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
Psa 142:2 I poured out my complaint before him; I showed before him my trouble.
Psa 142:3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
Psa 142:4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
Psa 142:5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
David cries unto the LORD who is his true refuge.
Psa 142:6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
Psa 142:7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
In Psalm 57, David exalts the LORD.
Psa 57:1 To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
Psa 57:2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.
Psa 57:3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
Psa 57:4 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
Psa 57:5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.
Psa 57:6 They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.
Psa 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
Psa 57:8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
Psa 57:9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.
Psa 57:10 For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.
Psa 57:11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.
1 Sam 22:2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
David had an army of outcasts, but who would stay with him even when he would become the king. Four hundred is the number of affliction, with David they would be transformed. These would be the mighty men of valor who would be under David's command. David was not a rebel, he respected the Lords anointed, even the king who sought to kill him. The people of God have a higher calling, they serve a higher commander.
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
1 Pet 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1 Pet 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1 Sam 22:3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
1 Sam 22:4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.
David's great-grandmother was Ruth, a Moabite; they had family ties through her. In the midst of his own troubles, David made sure his parents were cared for. Jesus hanging on the cross also had his trusted disciple John to care for Mary. He did not call her exalted Mary, mother of God, but her true title: mother and woman.
John 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
John 19:27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
1 Sam 22:5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.
God sent his prophet Gad to guide David from the cave stronghold, into the land of Judah. David listened to the prophets, Samuel too had helped him. He was to keep moving and not hide away. We too are to keep active walking in the spirit as the Lord leads.
Psa 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
Psa 37:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
1 Sam 22:6 When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)
Saul had informants, it would not be hard to miss 400 men moving with David. Saul had a spear in hand ready to kill. He would kill any who he was fearful of, and he was fearful of almost everyone.
1 Sam 22:7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;
The King boasts that he is able to give his followers power and possessions, the devil does that too. He was buying loyalty, but any loyalty that comes from bribes is not true loyalty. We cannot buy favor, the money goes as quickly as the loss of respect. The devil is a thief, we can never give enough to gain favor through him.
1 Sam 22:8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that showeth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or showeth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
Saul whines in self pity as if he were the victim of a conspiracy, he is a cry baby and a foolish self centered person now. He is living a lie coming from his own fear and insecurity. A destructive self pity that will destroy any perceived threat to his kingdom. Not unlike the spirit in King Herod who from fear ordered the killing of the new born children, to destroy Jesus, the king of kings.
1 Sam 22:9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
1 Sam 22:10 And he inquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
Doeg, the informer and accuser, an Edomite, gives Saul information, being of the same evil spirit, having no regard for David or the office of God's priest. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, who the LORD hated because he gave away his birthright for a bowl of stew. He was a carnal, worldly man and his descendants had no regard for the things of God.
Mal 1:3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
Mal 1:4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.
1 Sam 22:11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
They did not know why they were being called. David had told the priest that he was on a journey for Saul. David had a good reputation so the priest believed his lie. Now David's lie had brought God's innocent servants before the devil king. Beware of lies, for the devil will magnify them for his evil purpose.
1 Sam 22:12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.
1 Sam 22:13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
Doeg had informed Saul of these things.
1 Sam 22:14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?
1 Sam 22:15 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.
The priest had done no wrong, and innocently praises David, Saul's servant.
1 Sam 22:16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.
1 Sam 22:17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not show it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.
Even Saul's servants put God above their kings wicked command. They feared God more than the king. They were not completely blinded by satan through fear and envy.
1 Sam 22:18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.
1 Sam 22:19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
A terrible slaughter from the cold blooded Edomite, following the wishes of the mad Saul, to utterly destroy God's anointed servants and all they owned. It was not too long before, that God had commanded King Saul to kill all the inhabitants of a wicked kingdom. He refused giving a poor excuse to make himself justified. Now Saul, without fear of the LORD, destroys the LORD'S servants. He surely would not escape the wrath of God for this most wicked command. Our God is long suffering towards us.
1 Sam 22:20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
1 Sam 22:21 And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests.
1 Sam 22:22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.
David wrote this Psalm concerning Doeg the Edomite.
Psa 52:1 To the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.
Psa 52:2 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
Psa 52:3 Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.
Psa 52:4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
Psa 52:5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.
Psa 52:6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
Psa 52:7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
Psa 52:8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
Psa 52:9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.
1 Sam 22:23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
David could not undo the killing of the priests, but he would protect the last remaining priest. Perhaps you were a victim of evil that destroyed all you trusted in and have lost hope. Look to Jesus, he is there for you, waiting with open arms. Others may have betrayed you, come now, Jesus is your protection, come to him and find his peace.
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