“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.” (1 Samuel 22:1)
Background
David had left from the Philistines and hid in a cave. His faith had wavered. His father’s house will flock to him.
Reinforcements Arrive
“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.” (1 Samuel 22:2)
This is a model of Christ. They trusted David and came to him for protection and leadership.
David is looking for a place to keep his Father and Mother safe. He takes his party to Moab and asks the King of Moab to take them in. The King of Moab does this. The prophet Gad instructs David to leave the cave and head to Judah.
Paranoia The Destroyer
Saul had discovered where David was. Now his paranoia of everyone grew.
“That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth 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 sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?” (1 Samuel 22:8)
In Saul’s mind, there is a assassin behind every tree. Doeg, the Edomite, sees an opportunity. He tells Saul about David’s visit to the Priest Ahimelech. Saul is angry and someone must pay.
Massacre of the Priests
“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.” (1 Samuel 22:11)
Saul calls the Priests from Nob to meet with him. Why did the Priests go to meet with him. It is clear that they had no idea what was about to happen.
Saul didn’t ask them questions, he made statements concealed with a question mark.
“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 enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?” (1 Samuel 22:13)
Saul had already decided that the Priests had conspired with David, and God, to kill him. You would think that at this point Saul should already know that God is not with him.
The Priest Ahimelech came to the defense of David.
“14Then 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?
15Did I then begin to enquire 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.” (1 Samuel 22:14-15)
Saul ordered his men to kill the Priests, but they refused. So Saul went with his new right hand man, Doeg. Doeg killed the Priests and then all of the people of Nob. Only one escaped, Abiathar.
“21And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD’S priests.
22And 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.
23Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.” (1 Samuel 22:21-23)
David takes responsibility of endangering the Priests, but now he promises to protect them.
Stay Tuned…
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