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Chapter 22

David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his family heard about it, they came down to him there.(A) He was joined by all those in difficulties or in debt, or embittered,[a] and became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab and said to the king of Moab, “Let my father and mother stay with you, until I learn what God will do for me.” He left them with the king of Moab; they stayed with him as long as David remained in the stronghold.[b]

But Gad the prophet said to David: “Do not remain in the stronghold! Leave! Go to the land of Judah.” And so David left and went to the forest of Hereth.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 22:2 Embittered: Hebrew mar-nephesh, “bitter of spirit,” used of Hannah, deprived of a child, in 1:10, and of David’s soldiers, whose women and children the Amalekites had seized (30:6). Cf. also 2 Sm 17:8. David becomes a hero for those who have endured loss or deprivation.
  2. 22:4–5 Stronghold: seemingly connected with the cave complex in v. 1.

David at Adullam and Mizpah

22 David left Gath and escaped to the cave(A) of Adullam.(B) When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered(C) around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.

From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, “Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?” So he left them with the king of Moab,(D) and they stayed with him as long as David was in the stronghold.

But the prophet Gad(E) said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.(F)

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