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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1 Samuel 22:2

And every one, &c. To the cave of Adullam resorted some who were smarting under the oppression of Saul's tyranny; some who were involved in debt through the neglect of the laws concerning usury (Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35-37); some who were in despair at the condition of the kingdom, and desired a leader from whom they might hope for better things.

he became a captain over them That he could keep such a motley band in order is an evidence of David's natural genius for ruling, which was further developed by this training.

about four hundred men Soon increased to six hundred (1 Samuel 23:13). Among them were the three heroes who brought water from the well at Bethlehem (2 Samuel 23:13 ff.; 1 Chronicles 11:15 ff.); possibly the stalwart Gadites whose names are given in 1 Chronicles 12:8-15; and also the detachment from Judah and Benjamin led by Amasai (1 Chronicles 12:16-18).

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See also 1 Samuel 22:2 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Samuel 22:2. _AND EVERY ONE_ THAT WAS _IN DISTRESS - DEBT - DISCONTENTED_] It is very possible that these several disaffected and exceptionable characters might at first have supposed that Da...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    DISCONTENTED - See the margin. (Compare 1 Samuel 30:6; 2 Samuel 17:8.) The phrase here denotes those who were exasperated by Saul’s tyranny....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 22 _ 1. In the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1)_ 2. In Moab and Gad's message (1 Samuel 22:3) 3. Saul's discovery of David's visit to Nob (1 Samuel 22:6) 4. The murder of the priests ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 SAMUEL 22. DAVID AT ADULLAM AND MOAB: MASSACRE AT NOB (J). The series of narratives in ch. 22 may very well come from the same ancient document, and be the continuation of 1 Samuel 21:1. 1 SAMUEL 2...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ONE. man. Hebrew. _'ish._. App-14. discontented. bitter of soul. Hebrew. _nephesh.App-13._ Compare Judges 18:25, "angry": i.e. embittered. CAPTAIN. chief, leader, or prince. MEN. Hebrew. _'ish._ App...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND EVERY ONE THAT WAS IN DISTRESS, &C.— See 1 Chronicles 12:8. This has been represented as a gang of ruffians, a parcel of banditti, who united themselves to David with the worst designs. But the or...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    Saul's Reprisals Against David and His Friends, 1 Samuel 22:1-23. _The Prophet Gad and David._ 1 Samuel 22:1-5 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    22:2 spirit (b-18) Or 'discontented,' or 'sorrowful.' so ch. 30.6....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DAVID IN THE CAVE OF ADULLAM. SAUL'S SLAUGHTER OF THE PRIESTS AT NOB 1. Adullam] probably in the valley of Elah between Philistia and Hebron....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    FOUR HUNDRED] They soon increased to six hundred (1 Samuel 23:13). Cp. the description given of Jephthah's band in Judges 11:3....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 22 DAVID AT ADULLAM AND MIZPAH V1 David left Gath and went to a cave near Adullam. His brothers and his father’s family discovered where he h...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    EVERY ONE THAT WAS IN DISTRESS. — EWALD WRITES ON THIS STATEMENT: — “The situation of the country, which was becoming more and more melancholy under Saul,... drove men to seek a leader from whom they...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יִּֽתְקַבְּצ֣וּ אֵ֠לָיו כָּל ־אִ֨ישׁ מָצֹ֜וק...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXIX. _ DAVID AT ADULLAM, MIZPEH, AND HARETH._ 1 Samuel 22:1. THE cave of Adullam, to which David fled on leaving Gath, has been placed in various localities even in modern times; but as the...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    CAPTAIN OF AN OUTLAWED BAND 1 Samuel 22:1 What a striking analogy there is between the gathering of these outlawed men to David, and the attraction of publicans and sinners, in all ages, to Christ! H...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Leaving Gath, David took refuge in the cave of Adullam, where there gathered to him a band of the outcasts of his own people. They are graphically described as those in "distress," in "debt," and "dis...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Men. His title to the crown was incontestable, so that he might justly make war, particularly in his own defence, and receive those who flocked to him to screen themselves from the persecution of Saul...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (2) And everyone that was in distress, and everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We enter now on a portion of David's history sensibly different from what we have already had, which closed with the efforts of Jonathan to restore matters and to attach Saul to him at least openly. J...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    David now takes his place fully with the excellent of the earth (Hebrews 11:38). There the prophet Gad joins him; he is guided in a direct manner by the plain testimony of God, and soon after he is jo...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND EVERYONE [THAT WAS] IN DISTRESS,.... In straitened circumstances, through the oppression of men, through poverty, and afflictive providences in their families: AND EVERYONE [THAT WAS] IN DEBT; an...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    1 Sam. 22:2. "And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was bitter of soul, gathered themselves to him, and he became captain over them." Herein he was a t...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Every one that was in distress_ אישׁ מצוק, _ish matsok_, the man straitened or oppressed. _And every one that was in debt_ אשׁר לו נשׁא _asher lo noshee, the man that had a creditor._ Probably poor d...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Companies resort vnto Dauid at Adullam. 3 At Mizpeh he commendeth his parents vnto the King of Moab. 5 Admonished by Gad, hee commeth to Hareth. 6 Saul going to pursue him, complaineth of his ser...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And everyone that was in distress, feeling that the government of Saul was an arbitrary misrule, AND EVERYONE THAT WAS IN DEBT, oppressed by his creditors and having failed to receive from the governm...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    DAVID A FUGITIVE IN JUDAH AND MOAB...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    David wrotePsalms 34:1 at this time, which shows that he was truly restored to the Lord. Verse 4 of that Psalm is particularly significant, "I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from al...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    WAS IN DEBT: _ Heb._ had a creditor DISCONNECTED: _ Heb._ bitter of soul...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-5 See what weak instruments God sometimes uses, to bring about his own purposes. The Son of David is ready to receive distressed souls, who will be commanded by him. He receives all who come unto H...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    EVERY ONE THAT WAS IN DISTRESS, through want, or oppression, or otherwise. EVERY ONE THAT WAS IN DEBT. How could David receive and countenance such persons to the wrong of their creditors? ANSW. 1. D...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 22:2 everyone H376 distress H4689 everyone H376 debt H5378 (H8801) everyone H376 discontented H4751 H5315 gat

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE GLORY OF GOD IS REVEALED IN THE CAVE OF ADULLAM: DAVID ESTABLISHES THE BEGINNINGS OF HIS PRIVATE ARMY AND RE-ESTABLISHES THE FUTURE (1 SAMUEL 22:1). Having barely escaped from Gath with his life D...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: David in rejection gathers mighty men. His wanderings and dangers. CHARACTERS: David, Saul, Gad, Ahimelech, Doeg, Abiathar. CONCLUSION: Those who give way to jealousy are in a continual ag...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 22:10. _He enquired of the Lord for him._ This was a lie, which Doeg invented to ingratiate himself with Saul: 1 Samuel 22:22; Psalms 52:3....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And everyone that was in distress, and everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him._ A REFUGE FOR THE DISTRESSED At the period of which the text speak...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave of Adullam._ DAVID AT THE CAVE OF ADULLAM David had strangled a lion, slain a giant, and overcome two hundred Philistines; but he is himself...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 22:1 ADULLAM is halfway between Gath and Bethlehem, and the cave is probably nearby. David’s family is in danger from Saul, so they join him. But because life in the wilderne...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 22:2 EVERYONE WHO WAS IN DISTRESS. David was gathering the outcasts of Israel, but under his leadership they became an effective fighting force (see 1

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— 1 Samuel 22:1. “ADULLAM.” “The site of Adullam (mentioned in Joshua 15:35, etc) has not yet been identified, but from the mention of it in the above and other passages i...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION COMMENCEMENT OF DAVID'S LIFE AS AN OUTLAW. 1 SAMUEL 22:1 THE CAVE ADULLAM. According to Josephus this was situated near a city of the same name ('Ant.,'...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And he went from there, and he escaped to the cave at Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard of it, they went down to him there. And every one that was in distress, and every...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Chronicles 11:15; 1 Samuel 1:10; 1 Samuel 25:15; 1 Samuel 25:16;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Debt — Probably poor debtors, whom the creditors were obliged to spare, Exodus 22:25. And though their persons were with David, yet their lands and goods were liable to their creditors. Captain over t...

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