_DAVID FLIES TO THE CAVE ADULLAM, AND AFTERWARDS TO MOAB; WHENCE, BY THE ADVICE OF THE PROPHET GAD, HE RETURNS TO JUDAH: SAUL PUTS TO DEATH AHIMELECH, WITH EIGHTY-FIVE MORE OF THE PRIESTS: ABIATHAR ALONE ESCAPES, AND FLIES TO DAVID._ _Before Christ 1061._... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE CAVE ADULLAM— Which was in the tribe of Judah, and to the east of Eleutheropolis: a place fortified by nature, and so fitted for the security of persons in distress, that we are told it has frequently given a refuge from the Turks to Christians, who fled thither with their families, flocks, a... [ Continue Reading ]
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 original words by no means convey any such meaning as this. The מצוק אישׁ _ish matzok,_ is _the man st... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY DWELT WITH HIM ALL THE WHILE THAT DAVID WAS IN THE HOLD— David could not bear that his aged parents should be confined to a cold cave, exposed to all the hardships of a siege, to dearth, to damps, and dangers of various kinds; and therefore he commends them to the care of the king of Moab, unde... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROPHET GAD SAID UNTO DAVID, ABIDE NOT IN THE HOLD— It was natural to think that David would be more safe in his own tribe, and in a thick forest, than in the tribe of Saul, and a cave; and safety was all that he wanted, or God intended him before the death of Saul. But the principal reason of G... [ Continue Reading ]
_1 SAMUEL 22:6_. (_NOW SAUL ABODE IN GIBEAH,_ &C.— Though _mean people,_ travelling in the East, might make use of _trees_ for shelter, we may perhaps think it almost incredible that _kings_ should; imagining that either proper houses would be marked out for their reception, or, if that could not be... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAUL SAID UNTO HIS SERVANTS— If this complaint was true, Saul must have been an exceedingly bad master, to be so entirely deserted and unpitied by his own servants, even when he had estates and preferments to give them. But what was the complaint? that _all of them had conspired against him._ H... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ANSWERED DOEG—(_WHICH WAS SET OVER THE SERVANTS OF SAUL_)— _Who happened then to be with the servants of Saul._ Houbigant. See the foregoing chapter, 1 Samuel 22:7. It does not appear from the preceding chapter, nor is it likely, that Ahimelech, or the priests, knew any thing of Saul's displeas... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GOETH AT THY BIDDING— _Who is a prince under thy command._ LXX, and Houbigant. See ch. 1 Samuel 21:1. Ahimelech's apology sufficiently shews his innocence. Saul's charge was, that he had conspired with David against him. What proof does he alledge? That _he had given him bread and a sword, and h... [ Continue Reading ]
DOEG—SLEW ON THAT DAY FOURSCORE AND FIVE PERSONS— Josephus says, that Doeg, taking to his assistance some men as wicked as himself, slew, in all, _three hundred and eighty-five_ persons. The LXX says _three hundred and five._ A robe of linen was the common dress of the priests, and it is what the hi... [ Continue Reading ]