1 Samuel 22

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).[8] Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q51 (4QSam^a; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 10–11[9][10][11][12] and 4Q52 (4QSam^b; 250 BCE) with extant verses 8–9.[9][10][11][13]

Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century).[14][lower-alpha 1]

• 1 Samuel 22:1–5: Psalm 57:1–11; Psalm 142:1–7[16]
• 1 Samuel 22:6–23: Psalm 52:1–9[16]

¹David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. ²And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him."[18]

• "Adullam": was a 'cave' (according to Masoretic Text), which also functioned as a 'stronghold' (according to Septuagint; cf. verse 4), located to the south-west of Jerusalem in the Shephelah.[17] The geographical condition of the wilderness around Adullam in Judah had long been a hideout of fugitives.[19]

³Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me." ⁴So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold."[20]

Due to the uncertainty of his life as outlaw and how it would affect his family, David sought asylum for his parents in Moab, for some reasons: his ancestry connections with Moab through Ruth (Ruth 4:17–22), and the likely support from an enemy of Saul, who had defeated Moab in battle (1 Samuel 14:47).[17] This action proved to be correct because Saul was very suspicious of any conspiracy and would kill anyone he suspected to do so, including their families (verses 8, 13).[17]

Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not remain in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.[21]

• Gad: later became a court prophet (2 Samuel 24:11–19).[17]
• "Hereth" (KJV: "Hareth"): is a forested area in Judah, assumed to be on the border of the Philistine plain, in the southern part of Judah.[22]

⁹Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, “I saw the son of Jesse going to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. ¹⁰And he inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”[26]

The reference to Doeg the Edomite in 1 Samuel 21:7 becomes meaningful in the this part of narrative, which may add to the long-standing animosity between Israel and Edom (Genesis 25:25, 30; Numbers 20:1–21; Judges 3:7-11).[17]