1 Samuel 22:2
in 1 Samuel 22And all who were distressed or indebted or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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 captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 22
Commentary
11 notes on this verseFor if it is a bad thing to flee, it is much worse to persecute. The one party hides himself to escape death, the other persecutes with a desire to kill. It is written in the Scriptures that we ought to flee; but he that seeks to destroy transgresses the law and also is himself the occasion of the other's flight. If then they [the Arians] reproach me with my flight, let them be more ashamed of their own persecution. Let them cease to conspire, and those who flee will immediately cease to do so.
This site's exposition
escaped to the cave Adullam
on 1 Samuel 22:1-2
David flees to the cave Adullam, and his brethren and all his father's house go down to him rather than risk Saul's rage falling on them at home. The company that gathers next is drawn by need rather than merit, everyone in distress, everyone in debt, everyone discontented, four hundred men in all, and the fugitive becomes their captain. The older writers read the anointed but not yet enthroned king gathering the desperate as a picture of Christ before his kingdom comes, a reading Blaikie names and Spurgeon preached from this very cave, though the text itself says only that a captain now stands where one man once stood alone before Goliath.
This site's exposition
all who were distressed or indebted or discontented
Barnes reads the discontented as men embittered by Saul's rule, and he compares 30:6, where David's men grow bitter in spirit. Clarke thinks some hoped for revenge and plunder. Henry notes that David used his four hundred men only as a guard and never raised a hand against the king.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
For the just engage in many struggles. Does an athlete contend only once? How often, after he has won many victor's crowns, is he overcome in another contest! How often it happens that one who has frequently gained the victory sometimes hesitates and is held fast in uncertainty! And it frequently comes to pass that a brave man is contending with brave men and greater struggles arise, where proofs of strength are greater. Thus, when David sought to flee to avoid the adversary, he also did not find his wings. He was driven here and there in an uncertain struggle.… But David is still in the cave—that is, in the flesh—in the cavern of his body, as it were, as he fights with King Saul, the son of hardness, and with the power of that spiritual prince who is not visible but is comprehensible.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And there were with him about four hundred men. Those who remain firm in faith, acting manfully and strengthened in heart by the doctrine of the Gospel, which is marked by the most beautiful unity of the four books, are called to hope for, seek, …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And everyone that was in distress,....
He found by the late experiments he had made that he could not save himself by flight, and therefore was necessitated to do it by force, wherein he never acted offensively, never offered any violence to his prince nor gave any disturbance to the peace of the kingdom, but only used his forces as a guard to his own person.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
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 David, unjustly persecuted, would be glad to avail himself of their assistance that he might revenge himself upon Saul, and so they in the mean time might profit by plunder, etc. But if this were their design they were greatly disappointed, for David never made any improper use of them.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3533: “Recruits for the King” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
DAVID in the caverns of Adullam is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ despised and rejected among the sons of men. Christ is the Lord's Anointed, but men perceive not the anointing. He is persecuted by His great enemy, the world, as David was persecuted by Saul, and he now rather dwells in the Cave of Adullam than sits upon his throne. Just as when David was in his dishonor, it was the time for his true friends to rally around him.
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3533: “Recruits for the King” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
DAVID in the caverns of Adullam is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ despised and rejected among the sons of men. Christ is the Lord's Anointed, but men perceive not the anointing. He is persecuted by His great enemy, the world, as David was persecuted by Saul, and he now rather dwells in the Cave of Adullam than sits upon his throne. Just as when David was in his dishonor, it was the time for his true friends to rally around him. And so at this hour, when the name of Christ is associated with much of dishonor and rebuke, now is the time for the true followers of the Savior to rally around His banner and to espouse His cause. To come to David after he had been crowned king was poor work—the sons of Belial could do that—but to ally themselves to David when he was obliged to hide himself in mountain caves from his cruel enemies, this proved men to be David's true friends and loyal subjects. Blessed are they to whom it shall be given to enlist under the banner of Christ at this present time, who shall not be ashamed to confess Him before the sons of men, or to boldly take up His Cross and to suffer such loss and persecution as it may please His Providence to ordain for them to bear. As it is not concerning David, but concerning David's greater Son, I propose to address you this evening, let me say a few words at the outset to— I. THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY ENLISTED IN HIS BLESSED BAND. Foremost among those of David's troop were his brothers and all his father's house. So, too, Beloved in Christ, we who have been called by Divine Grace are regarded by Him as His brethren and all His Father's house. Looking round upon His disciples when He was here below, our blessed Master said, "Behold My mother and My brethren! For whoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother." Such His condescension that He is not ashamed to call us brethren.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Discontented - See the margin. (Compare 1Sa 30:6; 2Sa 17:8.) The phrase here denotes those who were exasperated by Saul’s tyranny.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֣וּ | vaiyitkabetzu | and they gathered together | H6908 → | 127 times |
| אֵ֠לָיו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אִ֨ישׁ | ʾish | man of | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מָצ֜וֹק | matzok | distress | H4689 → | |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אִ֨ישׁ | ʾish | man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| ל֤וֹ | lo | [belonged] to <the> him | ||
| נֹשֶׁא֙ | noshe' | a creditor | H5378 → | |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מַר־ | mar- | bitter of | H4751 → | 37 times |
| נֶ֔פֶשׁ | nefesh | soul | H5315 → | 754 times |
| וַיְהִ֥י | vayhi | and he became | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם | ʾaleihem | over them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לְשָׂ֑ר | lesar | <into> a commander | H8269 → | 421 times |
| וַיִּהְי֣וּ | vaiyihyu | and they were | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עִמּ֔וֹ | imo | with him | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| כְּאַרְבַּ֥ע | kearba' | about four | H702 → | 318 times |
| מֵא֖וֹת | meot | hundred<s> | H3967 → | 581 times |
| אִֽישׁ׃ | ʾish | man | H376 → | 1663 times |
וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֣וּand they gathered together
vaiyitkabetzuH6908 →127 times
אֵ֠לָיוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אִ֨ישׁman of
ʾishH376 →1663 times
מָצ֜וֹקdistress
matzokH4689 →
וְכָל־and every
vekholH3605 →5413 times
אִ֨ישׁman
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֲשֶׁר־whom
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
ל֤וֹ[belonged] to <the> him
lo
נֹשֶׁא֙a creditor
noshe'H5378 →
וְכָל־and every
vekholH3605 →5413 times
אִ֣ישׁman
ʾishH376 →1663 times
מַר־bitter of
mar-H4751 →37 times
נֶ֔פֶשׁsoul
nefeshH5315 →754 times
וַיְהִ֥יand he became
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
עֲלֵיהֶ֖םover them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times
לְשָׂ֑ר<into> a commander
lesarH8269 →421 times
וַיִּהְי֣וּand they were
vaiyihyuH1961 →3559 times
עִמּ֔וֹwith him
imoH5973 →1050 times
כְּאַרְבַּ֥עabout four
kearba'H702 →318 times
מֵא֖וֹתhundred<s>
meotH3967 →581 times
אִֽישׁ׃man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 11:28Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
it leads to
- Matthew 11:29
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
- John 7:37
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
- John 6:37
Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away.
- Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
- Isaiah 55:1–3
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
- Matthew 11:29
Through
1 Samuel 30:6And David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of every man grieved for his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
it leads to
- Psalms 56:3–4
When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.
- Psalms 56:11
in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
- Psalms 62:5
Rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from Him.
- Psalms 56:3–4
Where this verse is studied
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Studies2
On this verse
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About 1 Samuel
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, FLIGHT FROM THE WORLD 5.28; Athanasius of Alexandria, DEFENSE OF HIS FLIGHT 8; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3533: Recruits for the King; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3533: “Recruits for the King” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and W. G. Blaikie, The First Book of Samuel (Expositor's Bible).