1 Samuel 22

Template:Short description Template:Bible chapter 1 Samuel 22 is the twenty-second chapter of the First Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible or the first part of the Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible.Template:Sfn Jewish tradition attributes the book to the prophet Samuel, with later additions by the prophets Gad and Nathan; modern scholarship, however, regards it as a compilation of independent texts dated to Template:BCE.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn This chapter contains the account of David's escape from Saul's repeated attempts to kill him,Template:Sfn as well as the massacre of the priests in Nob.Template:Sfn Chapter 22 is within a section comprising 1 Samuel 16 to 2 Samuel 5 which records the rise of David as the king of Israel.Template:Sfn

Text

This chapter was originally written in Biblical Hebrew. It is divided into 23 verses.

Textual witnesses

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).Template:Sfn Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q51 (4QSamTemplate:Sup; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 10–11Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn and 4Q52 (4QSamTemplate:Sup; 250 BCE) with extant verses 8–9.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally created in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B; $𝔊$^B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; $𝔊$^A; 5th century).Template:SfnTemplate:Efn

Places

• Adullam
• Gibeah
• Hereth
• Mizpah or Mizpeh in Moab
• Nob
• Ramah

David in Adullam and Moab (22:1–5)

David is now an outlaw (this continues throughout chapter 26) and hides in Adullam (Template:Langx), where he is joined by his family and "all those who were deprived and embittered," and he becomes a leader of a group of "malcontents."Template:Sfn

Verses 1–2

• "Adullam": a "cave", according to the Masoretic Text, which also functioned as a "stronghold" (according to the Septuagint's verse 4), located to the southwest of Jerusalem in the Shephelah.Template:Sfn The geographical condition of the wilderness around Adullam in Judah had long been a hideout of fugitives.Template:Sfn

Verses 3–4

Due to the uncertainty of his life as an outlaw and its potential impact on his family, David sought asylum for his parents in Moab. He may have made his choice based on his ancestral connections to Moab through Ruth (Ruth 4:17–22) or the Moabites' likely support as an enemy of Saul, who had defeated Moab in battle (1 Samuel 14:47).Template:Sfn His action proved to be a smart one because Saul was very suspicious of any conspiracy and would kill anyone he suspected of engaging in one, including their families (verses 8 and 13).Template:Sfn

Verse 5

• Gad: later became a court prophet (2 Samuel 24:11–19).Template:Sfn
• "Hereth": a forested area in Judah assumed to be on the border of the Philistine plain, in the southern part of Judah.Template:Full citation needed

Massacre of the priests of Nob (22:6–23)

The sequel narrative to David's visit to Nob opens with Saul sitting in council at Gibeah accusing the members of his own tribe, the Benjaminites,Template:Efn of conspiracy and of not disclosing to him the pact between David and Jonathan (verse 8). He therefore immediately isolates himself from his tribe.Template:Sfn Doeg the Edomite, the "chief of the shepherds" in 1 Samuel 21:7, who is now titled "in charge of Saul's servants", reports that Ahimelech aided David by giving him bread and Goliath's sword.Template:Sfn Ahimelech, who was called to come before Saul, protests his innocence by claiming that he had treated David as Saul's obedient servant and son-in-law without knowledge of a change in David's status.Template:Sfn Saul commands his servants to kill the priests, but they refuse to obey; Saul then commands Doeg, who, being an Edomite, executes the entire priesthood of Nob and commits blood revenge on the whole city (verse 19).Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn One priest, Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, escapes and attaches himself to David, thereby fulfilling the prophecy of 2:27–36,Template:Sfn as well as securing for David the service of a priest with the ephod (1 Samuel 23:9–12).Template:Sfn The priest Abiathar remained with him as High Priest of Israel until he was eventually banished by Solomon (1 Kings 2:26–27).Template:Sfn In the end, this narrative contrasts Saul, whose act of reprisal had cost him service of the priesthood, with David, who had access to YHWH through the only priest left.Template:Sfn

Verses 9–10

Template:SupThen 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. Template:SupAnd he inquired of the Template:Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine."

The reference to Doeg the Edomite in 1 Samuel 21:7 becomes meaningful in this part of the narrative, which may add to the long-standing animosity between Israel and Edom.Template:Sfn

See also

• Related Bible parts: 1 Samuel 17, 1 Samuel 18, 1 Samuel 20, 1 Samuel 21

Sources

Commentaries on Samuel

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General

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External links

• Jewish translations:
  • Shmuel I - I Samuel - Chapter 22 (Judaica Press). Hebrew text and English translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
  • Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
  • 1 Samuel chapter 22. Bible Gateway