| 1 Samuel 22 | |
|---|---|
_Triumphus_Martyrum_(serietitel)%2c_RP-P-1939-165.jpg) "Doeg kills Ahimelech and his family", byMaerten de Vos (1591). | |
| Book | First book of Samuel |
| Hebrew Bible part | Nevi'im |
| Order in the Hebrew part | 3 |
| Category | Former Prophets |
| Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 9 |
1 Samuel 22 is the twenty-secondchapter of the First Book of Samuel in theOld Testament of theChristianBible or the first part of theBooks of Samuel in theHebrew Bible.[1] According to Jewish tradition the book was attributed to the prophetSamuel, with additions by the prophetsGad andNathan,[2] but modern scholars view it as a composition of a number of independent texts of various ages from c. 630–540 BCE.[3][4] This chapter contains the account ofDavid's escape fromSaul's repeated attempts to kill him[5] and the massacre of the priests inNob.[6] This is within a section comprising1 Samuel 16 to2 Samuel 5 which records the rise of David as the king of Israel.[7]
This chapter was originally written in theHebrew language.It is divided into 23 verses.
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter inHebrew are of theMasoretic Text tradition, which includes theCodex Cairensis (895),Aleppo Codex (10th century), andCodex Leningradensis (1008).[8] Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among theDead Sea Scrolls including 4Q51 (4QSama; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 10–11[9][10][11][12] and 4Q52 (4QSamb; 250 BCE) with extant verses 8–9.[9][10][11][13]
Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation intoKoine Greek known as theSeptuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) includeCodex Vaticanus (B;B; 4th century) andCodex Alexandrinus (A;A; 5th century).[14][a]
David was now an outlaw (continued throughout chapters 26) and hid in Adullam, where he was joined by his family and 'all those who were deprived and embittered', so he became a leader of a group of 'malcontents'.[17]
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]
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]
The sequel narrative to David's visit to Nob opened with Saul sitting in council at Gibeah (cf. 14:2) accusing the members of his own tribe ('you Benjaminites') of conspiracy and of not disclosing to him the pact between David and Jonathan (verse 8); therefore immediately isolated himself from his own clan.[17]Doeg the Edomite, the 'chief of the shepherds' in1 Samuel 21:7, now was titled 'in charge of Saul's servants' (KJV: "set over the servants of Saul"), reported Ahimelech's assistance to David by giving him bread and Goliath's sword.[23] Ahimelech, who was called to come before Saul, protested his innocence by claiming that he only treated David as Saul's obedient servant and son-in-law without knowledge a change in David's status.[24] No matter what, Saul commanded his servants to kill the priests, but they refused to obey, so Saul commanded Doeg, who being an Edomite dared to execute the entire priesthood of Nob and commit blood revenge on the whole city (verse 19).[24][19] One priest, Abiathar son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, escaped and attached himself to David, thereby fulfilling the prophecy of 2:27–36,[25] as well as securing for David the service of a priest with ephod (including "Urim and Thummim"; cf. 1 Samuel 23:9–12).[24] The priest Abiathar remained with him as high priest until he was eventually banished bySolomon (1 Kings 2:26–27).[24] In the end this narrative contrasts Saul, whose act of reprisal had lost for him the service of a priesthood, and David, who had access toYHWH through the only priest left.[24]
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 toDoeg the Edomite in1 Samuel 21:7 becomes meaningful in 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]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Codex Sinaiticus".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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