Shmuel Alef 22:2

2 And every ish that was in distress, and every ish that was in debt, and every ish that was mar-nefesh (bitter in spirit, discontented) gathered themselves unto him; and he became Sar over them; and there were with him about arba me’ot ish (four hundred men).

Shmuel Alef 22:2 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 22:2

And everyone [that was] in distress
In straitened circumstances, through the oppression of men, through poverty, and afflictive providences in their families:

and everyone [that was] in debt;
and not able to pay their debts, and whose creditors were pressing upon them:

and everyone [that was] discontented;
with Saul's government and conduct: or "bitter in soul" ^F24; distressed and uneasy in their minds, being pinched with want, or pressed with sore afflictions, which made them very disconsolate: these

gathered themselves unto him;
to help him, or rather to be helped by him; hoping in time things would take a favourable turn with him, and he should be advanced to the throne, and so their circumstances would be mended thereby:

and he became a captain over them;
they enlisted themselves in his service, and he took the command of them; he might not know the circumstances of those in debt, nor of any of them thoroughly, nor their views in joining him; however he meant not to shelter them from paying their just debts if able, nor to encourage them in disloyalty to their king, only to make use of them for his own preservation for the present. In this he was a type of Christ, who receives sinners distressed with a sense of sin, discontented in their present state, and in debt, and, unable to pay their debts; see ( Matthew 11:28 ) ( Luke 7:41 Luke 7:42 ) ( Luke 15:2 ) ;

and there were with him about four hundred men;
among whom some think were the three mighty men spoken of in ( 2 Samuel 23:13 2 Samuel 23:14 ) ( 1 Chronicles 11:15 1 Chronicles 11:16 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 (vpn rm) "amarus animo", Pagninus, Montanus.

Shmuel Alef 22:2 In-Context

1 2 Dovid therefore departed from there, and escaped to the me’arah (cave) of Adullam; and when his brethren and all the bais aviv heard it, they went down there to him.

2 And every ish that was in distress, and every ish that was in debt, and every ish that was mar-nefesh (bitter in spirit, discontented) gathered themselves unto him; and he became Sar over them; and there were with him about arba me’ot ish (four hundred men).

3 And Dovid went from there to Mitzpeh Moav; and he said unto the Melech Moav, Let avi and immi now come out, and be with you, until I know what Elohim will do for me.

4 And he brought them before Melech Moav; and they dwelt with him all the days that Dovid was in the metzudah (stronghold, i.e. Mitzpeh Moav).

5 And Gad HaNavi said unto Dovid, Abide not in the metzudah; depart, and get thee into Eretz Yehudah. Then Dovid departed, and came into the Forest of Cheret.