1 Samuel 22:5

5 And Gad, the prophet, said to David, Do not thou dwell in the forcelet, or the stronghold; go thou forth, and go into the land of Judah. And David went forth, and came into the forest of Hareth.

1 Samuel 22:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 22:5

And the prophet Gad said unto David
Who either accompanied him in his exile, or was sent unto him on this account, being one of the company of the prophets, over whom Samuel was president, ( 1 Samuel 19:20 ) ;

abide not in the hold, depart, and get thee into the land of Judah;
this seems to confirm it that the hold David was in was not the cave of Adullam, because that was in the tribe of Judah; but rather some hold in the land of Moab, which he is directed by the prophet to leave, and go into the country of Judah, his own tribe, where Saul would not be so forward to pursue him, and where he would be among his friends, and in the way, upon Saul's death, to be anointed king over Judah; besides, appearing more openly would show the innocence of his cause, and his confidence in the Lord, more than to lurk about in a foreign land:

then David departed;
from "Mizpeh" in "Moab"; or, however, from the hold in which he was:

and came into the forest of Hareth;
where he would have places and opportunity enough to hide himself as he saw fit. Jerom ^F1 speaks of a village called Arath, where David abode, to the west of Jerusalem. Kimchi says this was a dry barren place, but for the sake of David it was made by the Lord a well watered and fruitful one.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 De loc. Heb. fol. 88. L.

1 Samuel 22:5 In-Context

3 And David went forth from thence into Mizpeh, that is in Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, I pray, dwell my father and my mother with you, till I know what thing God shall do to me. (And David went forth from there to Mizpeh, which is in Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, I pray thee, let my father and my mother stay with you, until I know what God shall do for me.)

4 And he left them there before the face of the king of Moab; and they dwelled at him in all the days, that David was in stronghold. (And so he left them there with the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the days that David was in his stronghold.)

5 And Gad, the prophet, said to David, Do not thou dwell in the forcelet, or the stronghold; go thou forth, and go into the land of Judah. And David went forth, and came into the forest of Hareth.

6 And Saul heard, that David appeared, and the men that were with him. And when Saul dwelled in Gibeah, and was in a wood that is in Ramah, and he held a spear in his hand, and all his servants stood about him, (And Saul heard that David, and the men who were with him, had appeared. And Saul then lived in Gibeah, and was in a forest that is in Ramah, and he held a spear in his hand, and all his servants stood about him,)

7 he said to his servants that stood nigh [to] him, Ye sons of Benjamin, hear me now; whether the son of Jesse shall give to all you fields and vineries, and he shall make all you chieftains upon thousands, and upon hundreds of men? (and he said to his officers who stood about him, Ye sons of Benjamin, hear me now; will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards, and will he make all of you chieftains over thousands, and chieftains over hundreds?)