1 Samuel 22:4

4 And he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the fortress.

1 Samuel 22:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 22:4

And he brought them before the king of Moab
Having leave from him for it, and left them with him; so the Targum,

``caused them to remain before him:''

and they dwelt with him all the whole time that David was in the hold;
either in the cave of Adullam, as some think; or rather at Mizpeh in Moab, which might be a fortified place; or the sense may be, while he was in any hold in those parts, as he might go from one to another; what became of David's parents afterwards, we nowhere else read. The Jews ^F26 say the king of Moab slew his father and his mother, and his brethren, all but one, whom Nahash the Ammonite preserved; and is the kindness David speaks of, ( 2 Samuel 10:2 ) ; and if this was the case, now it was that his father and mother forsook him, and God took him up, ( Psalms 27:10 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 Bemnidbar Rabba, sect. 14. fol. 212. 1. Tanchuma apud Jarchium in loc.

1 Samuel 22:4 In-Context

2 And every one that was in distress and every one that was in debt and all whose souls were bitter gathered themselves unto him, and he became the captain over them, and there were about four hundred men with him.

3 And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth and be with you until I know what God will make of me.

4 And he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the fortress.

5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, do not abide in this fortress; depart, and go into the land of Judah. Then David departed and came into the forest of Hareth.

6 When Saul heard how David had appeared and the men that were with him (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his slaves were standing about him),