Shmuel Alef 22:4

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).

Shmuel Alef 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 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

Shmuel Alef 22:4 In-Context

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.

6 When Sha’ul heard that Dovid was discovered, and the anashim that were with him, (now Sha’ul abode in Giveah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, having his khanit in his yad, and all his avadim were standing about him);