1 Samuel 22:2

2 And all that were in distress, and oppressed with debt, and under affliction of mind, gathered themselves unto him: and he became their prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.

1 Samuel 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.

1 Samuel 22:2 In-Context

1 David therefore went from thence, and fled to the cave of Odollam. And when his brethren, and all his father’s house, had heard of it, they went down to him thither.

2 And all that were in distress, and oppressed with debt, and under affliction of mind, gathered themselves unto him: and he became their prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.

3 And David departed from thence into Maspha of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab: Let my father and my mother tarry with you, I beseech thee, till I know what God will do for me.

4 And he left them under thc eyes of the king of Moab, and they abode with him all the days that David was in the hold.

5 And Gad the prophet said to David: Abide not in the hold, depart, and go into the land of Juda. And David departed, and came into the forest of Haret.