1 Samuel 22:4

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.)

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 all men that were set in anguish, and oppressed with other men's debt, and in bitter soul, came together to him; and he was made the prince of them, and as four hundred men were with him. (And all men who were set in anguish, and were oppressed with owing debt to other men, and were bitter in soul, came together to him; and so about four hundred men were with him.)

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,)