1 Samuel 22:6

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,)

1 Samuel 22:6 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 22:6

When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that
[were] with him
That it was known where David was, and what number of men were gathered to him, and that they now openly appeared in the tribe of Judah; for some time Saul had heard nothing of him, but now a report had reached his ears that David was in arms, and at the head of a number of men; which now greatly alarmed Saul, and possessed him with fears and jealousies of his people, and all about him:

now Saul abode in Gibeah, under a tree in Ramah;
this was Gibeah of Saul, and in or near which was a place called Ramah, or an high place, as the word signifies, on which was a remarkable tree, and under that Saul abode, being a proper shelter for him from any inclemency of the weather; for this was not Ramah where Samuel dwelt, though the Jews in the Talmud ^F2 so think, and metaphorically understand the tree in it of Samuel in Ramah praying for him, by means of which he continued two years in the height of his kingdom; but this was a tree in a literal sense. R. Jonah ^F3 says it is possible it might be the same which in Arabia is called Ethel, and is like to a tamarisk tree:

having his spear in his hand:
ready to defend himself, and revenge his enemies; or rather which he held as a sceptre in his hand; (See Gill on 1 Samuel 20:33);

and all his servants [were] standing about him;
in reverence of him, and honour to him, waiting upon him, and ready to obey his orders: these were his courtiers, or his guards, or both.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 5. 2.
F3 Apud Ben Melech in loc.

1 Samuel 22:6 In-Context

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?)

8 For all ye have sworn, either conspired, together against me, and none is that telleth to me; mostly since also my son hath joined (in a) bond of peace with the son of Jesse; none is of you, that sorroweth for my stead, or my while, neither that telleth to me, for my son hath raised my servant against me, setting treason to me, unto this day. (Is that why all of you have conspired together against me, and no one told me that my son hath made a covenant with the son of Jesse; yea, none of you hath concern for me, nor even telleth me that my own son hath raised up my servant against me, setting treason for me, unto this day.)