◄ 1 Samuel 22:4 ►
So he left them in the care of the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time David was in the stronghold.
Study Bible
So he left them
This phrase refers to David's action of entrusting his parents to the care of the king of Moab. The Hebrew root for "left" is "נָחָה" (nachah), which can also mean to guide or lead. This indicates David's intentional and protective decision to ensure the safety of his family during a tumultuous time. Historically, David's connection to Moab is significant, as his great-grandmother Ruth was a Moabitess, suggesting a familial bond that might have influenced his decision.

with the king of Moab
The king of Moab at this time is not named in the text, but Moab was a neighboring nation east of the Dead Sea. The Moabites were often in conflict with Israel, yet here we see a moment of cooperation. This highlights the complex political landscape of the time, where alliances could be formed out of necessity. The Moabites' willingness to harbor David's family may reflect the respect or fear they had for David, who was gaining a reputation as a formidable leader.

and they stayed with him
The Hebrew word for "stayed" is "יָשַׁב" (yashab), meaning to dwell or remain. This implies a period of stability and safety for David's family amidst the chaos of Saul's pursuit. It underscores the theme of divine provision and protection, as God provides refuge for David's family in a foreign land, echoing the broader biblical narrative of God as a refuge for His people.

as long as David was in the stronghold
The "stronghold" refers to a place of security and defense, likely the cave of Adullam or another fortified location where David sought refuge from Saul. The Hebrew term "מְצוּדָה" (metsudah) conveys the idea of a fortress or a place of safety. This period in David's life is marked by his reliance on God for protection and guidance. The stronghold symbolizes not only a physical place of safety but also a spiritual refuge, as David often turned to God in prayer and worship during his time in hiding.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The anointed future king of Israel, currently fleeing from King Saul. David is a central figure in this account, demonstrating leadership and care for his family.

2. King of Moab
The ruler of Moab, a neighboring nation to Israel. He provides refuge for David's family during this tumultuous time.

3. David's Family
David's parents and possibly other relatives who are seeking safety from Saul's pursuit.

4. The Stronghold
A place of refuge where David stays while evading Saul. It symbolizes a temporary place of safety and strategic planning.

5. Moab
A nation east of Israel, historically connected to Israel through Ruth, David's great-grandmother, who was a Moabitess.
Teaching Points
Seeking Refuge in Times of Trouble
Just as David sought a safe place for his family, we are encouraged to seek refuge in God during our own times of distress.

God's Provision through Unlikely Sources
The king of Moab, an unlikely ally, provides safety for David's family. God can use unexpected people and places to provide for our needs.

Family Responsibility and Care
David's concern for his family's safety highlights the importance of caring for and protecting our loved ones, even in difficult circumstances.

Strategic Planning in Faith
While David trusted God, he also took practical steps to ensure his family's safety, teaching us the balance between faith and action.

Historical and Familial Connections
Understanding the historical ties between Israel and Moab through Ruth enriches our appreciation of God's providential care and the unfolding of His plans.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does David's decision to leave his family with the king of Moab demonstrate his leadership and care for his family?

2. In what ways can we seek refuge in God during our own times of trouble, and how does this passage encourage us to do so?

3. What are some modern-day examples of God providing for us through unexpected sources, similar to the king of Moab's assistance to David's family?

4. How can we balance faith in God's protection with taking practical steps to ensure the safety and well-being of our loved ones?

5. How does the historical connection between David and Moab through Ruth enhance our understanding of God's providence and the unfolding of His plans in our lives?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Ruth 1-4
The account of Ruth, a Moabitess, who becomes the great-grandmother of David, highlighting the familial connection between David and Moab.

Psalm 18:2
David refers to God as his "rock" and "fortress," reflecting the theme of seeking refuge and strength, similar to his physical refuge in Moab.

1 Samuel 23:14
David continues to seek refuge in strongholds, emphasizing his reliance on God for protection and guidance.
Sermons
Awaiting the FutureB. Dale 1 Samuel 22:4
Filial KindnessB. Dale 1 Samuel 22:3, 4
People
Abiathar, Ahimelech, Ahitub, Benjamin, Benjaminites, Benjamites, David, Doeg, Gad, Goliath, Jesse, Saul
Places
Adullam, Gibeah, Hereth, Mizpeh, Moab, Nob
Topics
Abode, David, David's, Dwell, Dwelt, Fortress, Hold, Leadeth, Moab, Safe, Stayed, Stronghold
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Samuel 22:4

     5315   fortifications

1 Samuel 22:1-5

     5086   David, rise of

1 Samuel 22:3-4

     5731   parents

1 Samuel 22:3-5

     7266   tribes of Israel

Library
Covenanting Confers Obligation.
As it has been shown that all duty, and that alone, ought to be vowed to God in covenant, it is manifest that what is lawfully engaged to in swearing by the name of God is enjoined in the moral law, and, because of the authority of that law, ought to be performed as a duty. But it is now to be proved that what is promised to God by vow or oath, ought to be performed also because of the act of Covenanting. The performance of that exercise is commanded, and the same law which enjoins that the duties …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Exile Continued.
"So David fled, and escaped and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done unto him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth" (1 Sam. xix. 18)--or, as the word probably means, in the collection of students' dwellings, inhabited by the sons of the prophets, where possibly there may have been some kind of right of sanctuary. Driven thence by Saul's following him, and having had one last sorrowful hour of Jonathan's companionship--the last but one on earth--he fled to Nob, whither …
Alexander Maclaren—The Life of David

The Exile --Continued.
We have one psalm which the title connects with the beginning of David's stay at Adullam,--the thirty-fourth. The supposition that it dates from that period throws great force into many parts of it, and gives a unity to what is else apparently fragmentary and disconnected. Unlike those already considered, which were pure soliloquies, this is full of exhortation and counsel, as would naturally be the case if it were written when friends and followers began to gather to his standard. It reads like …
Alexander Maclaren—The Life of David

Ramah. Ramathaim Zophim. Gibeah.
There was a certain Ramah, in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 18:25, and that within sight of Jerusalem, as it seems, Judges 19:13; where it is named with Gibeah:--and elsewhere, Hosea 5:8; which towns were not much distant. See 1 Samuel 22:6; "Saul sat in Gibeah, under a grove in Ramah." Here the Gemarists trifle: "Whence is it (say they) that Ramah is placed near Gibea? To hint to you, that the speech of Samuel of Ramah was the cause, why Saul remained two years and a half in Gibeah." They blindly …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

And V the Kingdom Undivided and the Kingdom Divided
THE HISTORICAL BOOKS: I and II Samuel. I and II Kings. I and II Chronicles. NOTE.--As these three pairs of books are so closely related in their historical contents, it is deemed best to study them together, though they overlap the two divisions of IV and V. I. CHARTS Chart A. General Contents +--+ " I AND II SAMUEL " +-------------+-----+------+ "Samuel "Saul "David " +-------------+-----+------+----------+ " " " " I AND II KINGS "NOTE.--Biblical …
Frank Nelson Palmer—A Bird's-Eye View of the Bible

Subterraneous Places. Mines. Caves.
Thus having taken some notice of the superficies of the land, let us a little search into its bowels. You may divide the subterraneous country into three parts: the metal mines, the caves, and the places of burial. This land was eminently noted for metal mines, so that "its stones," in very many places, "were iron, and out of its hills was digged brass," Deuteronomy 8:9. From these gain accrued to the Jews: but to the Christians, not seldom slavery and misery; being frequently condemned hither by …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
BY JOHN BUNYAN PREFATORY REMARKS BY THE EDITOR This important treatise was prepared for the press, and left by the author, at his decease, to the care of his surviving friend for publication. It first appeared in a collection of his works in folio, 1692; and although a subject of universal interest; most admirably elucidated; no edition has been published in a separate form. Antichrist has agitated the Christian world from the earliest ages; and his craft has been to mislead the thoughtless, by …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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