I Samuel 22

שמואל א׳ פרק כ״ב

Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: I Samuel | Chapter: 22 of 31 | Day: 67 of 742

Date: April 19, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

I Samuel 22 stands as perhaps the darkest chapter in the entire book, the moment when Saul’s deterioration from anointed king to paranoid tyrant reaches its horrifying nadir. The chapter divides into two contrasting scenes: David gathering a community of the dispossessed at the cave of Adullam (מערת עדלם), and Saul presiding over the massacre of an entire priestly city. The juxtaposition is devastating in its literary and theological force — the future king attracts the distressed, the indebted, and the embittered (כל איש מצוק וכל איש אשר לו נשא וכל איש מר נפש), forming the nucleus of a new society, while the reigning king destroys the very sacral infrastructure that legitimizes Israelite governance.

The opening verses depict David’s transformation from lone fugitive to leader of a growing band. The text’s description of his followers — those in straits, in debt, and desperate — is remarkable for its sociological honesty. These are not idealists rallying to a righteous cause; they are the marginal and the broken, drawn to David because they have nothing left to lose. Radak observes that David’s willingness to receive such men, and their willingness to follow him, already marks him as a king in embryo, one who builds loyalty through shared hardship rather than inherited privilege. David’s concern for his parents, whom he entrusts to the king of Moab — a choice Rashi connects to David’s Moabite ancestry through Ruth — reveals a man still thinking clearly amid chaos, honoring filial duty even as his own life hangs by a thread.

The scene shifts abruptly to Saul’s court at Gibeah, where the king sits beneath the tamarisk tree on the height (תחת האשל ברמה), spear in hand, surrounded by his Benjaminite courtiers. His speech drips with tribal resentment and paranoid accusation: “Will the son of Jesse give fields and vineyards to every one of you?” Saul cannot bring himself to speak David’s name, referring to him only as “the son of Jesse” (בן ישי) — a rhetorical diminution that Metzudat David notes is meant to strip David of any claim to stature. The accusation of conspiracy extends even to Jonathan, Saul’s own son, whom he accuses of making a pact with David and setting “my servant in ambush against me.” The court is paralyzed by fear, and it is into this silence that Doeg the Edomite steps forward with his lethal intelligence about the priests of Nob.

The massacre that follows is narrated with chilling brevity. When Saul orders his guards (הרצים) to kill the priests of the Lord, they refuse — a moment of moral clarity that highlights the monstrousness of what Saul demands. Radak emphasizes that even battle-hardened soldiers recognized the sacrilege of raising a hand against the Lord’s anointed priests. It falls to Doeg, the outsider, the Edomite, to carry out the slaughter: eighty-five priests who wore the linen ephod (נשא אפוד בד), followed by the complete annihilation of Nob — men, women, children, infants, and livestock. The language deliberately echoes the herem, the total destruction commanded against Israel’s enemies, now turned inward against Israel’s own priestly city. Rashi, citing the Talmud (Sanhedrin 95b), sees in this atrocity the fulfillment of a devastating irony: the destruction Saul failed to carry out against Amalek in chapter 15, he now executes against the priests of God.

The chapter closes with Abiathar’s escape to David and David’s extraordinary response: “I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would tell Saul. I am the cause of all the deaths in your father’s house” (אנכי סבתי בכל נפשות בית אביך). This acceptance of moral responsibility, even for consequences he did not directly cause, sets David apart from Saul in the starkest possible terms. Saul, who ordered the massacre, accepts no blame; David, who merely sought bread and a sword at Nob, shoulders the weight of the catastrophe. His promise to Abiathar — “Stay with me; do not be afraid; for whoever seeks your life must seek my life also” — binds the fugitive king and the surviving priest together in a covenant of mutual protection. From this point forward, Abiathar and the priestly line will be with David, carrying the ephod and the possibility of inquiring of God. What Saul has destroyed, David will shelter; what Saul has severed from himself, David will draw close.

פרק כ״ב · Chapter 22

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ דָּוִד֙ מִשָּׁ֔ם וַיִּמָּלֵ֖ט אֶל־מְעָרַ֣ת עֲדֻלָּ֑ם וַיִּשְׁמְע֤וּ אֶחָיו֙ וְכׇל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔יו וַיֵּרְד֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו שָֽׁמָּה׃

English:

David departed from there and escaped to the caveacave The “cave” in v. 1 is referred to as “stronghold” in vv. 4–5; cf. the same variation in 2 Sam. 23.13–14; 1 Chron. 11.15–16. of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s house heard, they joined him down there.

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֣וּ אֵ֠לָ֠יו כׇּל־אִ֨ישׁ מָצ֜וֹק וְכׇל־אִ֨ישׁ אֲ��ֶׁר־ל֤וֹ נֹשֶׁא֙ וְכׇל־אִ֣ישׁ מַר־נֶ֔פֶשׁ וַיְהִ֥י עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לְשָׂ֑ר וַיִּהְי֣וּ עִמּ֔וֹ כְּאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת אִֽישׁ׃

English:

Everyone who was in straits and everyone who was in debt and everyone who was desperate joined him, and he became their leader; there were about four hundred men with him.

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ דָּוִ֛ד מִשָּׁ֖ם מִצְפֵּ֣ה מוֹאָ֑ב וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֗ב יֵֽצֵא־נָ֞א אָבִ֤י וְאִמִּי֙ אִתְּכֶ֔ם עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֵדַ֔ע מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֖י אֱלֹהִֽים׃

English:

David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, “Let my father and mother come [and stay] with you, until I know what God will do for me.”

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וַיַּנְחֵ֕ם אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֑ב וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ עִמּ֔וֹ כׇּל־יְמֵ֥י הֱיוֹת־דָּוִ֖ד בַּמְּצוּדָֽה׃ {ס}        

English:

So he led them tobled them to Targum and Syriac read “left them with.” the king of Moab, and they stayed with him as long as David remained in the stronghold.cstronghold See note at v. 1.

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ גָּ֨ד הַנָּבִ֜יא אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד לֹ֤א תֵשֵׁב֙ בַּמְּצוּדָ֔ה לֵ֥ךְ וּבָֽאתָ־לְּךָ֖ אֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֔ד וַיָּבֹ֖א יַ֥עַר חָֽרֶת׃ {ס}        

English:

But the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; go at once to the territory of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע שָׁא֔וּל כִּ֚י נוֹדַ֣ע דָּוִ֔ד וַאֲנָשִׁ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ וְשָׁאוּל֩ יוֹשֵׁ֨ב בַּגִּבְעָ֜ה תַּֽחַת־הָאֶ֤שֶׁל בָּֽרָמָה֙ וַחֲנִית֣וֹ בְיָד֔וֹ וְכׇל־עֲבָדָ֖יו נִצָּבִ֥ים עָלָֽיו׃

English:

When Saul heard that David and the men with him had been located—Saul was then in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the height, spear in hand, with all his courtiers in attendance upon him—

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֗וּל לַֽעֲבָדָיו֙ הַנִּצָּבִ֣ים עָלָ֔יו שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֖א בְּנֵ֣י יְמִינִ֑י גַּם־לְכֻלְּכֶ֗ם יִתֵּ֤ן בֶּן־יִשַׁי֙ שָׂד֣וֹת וּכְרָמִ֔ים לְכֻלְּכֶ֣ם יָשִׂ֔ים שָׂרֵ֥י אֲלָפִ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י מֵאֽוֹת׃

English:

Saul said to the courtiers standing about him, “Listen, Benjaminites! Will the son of Jessedthe son of Jesse See note at 10.11. give fields and vineyards to every one of you? And will he make all of you captains of thousands or captains of hundreds?

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

כִּי֩ קְשַׁרְתֶּ֨ם כֻּלְּכֶ֜ם עָלַ֗י וְאֵין־גֹּלֶ֤ה אֶת־אׇזְנִי֙ בִּכְרׇת־בְּנִ֣י עִם־בֶּן־יִשַׁ֔י וְאֵין־חֹלֶ֥ה מִכֶּ֛ם עָלַ֖י וְגֹלֶ֣ה אֶת־אׇזְנִ֑י כִּ֣י הֵקִים֩ בְּנִ֨י אֶת־עַבְדִּ֥י עָלַ֛י לְאֹרֵ֖ב כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ {ס}        

English:

Is that why all of you have conspired against me? For no one informs me when my own son makes a pact with the son of Jesse; no one is concernedeconcerned For this meaning of ḥoleh, cf. Amos 6.6. for me and no one informs me when my own son has set my servant in ambushfin ambush Septuagint reads “as an enemy.” against me, as is now the case.”

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֜עַן דֹּאֵ֣ג הָאֲדֹמִ֗י וְה֛וּא נִצָּ֥ב עַל־עַבְדֵֽי־שָׁא֖וּל וַיֹּאמַ֑ר רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־בֶּן־יִשַׁ֔י בָּ֣א נֹ֔בֶה אֶל־אֲחִימֶ֖לֶךְ בֶּן־אֲחִטֽוּב׃

English:

Doeg the Edomite, who was standing among the courtiers of Saul, spoke up: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.

פסוק י״ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַיִּשְׁאַל־לוֹ֙ בַּֽיהֹוָ֔ה וְצֵידָ֖ה נָ֣תַן ל֑וֹ וְאֵ֗ת חֶ֛רֶב גׇּלְיָ֥ת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י נָ֥תַן לֽוֹ׃

English:

He inquired of GOD on his behalf and gave him provisions; he also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ לִקְרֹא֩ אֶת־אֲחִימֶ֨לֶךְ בֶּן־אֲחִיט֜וּב הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִ֛יו הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּנֹ֑ב וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ כֻלָּ֖ם אֶל־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ {ס}        

English:

Thereupon the king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and for all the priests belonging to his father’s house at Nob. They all came to the king,

פסוק י״ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֔וּל שְֽׁמַֽע־נָ֖א בֶּן־אֲחִיט֑וּב וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנְנִ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי׃

English:

and Saul said, “Listen to me, son of Ahitub.”gson of Ahitub Cf. note at 10.11. “Yes, my lord,” he replied.

פסוק י״ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָו֙ שָׁא֔וּל לָ֚מָּה קְשַׁרְתֶּ֣ם עָלַ֔י אַתָּ֖ה וּבֶן־יִשָׁ֑י בְּתִתְּךָ֨ ל֜וֹ לֶ֣חֶם וְחֶ֗רֶב וְשָׁא֥וֹל לוֹ֙ בֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים לָק֥וּם אֵלַ֛י לְאֹרֵ֖ב כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ {ס}        

English:

And Saul said to him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me? You gave him food and a sword, and inquired of God for him—that he may rise in ambushhin ambush Septuagint reads “as an enemy.” against me, as is now the case.”

פסוק י״ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֧עַן אֲחִימֶ֛לֶךְ אֶת־הַמֶּ֖ל��ךְ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר וּמִ֤י בְכׇל־עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ כְּדָוִ֣ד נֶאֱמָ֔ן וַחֲתַ֥ן הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְסָ֥ר אֶל־מִשְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ךָ וְנִכְבָּ֥ד בְּבֵיתֶֽךָ׃

English:

Ahimelech replied to the king, “But who is there among all your courtiers as trusted as David, son-in-law of Your Majesty and obedient to your bidding,iobedient to your bidding Cf. Isa. 11.14; but meaning of Heb. uncertain. and esteemed in your household?

פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

הַיּ֧וֹם הַחִלֹּ֛תִי (לשאול) [לִשְׁאׇל־]ל֥וֹ בֵאלֹהִ֖ים חָלִ֣ילָה לִּ֑י אַל־יָשֵׂם֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ בְּעַבְדּ֤וֹ דָבָר֙ בְּכׇל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔י כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יָדַ֤ע עַבְדְּךָ֙ בְּכׇל־זֹ֔את דָּבָ֥ר קָטֹ֖ן א֥וֹ גָדֽוֹל׃

English:

This is the first time that I inquired of God for him; I have done no wrong.jI have done no wrong Lit. “Far be it from me!” Let not Your Majesty find fault with his servant [or] with any of my father’s house; for your servant knew nothing whatever about all this.”

פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ מ֥וֹת תָּמ֖וּת אֲחִימֶ֑לֶךְ אַתָּ֖ה וְכׇל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיךָ׃

English:

But the king said, “You shall die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.”

פסוק י״ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ לָרָצִים֩ הַנִּצָּבִ֨ים עָלָ֜יו סֹ֥בּוּ וְהָמִ֣יתוּ ׀ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה כִּ֤י גַם־יָדָם֙ עִם־דָּוִ֔ד וְכִ֤י יָֽדְעוּ֙ כִּֽי־בֹרֵ֣חַֽ ה֔וּא וְלֹ֥א גָל֖וּ אֶת־[אׇזְנִ֑י] (אזנו) וְלֹֽא־אָב֞וּ עַבְדֵ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לִשְׁלֹ֣חַ אֶת־יָדָ֔ם לִפְגֹ֖עַ בְּכֹהֲנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס}        

English:

And the king commanded the guards standing by, “Turn about and kill the priests of GOD, for they are in league with David; they knew he was running away and they did not inform me.” But the king’s servants would not raise a hand to strike down the priests of GOD.

פסוק י״ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (לדויג) [לְדוֹאֵ֔ג] סֹ֣ב אַתָּ֔ה וּפְגַ֖ע בַּכֹּהֲנִ֑ים וַיִּסֹּ֞ב (דויג) [דּוֹאֵ֣ג] הָאֲדֹמִ֗י וַיִּפְגַּע־הוּא֙ בַּכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וַיָּ֣מֶת ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא שְׁמֹנִ֤ים וַֽחֲמִשָּׁה֙ אִ֔ישׁ נֹשֵׂ֖א אֵפ֥וֹד בָּֽד׃

English:

Thereupon the king said to Doeg, “You, Doeg, go and strike down the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite went and struck down the priests himself; that day, he killed eighty-five of those who wore the linen ephod.kwho wore the linen ephod Septuagint reads “bearers of the ephod”; cf. note at 2.28.

פסוק י״ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

וְאֵ֨ת נֹ֤ב עִיר־הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ הִכָּ֣ה לְפִי־חֶ֔רֶב מֵאִישׁ֙ וְעַד־אִשָּׁ֔ה מֵֽעוֹלֵ֖ל וְעַד־יוֹנֵ֑ק וְשׁ֧וֹר וַחֲמ֛וֹר וָשֶׂ֖ה לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃

English:

He put Nob, the town of the priests, to the sword: men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep—[all] to the sword.

פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

וַיִּמָּלֵ֣ט בֵּן־אֶחָ֗ד לַאֲחִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ בֶּן־אֲחִט֔וּב וּשְׁמ֖וֹ אֶבְיָתָ֑ר וַיִּבְרַ֖ח א��חֲרֵ֥י דָוִֽד׃

English:

But one son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped—his name was Abiathar—and he fled to David.

פסוק כ״א · Verse 21

Hebrew:

וַיַּגֵּ֥ד אֶבְיָתָ֖ר לְדָוִ֑ד כִּ֚י הָרַ֣ג שָׁא֔וּל אֵ֖ת כֹּהֲנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

When Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of GOD,

פסוק כ״ב · Verse 22

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד לְאֶבְיָתָ֗ר יָדַ֜עְתִּי בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ כִּֽי־שָׁם֙ (דויג) [דּוֹאֵ֣ג] הָאֲדֹמִ֔י כִּֽי־הַגֵּ֥ד יַגִּ֖יד לְשָׁא֑וּל אָנֹכִ֣י סַבֹּ֔תִי בְּכׇל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיךָ׃

English:

David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would tell Saul. I am to blame for all the deathslam to blame for all the deaths Meaning of Heb. uncertain. in your father’s house.

פסוק כ״ג · Verse 23

Hebrew:

שְׁבָ֤ה אִתִּי֙ אַל־תִּירָ֔א כִּ֛י אֲשֶׁר־יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אֶת־נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ כִּֽי־מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת אַתָּ֖ה עִמָּדִֽי׃ {ס}        

English:

Stay with me; do not be afraid; for whoever seeks your life must seek my life also.mwhoever seeks your life must seek my life also Meaning of Heb. uncertain. It will be my care to guard you.”

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