1 Samuel 22
There are often large caves in hilly lands, some with separate parts as though rooms were dug out of the rock or earth. Perhaps you have been in a cave, and wondered how you could find your way in the darkness if there were no one with a lantern to show you. It was in such a place David hid from King Saul who envied David because he had been chosen by God to rule Israel after him and was seeking to kill him.
This cave seems to have been not far from Bethlehem, so perhaps David had often been in. it when a boy. When David’s brothers heard of his trouble they came to him there, but he sent his father and mother, who must have been old, to another land to stay, for the king was so angry, that no one who cared for David or helped him, was safe. He wickedly put to death some who gave David and his men bread when they were hungry. So, many who liked David and others who also were in trouble, came to him in the cave, in all about four hundred men, so it must have been a very large cave. People have measured one cave a few miles from Bethlehem, and its length inside is about 500 ft.
There were some very brave soldiers with David: once when he was weary and thirsty he wished for a drink of water from the well at Bethlehem; the enemy were then camped there, but three of his brave men heard his wish, and went past the enemy; got water from the well, and brought it to him. David knew the great danger they had been in and he felt that the water was too precious to drink, so he gave it as an offering to God. It must have cheered David to know he had such brave friends (2 Sam. 23:13-1813And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim. 14And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! 16And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord. 17And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. 18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three. (2 Samuel 23:13‑18)).
There was one rich man in the land who had several thousand sheep and goats in his “locks and while his servants were shearing the sheep, David’s men kept watch that no robbers should come. Later, David thought this man would give his followers some food and sent to ask him, hut he would not. But his wife knew of God’s care for David, and she brought many loaves of bread and meat and fruit for them.
We do not know how long David and his followers lived at the cave, perhaps a long time. Sometimes David was discouraged; but in his sad troubles he asked help of the Lord and many of the Psalms he wrote show his sorrow, but also how the Lord comforted him.
ML 11/06/1938