1 Samuel 22 · Verse 1

1 Samuel 22:1

David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.
1 Samuel 22:1, King James Version

1 Samuel 22:1 in other translations

BSBSo David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there.
WEBDavid therefore departed from there and escaped to Adullam’s cave. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.
ASVDavid therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave of Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.
YLTAnd David goeth thence, and is escaped unto the cave of Adullam, and his brethren hear, and all the house of his father, and go down unto him thither;
DARBYAnd David departed thence, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And his brethren and all his father's house heard it, and they went down thither to him.
BBESo David went away from there and took cover in a strong place at Adullam; and his brothers and all his father's people, hearing of it, went down to him there.
WebsterDavid therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.

What does 1 Samuel 22:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
1Sa 22:1-8. David's Kindred and Others Resort to Him at Adullam. 1. David ... escaped to the cave Adullam--supposed to be that now called Deir-Dubban, a number of pits or underground vaults, some nearly square, and all about fifteen or twenty feet deep, with perpendicular sides, in the soft limestone or chalky rocks. They are on the borders of the Philistine plain at the base of the Judea mountains, six miles southwest from Beth-lehem, and well adapted for concealing a number of refugees. his brethren and all his father's house ... went down--to escape the effects of Saul's rage, which seems to have extended to all David's family. From Beth-lehem to Deir-Dubban it is, indeed, a descent all the way.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

David flees to the cave of Adullam, where he is joined by four hundred men of various descriptions, 1Sam 22:1, 1Sam 22:2. He goes afterwards to Moab; and by the advice of the prophet Gad, to the forest of Hareth, 1Sam 22:3-5. Saul, suspecting his servants of infidelity, upbraids them, 1Sam 22:6-8. Doeg informs him of David's coming to Nob; of his being entertained by Ahimelech; on which Saul slays Ahimelech and all the priests, to the number of eighty-five, and destroys the city of Nob, 1Sam 22:9-19. Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, only escapes; he joins with David, by whom he is assured of protection, 1Sam 22:20-23. Verse 1 The cave Adullam - This was in the tribe of Judah, and, according to Eusebius and Jerome, ten miles eastward of what they call Eleutheropolis.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 22:1-5
See what weak instruments God sometimes uses, to bring about his own purposes. The Son of David is ready to receive distressed souls, who will be commanded by him. He receives all who come unto Him, however vile and miserable; he changes them into a holy people, and employs them in his service: those who would reign with him must be contented first to suffer with and for him. Observe with what tender concern David provided for his aged parents. The first thing he does is to find them a quiet habitation, whatever became of himself. Let children learn to honour their parents, in every thing consulting their ease and satisfaction. Though highly preferred, and much employed, let them not forget their aged parents. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. And the Lord will preserve his people for their appointed work, however they may be hated and exposed.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 22:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֵּ֤לֶךְvai.Ye.lekhand he wentH1980
דָּוִד֙da.VidDavidH1732
מִשָּׁ֔םmi.Shamfrom thereH8033
וַיִּמָּלֵ֖טvai.yi.ma.Letand he escapedH4422
אֶל\־'el-toH413
מְעָרַ֣תme.'a.Rat[the] cave ofH4631
עֲדֻלָּ֑ם'a.du.LamAdullamH5725
וַיִּשְׁמְע֤וּvai.yish.me.'Uand they heardH8085
אֶחָיו֙'e.Chavbrothers hisH251
וְכָל\־ve.kholand allH3605
בֵּ֣יתbeit[the] household ofH1004
אָבִ֔יו'a.Vivfather hisH1
וַיֵּרְד֥וּvai.ye.re.Duand they went downH3381
אֵלָ֖יו'e.Lavto himH413
שָֽׁמָּה\׃Sha.mahthere towardsH8033

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 22:1

  • Psalms 57:1-11

    To the chief Musician, Al–taschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. …

  • 1 Chronicles 11:15

    Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

  • Psalms 142:1-7

    Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. …

  • Psalms 34:1

    A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

  • Joshua 12:15

    The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;

  • Hebrews 11:38

    (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

  • Micah 1:3

    For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

  • 1 Samuel 21:10-15

    And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. …

  • 2 Samuel 23:13-14

    And 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. And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth–lehem.

  • Micah 1:15

    Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.

  • Joshua 15:35

    Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Companies resort unto David at Adullam.
3 At Mizpeh he commends his parents unto the king of Moab.
5 Admonished by Gad, he comes to Hareth.
6 Saul going to pursue him, complains of his servants' unfaithfulness.
9 Doeg accuses Ahimelech.
11 Saul commands to kill the priests.
17 The footmen refusing, Doeg executes it.
20 Abiathar escaping, brings David the news.

David.
21:10-15; Ps 34:1; 57:1; *titles
the cave.
Jos 12:15; 15:35; 2Sa 23:13,14; 1Ch 11:15; Ps 142:1; *title
Mic 1:3,15; Heb 11:38
Adullam.Adullam was a city of Judah; and, according to Eusebius, ten miles (Jerome says eleven) eastward from Eleutheropolis.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 22:1

    David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.

  • 1 Samuel 22:2

    And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

Read all of 1 Samuel 22

1 Samuel 22:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y YÉNDOSE David de allí escapóse á la cueva de Adullam; lo cual como oyeron sus hermanos y toda la casa de su padre, vinieron allí á él.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		*Et David partit de là, et se sauva dans la caverne d’Adullam; et ses frères et toute la maison de son père l’apprirent, et descendirent là vers lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und David ging von dannen und entrann in die Höhle Adullam. Und als seine Brüder und das ganze Haus seines Vaters es hörten, kamen sie dorthin zu ihm hinab.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Abiit ergo David inde, et fugit in speluncam Odollam. Quod cum audissent fratres ejus, et omnis domus patris ejus, descenderunt ad eum illuc.