THE ADVENTURES of DAVID
David has had to flee from his home and wife. He cannot stay anywhere where Saul can find him. After his parting from Jonathan, he can’t even go home to gear. He leaves with the clothes on his back.
And where does David go? To Yahweh’s house – the tabernacle. The last time we saw the tabernacle was WAY back a few decades ago when the sons of Eli took the Ark into battle and lost to the Philistines. The town of Shiloh where the priests lived and the tabernacle was set up was apparently destroyed by the Philistines. But remember that runner that escaped to come tell Eli that the Ark had been captured? I don’t think he just disappeared. The Levites would’ve packed up the tabernacle and hauled it to a safer location. And that location was a place called Nob.
Nob is just outside of Jebus. In fact, some believe that Mount Scopus was the site of Nob.
Ahimelek the Priest is descended from Aaron’s son Ithamar, not Eleazer. And I’m not 100% sure on this, but I’m pretty sure he was somehow descended from or connected to the line of Eli – which God had said would not continue.
David fibs to Ahimelek about his purpose but probably in order to protect Ahimelek so he can honestly say he acted in ignorance in assisting David; not that it helped him. But there is a servant of Saul who just happens to be hanging around to see this interaction. Doeg the Edomite.
In the next chapter we find out that Ahimelek “inquires of the Lord” for David, but no details of that are recorded. We do know that the priest gives David “retired” showbread and the sword of Goliath. (See? I told you he was gonna need it.) 🗡️
DAVID in GOLIATH’S HOMETOWN
I have no idea what made David think that going to Goliath’s hometown, carrying the dead giant’s sword, was a good idea. But David goes to Gath and presents himself to King Achish. David is more famous than he realizes, though. Even the Philistines have heard the hit song, “Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands.” (I find that terribly hilarious. It must’ve been quite a catchy tune. It’s not like it’s a brand new ditty. People have apparently been singing it for several years by now. And it’s still topping the charts.)
Maybe David thought he could blend in and no one would recognize him. I mean, where is the LAST place on earth you’d look for David? Probably in Gath, because it makes zero sense.
As soon as David realizes his cover is blown and people are even whispering about him being the king of Israel, he gets desperate and creative and… theatrical. 🎭🎬🤪
After putting on a madman act and being thrown out of town, David is on the run again. And his path takes him down memory lane.
On the map below, draw a mental line from Gath in the west to Adullam. Where does David pass right through?
Socoh and Azekah – in the pass between those hills is where he fearlessly faced Goliath. There’s no way he didn’t relive that history as he hiked across the old battlefield. Maybe he got a drink from the brook where he had picked up five smooth stones. There were no armies there now. Just the soft ripple of the stream and a few distant birds singing. Maybe he paused on the very spot where Goliath fell and pulled out that huge sword. Maybe he dropped to his knees and worshiped. When times are tough and you don’t know where to turn, it’s a good idea to remember the victories the Lord has already given you. I bet David did a lot of thinking in the Cave of Adullam.
(Here’s a cool video with a couple guys exploring a likely location for the Cave of Adullam. I say “likely” because it’s not like somebody left a sign that lasted 3000 years that said, “David was here.”)
Something wonderful happens in that cave. People come to support David; most importantly, his own family. The last time we heard anything from them they were disregarding him because of his youth. They can’t disregard him now. I bet they’ve heard the hit song too. I bet they’ve realized they were wrong about him. The army brothers who told him to go back home and tend sheep now enlist to be under his command.
Saul has come to see David as a threat to his dynasty. And as such, David’s entire family is at risk. So they ALL show up – siblings, cousins, nephew’s neighbor and the neighbor’s brother’s best friend. Even the goat farmer from the hilltop over that can’t make ends meet. A whole flock of rag-tag, down-on-their luck people grows up around David the shepherd.
Y’all, this is a picture of the Church. The Son of David gathers a flock from:
- His own family
- Those in “distress.” This Hebrew word means “confined in a tight spot.” And that’s what sin does. It confines, but the Lord brings us out.
- People in “debt.” And there again is every human sinner. We owed a debt we could never repay. But God in His mercy forgives that debt through the sacrifice of Jesus.
- Those “bitter in soul.” The Hebrew here is related to the name that Naomi gave herself, “Mara.” Bitter. Like the bitter water in Exodus 15. This is something worth rabbit-trailing on…
- “And they came to Marah, and they were not able to drink water from Marah because it was bitter. Therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh showed him a piece of wood, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet…”
Exodus 15:23-25 LEB
- “And they came to Marah, and they were not able to drink water from Marah because it was bitter. Therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh showed him a piece of wood, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet…”
What a picture of being baptized into Christ! The love of God displayed in Calvary’s cross takes the bitterness of life and transforms it into a clear, life-giving spring.
All these hurting people come to David where? In a CAVE. In the heart of the earth.
I can’t find a meaning in the Strong’s Concordance for the name Adullam, but here are the Paleo-Hebrew letters:
Ayin – 👀 eye, look, see, sight
Dalet – 🚪door, gate, entrance, down low, move
Lamed – 🐏 shepherd’s staff, shepherd, guide, toward, teach, lead
Mem – 🌊 water, face, upheaval, unknown
Look. Door, Shepherd. Face.
Look at the door in the picture above.
That’s where the Shepherd’s face appears.
The eyes are looking at the door. Christ is the Door of the sheepfold. Keep your eyes on Him. He is the Good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep. When we go to Him in the “cave,” that’s where we finally, really get to know our Shepherd and that’s where He becomes our Captain and King.
Y’all… 🤯🥲
If God can set up all these pictures of Jesus and His plan of redemption in the lives of real historical people a thousand years before it happens, don’t you think He can direct our steps?? 🙌🏼
INTRODUCING… GAD the PROPHET
This guy just appears on the pages of scripture with no background and no explanation of where he came from, how he came to be a prophet, or how he even knows David.
Pure speculation: Gad could’ve been one of the guys he met when he was at Navith, Samuel’s “school of the prophets.”
Whoever he is, he’s named for one of the sons of Israel and he will sometimes be called a “prophet” and sometimes a “seer,” as in one who sees visions. And he will be an important person in David’s life.
Gad the Seer wrote a book. If you want a short overview of it, click HERE for a video.
If you’d like to buy a copy of the book, click HERE. (And how cool is that?! You can buy Gad the Seer’s book on Amazon!! The translation was done by Dr. Ken Johnson. His website is biblefacts.org. I highly recommend.)
David has taken his parents to Moab for their safety until things are resolved with Saul. Gad tells David that he can’t stay there hiding the stronghold.
It reminds me of the scene in The Sound of Music where Maria has returned to the abbey and has essentially been hiding.
And so David leaves to “Climb every mountain. Ford every stream. Follow every rainbow til you find your dream.”
I wish I could stop right here but this chapter goes on to end on a sad note.
Saul is so obsessed with keeping his throne that he has become paranoid. Every whisper is about David. Every person is either for him or for David. No one is neutral. He doesn’t trust anyone. Everyone’s loyalties are suspect. This kind of extreme behavior is dangerous. David was wise to get his parents out of the country.
Perhaps Doeg the Edomite is looking to secure his own spot with Saul, so he throws Ahimelek the priest under the bus.
Ahimelek is, of course, innocent but Saul will not believe him and orders that ALL the priests be killed. None of Saul’s men will do it out of a healthy fear of the Lord. But Doeg – an Edomite, a descendant of Esau who was a man of the flesh and didn’t give a rip about spiritual things – has no problem murdering unarmed, innocent men of God. And then also killing their wives and children.
Except one kid. Abiathar, a young priest, escapes and runs to join David. He’s going to figure prominently in David’s story from now on.
Wherever you find yourself today, friend – whether bouncing around with no place to call home, or hiding from a problem, too many needy people dependent on you, or feeling like you’re only one step ahead of everything falling apart – the LORD knows right where you are. And He loves you. And He’s in control.
All of these tests in David’s life are going to become the building blocks of the Psalms.
What’s happening in your life right now might be just the material you need for a powerful song of praise.
Just remember Adullam [ADLM]:
eyes, door, shepherd, face
To The Reader 