1 Samuel 22:2

1 Samuel 22:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.

Context of 1 Samuel 22:2

1So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there. Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men. 3Later David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where he asked the king, “Please allow my father and mother to live here with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” 4So David’s parents stayed in Moab with the king during the entire time David was living in his stronghold.

1 Samuel 22:2 word by word

וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֣וּ אֵ֠לָיו כָּל־אִ֨ישׁ מָצ֜וֹק וְכָל־אִ֨ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־ל֤וֹ נֹשֶׁא֙ וְכָל־אִ֣ישׁ מַר־נֶ֔פֶשׁ וַיְהִ֥י עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לְשָׂ֑ר וַיִּהְי֣וּ עִמּ֔וֹ כְּאַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת אִֽישׁ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And every oneאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• in distressמָצוֹקmâtsôq · distressH4689
• in debtנָשָׁאnâshâ' · to exactH5378
• discontentedנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• discontentedמַרmar mârâh · bitterH4751
• gatheredקָבַץqâbats · to gatherH6908
• themselves unto him; and he became a captainשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• over them: and there were with him about fourאַרְבַּע'arba‛ 'arbâ‛âh · fourH702
• hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 22:2

• Judges 11:3So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Soon he had a band of worthless rebels following him.
• Matthew 11:12And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.
• Matthew 18:25He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.
• 1 Samuel 1:10Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 30:6David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.
• Judges 18:25The men of Dan said, “Watch what you say! There are some short-tempered men around here who might get angry and kill you and your family.”
• 2 Samuel 17:8You know your father and his men; they are mighty warriors. Right now they are as enraged as a mother bear who has been robbed of her cubs. And remember that your father is an experienced man of war. He won’t be spending the night among the troops.
• Proverbs 31:6Alcohol is for the dying, and wine for those in bitter distress.
• 1 Samuel 9:16“About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”
• 1 Samuel 25:15These men have been very good to us, and we never suffered any harm from them. Nothing was stolen from us the whole time they were with us.
• 1 Samuel 30:22But some evil troublemakers among David’s men said, “They didn’t go with us, so they can’t have any of the plunder we recovered. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone.”
• 2 Samuel 5:2In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the Lord told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’”
• 2 Kings 20:5“Go back to Hezekiah, the leader of my people. Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you, and three days from now you will get out of bed and go to the Temple of the Lord.
• 1 Chronicles 11:15Once when David was at the rock near the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty—an elite group among David’s fighting men) went down to meet him there.
• Psalms 72:12He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.
• Psalms 72:13He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and he will rescue them.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 22:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2And every one that was in distress - debt - discontented - It is very possible that these several disaffected and exceptionable characters might at first have supposed that David, unjustly persecuted, would be glad to avail himself of their assistance that he might revenge himself upon Saul, and so they in the mean time might profit by plunder, etc. But if this were their design they were greatly disappointed, for David never made any improper use of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Discontented - See the margin. (Compare 1 Samuel 30:6; 2 Samuel 17:8.) The phrase here denotes those who were exasperated by Saul‘s tyranny.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2distressed … indebted … discontented: The people who gathered around David were distressed, poor, and unhappy. By drawing such people to himself, David pointed ahead to Jesus, who would later welcome people who were hurting, burdened, and pushed to the edges of society (Matthew 11:25–30).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. every one that was in distress--(See on Jud 11:3).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 22:2

• Armies
• Captain
• Insurgents

In the dictionaries

• Four Hundred
• Abiathar
• Adullam
• Captain
• Cave
• David
• Army
• Debt; Debtor
• Four
• Jesse

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings