1 Samuel 22: David’s Refuge and Saul’s Rage

The Rev. Thomas Eckstein, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Jamestown, ND, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study 1 Samuel 22.

David, our fugitive hero, found refuge in a cave and about 400 men joined him. That is, until the prophet Gad told him to return to Judah. Meanwhile, Saul, our paranoid king, slaughtered innocent priests who helped David, but one survivor joined David’s band. David blamed himself for the bloodshed and vowed to protect the priest.

The Book of 1 Samuel beings with the unique birth of Samuel, the last judge of Israel. Soon, the people of Israel begin to press upon the aging prophet Samuel to anoint a king over them like the other nations. YHWH assures Samuel that the people are rejecting their God, not Samuel. He advises Samuel to give the people what they want. What follows is the rise and fall of King Saul, the eventual anointing and coronation of David as king, the forerunner of Jesus. It’s a true story of political intrigue and warfare, but it’s also more than that. 1 Samuel shows us God working to save his people from their enemies and even from themselves.