Let’s read 1 Samuel 22:1-2, “David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when HIS BROTHERS and ALL HIS FATHER’S HOUSE heard it, they went down there to him. 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.”

Before David came to the cave of Adullam he was in a very low place in his life. We all know the story of David and Goliath and how David became a mighty warrior in King Saul’s army after that. But in time Saul became jealous of David and wanted to kill him.  After several attempts David fled, and Saul then hunted him down with armed men with hopes of finally killing him. David was very courageous at first and had complete trust in the Lord, but eventually he despaired of his life and hid out in the land of the Philistines (Israel’s enemy) where he tried to hide his identity from the king of Gath (see 1 Samuel 21:10-15). Between chapters 21 and 22 the Lord humbled David and he began trusting the Lord again and he writes of his restoration and his “escape to the cave of Adullam” in Psalms 57 and 142 (see the titles above those Psalms). The word “Adullam” means “refuge” and in these Psalms he refers to God as his REFUGE (Ps. 57:1 & Ps. 142:5). Adullam was a town about 20-25 miles southwest of Jerusalem and God provided this cave near the town as a “hiding place” and “stronghold” for David. Now we will consider especially those who “gathered to him” in this humble cave and see what we can learn.

1) David’s FAMILY: His family members were farmers and shepherds (1 Samuel 17:12-15) and they were willing to leave that all behind. It’s very likely that they feared for their lives because of their relationship to David and Saul’s bitter hatred of him. But they also knew that David had been anointed King by Samuel (1 Samuel 16:1-3) and that he truly was “a man after God’s own heart” who would one day be the “commander over His people” (1 Samuel 13:14).

2) Those in DEBT: King Saul had failed to deliver them from bondage to the Philistines, and they were literally in debt and feared being sold into slavery.

3) The DISTRESSED: These were people who also suffered under Saul’s cruel and corrupt rule, and they were hoping David would rule the nation someday with integrity and for the glory of God.

4) The DISCONTENTED: These were also people who had been hurt by Saul’s abusive, tyrannical rule. They were now looking to David to unite them and to care for them with compassion.

In time, this humble company grew and became a great army (1 Chronicles 12:20-22) under the godly leadership of David. Is there a “spiritual lesson” for us in this account of David’s life? Yes, there is! David is a beautiful picture of Christ. David was the “rightful king and was rejected by the masses in Israel.” Christ was the “rightful King of Israel”, yet we read in John 1:11, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” David was accepted by a few outcasts who were looked down upon by the people. Christ was received by repenting believers who saw their need of Him as their Messiah and Savior (John 1:12-18, 29-49; Romans 6:23 with John 19:28-34; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 2:24). David had to wait until God removed Saul from the throne and then he was crowned the king. Christ is still waiting at God’s right hand until His enemies are subdued (Acts 2:29-35) and then He will be crowned the King of kings (Revelation 19:11-16). While David waited to take the throne and rule over Israel, his humble followers “gathered unto him” with devoted hearts. While Christ waits to come back to establish His kingdom, His devoted followers “gather unto Him” to worship Him (Matthew 18:20; Hebrews 2:10-16).  (DO)  (720.5)