◄ 1 Samuel 22:23 ►
Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks your life is seeking mine as well. You will be safe with me."
Study Bible
Stay with me
This phrase is a call to refuge and companionship. In the Hebrew context, the word "stay" (שָׁבַת, shavat) implies a sense of dwelling or abiding. David, who is speaking here, offers a place of safety and solidarity. Historically, David was a fugitive at this time, yet he extends protection to Abiathar, the sole surviving priest from the massacre at Nob. This reflects the biblical theme of God’s anointed providing sanctuary, reminiscent of God’s promise to be with His people.

do not be afraid
The Hebrew phrase "אַל־תִּירָא" (al-tira) is a common biblical exhortation, often used by God or His messengers to reassure His people. It is a call to trust in divine protection despite external threats. In this context, David, though himself in danger, reassures Abiathar, echoing the divine assurance that God is ultimately in control. This phrase encourages believers to find peace in God’s sovereignty.

for he who seeks your life
This refers to King Saul, who is pursuing David and has already killed Abiathar’s family. The Hebrew word for "seeks" (בָּקַשׁ, baqash) implies an intense pursuit or desire. Saul’s relentless pursuit of David and his allies highlights the spiritual battle between God’s chosen king and the rejected king. It serves as a reminder of the cost of following God’s anointed and the reality of spiritual warfare.

seeks my life as well
David identifies with Abiathar’s plight, showing empathy and shared destiny. The phrase underscores the bond between David and those who suffer for righteousness. It reflects the biblical principle of shared suffering among God’s people, as seen in the New Testament where believers are called to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).

You will be safe with me
The assurance of safety is profound, given David’s own precarious situation. The Hebrew root for "safe" (שָׁמַר, shamar) means to guard or protect. David’s promise of safety is not based on his own strength but on his faith in God’s protection. This mirrors the ultimate safety found in Christ, who offers eternal security to those who abide in Him. David’s words foreshadow the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep (John 10:11).

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The future king of Israel, anointed by Samuel, who is currently fleeing from King Saul. David is a central figure in this passage, offering protection and assurance to Abiathar.

2. Abiathar
The son of Ahimelech, the priest who was killed by Saul. Abiathar escapes the massacre at Nob and seeks refuge with David.

3. Saul
The current king of Israel, who is pursuing David out of jealousy and fear of losing his throne. Saul's actions lead to the slaughter of the priests at Nob.

4. Nob
A city of priests where Saul orders the massacre of the priests, including Ahimelech, Abiathar's father.

5. Doeg the Edomite
Saul's servant who carries out the massacre at Nob, leading to Abiathar's escape.
Teaching Points
Trust in God's Protection
Just as David assures Abiathar of safety, believers can trust in God's protection amidst life's dangers. Our refuge is in God, who is our ultimate protector.

Shared Suffering and Solidarity
David and Abiathar share a common enemy in Saul. This teaches us the importance of standing together with fellow believers in times of trial, offering support and encouragement.

Leadership and Responsibility
David takes responsibility for Abiathar's safety, demonstrating the role of a godly leader who cares for those under his charge. Leaders today should emulate this protective and caring attitude.

Courage in the Face of Fear
Despite the danger, David encourages Abiathar not to be afraid. As Christians, we are called to face our fears with courage, knowing that God is with us.

The Consequences of Sin
Saul's disobedience and jealousy lead to tragic consequences, including the massacre at Nob. This serves as a warning about the far-reaching effects of sin and the importance of obedience to God.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does David's assurance to Abiathar reflect God's promise of protection to His people throughout Scripture?

2. In what ways can we offer support and solidarity to fellow believers who are facing trials or persecution today?

3. What qualities of leadership does David demonstrate in this passage, and how can we apply these qualities in our own roles of influence?

4. How can we cultivate courage in our lives when facing fears or challenges, drawing from David's example?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced the consequences of sin. How did that experience shape your understanding of obedience to God?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 57
David's plea for God's protection while he is hiding from Saul. This psalm reflects David's trust in God, similar to the assurance he offers Abiathar.

John 15:18-20
Jesus speaks about the world's hatred towards His followers, paralleling the shared danger David and Abiathar face due to their association.

Hebrews 13:6
Encourages believers to trust in God's protection, echoing David's assurance to Abiathar that he will be safe with him.
Sermons
The Defender of the PersecutedB. Dale 1 Samuel 22:23
A Friend and a FoeR. E. Faulkner.1 Samuel 22:5-23
Massacre and SafeguardD. Fraser 1 Samuel 22:18-23
People
Abiathar, Ahimelech, Ahitub, Benjamin, Benjaminites, Benjamites, David, Doeg, Gad, Goliath, Jesse, Saul
Places
Adullam, Gibeah, Hereth, Mizpeh, Moab, Nob
Topics
Abide, Afraid, Charge, Designs, Dwell, Fear, Keeping, Safe, Safeguard, Safekeeping, Seeketh, Seeking, Seeks, Stay, Yours
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Samuel 22:23

     5691   friends, good

1 Samuel 22:22-23

     5511   safety
     5942   security

Library
Covenanting Confers Obligation.
As it has been shown that all duty, and that alone, ought to be vowed to God in covenant, it is manifest that what is lawfully engaged to in swearing by the name of God is enjoined in the moral law, and, because of the authority of that law, ought to be performed as a duty. But it is now to be proved that what is promised to God by vow or oath, ought to be performed also because of the act of Covenanting. The performance of that exercise is commanded, and the same law which enjoins that the duties …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Exile Continued.
"So David fled, and escaped and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done unto him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth" (1 Sam. xix. 18)--or, as the word probably means, in the collection of students' dwellings, inhabited by the sons of the prophets, where possibly there may have been some kind of right of sanctuary. Driven thence by Saul's following him, and having had one last sorrowful hour of Jonathan's companionship--the last but one on earth--he fled to Nob, whither …
Alexander Maclaren—The Life of David

The Exile --Continued.
We have one psalm which the title connects with the beginning of David's stay at Adullam,--the thirty-fourth. The supposition that it dates from that period throws great force into many parts of it, and gives a unity to what is else apparently fragmentary and disconnected. Unlike those already considered, which were pure soliloquies, this is full of exhortation and counsel, as would naturally be the case if it were written when friends and followers began to gather to his standard. It reads like …
Alexander Maclaren—The Life of David

Ramah. Ramathaim Zophim. Gibeah.
There was a certain Ramah, in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 18:25, and that within sight of Jerusalem, as it seems, Judges 19:13; where it is named with Gibeah:--and elsewhere, Hosea 5:8; which towns were not much distant. See 1 Samuel 22:6; "Saul sat in Gibeah, under a grove in Ramah." Here the Gemarists trifle: "Whence is it (say they) that Ramah is placed near Gibea? To hint to you, that the speech of Samuel of Ramah was the cause, why Saul remained two years and a half in Gibeah." They blindly …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

And V the Kingdom Undivided and the Kingdom Divided
THE HISTORICAL BOOKS: I and II Samuel. I and II Kings. I and II Chronicles. NOTE.--As these three pairs of books are so closely related in their historical contents, it is deemed best to study them together, though they overlap the two divisions of IV and V. I. CHARTS Chart A. General Contents +--+ " I AND II SAMUEL " +-------------+-----+------+ "Samuel "Saul "David " +-------------+-----+------+----------+ " " " " I AND II KINGS "NOTE.--Biblical …
Frank Nelson Palmer—A Bird's-Eye View of the Bible

Subterraneous Places. Mines. Caves.
Thus having taken some notice of the superficies of the land, let us a little search into its bowels. You may divide the subterraneous country into three parts: the metal mines, the caves, and the places of burial. This land was eminently noted for metal mines, so that "its stones," in very many places, "were iron, and out of its hills was digged brass," Deuteronomy 8:9. From these gain accrued to the Jews: but to the Christians, not seldom slavery and misery; being frequently condemned hither by …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
BY JOHN BUNYAN PREFATORY REMARKS BY THE EDITOR This important treatise was prepared for the press, and left by the author, at his decease, to the care of his surviving friend for publication. It first appeared in a collection of his works in folio, 1692; and although a subject of universal interest; most admirably elucidated; no edition has been published in a separate form. Antichrist has agitated the Christian world from the earliest ages; and his craft has been to mislead the thoughtless, by …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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