Recognizing God’s Hand

When David returns from Philistia, he does not march back to Gibeah to take up his duties as Saul’s harpist. He knows that would be suicidal. Instead, he begins to take prudent steps to preserve himself, steps that fall within the will of God, unlike his earlier lies and flight. Matthew Henry writes: “The promise of the kingdom implied a promise of preservation to it, and yet David used proper means for his own safety, otherwise he would have tempted God.”

Let us look at these steps David takes. First, he goes to a place of security, the cave of Adullam, located in rugged territory roughly half way between Gath and Bethlehem. Second, he provides for the safety of his family. When they get word of his whereabouts, David’s brothers and the members of his father’s household join him at the cave. They come to give him help and comfort, but also for safety, for if Saul does not shrink from attacking his own son (20:33) what might he do to David’s family? But David is not convinced that they are safe enough, particularly his elderly parents, so he asks the king of Moab to let his parents stay there. At first glance, this move seems as incomprehensible as David’s flight to Philistia, for Israel and Moab are not on good terms (14:47). However, David is seeking sanctuary for his parents, not himself. And besides, David’s great-grandmother, Ruth, was from Moab (Ruth 4:13–17), so perhaps the family has distant relations there. Third, David begins to assemble a fighting force. Others eventually come to him at Adullam—about four hundred men who are in distress, in debt, or discontented. David receives them, becomes their captain, and trains them as something of a personal guard.

These are not the steps of a man who is relying solely on his own devices, as we see from David’s words to the Moabite king. He asks that his parents be allowed to dwell mere ” ’till I know what God will do for me.’ ” David has remembered the truth he seemingly forgot earlier—that God controls all the circumstances of his life. God then begins to bless David with the invaluable gift of guidance, sending the prophet Gad to him. He directs David not to remain at ” ‘the stronghold,’ ” a site near the Dead Sea now known as Masada, but to return to Judah. Perhaps David settled at the stronghold after his journey to Moab, but God wants him firmly back in Israel, and David obeys.