Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 22:23
Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou [shalt be] in safeguard.
23. he that seeketh my life ] Our lives are both in danger from one common enemy, so that our interests will be identical.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The characteristic generosity of Davids disposition breaks out in these words. He never forgot a friend. (Compare 2Sa 1:26; 2Sa 9:1, etc.) David acknowledges that Sauls enmity against Abiathar is the consequence of his enmity against himself, and therefore David makes common cause with him.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 23. He that seeketh my life seeketh thy life] The enmity of Saul is directed against thee as well as against me, and thou canst have no safety but in being closely attached to me; and I will defend thee even at the risk of my own life. This he was bound in duty and conscience to do.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Because God will certainly preserve me to the kingdom which he hath promised; and I by his help will protect thee.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Abide thou with me, fear not,…. He appeared to be in a fright; which is not to be wondered at, as not knowing what to do, and where to go and provide for his safety; when, to allay his fears, and make him easy, David invites and encourages him to stay with him, and not be afraid of Saul, nor any other:
for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life; or, as Kimchi observes, it may be interpreted, “my life he seeks who seeks thy life”; we are in the same circumstances, and have the same common enemy, and therefore it is best and safest to be together; as the Targum,
“he that seeks to kill me seeks to kill thee;”
and as Jarchi adds, he that loves me will love thee, and he that keeps my life will keep thine:
but with me thou [shalt be] in safeguard; intimating, that he would be as careful of him as of himself; and that for this reason, as Ben Gersom suggests, because he brought the ephod with the Urim and Thummim with him, by which he could inquire of God for him; but this was the thing David was confident of, that God would preserve him, and raise him to the kingdom, and therefore Abiathar might be sure of safety with him: at this time he penned the fifty second psalm, which shows the frame of spirit he was now in; see Ps 52:1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“ Stay with me, and do not be afraid. For he who seeks my life seeks your life. For with me you will be under protection.”
And then he assured Abiathar that he would be safe with him. For really they were in the same boat. The one who sought David’s life also sought Abiathar’s life. Thus Abiathar would enjoy the same protection, both from YHWH and from David’s men, as David himself did. Saul’s verdicts could not reach him here. This was another turning point in Saul’s evil life. He had lost the Priest of YHWH to David, who could therefore from now on consult the oracle and have official dealings with YHWH, and be given legitimacy in the eyes of YHWH’s people. That Saul, when he came to his senses, realised this comes out in that he appointed Zadok, of the line of Eleazar, as his High Priest, for Zadok also turns up later as High Priest at the Sanctuary whilst Abiathar was still alive. But the Urim and the Thummim were seemingly now with David (1Sa 23:6), and as we shall see, he uses them shortly.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
REFLECTIONS
HERE, dearest Jesus, in the flight of David to the cave of Adullam, I would pause to contemplate thee. Thou art ever precious, ever lovely, ever endearing, in every possible point of view, in which my soul beholds thee; but when I see thee, as David is here represented, as becoming the Captain of every poor distressed, discontented, and wretched debtor: oh! how doth my soul long to come forever under thy banner, and hail thee the Captain of my salvation!
And in this glorious character, as the Leader and Commander of thy people, do I not behold thee as the gift of thy Father to this blessed purpose, to the fugitive, distressed band of poor, ruined, and undone sinners? Do I not view thee as becoming Captain over them, as well as Captain to them! For surely, when thou receivest them in the wilderness of their state by nature, thou regeneratest them by thy power, convertest them from the error of their way, and dost not only cancel the debt of the insolvent, and soften and remove the distress of the afflicted; but take away the very cause of discontent in those who have found but too much reason to he dissatisfied with the ruined state of their nature, and have fled to thee for peace and content, in thy finished righteousness, and blood-shedding atonement. Yes! thou blessed Jesus! thou Almighty Captain of our salvation! it is thine, with the sword of the Spirit, both to conquer for them, and conquer in them. Oh! let thy precious word bring with it convictions of our sin, and convictions of thy all-sufficient righteousness; that thy little army may become more than conquerors through thy grace leading them on; until all the Sauls of persecution and opposition, which hunt for their life, are destroyed; and thou shalt bring them into thy holy mountain, thy kingdom, where thou wilt make them kings and Priests to God and the Father, forevermore. Amen.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 22:23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou [shalt be] in safeguard.
Ver. 23. For he that seeketh. ] Tua causa erit mean causa, Thy cause will be my cause, as Charles V said of Julius Flugius, who for his sake had been much wronged by the Duke of Saxony.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
he that seeketh: 1Ki 2:26, Mat 24:9, Joh 15:20, Joh 16:2, Joh 16:3, Heb 12:1-3
but with me: Joh 10:28-30, Joh 17:12, Joh 18:9
Reciprocal: Est 7:4 – we are sold