◄ 1 Samuel 22:5 ►
Then the prophet Gad said to David, "Do not stay in the stronghold. Depart and go into the land of Judah." So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
Study Bible
Then the prophet Gad said to David
Gad is introduced as a prophet, a role of significant importance in Israel, serving as a messenger of God. Gad's presence with David indicates divine guidance during a tumultuous period. Prophets often provided counsel to kings, as seen with Nathan and Samuel. Gad's role here foreshadows his continued influence in David's reign (1 Chronicles 21:9).

Do not stay in the stronghold
The stronghold likely refers to the cave of Adullam, where David sought refuge. Strongholds were common defensive structures in ancient times, providing safety from enemies. However, God's directive through Gad suggests that David's security does not lie in physical fortresses but in obedience to divine instruction. This reflects a recurring biblical theme where reliance on God supersedes reliance on human defenses (Psalm 20:7).

Depart and go into the land of Judah
Returning to Judah, David's tribal homeland, signifies a strategic and spiritual move. Judah is central to David's future kingship and the messianic lineage (Genesis 49:10). This command aligns with God's plan for David to eventually rule over Israel, emphasizing trust in God's timing and provision.

So David left and went to the forest of Hereth
The forest of Hereth, though not extensively detailed in scripture, represents a place of transition and preparation for David. Forests in biblical times were often seen as places of refuge and seclusion. David's movement here is a step of faith, aligning with God's guidance. This journey mirrors the wilderness experiences of other biblical figures, such as Moses and Elijah, who also encountered God in secluded places. David's obedience sets a precedent for his future as a king after God's own heart (Acts 13:22).

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The anointed future king of Israel, currently on the run from King Saul. David is a central figure in this passage, seeking refuge and guidance.

2. Prophet Gad
A prophet who provides divine guidance to David. Gad plays a crucial role in directing David according to God's will.

3. Stronghold
A place of refuge where David was staying. It symbolizes a temporary place of safety but not where God wanted David to remain.

4. Land of Judah
The region to which David is instructed to go. It is significant as David's tribal homeland and a place where he would eventually reign as king.

5. Forest of Hereth
The location where David relocates following Gad's instruction. It represents obedience to God's direction through the prophet.
Teaching Points
Obedience to Divine Guidance
Just as David obeyed the prophet Gad, we are called to heed God's guidance in our lives, even when it requires leaving our comfort zones.

Trust in God's Plan
David's move to Judah, despite the dangers, reflects a deep trust in God's plan. We should cultivate a similar trust, knowing that God's plans are for our good.

The Role of Prophets and Spiritual Leaders
Gad's role highlights the importance of listening to spiritual leaders who provide godly counsel. We should seek and value wise, biblical advice.

Courage in Uncertainty
David's journey to Judah required courage. In our lives, stepping out in faith often involves facing uncertainty with courage.

God's Presence in Transition
The move from the stronghold to Hereth reminds us that God is with us in every transition, providing strength and guidance.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does David's obedience to Gad's instruction reflect his relationship with God, and how can we apply this in our own lives?

2. In what ways does the concept of a "stronghold" apply to areas in our lives where we might feel secure but are not where God wants us to be?

3. How can we discern when God is calling us to leave our "strongholds" and step into new territories, as David did?

4. What role do spiritual leaders and mentors play in guiding us according to God's will, and how can we ensure we are listening to godly counsel?

5. How can we find courage and assurance in God's presence during times of transition and uncertainty, as David did when moving to the forest of Hereth?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 23
David's trust in God's guidance and provision is echoed in this psalm, where he speaks of God leading him beside still waters and paths of righteousness.

1 Samuel 16
The anointing of David by Samuel, which sets the stage for his future as king and highlights the divine purpose in his life.

2 Samuel 7
God's covenant with David, promising him a lasting dynasty, which underscores the importance of David's obedience to God's guidance.
Sermons
A Summons to DutyB. Dale 1 Samuel 22:5
A Friend and a FoeR. E. Faulkner.1 Samuel 22:5-23
People
Abiathar, Ahimelech, Ahitub, Benjamin, Benjaminites, Benjamites, David, Doeg, Gad, Goliath, Jesse, Saul
Places
Adullam, Gibeah, Hereth, Mizpeh, Moab, Nob
Topics
Abide, David, Depart, Departed, Entered, Entereth, Forest, Fortress, Gad, Hareth, Hast, Hereth, Hold, Judah, Prophet, Stay, Stronghold, Woodland
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Samuel 22:5

     4448   forests

1 Samuel 22:1-5

     5086   David, rise of

1 Samuel 22:3-5

     7266   tribes of Israel

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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