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Chapter 22 tells of David being driven out of Gath back into Israel where Saul is waiting to kill him. By now David was 23 years old (1011 BC.) He had been running from Saul for several years. When David left the Philistine city of Gath, He went to the Cave of Adullam, about 8 miles east of Gath in the inheritance of Judah. The cave had a very difficult entrance and David felt that with the help of the Lord and Goliath's sword that he could defend himself there. We get an insight into David's thoughts by reading the 142nd Psalm which he wrote while he was there in the cave. God Comforted David by sending his family and others to join him there until he had about 400 men.
The cave is believed to have been his headquarters for the next 4 or 5 years. Also during this time he got permission from the King of Moab to place his father and mother under Moabite protection. (Moab was founded by Lot and his daughter. David had Moabite blood because of his great great grandmother, Ruth, who was a Moabite.)
One day the Prophet Gad told David to leave the cave and go to the Forrest of Hereth (location unknown). Saul was at Gibeah. He was sitting under an oak tree. He was condemning his own soldiers for not telling him that his son, Jonathan, was on David's side. Then one of his men, Doeg the Edomite, remembered that while he was at Nob he saw David talking to Ahimelech the Priest and Ahimelech gave him food and the sword of Goliath. When Saul heard this, he sent for Ahimelech. He questioned the Priest as to why he had aided David and even consulted the Lord for him. Ahimelech could not understand why Saul would object to this as he considered David to be as faithful to Saul as anyone in his household. Was he not Saul's son-in-law, was he not Saul's captain of his bodyguard. Ahimelech knew nothing of any plot by Saul against David or of any plot by David against Saul. But Saul was angry and he ordered his men to kill Ahimelech but they refused. Then Saul turned to Doeg the Edomite and told him to do it and Doeg killed Ahimelech and 84 other Priests. Then he went to Nob and killed their families and livestock. Only one priest escaped. Abiathar, one of Ahimelech's sons who was probably left behind to tend the altar, he escaped and went to David.
David remembered having seen Doeg at Nob when he was there talking to Ahimelech and because of this he felt responsible for the priests death. He offered to protect Abiathar with his own life.
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