1 Chronicles 12:8

“And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David, into the hold to the wilderness, etc.] Men of the tribe of Gad, who lived on the other side Jordan; these separated themselves from the rest of their tribe, from their families and dwellings, and from the government of Saul, and came over to David, and joined him either when he was in some strong hold in the wilderness of Ziph, or Maon, (<092314>1 Samuel 23:14,24,25), or, as some think, when he was at Ziklag, in the hold there, said to be in the wilderness of Judah: men of might, and men of war, fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler; warlike, valiant, and courageous men, well skilled in military discipline: whose…”

“of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David--that is, from the service of Saul and from the rest of the Gadites who remained steadfast adherents of his cause. into the hold--or fortress, that is, of Ziklag, which was in the wilderness of Judah. whose faces were like the faces of lions, &c.--A fierce, lion-like countenance (Sa2 1:23), and great agility in pursuit (Sa2 2:18), were qualities of the highest estimation in ancient warfare.”

“Into the hold to the wilderness - Rather, “into the hold toward the wilderness.” Some understand by this Ziklag, some En-gedi 1 Samuel 24:1-2; but it seems most probable that here and in 1 Chronicles 12:16 the stronghold of Adullam is intended 1 Chronicles 11:15-16. return to 'Top of Page'”

“into the hold: Ch1 12:16, Ch1 11:16; Sa1 23:14, Sa1 23:29, Sa1 24:22 of war: Heb. of the host handle: Ch2 25:5; Jer 46:9 whose faces: Ch1 11:22; Sa2 1:23, Sa2 17:10, Sa2 23:20; Pro 28:1 as swift as the roes upon the mountains: Heb. as the roes upon the mountains to make haste, Sa2 2:18; Pro 6:5; Sol 8:14 1 Chronicles 12:14”

“The Gadites, Benjamites, and men of Judah who joined themselves to David during his sojourn in the mountain fastness. - Ch1 12:8. David's sojourn in the mountain hold falls in the first years of his flight from Saul, Sa1 22:1. מצד, pointed with Pathach instead of with Kamets (מצד, cf. Ch1 12:16), on account of its intimate connection with מדבּרה, is synonymous with מצוּדה ( Sa1 24:22, etc.). The addition מדבּרה, "towards the wilderness," shows that מצד denotes a mountain-top or mountain-fortress in the wilderness of Judah. If we compare the account in 1 Sam 22-24, we learn that David at that time did not hide himself in one single definite mountain-fortress, but sought and found…”