And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab. Mizpeh signifies a watch-tower; and its association with Moab determines the direction in which it is to be sought for. The search is still further limited by the application to it (1 Samuel 22:4) of the term "hold" х mªtsuwdaah (H4686)] - a fortress, stronghold; and all these circumstances combined point evidently to Masada, now Sebbeh, described by Josephus ('Jewish Wars,' b.
iv., 7, 2; 7:8,2; 'Antiquities,' 13:, 9, 14; b. 2:, 7) as a lofty rock of considerable circuit, overhanging the Dead Sea, surrounded by profound valleys, unfathomable to the eye. It was inaccessible to the foot of animals in every part, except by two paths hewn in the rock. One of these, the least difficult, was on the west; the other, on the east, was carried up from the lake itself by zig-zags cut along the crags of the precipice, and was exceedingly difficult and dangerous. 'A fortress was built on it,' adds the Jewish historian, 'by our ancient kings, as a place of safe deposit for their wealth during war, and as a place of safety for their persons' (Trail, 'Josephus,' vol. 2:, p. 109; Robinson's 'Biblical Researches,' 2: p. 240; Porter's 'Handbook," p. 238; Van de Velde,' 2:, pp. 101-103).
The king of Moab was an enemy of Saul (1 Samuel 14:17), and the great-grandson of Ruth-of course, related to the family of Jesse. David therefore had less anxiety in seeking an asylum within the dominions of this prince than those of Achish, because the Moabites had no grounds for entertaining vindictive feelings against him, and their enmity to Saul rendered them the more willing to receive so illustrious a refugee from his court.