1 Samuel 22:2

Everyone that was in distress ,… in debt , or discontented (Hebrew, bitter of soul), gathered themselves unto him. Had Saul's government been just and upright David would have had no followers; but he never rose above the level of a soldier, had developed all that arbitrariness which military command fosters in self-willed minds, and seems entirely unaware of its being his duty to attend to the righteous administration of the law. The Israelites had in him the very king they had desired, but they found that a brave general might at home be a ruthless tyrant. Debt was one of the worst evils of ancient times. The rate of usury was so exorbitant that a loan was sure to end in utter ruin, and not only the debtor, but his children might be made slaves to repay the debt ( 2 Kings 4:1 ). It was one of the first duties of an upright governor to enforce the Mosaic law against usury (Le 1 Samuel 25:36 ); but all such cares Saul despised, and there were probably many in the land impoverished by Saul's own exactions and favouritism ( 1 Samuel 22:7 ), and made bitter of soul by his cruelty and injustice. All such were glad to join in what seemed to them the banner of revolt. Afterwards at Ziklag David was joined by nobler followers (see on 1 Samuel 27:6 ). With David we may compare Jephthah's case in the old days of anarchy ( 11:3-6 ), and note that bad government leads to lawlessness just as surely as no government.