Harmony Upon 1 Samuel, Chapter 1
Chap. I.
Quest. 1. v. 1. Of Ramathaim Zophim.
1. SOme read of one of the two Ramathaims. B. Genev. but one is referred rather to the word going before: erat vir vnus, or, quidam, there was a certaine man; because the Hebrew preposition min, of, is put before Ramathaim, not before achad, one. 2. Some because Ramathaim is put in the dual number, thinke that there were two cities of that name, and that here that Ramath is meant, which was situate in mount Ephraim. G.V. but it seemeth rather, that this Ramah is put in the dual number, beeing one and the same citie, yet consisting of two townes as two parts. I. the one opposite to the other. Pell. for afterward, v. 19. it is simply called Ramah. Osiand. yet were there two other Ramaths, one in Beniamin, and an other in Nephthali. Iun. 3. Now Zophim is added, not so called, because there the Prophets dwelt, which were called Zophim, speculatores, watchmen, Seers, or beholders, Chald. or because it was situate in an high place, tanquam in specula, as in a watch-tower or looking place, Pellican. but because it was situate in the cuntrey or region of Zuph, c. 9.5. Iun. which might hauehave the name also of Zuph of whome Elkanah was descended, as this verse sheweth, called also Zophai. 1. Chron. 6.26. Bor.
2. Quest. Why Elkanah is called an Ephrathite.
1. Some thinke that he was of the tribe of Ephraim, Vat. but that cannot be: for he was a Levite, and descended of Kohath. 1. Chron. 6.22. 2. He was then so called, because he dwelt in mount Ephraim, among the Ephramites, as the beginning of this verse sheweth. Iun. So Iosephus saith, that he dwelt in sorte Ephraimitarum, in the lot of the Ephramites: and the Chald. he was, ex monte domus Ephraim, of the mountaine of the house of Ephraim: for vntounto the Kohathites, which descended of Kohath (but not by Amram) were allotted certaine cities in mount Ephraim. Iosh. 21.20. Pellican. Borr. 3. This tearme also of Ephrathite in an other sense belonged to Iudah:Reconcil. as Ishai the father of Dauid of Bethlehem is called an Ephrathite, 1. Sam. 17.13. and Bethlehem is called Ephrathah, Micah 5.2. that is, of Iudah, which was called Ephratha, of Ephrath the wife of Caleb. 1. Chron. 2.19. Iun. in Micah 5. But in that sense is it not taken here.
3. Quest. v. 2. Of Elkanah his two wiues.
1. This Polygamie of the Fathers vnderunder the Law in marrying one or two wiues, was not simply lawfull or dispensed with, which is the opinion of … and Durandus, with others of that side: but that cannot be, for our Sauiour saith in the like case,See more of this question Hexapla in Genes. c. 16. confut. 1. c. 25. qu. 23. from the beginning it was not so, Matth. 19.8. So also the Prophet Malachie, Did not he make one? yet had he abundance of spirit: and wherefore one? because he sought a godly seede, Malac. 2.15. 2. Wherefore the truer opinion is, that this was an humane infirmitie in the Fathers, to take vntounto them two or more wiues: and such marriages were not without great inconueniences: for there was continuall emulation betweene them, as betweene Sarah and Hagar, Leah and Rachel, and here betweene these two wiues of Elkanah. Pellican. And the first that brought in bigamie was Lamech of the cursed seede of Cam: yet because then the temporall promises of that nation depended vponupon their carnall generation, it pleased God to winke at this infirmitie, and tolerate it in them, till the Messiah came, when no longer the Church of God should be tied vntounto the people of the Iewes: but spirituall children should be begotten vntounto God from all nations euen among the Gentiles. Osiand.
4. Quest. v. 3. Of Elkanah his yeerely sacrifice.
1. Whereas it is said, this man went vp from yeare to yeare; it is to be conceiued, that he with all the males of his house went vp thrice eueryevery yeare, at three solemne feastes, of the Pasch, Pentecost, and the feast of Tabernacles, according to the law, Deut. 16.16. Borr. 2. But he for his part, beeing a Levite, went vp oftner to doe his seruice at the Tabernacle, vnlesse in those corrupt times the worship of God were neglected. Pellican. 3. But he with all his familie, not the males onelyonly, but with his wiues also, went vp but once in the yeare, Vatab. as v. 21. he is saide, to goe vp with all his house to offer the yearely sacrifice: which it seemeth by that place to hauehave beene offered but once in the yeare. 4. He dwelt not in Shiloh, either because he was dismissed from seruice by reason of his age: for, which is more like, because the Leuites were dispersed among the people to instruct them. Mar.
5. Quest. v. 5. Of the portion which Elkanah gaue to Annah.
1. Some read, he gaue her one double part. Iun. but these wordes then should implie a contradiction, to giuegive her one part, and yet double. 2. Some read, he gaue her a portion with a sad countenance. L. V. and they make this the sense, because shee had no children, to whome he should giuegive portions likewise, and so shee had but her single part: he gaue it her with an heauie cheare, because shee had no greater portion. Osiand. Borr. But though shee had no children, it was in his power to giuegive her (that notwithstanding) as large a portion, as it pleased him: and againe in this sense, there should be small coherence in the next wordes, because he loued her. 3. Therefore the phrase in the Hebrew, signifying a gift of the face, it is better interpreted, a worthie gift, such as men vse to looke vponupon with a chearefull face, Pellican. or such as may be set before an honourable person. Vatab. so also B. G. And in this sense the next words follow well: he gaue her a worthie portion, because he loued her: as Ioseph gaue vntounto Beniamin a greater portion, then to his other brethren, because he loued him more.
6. Quest. v. 9. Of whome it is meant, after they had eaten in Shiloh.
1. The wordes are, after the eating, which some vnderstand of Annah, that shee rose vp, after shee had eaten and drunke. Lat. Chald. Vatab. but it is said before, v. 7. shee did not eate: and though the word achlah hauehave a feminine termination, yet that is supposed to be paragogically added. 2. Some doe reconcile the places thus: that shee did eate with them, though shee had drunke no wine, nor strong drinke with them, as shee saith to Eli, v. 15. Osiand. but yet the contradiction remaineth still, because v. 7. it is saide, shee did not eate. 3. Some therefore applie it vntounto Elkanah, Anna arose, after he had eaten. Iun. 4. But seeing the rest of the familie went vp also with Elkanah, and they did all eate before the Lord, it is better vnderstood, after they had eaten. sic Pellic. and B.G. so also the Septuag. foreign, after they had eaten: so readeth also Pagnin. And yet it is like that Annah by the perswasion of her husband v. 8. might hauehave eaten somewhat to comfort her. Borr.
7. Quest. v. 11. Of Hannahs vowe.
1. A vowe is properly of that, which is not otherwise in that particular strict manner due without a vowe, and therefore, whereas the Leuites were without vowe or special profession made, to serue in the Tabernacle, Hannah doth not vow that her sonne, for whome shee praieth, should be in that generall manner holy vntounto God: but whereas the Leuites beganne not to serue before thirtie, and their seruice ended at fiftie, shee voweth to giuegive her sonne vntounto God all the daies of his life: and not to redeeme him with money, which libertie was graunted by the law: Mart. and beside he should be a Nazarite, neither to drinke strong drinke, nor to suffer a rasor to come vponupon his head: which strict profession generally the Leuites entred not into. Osiand. And extraordinarie grace appeared in this child, as in Iohn Baptist, and therefore they did specially consecrate him vntounto God, and that not without Gods speciall direction. Pellican. 2. Beside, whereas the wife could not make a vowe to stand in force without her husband,Reconcil. Numb. 30. as appeareth in the storie of Sampson, Iud. 13. it is like that either shee had her husbands consent before; Iun. or els he agreed to it afterward and ratified it: Borr. because it is called his vow, v. 22. and he is said to hauehave lent him vntounto God. c. 2.20. for the verbe shaal, he lent, is of the masculine gender there. 3. This vowe, which Hannah laieth vponupon her sonne, is not like the superstitious Popish vowes,Controuersie of Vowes. when parents doe consecrate their children to Monkerie: 1. for the vowe of the Nazarites hath the warrant of Gods word, so hath not the other: 2. that vow was possible enough, so is not the other, but to those that hauehave the gift of continencie: 3. and they hauehave an opinion that Monasticall life is meritorious, which conceit was not then had of the Nazarites vowe. Osiand.
8. Quest. v. 16. What a daughter of Belial is.
1. This word Belial, is generally taken for one exceedingly wicked: the Septuag. translate, foreign, a pestilent woman: which some thinke to signifie one, abs que iugo, without a yoke, Lat. Pellican. voide of all feare of God. Bor. But it seemeth rather to be deriued of these two words, beli, which signifieth without, and jagnal, which is to be profitable, or to prosper. Mont. Pag. And so Belial noteth such an one, as is altogether vnprofitable, and which shall not prosper: the very child of the deuill. Osiand. 2. Where we see what accoūt this holy woman maketh of drunken persons, and of drunkennes: shee counteth them the sonnes and daughters of Belial.Drunken persons the sonnes of Belial. And in deede vntounto them fitly agree all the significations of this word: 1. they are licentious and lawlesse, without any yoke, or bridle to keepe them in: 2. they are altogether vnprofitable, they neither do good to others, nor themselues: but wast their patrimonie with riotous liuing; as the parable of the prodigall childe sheweth: 3. and such doe neither prosper in this world, but consume both their goods, & their flesh, and besides without repentance doe exclude themselues from the celestiall inheritance. 1. Cor. 6.9.
9. Quest. v. 20. Of the name Samuel, or Shemuel.
1. This name is commonly read Samuel, but in the originall it is Shemuel; but because vse and custome hath so obtained, and the Septuag. so read, whose pronouncing of the name the Apostle followeth, Hebr. 11.32. it is fittest (because of the noueltie of sound) to be so retained. 2. And the etymologie of this name is this: it is deriued, some say, of two words put together, Iun. some of three: rather of fowre, of the word shaal, which signifieth to aske, whereof it keepeth onelyonly the first letter, and of the preposition min, of, retaining the first letter also, of a pronoune affix, which signifieth him, and of eel, God: that is, I hauehave asked him of God. Pellican. Mart. 3. This teacheth vsus, that good names should be imposed vponupon children, whereby both the parents & the children should be put in minde of their thankfulnes toward God. Pellic.
10. Quest. Of Elkanah and Hannah their offering.
1. Whereas they brought three bullocks, and yet slue but one, v. 25. R. Ben Gerson thinketh, that one was sacrificed the first day, the other the two next: some, that one was for a burnt offring, the other for peace offrings. Mar. But the other two (it is more like) were giuen vntounto the high priest Eli, for he with the rest of the priests liued of the oblations and sacrifices.Reconcil. Osiand. 2. And whereas they brought an Ephah of flower, that is, ten gomers, or tenth deales, that was according to the law, which prescribed three tenth deales to be offered with a bullocke, Numb. 15.9. and the tenth, which was ouerplus, was either for their diet, Bor. or giuen ouer and aboue of their liberalitie. Pellican.
11. Quest. v. 24. At what age Samuel was brought to the Tabernacle.
1. The Hebrew interpreters thinke, that Samuel was weaned at 24. moneths, that is, after two yeares, & then brought vp to the Lord: and they commend Hannahs pietie therein, that would not deferre to pay her vow vntounto God. 2. Lyranus thinketh that Samuel was sixe or seuen yeere olde, when he was presented vntounto God: which opinion P. Mart. reiecteth, because shee should hauehave then deferred too long to hauehave paied her vowes vntounto God. But it seemeth to me, to be the more probable, for these reasons: 1. because Samuel immedia…ly after his comming ministred vntounto the Lord, c. 2.11. which a child of two yeare old could not doe: 2. shee neuer hauing had child before, would not so soone weane him from the breasts: as it is thought Sarah weaned not Isaak till he was fiue yeere old; for at the time of the feast, when he was weaned, Ismael mocked him. 3. It had beene a great trouble to bring children so young to the Tabernacle, vnlesse a nurserie had beene appointed for them there. 4. Neither did shee deferre the paying of her vow, seeing shee kept him but vntill such time, that he should be fit for the Lords seruice.
12. Quest. v. 27. What things are to be praied for, and how they are obtained.
1. Some question is here mooued, whether it be lawfull to pray for things temporall and indifferent, as here Hannah praied for a child and obtained him. Chrysostome hom. 8. in Timoth. is of opinion, that onelyonly things spirituall are to be praied for: things temporall not in particular, but in generall, as we pray for thē vnderunder the name of bread in the Lords praier. Contra. But it appeareth by the examples of holy men, in the Scripture, that it is lawfull to pray for things temporal, as Abraham praied for Ismael, Moses for victorie against Amelek: but here two conditions are required, that we should pray for transitorie things, transitoriè, transitorily, not with such feruencie and desire, as for things spirituall: secondly, we must propound vntounto vsus a good ende to vse them to Gods glorie. 2. But yet we must not thinke, that we are heard for the merit of our praier: God heareth vsus in merciemercy: yet praier is appointed as the way and the meane, wherein wee must walke; it is not the cause of graunting our requests. Mar.
13. Quest. v. 28. Who is said to hauehave worshipped God.
1. Some read, they worshipped the Lord there. L. Osiand. but the word ijshtachu is put for ijshtachaveh, and is of the singular number, as Gen. 4.47.31. in the same word Iakob is said to hauehave bowed himselfe: but when it is put in the plurall number, it is ijshtachavu: as Exod. 12.27. 2. They which read in the singular number, some vnderstand it of Samuel, Iun. but he was at this time a very childe: some referre it to Elkanah. Borr. Mar. But the communication is here between Heli and Hannah: Elkanah is not here mentioned: therefore it is best vnderstood of Heli, V. Genevens. that as he blessed Hannah before, and praied for her, so nowe also he giueth thankes vntounto God, seeing the fruit and effect of his blessing.