Harmony Upon 1 Samuel, Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
1. Quest. v. 1. Whether Dauid did well in flying to the Philistims.
1. LYranus defendeth Dauid herein, that he fledde not, as fearing he should be killed, beeing assured of the kingdome, but least he should be forced to fight with Saul: but this is contrarie to the text: for he feared least one day he should perish by the hand of Saul. 2. Others thinke that Dauid might so conceiue as though promise of the kingdom were conditionall, if Dauid did not fall into some grieuous sinne: and therefore he fled: but if this had beene so, Dauid offended more in going for succour vntounto the vncircumcised, then if he had staied. 3. Some thinke, that Dauid did it not, as doubting of the promise of God, but as a wise and prouident man, vsing the meanes of his safetie: Borr. but his owne words doe shew his infirmitie, that he doubted, least he might perish: he was in deede to vse the meanes, but such as were lawfull and without offence. 4. Wherefore the truer opinion is, that Dauid herein shewed his infirmitie: Mar. Iun. Osiand. as shall be shewed afterward.
First, the reasons shall be examined, which are brought in defense of this fact of Dauid. 1. Dauid fled before to the Moabites, and was not reprehended: why might he not as well flee to the Philistims? Ans. 1. The Moabites were not such opposite enemies, as the Philistims. 2. He fled not then to the same ende: then he went onelyonly to succour his father and mother: here to serue as a captaine with his souldiers vnderunder Achish. 3. His going then was not very pleasing vntounto God, for he was admonished by the Prophet to depart. 4. And then he knew not the Lords pleasure, till the Prophet had spoken to him, as he now did.
2. But whence should Dauid hauehave prouided for all his companie, vnlesse he should hauehave liued vponupon the spoile of his owne countrey: and by staying he should hauehave brought himselfe, and all his friends into daunger: and he should hauehave tempted God, if he had refused the occasion offered.
Ans. 1. Dauid needed not hauehave spoiled his countrey: he might hauehave praied vponupon the Philistims, and other enemies adioyning. 2. He was not to doe any vnlawfull thing to prouide for himselfe and his friends, but to depend vponupon God. 3. A good occasion and opportunitie is not to be refused: but to let passe occasion and meanes not lawfull, is not to tempt God, but rather to cleaue vntounto God: which Dauid should hauehave done, rather then by vnlawfull waies and meanes to seeme to doubt of Gods deliuerance.
3. Christ fled vntounto the Sidonians, Tyrians, and Samaritans. Ans. He fled not vntounto them to take part with them against the Iewes, but to instruct and teach them: but Dauid went to serue Achish. ex Martyr.
Now the reasons which shew the vnlawfulnes of Dauids flying, are these.
1. He fled vntounto those which were enemies of religion: as if now a captaine with his souldiers should flee vntounto the Turke: herein he did contrarie to the law, which did forbid the Israelites to make any couenant with the heathen, which were about them.
2. He in a manner runneth from his calling: who beeing appointed king of the Lords people to defend them, goeth to ioyne with their enemies. Mar.
3. This his flight seemed to proceede from the weaknes of his faith, Iun. as doubting of Gods promises.
4. And many inconueniences followed vponupon this his flight. 1. Dauid is driuen to dissemble, v. 11. when Achish asked him, where he had roued to day. 2. By this occasion the Amalekites burned Ziglag, c. 30. and caried away his wife and children. 3. He was like to hauehave serued the Philistims against his countrey. 4. By his absence the power of Israel was weakned and ouercome in battell. 5. He made himselfe by this meanes, beeing entertained among the Philistims, beholding and bound vntounto them: with whome he knew, when he should be king, he was to hauehave warre.
Therefore it must be confessed and yeilded vntounto, that Dauid in comming vntounto the Philistims for succour, therein committed a great ouersight: for herein it is not expressed that he consulted with God, as at other times: but he herein tooke counsell of himselfe, and of the rest of his companie, as Iosephus writeth. But this ouersight of Dauid is excused by his necessitie, as a theefe stealing to satisfie his hunger, is more to be pitied, then he that stealeth of wantonnes: such was Dauids extremitie at this time. Martyr.
2. Quest. v. 2. Why Dauid fleeth againe to Achish, of whome he was afraid before, c. 21. when he fained himselfe madde.
1. Some thinke, because Achish is here called the sonne of Maoch, that he was an other king of the same name: and that this was a generall name to all the kings of Gath. Osian. 2. The Rabbins thinke, that Dauid sent messengers before vntounto Achish: and so he was receiued fide publica, faith beeing made before for his safetie, Iun. which is not vnlike. 3. Adde hereunto also, that whereas before he went priuily and by stealth, now he goeth with a band of men, able to doe the king seruice, and for that cause he is entertained: as Xerxes receiued Themistocles; the Lacedemonians, Alcibiades; and the Volscians, Coriolanus. Mar.
3. Quest. v. 5. Why Dauid desired to be remooued from Gath.
1. Some thinke that Dauid desired to goe from the kings Court and citie, least he might hauehave beene enuied of the Philistims: and because he could not away with the vices, superfluitie, and excesse of the Court: or most of all, because of the Idolatrie of the citie. Borr. 2. Some, least he might hauehave bin chargeable to the king. Pellican. 3. But it is most likely, least he might hauehave beene vrged to fight against his owne people, Mar. and to be emploied against them. Mar. And Dauid did see, that he could not maintaine that great companie, without liuing vponupon the spoile: and therefore he desireth to be further off, that he might pray vponupon the bordering nations, without any controlment: Osiand. which his counsell Dauid wisely coloureth with a shew of modestie: that it was not for him beeing a stranger, to dwell with the king. Iun. Also this fell out well in this respect: that Dauid should hauehave a citie assigned him, whether came vntounto him a great number of Israel, till they made a great armie like the host of God. 1. Chron. 12.22. By this occasion Ziklag, which was allotted to Iudah, Iosh. 15.31. and vniustly deteined by the Philistims, was restored to the right owners. Iun.
4. Quest. v. 7. Of the time of Dauids aboad among the Philistims.
1. Some read, the time that Dauid dwelt, &c. was foure moneths: L.S. but here somewhat is omitted: it is in the originall, daies, and foure moneths. R. Selamo thinketh, that he was there but foure moneths: then daies beside moneths, should be superfluous in the text. 2. Some read, foure moneths and certaine daies: B. G. V. but here the words are transposed: which stand in this order, daies, and foure moneths: so Iosephus thinketh, that he was there foure moneths, and twentie daies. 3. Chimhi thinketh he was there seauen moneths, for so many moneths were betweene Samuel and Sauls death. 4. But the sounder opinion is, that Dauid was there a yeare and foure moneths: as it may appeare by these reasons. 1. Because chap. 29.3. Achish saith, he hath beene with me, these daies, or these yeares: that is, one full yeare, and going vponupon the second: for in the space of a few moneths the king could hauehave no great experience of his seruice. 2. In so short a time all those things could not well be done, which are set downe from this chapter to the 31. 3. iammim, daies, is taken in this sense: as c. 1.21. a sacrifice, iammim, of daies, that is, a yearely sacrifice: and the order of the words shew as much: the greater number is vsed to be placed first: we say not daies and moneths, but moneths and daies: but to say a yeare and moneths agreeth well.
5. Quest. v. 8. Of the Geshurites, and Girzites, whome Dauid put to the sword.
1. These were a remnant of the Cananites, the Geshurites were those that dwelt in Geshur, Iosh. 12.5. in Gilead: and the Gizrites in Gezer, which belonged vntounto Ephraim, Iosh. 16. v. 3. who at the comming of the Israelites, left those places, and went and dwelt among the Amalekites: but at the beginning they dwelt in that land, that is, the Geshurites and Girzites in Canaan. Iun. 2. These Cananites were ordained of God to destruction, and therefore Dauid might safely inuade them. Osiand. 3. But it is like that Dauid, as he did this exploit of a zeale, to roote out the enemies of Gods people, so also he had at this time a respect vntounto his present state, and tooke the spoiles of them for the maintenance of him and his: for God many times vseth mens infirmities, to accomplish his will. Martyr.
6. Quest. v. 10. Whteher Dauid offended in making such an excuse to Achish, as though he had inuaded the Israelites.
1. Some thinke, that it was lawfull for Dauid to destroy those nations without sinne, so he might without sinne colour it with a shew of inuading his owne people: Osiand. but that is not so: for not onelyonly the lawfulnes of the thing which is done must be considered, but the manner also, that it may be done without offence: now howsoeuer for the present Dauid cōtented Achish, yet was it an offence vntounto good men, which might take Dauid to hauehave done as he spake. Mar. 2. Some thinke that Dauid dissembled not, but spake the truth: not that he put the Ierahmeelites, which were a familie of the Iudah, to the sword, 1. Chron. 2.9. or the Kenites, but onelyonly smote the south coasts, which of right belonged vntounto the Israelites, but were possessed by other nations. But it appeareth, in that Achish was contended with Dauids answer, that he vnderstoode him to speake of the Israelites, whome he had inuaded. 3. Others say, that Dauid here plainly mentitur, telleth an vntruth: Mar. but I rather thinke with Iunius, that Dauid speaketh here doubtfully and ambiguously, not vsing that plainnes which became such a good man: that he might either be taken to speake of the Israelites inhabiting Iudah, or of the nations which bordered vponupon the South coasts. 4. Achish was very credulous and readie to beleeue Dauid: Iosephus giueth this reason, because it was easie to perswade him to beleeue that, which he greatly affected and desired.