The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 172 – Section 173

The History of the Old Testament Methodized · Chapter 4 · Section 172 – Section 173

p. 381SECT. CLXXII.

DAvid now perceiving how implacable Saul's anger was againſt him, he concludes he muſt ſhift for himſelf, and ſtand upon his Guard; and accordingly taking ſome few faithful ſervants along with him**See v. 2. and Mat. 12.3, 4.Matt 12:3Matt 12:4, and ſome few others that voluntarily joined themſelves to him.

1. He firſt flies to Nob a City in the Tribe of Benjamin, near to Anathoth, about twelve miles from Gibeah, whither it ſeems the Tabernacle was now removed from Shiloh (though the Ark ſtill remained at Kirjath-jearim, ſee Chap. 7.1.) and poſſibly Saul cauſed it to be removed hither for his own conveniency, that he might with more ſpeed and eaſe upon all occaſions reſort to it. And hence it was that there were ſo many Prieſts now dwelling here, namely that they might attend upon the ſervice of the Tabernacle. David being reſolved to fly for his ſafety out of the land, came hither firſt, not only to get ſome ſupply of his preſent want, but alſo to viſit the Tabernacle, that he might there worſhip the Lord before his departure, and ſeek unto him for help and comfort in this his day of adverſity. Leaving therefore his ſmall company in ſome place nigh, he went himſelf to Ahimelech the High-Prieſt at Nob, It ſeems Ahiah his brother being dead he was High-Priest in his room.(who it ſeems was alſo call'd Abiather, ſee Mark 2.26.) and had a Son alſo of that name, as we may ſee Ch. 22.20. Ahimelech was much troubled when he ſaw David come to him alone, fearing that he was fled from Saul upon ſome diſpleaſure, and if ſo, it would be dangerous for him to entertain him. He asks him therefore how it came to paſs that he was alone? David replies that the King had ſent him about a ſecret buſineſs, and enjoined him to let no body know of it, and ſo he had appointed his ſervants to ſtay for him in a place nigh at hand.

This was indeed a direct lye, and proved afterwards the occaſion of that horrible Maſſacre which Saul made of Ahimelech, and the reſt of the Prieſts of that City, even eighty five perſons that wore a linnen Ephod, yea of the utter deſtruction of the City, and the inhabitants thereof, both men and women, and children, yea even of the very beaſts as we read, Ch. 22.18, 19. Juſt cauſe had David to bewail this pernicious lye of his as long as he lived, and ſo no doubt he did; for he charges it upon himſelf when Abiathar the Son of Ahimelech brought him the ſad tidings thereof, Ch. 22.22. I have occaſioned (ſays he) the death of all the perſons of thy Fathers houſe. And 'tis ſuppoſed that the remorſe for this very ſin was freſh in his heart when he wrote that paſſage in the 119. Pſal. v. 28, 29. My ſoul melteth away for heavineſs, ſtrengthen thou me according to thy word. Remove from me the way of lying, &c. David now deſires Ahimelech to furniſh him with ſome bread and proviſions for himſelf and his ſervants that were at hand, they being in great want of food; Ahimelech tells him he had no bread there at the Tabernacle, but the ſhew-bread **Davids haſt was ſuch thorough the apprehenſion of danger, that he muſt preſently be gone, therefore he could not ſtay for other bread., which was not to be eaten by any but the Prieſts, [ſee Levit. 24.9.] much leſs by any that were unclean. Yet conſidering that charity is to be preferred before all ceremonies, and that in caſe of neceſſity the Ceremonial Law was to give way to the Moral, he condeſcends in this exigence to relieve them with the ſhew-bread, (and what he did therein is approved by our Saviour, Mat. 12.3, 4.) provided the young men had kept themſelves from their wives (a)(a)Hic ſacerdos ni nis videtur ſcrupuloſus, Quid enim ſi David fuiſſet immundus? Ideone voluit illum fame mori?, p. 382which (it ſeems) the Prieſts, (that were to eat the ſhew-bread) thought themſelves bound to do by a laudable cuſtom grounded on Exod. 19.15. though not expreſly by the Law commanded. And it ſeems the High-Prieſt thought that if the young men had not thus abſtained, they would be under a double impediment; David tells him 'twas three days ſince they came out, and all that time they had been abſent from their wives, therefore the bodies of the young men were clean, and on this account not unfit to eat of this bread. Beſides (ſays he) the ſhew-bread is in this caſe of neceſſity to us but as common bread, (ſo as we may lawfully eat of it) eſpecially ſeeing it is this day (b)(b)Hereby it appeareth that it was the Sabbath-day on which David came to Nob, whereon new ſhew-bread was put in the place of the old.removed from ſtanding upon the Table before the Lord, and there is other bread conſecrated according to the Law, and ſet hot in the room of it; upon theſe conſiderations the High-Prieſt gave him the ſhew-bread. But it ſo happened that there was one of the ſervants of Saul there that day, by name Doeg, the chiefeſt of Saul's herdſmen, by Nation an Edomite, but by profeſſion a Proſelyte to the Religion of the Iſraelites, yet a notorious wicked man, and a great enemy to David; it ſeems he was detained there before the Lord, that is, in the Court of the Tabernacle, to pay ſome Vow he had made, or to offer ſome Sacrifice he was engag'd to offer. This man diligently obſerved David and his actions, that he might relate them to Saul; David askt Ahimelech whether he had not there a Sword or Spear that he could lend him; for (he told him) he had not brought his Sword or his weapons with him, becauſe the Kings buſineſs required haſt. Thus one lye making a breach in the Conſcience, another quickly follows it, and finds an eaſie paſſage thorough it. The High-Prieſt told him there was no Sword there but Goliaths (c)(c)The reſt of Goliath's armour David had diſpos'd of elſewhere, ſee Ch. 17.54. but his ſword was brought to the Tabernacle there to be reſerved as a memorial of that victory to the praiſe of God., which was wrapt in a cloth, and kept behind that holy place where the Sacred Veſtments and Ornaments were laid up, of which the Ephod was the chiefeſt, ſee Exod. 28.4, 6. if he pleaſed he might have that. David anſwered, There is none like to that, give it me; for as oft as I look upon it, it will put me in mind of Gods wonderful aſſiſtance vouchſafed to me in conquering Goliath, and will ſtrengthen my faith and affiance in him, that he will help me in the like difficulties and dangers. Ch. 21. from 1, to 10.

2ly, Having gotten Goliath's ſword, he now flies into the Country of Achiſh King of Gath, call'd alſo Abimeleck, which was the common name of the Kings of the Philiſtines; here he hoped to have ſojourned (at leaſt for a time) ſecretly and undiſcovered. It ſeems he had more hope of ſafety there than in his own Country at preſent. The ſervants of Achiſh after ſome time diſcover who he was, and apprehend him. Poſſibly Goliath's ſword might be ſome means of diſcovering of him; and ſo God juſtly made uſe of this ſword which he got of the High-Prieſt by lying, as a means to bring him into danger. The ſervants of Achiſh bringing him before their King, ſaid unto him, Is not this David the King of the land? that is, a famous warriour, and chief Commander among the Iſraelites, and as it were another King in the eſteem of the people: or is not this David who is deſigned (as we hear) to be King in the land? For poſſibly the report that David ſhould be King, and that Saul perſecuted him on that account, was ſo rife and common in Iſrael, that it ſpread it ſelf even to the land of the Philiſtines. Further they ſay, Is not this he of whom the women ſang in their triumphant dances, Ch. 18.7. Saul hath ſlain his thouſands, but David his ten thouſands. David was much ſurpriz'd to hear theſe words ſpoken of himſelf by the ſervants of Achiſh before their King, and ſeeing himſelf in their hands, and not knowing which way to help himſelf, he reſolved to behave himſelf before them as if he had been diſtracted. And indeed they might well think that he that had done ſo much againſt them, would not now alone have come among them if he had been in his right wits. And accordingly in his geſture, words, and actions, he carried himſelf as if he had been mad, ſcrabling on the doors, and letting his ſpittle fall on his beard(d)(d)Non illicita prorſus haec ſimulatio, quippe expers mendaci…. Anonym: Stultitiam ſimulare in loco (inquit ille) prudentia ſumma eſt. Poteſt Deus ſuos ſervare per ſapientiam, immo per inſaniam, & per infirmitatem. Simulatio haec mendacium non erat, ſed ſilentium duntaxat, vel diſſimulatio veritatis juſta de cauſa. Nec illicita erat hujuſmodi fictio, cum fiat ad utilitatem ſuam ſine alterius praejudicio., he thought poſſibly that mad men were uſually objects of pity and compaſſion, not of malice or revenge, and ſuppoſed that hereupon they would be the more inclin'd to ſpare him, ſeeing he was not likely (being in this ſad caſe) to do them any further miſchief. But though at preſent he made uſe of this ſtratagem, yet he relyed not upon it, but put his truſt in God, and relyed(e)(e)David ſalutem ſuam non ſimulationi ſuae acceptam tulit, ſed miſericordiae Dei. on him alone for help and deliverance, as p. 383appears by the two Pſalms he compoſed on this occaſion, viz. the 34. and 56. And God by his alwiſe Providence ſo ordered this thing that Achiſh thinking him abſolutely mad, ſlighted and askt them in ſome kind of anger, Why they had brought a mad man before him? He told them, he had no need of mad men, neither deſired they ſhould bring ſuch perſons into his houſe. In all probability (God at preſent ſo infatuating him) he thought this man was not David, but ſome odd fellow they had pickt up in the way, and with that apprehenſion he diſmiſſed him.

1 Sam. Ch. 21. whole Chapter.

3ly, David having thus got away from Achiſh, he fled to the Cave of Adullam (a City in the Tribe of Judah, not far from Bethlem) which being an hold of ſome ſtrength, [ſee 2 Sam. 23.13.] and lying in his own Tribe among his kindred and friends, he expected from them favour and protection; and accordingly hither his Brethren, and thoſe of his Fathers houſe reſorted to him, poſſibly fearing if they ſtayed at home, they ſhould be perſecuted and oppreſſed by Saul for his ſake. And ſuch as were in diſtreſs, or in debt, or diſcontented, gathered themſelves unto him, and he became a Captain over them; ſo that number of his followers now came to be about four hundred in all. But ſome will ſay did David do well to entertain ſuch as theſe? I anſwer, firſt, 'tis like he did not know who of them were in debt. 2ly, He had no purpoſe to ſhelter them againſt any that ſhould demand juſtice againſt them. 3ly, He intended not to make uſe of them againſt Saul, but only for his own defence. 4ly, His followers lived not upon Plunder, and the ſpoil of the Country, but were rather a Guard to the people, and preſerved them from the incurſions of their enemies, as Nabal's ſervants witneſſed for them, Ch. 25.15, 16. 'Tis true they were many of them men that were in a poor and afflicted condition, and thinking themſelves in no ſafety at home, fled to David for protection. 5ly, 'Tis probable that by this time it came to be generally known, that Saul perſecuted David, becauſe he was anointed of God by Samuel to ſucceed him in the Throne. And if this were the ground of their coming to him how could he reject them? 'Tis likely indeed that the mouths of his adverſaries were opened againſt him upon this occaſion. But ſo long as his cauſe was juſt, and he did not undertake to defend his followers in any evil, nor made uſe of them to oppreſs others, their reproaches were unjuſt and not to be regarded. Here probably he compoſed the 142 Pſalm, David here compoſes the 142 Pſalm.the title being Maſchil of David, a prayer when he was in the Cave.

4ly, David finding that his Parents by reaſon of their age were not able to endure the hardſhip of being with him in the Cave, therefore he went to Mizpeh of Moab to provide a place for them to abide in for a while, till he knew what God would do with him. And here he judged that the King of Moab would favour him in his requeſt, out of hatred to Saul (f)(f)Et forſan prop…er cognationem Davidis cum illa gente, per Ruth. vid. Ruth. 4.10.Ruth 4:10who had made war upon him, ſee 1 Sam. 14.47. and ſo accordingly it fell out, for he obtained the King of Moab's grant, that they ſhould dwell in his Country, and they liv'd together in the hold or Caſtle of Mizpeh, till the Prophet **Magnam pro Davide curam oſtendit Deus eum nunc per Prophetas, nunc per Urim, & Thummim inſtruens. Gr.Gad (g)(g)Davids Seer, 1 Chr. 21.9. with whom he uſed to conſult. He was ſent unto him by God after he had numbered the people, 2 Sam. 24.11.1 Chr 21:92 Sam 24:11warned David from the Lord to go back again into the land of Judah, either becauſe the King of Moab and his people were treacherous, or becauſe he intended to bring David's faith to a further trial by Saul's perſecutions: ver. 3, 4.

5ly, From hence he removeth into the Forreſt of Hareth in the Tribe of Judah; the news of his being here, is preſently brought to Saul, he ſitting under a Tree in an high place in Gibeah, having his Spear in his hand, and his ſervants ſtanding round about him; whereupon he ſaid, Hear now ye Benjamites, will the Son of Jeſſe give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all Captains of thouſands, and Captains of hundreds, that all of you have conſpired againſt me, and none of you have ſhewed me that my Son hath made a league with the Son of Jeſſe, and there is none of you that is ſorry for me, or diſcovers to me that my Son hath ſtirred up my ſervant againſt me, to lye in wait to deſtroy me, as you ſee it is at this day. Then Doeg the Edomite (of whom before) telleth unto Saul the ſtory of David's coming to Ahimelech at Nob, and what paſſed between them, maliciouſly wreſting all they did to the worſt ſenſe, David compoſes the 52 Pſalm on this occaſion, as appears by the Title.and concealing all that might any way excuſe them; and this cauſed David to charge him with lying and ſlandering, as well as with malice and miſchief, and to threaten againſt him utter ruin and deſtruction, Pſal. 52.3, 4, 5. which Pſalm was compoſed on this occaſion. I ſaw (ſays Doeg) the Son of Jeſſe coming to Ahimelech, and he inquired of p. 384the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and the Sword of Goliath the Philiſtine, but he ſpake not a word of David's pretence, wherewith Ahimelech was deceived. The King hereat was greatly enraged, and ſent for Ahimelech, and all his Fathers houſe, viz. the Prieſts that dwelt at Nob, being the moſt of thoſe that remained of Eli's houſe, whom God threatned to cut off, Chap. 2.31. He asks him why he had conſpired with David againſt him, and had inquir'd of the Lord for him, and given him bread and a ſword? Ahimelech acknowledges the doing of the things Saul charges him with, but utterly denieth that they were done with any treacherous mind againſt him, but rather therein to do him ſervice; for he thought David had always approved himſelf faithful to the King in all his undertakings, for which the King had highly honoured him, and made him his Son-in-law, and (as far as he knew) he had been ever obedient to the Kings commands, going out readily on all ſervices, which he appointed him, though never ſo full of difficulty and danger, and (as he underſtood) he was a perſon greatly honoured in the Kings family. And for his inquiring of the Lord for him, he ſays he had often done that in former times when he was to go out on the Kings ſervice, and to lead out his forces againſt his enemies; and that which I have done (ſays he) without blame at other times, I had no reaſon to think would be blamed now; but to aid or aſſiſt one that intended and deſigned to rebel againſt my Lord and Soveraign, was never in my heart, far be it from me; let not the King therefore impute this as a fault to me, or to my fathers houſe, for of any conſpiracy againſt thee thy ſervants knew nothing at all, neither leſs nor more. We may ſee by this Apology that this good man was loth to declare he had been deceived by David, and drawn on to do all that he did by thoſe untruths which he had told him. He would not to excuſe himſelf of a ſeeming fault accuſe David of one that was real, and thereby incenſe Saul the more againſt him. But Saul like a bloody Tyrant ſhut his ears againſt Ahimelechs juſt defence, and told him that not only himſelf, but all his Fathers houſe ſhould die, though he had not ſo much as any colour of a crime to lay to their charge. And whereas by the Law none were to die under two or three witneſſes, he condemneth ſo many upon the bare and ſingle and malicious teſtimony of one falſe and flattering Sycophant. Neither doth he take time further to examine the cauſe, or the reaſons or teſtimonies which might be produc'd in excuſe of Ahimelech and the Prieſts, but in a rage and fury from a raſh ſentence proceeds to a preſent execution without any delay. And thus this wretched man that could out of a ſeeming pity and mercy ſpare Agag (who was by God appointed to die) now ſticketh not to murder and maſſacre a multitude of innocent perſons. Accordingly he commanded his guards that were about him to ſlay forthwith the Lords Prieſts. But the ſervants of the King that attended upon him would not do it, chuſing rather to obey God (who had forbidden murder) than this wicked King. Then Saul commanded Doeg that he ſhould fall upon them. Doeg accordingly taking unto himſelf ſuch perſons as were alike bloody-minded with himſelf, (and ſo fit for his purpoſe) fell upon them, and ſlew on that day fourſcore and five perſons that wore a linnen Ephod. And thus that which the Lord had threatned againſt the houſe of Eli, [Ch. 2.31, 32.] was in part fulfilled, for of that family theſe Prieſts were. Then Doeg (having as it ſeems Saul's Commiſſion for it) went to Nob and there deſtroyed men, women and children, and ſucklings, yea the very oxen, aſſes and ſheep that belonged to that City; ſo great an abhorrence and deteſtation did he manifeſt againſt all that ſeemed favourers of David. Upon the occaſion of deſtroying of this City at this time, the Tabernacle was remov'd from hence to Gibeon, where it continued to the days of Solomon, 2 Chron. 1.3.

1 Sam. Ch. 22. from v. 5. to 20.

6ly, Keilah a City in the Tribe of Judah being now on a ſudden beſieged by the Philiſtines their neighbours, and David lying with his forces not far from them in the forreſt of Hareth, and ſo in a capacity to afford them ſome ſpeedier ſuccour than Saul could do, who was at a greater diſtance, it ſeems ſome of them came to him to acquaint him with their preſent diſtreſs, namely that the Philiſtines now beſieged their City, and that they had robbed the threſhing floors of the Corn that was brought unto them, (they being without the City) and therefore they humbly crave his ſpeedy help. David was not willing raſhly to engage in ſuch an enterprize, (eſpecially with ſo little ſtrength as he had about him) without a ſpecial commiſſion and promiſe from p. 385God, therefore he inquired of the Lord (probably by the Prophet Gad who was come to him before as we have ſeen Ch. 22.5.) what he ſhould do? and the Lord encouraged him to go againſt the Philiſtines, and to ſave and reſcue Keilah. David's men when they underſtood what enterprize he was about, mightily diſſwaded him from it, ſpeaking to him after this manner, We are afraid here in the land of Judah, even among our friends and acquaintance leſt we ſhould be ſurprized by Saul and his Troops, how much more dangerous muſt it needs be then for us (being but a few) to go againſt ſuch a potent enemy as the Philiſtines, and that in the borders of their own land? David to ſatisfie his followers, inquired again of the Lord, and God bad him go, for he would deliver the Philiſtines into his hands. So David and his men went to Keilah and ſmote the Philiſtines with a great ſlaughter, and brought away their cattel, either ſuch as they had brought out of their own Country for the proviſion of their armies, or ſuch as they had brought with them to carry the ſpoils of the Iſraelites home with them. While David and his forces were here about Keilah, Abiathar the Son of Ahimelech, who only eſcaped of the Prieſts at Nob (being now High-Prieſt in his Fathers room) came to David; and brought the Ephod with him, which was a viſible pledge that God had forſaken Saul, and would be with David to direct him in all his ways. So that David hath now the High-Prieſt and a Prophet in his army. Abiathar relates to him the ſad ſtory of Saul's deſtroying Nob and the Prieſts that were there. David replies, I fear'd when I was at Nob that Doeg would acquaint Saul therewith. Alas I muſt needs ſay (to my great grief and ſorrow) that I have been the occaſion (though not intentionally) of the death of thy Fathers family, ſeeing they ſuffered theſe calamities not only for my ſake, but partly through my fault. However abide thou under my protection, and I ſhall take care of thee that I may as much as lyes in me make thee ſome amends. Thou maiſt aſſure thy ſelf that I will be as careful of thy ſafety as of my own; for I know that he that ſeeks my life ſeeks thine alſo.

1 Sam. Ch. 23. from 1, to 7. Ch. 22. from v. 20, to the end.

7ly, Saul now underſtanding that David with his forces had got into the City of Keilah (which he had lately reſcued from the Philiſtines), he ſaid, God **Hypocritae ſemper praedicare ſolent Deum a ſe ſtare, & ſibi eſſe propitium.hath delivered him into my hands, for he is ſhut in, being entred into a Town that hath gates and bars. He thought (it ſeems) he had him in ſuch a trap that he could not eſcape. Saul immediately therefore gathers a great army together to go down to Keilah to beſiege David and his men. David by ſecret intelligence underſtood that Saul was contriving miſchief againſt him, therefore he call'd to Abiathar the High-Prieſt to bring the Ephod, and to put it on and to inquire of the Lord for him by Ʋrim and Thummim; and David joyning his requeſt to the Lord, ſaid, O Lord God of Iſrael, thy ſervant hath certainly heard that Saul intendeth to come to Keilah to deſtroy the City for my ſake, I pray thee inform me by thine holy Oracle, whither he will come or no, and in caſe he do come, whither the men of Keilah will be treacherous to me, and endeavour to deliver me into his hands? The Lord who by his Preſcience **Deus …erto praeſcit non ſolum quae re ipſa & abſolu…e futura ſunt ſ…d etiam quae quavis conditione poſita futura eſſent. A Lap.knoweth future contingents which will come to paſs in a courſe of natural cauſes, if not prevented or croſſed by other contingents; he telleth him that Saul would come thither, that is, if he, viz. David ſtaid there, and the men of Keilah would deliver him into Saul's hands, that is, if their intention and purpoſe were not prevented and croſſed by his ſpeedy departure from them. David having received this anſwer, he with his men (which were now about ſix hundred ††Semper in cruce creſcit numerus pionum quod ex omnibus ſacris Hiſtoriis, facile poſſumus intelligere. P. Martyr.) aroſe and departed out of Keilah, and went whither ſoever they could go, and ſought up and down for ſome place to ſhelter themſelves in; and Saul hearing they were gone from Keilah, forbear to go with his army thither.

1 Sam. Ch. 23. from v. 7, to 14.

8ly, David intending only to ſtand on his own defence, and not to raiſe an offenſive war, betakes himſelf with his forces to the ſtrong holds in the Wilderneſs of Ziph, in the Tribe of Judah, and particularly to Hachilah-Hill South of Jeſſimon. And Saul continually ſought his life, but the Lord delivered him not into his hands. Jonathan having (as it's probable) ſecret intelligence from David where he was, he went privately to him, and ſtrengthened his hands in God, by putting him in mind of the promiſes of God, and aſſuring him of his protection and favour, and thereby ſtrengthening his faith, he filled his heart with comfort and courage. He bad him be of good courage, p. 386for the hand of Saul his Father ſhould not find him to do him any hurt: Thou ſhalt (ſays he) be King over Iſrael, and that my Father knows very well from the words of Samuel, Ch. 15.28. [ſee alſo Ch. 20.30, 31.] and I ſhall be next unto thee. Of this (it ſeems) he conceived ſome hope grounded on David's great love to him, and poſſibly on ſome particular promiſe he had made to him, and the firm Covenant that was between them, though he had no aſſurance of it, God having made no ſuch promiſe to him, but intending otherwiſe to diſpoſe of him, and to take him to a better Kingdom, ſo that he lived not to ſee David ſit on Iſrael's Throne. Jonathan having ſpoken after this manner to David, they renewed and confirmed their Covenant in the preſence of the Lord, which they had formerly made, and Jonathan went to his own houſe, David abiding ſtill in the Wood. The Ziphites being terrified poſſibly with that ſeverity Saul had uſed againſt Nob, and the Prieſts of the Lord there, [Ch. 22.18, 19.] they come now and acquaint him that David did hide himſelf in the Wood near them, and if he would pleaſe to come down with his forces thither, they would do their utmoſt to deliver him into his hands. Saul took their meſſage very kindly: Bleſſed be ye (ſays he) of the Lord, for ye have compaſſion on me: Go therefore and prepare or order the matter with care and diligence before hand, and obſerve all his haunts, and lurking places that we may not miſſe of him. For I underſtand he is very cùnning and ſubtile in his proceedings, when you have found out theſe things come to me again with certain intelligence of them, and I will go along with you and will find him out if he be above ground, though he lurks in the moſt ſecret corner of the land. So theſe Ziphites went before to do as Saul had injoin'd them. But David underſtanding that they had diſcovered him to Saul **Upon this occaſion he compoſed the 54 Pſalm, as the Title doth ſhew., and that Saul was coming with an army to take him, he removed with his forces from that place which was near Hachilah-Hill to a Plain in the Wilderneſs of Maon, which lay Southward from Jeſhimon. Saul purſues after him thither, and at laſt there was only a hill between them, and that not likely to keep them long aſunder, ſeeing Saul's men being many in number began to compaſs David and his men round about. David was here in great fear of being ſurprized, and therefore made all the haſt he could to get further out of Saul's reach. Juſt in this nick of time (God ſo ordering it by his Providence) news came to Saul that the Philiſtines had invaded the land, which cauſed him ſpeedily to draw off his forces to reſiſt the common enemy. Hereupon David called the place Sela-Hammahlekoth, that is, the Rock of Diviſions.

1 Sam. Ch. 23. from 14, to 29.

9ly, Hence David flies to the ſtrong holds in the Wilderneſs**Here 'tis thought he penned the 57 Pſalm. adjoyning to Engedi (b)(b)A place exceeding fruitful, with Vines and other fruit-trees, Cant. 1.14.Song 1:14, a City of Judah; Saul returning with his forces from purſuing the Philiſtines, it was told him whither David was fled, and he took 3000 choſen men out of Iſrael and went to purſue David and his men upon thoſe high ſteep and cragy rocks upon which wild beaſts uſed to live; and he came to the ſheep-coats, where was a Cave, and Saul (c)(c)Niſi ſomnum Saul captaſſet motus in ſpelunca ſenſiſſet militares. Some Caves in that and other Countries are of that vaſt wideneſs that they are ſufficient to contain great numbers of men.being weary went into the entrance of it, which was narrow, to cover his feet, that is, to ſleep. [See note in Judg. 3.24.] But though the entrance of the Cave was narrow, yet it ſeems it was room…by within, for David and ſeveral of his men had hid themſelves in the ſides and innermoſt parts of it. David's men perceiving that Saul was come into the entrance or mouth of the Cave, and that there he had laid himſelf down to ſleep, they tell him that God had now put ſuch an opportunity into his hands of cutting off his enemy (that thirſted after his blood) as if he had from heaven called unto him, and commanded(d)(d)V. 4. dicit, h.e. dicere videtur quia praebet anſam. him to do it. But David ariſing, went ſoftly to Saul, and only cut off the skirt of his Robe, that he might thereby make it evident to him that he could as well have killed him if he had had a mind to it; and yet David's heart ſmote him for this little that he had done, becauſe it had an appearance of an injury offered to the King. But it ſeems his men were almoſt ready to mutiny that he would not kill Saul at this time, and ſo put an end to his and their tedious troubles. Whereupon David mildly ſpake unto them, ſaying, God forbid that I ſhould ſtretch forth my hand againſt my Maſter the Lords Anointed, I cannot, I dare not do it. And with theſe words he ſtayed his Souldiers from offering violence unto Saul. Saul awaking roſe up and went on his way. David immediately gets out of the Cave, and following him, cried after him, My Lord the King. When Saul looked back, David bowed himſelf to the earth before him, and then humbly addreſſing himſelf to him, ſaid, Wherefore p. 387hearkneſt thou to mens words that tell thee that David ſeeketh thy hurt? Thou ſeeſt that this day the Lord delivered thee into my hands when thou waſt in the Cave; ſome bad me kill thee, but mine eye ſpared thee, and I told them I would not put forth my hand againſt my Lord, ſeeing he is the anointed of the Lord. Moreover, my father ſee, yea ſee the the skirt of thy robe in my hand, for in that I cut off only the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not when I might ſo eaſily have done it, thou maiſt aſſure thy ſelf that there is no evil intention in my heart againſt thee, neither have I tranſgreſſed againſt thee as thoſe baſe Sycophants that are about thee do ſuggeſt. And yet thou hunteſt my life to take it. The Lord judge between me and thee, and in this my innocent cauſe (wherein I ſo unjuſtly ſuffer) do me right againſt thee. But however, though it ſhould not pleaſe him to do it, yet I am reſolved not to avenge my ſelf on thee, neither ſhall my hand be upon thee. The Proverb of the Ancients tells us, That wickedneſs proceedeth from the wicked; that is, wicked men will not ſtick to do any wicked thing. But thou needeſt not fear any ſuch thing from me, ſeeing thou haſt found the contrary by thine own experience. I am reſolved to refer my cauſe to God, and not to avenge my ſelf in my own quarrel. Beſides conſider, I pray thee, who it is that thou purſueſt with ſo much eagerneſs and violence; even a weak and contemptible man, and in compariſon of thee no more to be eſteemed than a flea (e)(e)Valde Pathetica oratio & Index ſumma Davidis modeſtiae, vid. Pſal. 131.Ps 131, or a dead dog (f)(f)Can…m mortuum & pulicem perſequi dicitur de iis qui tenuiſſimos homines magno conatu inſectantur.. Having therefore neither power nor will to do thee hurt, the Lord judge between me and thee, and plead my cauſe, and deliver me out of thy hands. David having ended, Saul was ſo affected with what he had ſaid, that he lift up his voice and wept, and ſaid, Is this thy voice my Son David? Thou art more righteous than I, for thou haſt done me good, and I have rewarded thee with evil. I am convinced that thou haſt dealt exceeding kindly with me. For when the Lord had delivered me into thy hands thou didſt not take away my life. If a man find his enemy, and have him at an advantage, will he let him go away without doing him any hurt? This is not the common courſe of the world. The Lord therefore reward thee for the great kindneſs thou haſt ſhewed me this day. And now I know aſſuredly that thou ſhalt be King, [ſee Ch. 15.28. & 23.17.] ſeeing God hath endued thee with ſuch heroick and Kingly virtues, and does ſo eminently proſper thee in all thy undertakings. I know that the Kingdom of Iſrael ſhall remain firm and eſtabliſhed to thee and thy poſterity after thee. Swear now therefore to me that thou wilt not cut off my ſeed after I am gone, (as other jealous Princes uſe to do) nor blot out my name by deſtroying my poſterity. And David ſware unto him accordingly, having in effect bound himſelf by Covenant and Oath before unto Jonathan to do the ſame that Saul here required. But how can David be ſaid to have obſerved this Oath, when as afterwards he delivered the five Sons of Merab Saul's daughter, and the two Sons of Rizpah his Concubine to the Gibeonites to be hanged? ſee 2 Sam. 21. I anſwer, David had a full intention to obſerve this Oath as far as lay in him, as appears by his putting to death thoſe that murdered Iſhboſheth, though he had riſen againſt him, 2 Sam. 4. and by his preſerving and cheriſhing Mephiboſheth, 2 Sam. 9. But in the caſe before mentioned he was not left to his own choice, but neceſſitated by a ſpecial command from God to deliver them into the hands of the Gibeonites for their ſatisfaction, that Gods wrath being appeaſed, the heavy judgment of famine under which they lay, might be removed from the land, ſee 2 Sam. 21.6▪ 9. and therefore in this he brake not his Oath **Omnia pacta promiſſa, vota, jurejuranda ad hoc caput referenda ſunt ſi Deus velit. P. Martyr., ſeeing he did it in obedience to Gods expreſs command, and by his ſpecial commiſſion and direction, which is enough to diſpence with any Oath.

After this Enterview between Saul and David, Saul went home and David and his men betook themſelves to the ſtrong hold near Engedi, (of which before) having no confidence††Hereupon he compoſed the 57 Pſalm, and the 63. in Saul's faithfulneſs, who had ſo often after reconciliation returned to his malicious practiſes.

1 Sam. Ch. 23. v. 29. Ch. 24. whole Chapter.

Samuel now dies having lived as Judge twenty years, and eighteen years in the reign of Saul, At this time Samuel dies.unto which there are two years only wanting to make up thoſe forty years ſpoken of, Act. 13.21. which is likely to be the time between the death of Samuel and Saul. After Samuel's death, very many of all ſorts and conditions aſſembled together to ſolemnize his Funeral, and bewail their loſs of him, as of a faithful Prophet who revealed unto them Gods will, as alſo their ſin in rejecting his Government, which by ſad experience they had now found to be much more eaſie and profitable to them than that of a King, and that it had been much better for them to have lived under p. 388a Judge of Gods appointing, than a King of their own choſing; and therefore now they ſadly lamented Samuel's death, and buried him at Ramah, in the ancient burying place of his family, 1 Sam. 25.1.

10ly, Samuel being dead, from whom David uſed to receive both counſel and comfort, he now flees with his men from the holds of Engedi to the Wilderneſs of Paran, that lay on the South-border of Judah towards Idumea, not far from the deſert of Maon. It ſeems there was a man who had his habitation in Maon whoſe lands and inheritance lay about Carmel, a man of great Eſtate, who had three thouſand ſheep, and a thouſand goats; the mans name was Nabal, ſignifying a fool, he was of a churliſh nature, and ill conditioned, and wicked in all his courſe and converſation, though deſcended of the wiſe and vertuous, and noble family of Caleb; ſo true it is that grace is not intailed, nor goeth by inheritance, but is Gods free gift, which he beſtoweth on whom he pleaſeth, and often denieth to the children of virtuous and religious Parents. His wifes name was Abigail (ſignifying the Fathers joy) a name well ſuiting her nature and conditions, being a wiſe, vertuous and beautiful woman. David heard that Nabal did on ſuch a day ſhear his ſheep, at which time it was the cuſtom to make a great feaſt for their ſervants and friends; hereupon he ſent ten young men to him, to ſalute him in his name, and to wiſh all peace **foreign pax a perfectione nomen habet, & omnigenam beatitudinem exprimit. Glaſſ.and happineſs to him and his family, praying for a bleſſing from God upon all that he had. They tell him they came from David, who underſtood he ſheared his ſheep that day, and it being a good day, a time of mirth and feaſting, and plentiful proviſion, he ſent them to deſire the favour of ſome proviſions from him for himſelf and his Souldiers. They tell him they had not injured any of his ſervants, nor plundered any of his Cattel (though it be uſual with Souldiers and men of war ſo to do) when they lay near them in Carmel; therefore we pray thee (ſay they) give us that which thou haſt in readineſs, and what thou art willing to beſtow upon us. After this manner ſpake the young men to him in the name of David, without being importunate, or inſolent, or adding any thing more than David had given them in charge. Nabal churliſhly replied, Who is David, and who is the Son of Jeſſe? Carrying it as if he had not heard of David before, who was ſo famous for his vertues and good parts, for his victory over Goliath, and others of Gods enemies, for his marriage with the Kings daughter, and for the high honour and eſteem he had been in with the Kings ſervants, but being now in an afflicted and low condition, and out of favour with the King, this rich churl in a way of contempt, asks who he was? And further (ſays he) there be many ſervants now a days that break away from their maſters. Covertly hereby upbraiding David firſt for flying from the King his maſter, and ſtanding out in rebellion againſt him. And, 2ly, for giving entertainment to fugitive ſervants that were run away from their own maſters. Further (he adds) ſhall I take my bread and my water, and my fleſh that I have killed for my ſhearers, and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be? So theſe young men returned unto David and acquainted him with what Nabal had ſaid. David who at other times could with wonderful patience endure all the injuries which Saul had done him, being now left to himſelf, and enraged with this reproachful and contumelious anſwer of Nabal, he breaths forth nothing but revenge; wherefore he bids his Souldiers gird on their Swords, as he girt on his, and four hundred of his men following him, he reſolved to deſtroy Nabal and all his family. Surely (ſays he) I have to very good purpoſe, kept all that this fellow hath in the Wilderneſs, (ſo that nothing was miſſing of all that he had) to be thus requited by him: Let the Lord ſo deal with the reſt of my enemies as I am reſolved to deal with this wicked and ungrateful fellow, and let me not proſper if I deſtroy not all that belong to him by the morning light, not leaving him ſo much as a dog to piſs againſt the wall. Thus David being left to himſelf, diſcovered the inward corruption of his heart, and plunged himſelf into grievous guilt; for this was a bloody and unlawful vow (a)(a)In malejuratis fidem reſcinde inquit. Auguſt.; Nabals churliſhneſs and covetouſneſs (though great crimes in themſelves) were not yet to be puniſhed with death, much leſs was his innocent family to be ſlain for his offence. However David with this bloody purpoſe marches with his men towards Nabal's houſe. In the mean time one of Nabal's ſervants fearing that miſchief would enſue upon his Maſters churliſh anſwer, and not daring to intimate ſo much to him by reaſon of his froward and perverſe diſpoſition, he addreſſeth himſelf to his Miſtreſs, and acquaints her that David p. 389had ſent meſſengers to ſalute their maſter, but he inſtead of taking it kindly, had uſed them with great contempt and reproach. But (ſays he) our maſter had little reaſon ſo to do, for Davids men were very kind to us when they quartered near us, in the Wilderneſs; we were not hurt by them, neither miſſed we any thing of all that belonged to us; they were a wall unto us both by day and night, and a ſure and ſtrong guard to defend and protect us from receiving any hurt or damage either from thieves, or wild beaſts, I pray thee therefore conſider what is fit to be done in the caſe; for David is a man of courage and proweſs, and will never ſuffer ſuch a groſs abuſe and injury offered to him to go unchaſtiſed. For my part I am afraid he will revenge himſelf on our whole family. I thought good to ſpeak to thee of it, that thou maiſt conſider of ſome way to prevent it. As for our Maſter, he is ſuch a Son of Belial, of ſuch an harſh and churliſh temper that a man knows not how to ſpeak to him. Abigail being greatly awakened by this repreſentation of her ſervant, ſhe ſpeedily (without acquainting Nabal therewith) provided and took two hundred loaves, and two leather-ſacks of wine, and five ſheep ready dreſſed, and five meaſures of parched corn, and a hundred cluſters of raiſons, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on aſſes, and bad her ſervants go before with them, and ſhe would follow after; and riding upon her aſs attended with her ſervants who had the charge of the preſents, on a ſudden as ſhe came under the hollow of the hill, ſhe met David and his men. Seeing David coming ſhe lighted off her aſs and bowed her ſelf to the ground, and fell at his feet, and ſaid, Ʋpon me **Crimen, initio, transfert ab odioſa perſona in favorabilem., my Lord, upon me let the puniſhment of this great iniquity (b)(b)Iniquitas hic peccati paenam ſignificat., and tranſgreſſion fall, which has ſo much provoked thee; yet I pray thee let thy hand-maid ſpeak a few words in thy ears, which may poſſibly diſpoſe thee to forbear taking revenge upon us. Let not my Lord regard this man of Belial, this Nabal. Nabal is his name, and indeed he anſwers his name, for folly is with him; it will not be for thy honour to regard his words or actions; wiſe men do not uſe to regard the words of fools. He is not worthy that thou ſhouldſt trouble thy ſelf about him, much leſs that thou ſhouldſt deſtroy me and my whole family for his ſake. She ſpake not thus to diſgrace her husband, (for his folly was too notoriouſly known) but becauſe ſhe had no other excuſe to make for him to preſerve him from ruin. As for me (ſhe ſays). I ſaw not the young men whom my Lord did ſend. Had I ſeen them or known of their coming, I ſhould have treated them more civilly. And now my Lord as ſure as the Lord liveth, and as ſure as thou thy ſelf art alive, thou oughteſt to believe that by my coming to meet thee, and to pacifie thy anger, the Lord doth intend to hinder thee from coming to ſhed blood, and from avenging thy ſelf with thy own hand; and ſeeing I truſt the Lord will by his alwiſe Providence ſo over-rule thy heart, my earneſt prayer is that God would make all thine enemies like Nabal; that is, as weak and unable to hurt thee as Nabal is. And as for the preſent(c)(c)V. 27. Benedictionem, id eſt, munus ſive donum ſive rem a benedictione Dei profectam. that thy handmaid hath here brought to my Lord, though it is ſo mean that it is not worthy of thy acceptance, yet do not (I pray thee) diſdain it, ſeeing it may be of ſome uſe to thy ſervants that follow thee. And I beſeech thee vouchſafe to forgive the treſpaſs of thy handmaid, ſeeing I take the blame of all this miſcarriage wholly upon my ſelf. I do verily believe the Lord will give thee the Kingdom, and that thy Kingdom will be laſting, and durable †;**Stabile manebit regnum in familia tua. and nothing better becomes a a King than clemency and mercy. And that which enduces me to believe this is, becauſe I ſee thou fighteſt the Lords battels, and haſt often engaged thy ſelf (having warrant from him) in a juſt defence of his cauſe and people; and no ſelf-revenge or cruelty hath been found in thee all thy days hitherto; therefore (I pray thee) do not ſtain thine honour now by ſhedding innocent blood. Indeed Saul is riſen up unjuſtly to purſue thee, and ſeek thy life, but all his attempts will be in vain, for the Lord will carefully preſerve, and charily keep thy life as men are wont carefully to bind up thoſe things in bundles which they much value and intend to preſerve. And that mans rage muſt needs be vain who ſeeks to deſtroy him whom the Lord will preſerve and protect. But as for the lives of thine enemies, them will he by a violent death ſling out, as men uſe to ſling out ſtones out of their ſlings, which they value not. And it ſhall come to paſs when the Lord ſhall have performed all his promiſes which he hath made unto thee, and hath ſetled thee in thy Kingdom, and made thee Ruler over all Iſrael, then it will be a comfort to thee to remember that thou didſt ſpare us; and thou wilt not be tormented with anguiſh and trouble of conſcience that thou didſt ſhed innocent blood, as certainly thou wilt be if thou ſhouldſt proceed to execute thy bloody purpoſe. And when thou art come to thy Kingdom, let me find favour in thine eyes, when my occaſions and neceſſities ſhall require me to wait upon thee.

p. 390Abigail having thus ſpoken, David ſaid, Bl…ſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael which ſent thee this day to meet me, and bleſſed be thy advice, and bleſſed be thou who haſt kept me this day from ſhedding blood, and avenging my ſelf with my own hand; for in very deed as ſure as the Lord liveth, who hath graciouſly kept me back from hurting thee and thy family, except thou hadſt thus ſeaſonably met me, I had utterly deſtroyed by the next morning, Nabal, and all that belonged to him. But thou maiſt now aſſure thy ſelf that my wrath is appeaſed, and as an evidence thereof, I do kindly accept of the preſent thou haſt brought me, and will not avenge the wrong offered me by thy husband, either upon him or any of his family: I have heard thy ſuit, and do grant all that thou deſiredſt; therefore go in peace to thy own houſe, and the Lord be with thee. Abigail returning to her husband Nabal, behold he kept a Feaſt that day in his houſe like the Feaſt of a King, for plenty of proviſions, and multitude of gueſts. And he had been ſo merry with his gueſts that he was very drunk, wherefore ſhe ſaid nothing to him more or leſs of his danger till the morning. In the morning when he had ſlept out his drunkenneſs and d…bauch, ſhe acquainted him with the deſperate danger he had by his folly run them all into, and how near deſtruction they all were, if in the very nick of time it had not been by a wonderful Providence prevented. He hearing this was ſo terrified with the horrour and dread of the danger he had been in, that his heart died within him, and falling into a ſwoon, he became as a ſtone; and about ten days after the Lord ſmote him with ſome plague or ſickneſs whereof he died. When David heard of the death of Nabal, though he rejoiced not in the evil that was befallen him, yet he could not but rejoice in the manifeſtation of Gods juſtice upon him, and that the Lord himſelf had pleaded his cauſe againſt him, and had returned his wickedneſs upon his own head, and had withheld him from revenging himſelf.

Sometime after David underſtood that Saul out of malice to him, had given his wife Michal to one Phaltiel **Iſhboſheth upon Davids deſire reſtored her to him again, 2 Sam. 3.14, 15.2 Sam 3:142 Sam 3:15, the Son of Laiſh, who was of Gallim, a place in the Tribe of Benjamin; wherefore reflecting upon the piety, the prudence, the modeſty and comelineſs of Abigail, and poſſibly ſomething upon her portion alſo, (as being in likelihood of very great wealth, which his preſent condition might cauſe him to conſider) he ſent ſome of his Attendants to her to treat with her about marriage. And he choſe rather to ſend others than to go himſelf, that Abigail might be the more free in her choice, (not being over-awed with his preſence) and alſo that he might come off with leſs diſgrace if his motion were not accepted. The meſſengers coming to Abigail, acquaint her with their buſineſs, ſhe (as one wonderfully ſurprized at the ſtrangeneſs of the motion) bowed her ſelf to the earth before them, and addreſſing her ſelf to the principal perſon among them, ſaid, Alas, I am utterly unfit for ſo high a dignity and advancement: Let thine handmaid be a ſervant to waſh the feet of the ſervants of my Lord. I hardly think my ſelf worthy to be a ſervant to his ſervants. Herein Abigail ſhewed not only her great humility, but her faith alſo, who could think ſo honourably of David when he was in ſuch a perſecuted ſtate, and ſuch a deſpiſed condition. But the meſſengers preſſing her further, ſhe at laſt conſented, and as 'tis like ſometime after when the meſſengers came again to fetch her, ſhe rode upon an aſs after them, having five young maidens to attend her. And ſo ſhe became Davids wife. David alſo took to wife Ahinoam of Jezreel a City in Judah, by whom he had Amnon his firſt-born.

1 Sam. Ch. 25. from v. 2. to the end.

11ly, From hence he fled back again to Hachilah-Hill, which is before Jeſhimon, for though the Ziphites had once ſought to betray him there, yet he hoped he ſhould find more favour from them now, ſeeing they knew how wonderfully God had delivered him. And beſides poſſibly he apprehended this place more convenient for him, upon his marriage with Abigail, becauſe her poſſeſſions lay near it. However the Ziphites (fearing poſſibly that if David came to the Crown he would remember them for their former treachery againſt him) bring Saul tidings a ſecond time that he was there, that ſo he might be cut off, and they ſecur'd from any danger from him. Saul accordingly without delay came with three thouſand choſen men of Iſrael to find him out. David having ſome intelligence of his coming, he ſent out Scouts to ſee if it were ſo, and was by them informed that it was ſo indeed. Saul being come near to him with his forces, David aroſe and went ſecretly himſelf, (and poſſibly diſguiz'd) to the place where Saul had pitched, and he beheld where he lay, and Abner the p. 391Captain of his hoſt, and he ſaw that Saul lay incloſed with the Carriages, and his Souldiers about him, but they were all faſt aſleep; David being moved doubtleſs by a ſpecial inſtinct of Gods Spirit to undertake this dangerous Enterprize, and being deſirous once more to manifeſt his innocence to Saul, he ſpake to Abimelech the Hittite, one of his Commanders, (being ſo by birth, though an Iſraelite by Religion) and to Abiſhai the Son of Zerviah (a)(a)She had three Sons, Joab, Abiſhai, and Aſahel, all valiant men, ſhe being Davids Siſter is always mentioned and not her husband, who poſſibly was of no great family, and his name no where mentioned in Scripture.his Siſter, [1 Chron. 2.15, 16.] demanding of them which of them would adventure to go with him into the Camp to Saul? Abiſhai readily anſwered he would go with him. David and Abiſhai accordingly entred into Saul's Camp through the midſt of his Army, and found Saul and his men faſt aſleep, his Spear ſticking at his head, and a Cruſe of water ſtanding by him. Then Abiſhai ſaid to David, God hath at this time delivered thine enemy into thy hands, it would be a ſtrange and unaccountable neglect if thou ſhouldſt let ſlip this opportunity which Providence plainly offers thee; let me (I pray thee) ſmite him with the Spear that ſtands at his head, and let me alone, I will ſmite him ſo ſurely at the firſt blow, that I ſhall not need to give him a ſecond. David charges him not to touch him (b)(b)Nuſquam magis eluceo Clementia Davidis quam hoc loco, & ca. 24. Privato (qualis adhuc erat David, non actu Rex (vide ca. 16. 13.) non licet regem ſuum occidere quamvis Tyrannum. P. Mart., for (ſays he) who can ſtretch forth his hand againſt the Lords anointed and be guiltleſs. Poſſibly the Lord himſelf will ſmite him with ſome mortal diſeaſe as he did Nabal, or he will die a natural death, as other men do by ſickneſs or old age, or he will come to his end by ſome caſualty, falling in battel. But as for me, God forbid that I ſhould ſtretch forth my hand againſt him, or ſmite him my ſelf, or ſuffer him to be ſmitten. But I pray thee take the Spear that ſtands at his boulſter, and the cruſe of water that ſtands by him, and let us be gone. So they took away the Spear and the cruſe of water, neither Saul nor any of his men about him awaking, for a dead ſleep from the Lord was fallen upon them. See Gen. 2.21. Then David went over to the other ſide, and ſtood on the top of an hill at ſome diſtance from Saul's Camp, but ſo as his voice might be heard, and he called aloud to the people and to Abner, and it ſeems he called often before he could awaken him; at laſt Abner awaking ſaid, Who art thou that crieſt unto the King, ſo as to diſturb him in his reſt? David anſwers what art thou Abner, a man ſo eſteemed for valour that there is ſcarce any in Iſrael like unto thee? wherefore then haſt thou not kept thy Lord the King better? For I do aſſure thee there came one of my followers into your Camp that would have deſtroyed the King, had not I prevented it; as the Lord liveth, thou and the people about the King are worthy to die becauſe ye have not watched better about your maſter, the Lords anointed. And now behold here in my hand the Kings Spear, and the Cruſe that ſtood at his head; How came I by theſe? Saul being now awake and hearing David ſpeak to Abner after this manner he cries out, What is this thy voice my Son David? David anſwers, It is my voice, my Lord O King. And I pray thee wherefore doth my Lord thus purſue after his ſervant? What have I done, or what evil is in my hand? Now therefore let my Lord the King vouchſafe to hear the words of his ſervant: If the Lord hath ſtirred thee up againſt me, let him receive an offering **Placato iram ejus Sacrificio, & munere. Chald. Paraph. ſuſpiciat oblationem meam cum voluntate., that is, let him be appeaſed with a ſacrifice and oblation which I will offer for the ſin whereby I have provoked him. But if they be Court-Sycophants and malicious perſons that by their lyes and ſlanders have incenſed thee againſt me, I leave them as curſed creatures to Gods juſt vengeance, who will plead my cauſe againſt them. For they have endeavoured to drive me out from abiding in the Inheritance of the Lord, and from enjoying his Ordinances, and by forcing me as an exile to flee into Idolatrous Countries. They have in effect ſaid to me, Go and ſerve other Gods. And now ſeeing thou knoweſt my innocency, let not my blood (I pray thee) be ſhed without cauſe, for the Lord will ſee it, and will not let it go unpuniſhed. Beſides it is not honourable for the King of Iſrael to purſue me with ſo many men, who have ſo little power to hurt him: For I am but as a flea, forced to skip hither and thither to ſave my ſelf, or a partridge on the mountains forced to flee from place to place to eſcape thy hands. Then ſaid Saul, I have ſinned: Return my Son David to thy former condition, for I will no more do thee harm, ſeeing my life was precious in thine eyes this day, and thou haſt ſpared me when it was in thy power to kill me. Behold I have played the fool, and erred exceedingly; I do acknowledg my fault and folly, and openly take ſhame to my ſelf for it, in the hearing of all that are about me. David deſires him to ſend one of his young men to fetch his Spear, having taken it from him, only to evidence his innocence, and that he had no evil intention in his heart againſt him. And therefore (ſays he) let the Lord recompence every man according to his righteouſneſs, and faithfulneſs. Thy life was indeed in my power this day, but I would not ſtretch forth my hand p. 392againſt the Lords anointed. And as thy life was precious in mine eyes, ſo let my life be precious in the eyes of the Lord my God, and let it pleaſe him to preſerve it, though thou ſhouldſt fail of thy promiſes made to me, and ſhouldſt ſeek again to take it away. Then Saul ſaid unto David, Bleſſed be thou my Son David, thou ſhalt do great things, and ſhalt at laſt prevail, maugre all the malice of thine enemies. Then David retired and betook himſelf to ſome place of ſafety, not truſting Saul for all his goodly words and promiſes, having formerly found him ſo falſe and malicious. And Saul returned to Gibeah where he kept his Court.

1 Sam. Ch. 26. whole Chapter.

12ly, David now ſeriouſly conſidering the condition of his affairs, began (through the weakneſs of his faith) to think that he ſhould at one time or other (notwithſtanding all his former deliverances) periſh by the hand of Saul, if he did not ſpeedily get himſelf out of his reach; therefore he thought there was nothing more adviſeable in his preſent circumſtances than that he ſhould ſend to the King of the Philiſtines, and try if he could be received with his forces into his protection. This indeed was no warrantable courſe that he now pitched upon for his preſervation: For firſt, God had once before commanded him by the Prophet Gad to abide in the land of Judah, ſee Chap. 22.5. 2ly, He having before been ſuch a formidable enemy to the Philiſtines, and having ſo hardly eſcaped with his life once before, when he ſought privately to ſhelter himſelf among them, there was no likelihood he ſhould be entertained by them on any other terms than that he and his Souldiers ſhould turn to the Philiſtines and declare themſelves enemies to Saul and the people of Iſrael. 3ly, This muſt needs tend to the great grief of thoſe that were righteous in the land; and would give his enemies occaſion exceedingly to triumph, and to ſay, that now he diſcovered what he was, ſeeing he had deſerted his own people and religion, and had joined himſelf to their uncircumciſed enemies. But thus it is, when mens hearts ſink through diſtruſt of God as it ſeems Davids now did; they ſeek to help themſelves by any means they can. David therefore having (as 'tis probable) ſent his Agents before hand to the King of the Philiſtines, and having obtained aſſurance from him under the publick faith, that he and his Souldiers ſhould live ſafely in his land (which 'tis like out of meer policy he conſented unto, knowing the hatred that Saul bear him, and believing that David and his forces would be ready to join with him and his ſubjects againſt Saul) he paſſed over with ſix hundred men that followed him, to Achiſh King of Gath. He carried alſo his two wives along with him, Ahinoam and Abigail, and his followers likewiſe carried their wives and families, not thinking it ſafe to leave them behind them in the land of Iſrael; and for ſome time by Achiſh's permiſſion they dwelt in Gath, or about it. When it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath, he gave over any further thoughts of ſeeking after him, he being in the land of his enemies, and ſo out of his reach. David being deſirous to dwell apart by himſelf with thoſe that followed him, that he might have the more freedom for the exerciſe of his Religion, and might keep his Souldiers from being corrupted with the Vices and Idolatries of the Philiſtines, and that he might from thence go out and prey the more ſecretly upon the enemies of Gods people, without having any notice taken of it, he humbly deſired Achiſh that his Officers might aſſign him and his followers ſome place in the Country to live in, it not being fit for him a ſtranger to live with the King in the Royal City, eſpecially having ſo many people with him who muſt needs be burdenſome, and might ſometimes prove offenſive to him and the inhabitants of his City. Achiſh conſents thereunto, and accordingly gave him Ziklag, which being allotted to the Tribe of Judah, [Joſh. 15.31.] was afterwards given to Simeon, [Joſh. 19.5.] but the Philiſtines having gotten poſſeſſion of it, had kept it to this day, and now Achiſh giveth it unto David, and ſo it was not only joined to Judah's portion **Hac donatione juſtos ad Heredes rediit, Achiſh dedit Davidi non ſolum ad inhabitandum ſed ut in illius dominium cederet., but was alſo upon this occaſion deſigned to be ever after a part of the Crown-land of the Kings of Judah. Here David dwelt a full year and four months. While he was here divers of Saul's own Tribe and kindred reſorted unto him, who are named before the men of Gad who had fallen to him before, becauſe theſe mens coming to him was more ſtrange and remarkable. And all who favoured his cauſe had here opportunity to reſort to him, as we may ſee 1 Chron. 12. from v. 1, to 22. Now theſe are they that came to David to Ziklag, and were among the mighty men, helpers in the war. They were armed with bows, and could uſe both the right hand p. 393and left, in hurling ſtones and ſhooting arrows out of a bow, even of Sauls brethren of Benjamin. The chief was Ahiezer, then Joaſh, &c. and Iſmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty Captains that came out of Benjamin to David, and was Colonel over them. There are but twenty three Benjamites named, the other ſeven (which ſhould make up the thirty) are not ſet down. And ſome of the Gadites alſo ſeparated themſelves unto David when he was in the hold or fortreſs of Ziklag in the Wilderneſs of Judea, men of might, and trained up to war, fit to order a battel, and that could handle ſhield and buckler, and whoſe faces were like the faces of lions, (that is, undaunted, fierce and terrible to their enemies) and as ſwift as Roes ††Some take the word Roes for Goats, which very readily and ſwiftly climb over high rocks, implying that theſe Gadites could eaſily ſcale high walls, forts or towers, and ſoon take them.upon the mountains: Of theſe Gadites there are eleven named who had command over ſeveral Companies of Souldiers; they were all made Captains of Bands after David began to reign in Hebron, ſome of them over an hundred, and ſome of them over a thouſand. Theſe are they that came over Jordan in the firſt month called Abib, when it had overflown all its banks, ſo that thereby they would not be kept from coming to aſſiſt David, and they put to flight ſuch of Sauls Souldiers as were in thoſe troubleſome times appointed to lye in the vallies near the banks of Jordan, to guard the fords and paſſages leſt any well-affected to David ſhould from thoſe parts come over to his aid; upon theſe Souldiers of Saul's, theſe Gadites came ſuddenly and ſcattered them, ſome flying one way, and ſome another. There came alſo ſome other Benjamites beſides thoſe mentioned v. 2. that were not ſo nearly linked to Saul, but bordering upon Judah joyned with ſome of that Tribe, and jointly came to aſſiſt David. David hearing of their coming, went out to meet them, and ſaid unto them, If ye be come in a peaceable and friendly manner to help me, I ſhall love you intirely, but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, (ſeeing I have done no wrong to Saul or any of you) the God of our Fathers look thereon and rebuke you, and manifeſt his diſpleaſure againſt you for it. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Amaſai **He is in other places called Amaſa, whom Abſolom made General of his Army, 2 Sam. 17.25. and whom David intended to make General inſtead of Joab, but he was treacherouſly ſlain by Joab, 2 Sam. 20.3, & 10.2 Sam 17:252 Sam 20:32 Sam 20:10(who was chief of all theſe brave men) and he anſwered with great boldneſs and aſſurance, Thine are we David, and on thy ſide, thou Son of Jeſſe. Peace, and all manner of proſperity be unto thee, and to thy helpers, and aſſiſtants, and all that heartily join with thee. We have obſerved that God hath hitherto wonderfully proſpered thee, and we heartily wiſh it may be ſo ſtill. Then David joyfully received them, and ſo far truſted them that he gave every one of them a place of command in his Army. Some of the Manaſſites alſo, and ſome others came in day by day to David, inſomuch that his Army began now to be conſiderable. His forces being thus encreaſed, he would not let them be idle, but under pretence of invading Judea, he ſent them another way, and ſmote the Amalekites, and others (that are ſuppos'd to be the remainders of the Canaanites) viz. the Geſhurites, namely ſuch as dwelt formerly at Geſhur in Gilead, [Joſh. 12.5.] and the Gezrites whoſe anceſtors dwelt in Gezer which belonged to Ephraim, [Joſh. 16.3.] who perhaps at the firſt coming of the Iſraelites fled thence to the Amalekites, and had ever ſince dwelt among them; theſe Amalekites Saul was commanded to root out, [Ch. 15.2, 3.] but he left ſome alive, and now David ſmote as many of them as he could light on, with other the inhabitants of that place, and left neither man nor woman alive, viz. of ſuch as he met with ſcattered in ſeveral places of that ſolitary Wilderneſs, (God having devoted theſe accurſed Nations to utter deſtruction) and hereby he took care that none ſhould carry tidings of his proceedings to Achiſh, who would have been highly offended if he had heard that theſe Nations (who were either his confederates, or as 'tis probable his Tributaries) were deſtroyed by David; David alſo carried away their ſheep, oxen and aſſes, and camels and apparel, and returning to Achiſh (whom poſſibly he perſwaded that he had got that plunder out of the coaſts of Judah) he offered as 'tis probable, a part of the ſpoils unto him. And after this, when ever Achiſh asked him, Whither have ye made a rode to day? He anſwered that ſometimes he made a rode againſt the South of Judah, and ſometimes againſt the South of the Jerahmeelites, (who were a particular family of that Tribe, 1 Chron. 2.25.) and ſometimes againſt the South of the Kenites; and thus either he told Achiſh direct lyes to ſecure himſelf and his followers from danger, or at leaſt he purpoſely deceived him with ambiguity of words, intending that Achiſh ſhould ſo underſtand him as if he had invaded the South parts of Judah, whereas he meant he had invaded thoſe bordering Countries **Aequivoce loquitur nam terminos, Hi p…r vim occuparant qui jure ſpectabant ad Tribum Judae.that lay Southward of Judah, and of the Jerahmeelites, and of the Kenites; and theſe were indeed the people whom he invaded, and not the Iſraelites, and of theſe he ſpared none (of all that he met with) to bring p. 394tidings to Gath; for he thought with himſelf that if any of them remained alive, they would come and make a heavy complaint to Achiſh againſt him, and ſay, Thus did David to our Country, and this will be his manner and conſtant courſe all the while he is permitted to dwell among you. But Achiſh believed that David had invaded the people of the Jews, and accordingly ſaid, Surely he hath made his own people utterly to abhor him, and can never hope that they will be reconciled to him; he ſhall therefore remain with me to do me ſervice as long as he liveth.

1 Sam. Ch. 27. wh. Ch. 1 Chron. 12. from v. 1. to 23.

13ly, About this time not only Achiſh King of Gath, but with him all the other four Princes of the Philiſtines gathered their armies together to fight againſt Iſrael, being encouraged no doubt thereunto by the diſtractions that were now in the land, and the weak ſtate of the Kingdom by reaſon of them. Achiſh ſending for David acquainted him that he reſolv'd that he and his men ſhould go along with him in this expedition. David being unwilling to diſpleaſe him by a direct refuſal, anſwered ambiguouſly, and told him that if he commanded him to attend him in this war, he ſhould ſee what his ſervant could do. Achiſh thereupon being confident of his fidelity to him, told him he would make him keeper of his head for ever; that is, Captain of his Lifeguard, and would commit the chief care of his perſon to him as long as they both lived. The Philiſtines accordingly now invading the land, Saul was in great perplexity, for Samuel was dead, whom though he diſregarded in his life-time, yet now he finds himſelf extreamly to want his counſel and advice. The Philiſtines pitched in Shunem (a City in the border of Iſſachar) and Saul having gathered an army out of all the Tribes of Iſrael, pitched in Gilboa a mountainous place in the Tribe of Iſſachar, near Jezreel. And his iniquity being now come to its full meaſure, he was exceedingly afraid, the guilt of his conſcience ſuggeſting dreadful things to him; in this diſtreſs he enquired of the Lord(a)(a)1 Chron. 10.14. 'Tis ſaid he enquired not of the Lord. Indeed he pretended ſo to do, but he did it not ſincerely, nor in faith, and ſo it is reckoned as not done.1 Chr 10:14 partly (as 'tis probable) by prayer, and partly by conſulting with the Prieſts and Prophets that yet remained in the land, and putting them upon ſeeking to God in his behalf; but the Lord anſwered him not, neither by dreams, or by Ʋrim, (for Abiathar had carried away the Ephod to David) or by Prophets, giving them any anſwer; ſo that the Lord anſwered him not, either one way or other **See Lamentations, Ch. 2. 9., which was an evidence that he was highly diſpleaſed with him. Saul had ſometime before out of a ſeeming zeal and pretence of obedience to God, put away thoſe that had familiar ſpirits (b)(b)See Levit. 19.31. & 20.6, 27. & Deut. 18.11.Lev 19:31Lev 20:6Lev 20:27Deut 18:11, and wizards out of the land(c)(c)Out of a like zeal he had deſtroyed the Gibeonites, 2 Sam. 21.1, 2.2 Sam 21:12 Sam 21:2, (namely as many of them as he could meet with) but yet it could not be doubted but that there were ſtill ſome of them that ſecretly lurked among the people, wherefore being forſaken of heaven, he now reſolves to ſeek to hell ††Divinatio ex mortuis omnium divinationum antiquiſſima & ſignum creditae durationis animarum poſt mortem. Grot.for help, and thereupon bad his ſervants ſeek him out a woman that had a familiar ſpirit (d)(d)This is recorded as the laſt and moſt deſperate wickedneſs he fell into before his death., and one that wrought by Necromancy, or raiſing Apparitions and Ghoſts of the dead ††Divinatio ex mortuis omnium divinationum antiquiſſima & ſignum creditae durationis animarum poſt mortem. Grot., and conſulting with them, [ſee Iſa. 8.19.] for he intended to go and enquire of her what he ſhould now do; they told him they heard there was ſuch an one at Endor, a Town of the Manaſſites within Jordan, wherefore diſguizing himſelf, and putting on other clothes that the woman might not know him, (and poſſibly that others might not diſcover his groſs hypocriſie and impiety in going now to witches for counſel, whom he had before perſecuted to the death) and taking two ſervants along with him he came to the woman by night, **Flectere ſi nequeam ſuperos, Acheronta movebo.and deſired her to cauſe the ſpirit or ghoſt of a dead man (whom he ſhould name to her) to come up and appear before him, of whom he would enquire ſeveral things. The woman told him he could not be ignorant what Saul had done in perſecuting thoſe that had familiar ſpirits, and therefore ſhe asks him why he laid a ſnare for her life. Saul ſware to her as the Lord liveth there ſhould no puniſhment befall her, neither would he diſcover her if ſhe would comply with him in this matter. The woman having this aſſurance given her, asked him whom ſhe ſhould call up? He ſaid old Samuel our late eminent Prophet. She accordingly by her Diabolical art (e)(e)Quis credet faeminae quae ſe Diabolo manciparat tantam poteſtatem fuiſſe in animam Samuelis in caeleſte regnum jam receptam? Quis credet in manu Diaboli eſſe, mortuos vita donare? Proinde an piis moleſtum eſt juſſa Dei exequi? An ulla moleſtia in beatas animas cadit? Nemo itaque non videt non verum ſed fictum Samuelem comparuiſſe. Freidlib.cauſed an evil ſpirit (who took on p. 395him the ſhape and form of Samuel **For they that die in the Lord are under his protection, and their ſouls out of Satans reach, in heaven, and without the ſoul the body cannot act any thing. And as the Devil had no power to bring Samuel, ſo it is not probable that the Lord did ſend him. For ſeeing he refuſed to anſwer Saul in an ordinary way by Dreams or Prophets, it is unlikely he would do it in an extraordinary and miraculous way, by raiſing the Prophet Samuel from the dead.) to appear. For 'tis no way likely that the Lord who had ſo lately refuſed to anſwer Saul by the Prophets, would now raiſe up Samuel from the dead to anſwer him. Had Samuel been raiſed up by God to appear to Saul, he would never have ſaid as this counterfeit Samuel did, Why haſt thou diſquieted me to bring me up? It was therefore by the enchantments of the Witch that this counterfeit Samuel was raiſed, or the Devil (f)(f)All which ſhews that the Author of the Apocryphal Book Eccl…ſiaſticus wrote not by the inſpiration of the Spirit of God, who ſaith of Samuel in relation to this Hiſtory, Ch. 46.20. After his death he propheſied and ſhewed the King his end.in Samuel's likeneſs, and therefore called Samuel here; and when he was raiſed, it ſeems the Witch was preſently poſſeſt with a ſpirit of Divination, and thereby knew that it was Saul for whom ſhe had done this, and thereupon cried out, as apprehending he was come to enſnare her, why haſt thou deceived me, for thou art Saul? Saul bad her not be afraid, and asked her what ſhe ſaw? ſhe ſaid, ſhe ſaw Gods, that is, one of the Gods, or ſome magiſtrate or perſonage of great honour, (ſuch being called Gods, Pſal. 82.6.) aſcending out of the earth. Saul not yet ſeeing him, asked her of what form or ſhape he was? ſhe ſaid, he appeared like an old man covered with a mantle (g)(g)We cannot think that the true Samuel was buried in his mantle, but the Devil thickning the air might form ſuch a likeneſs and repreſentation of him. V. 17. Faciet enim tibi dominus. Strigelius, foreign malui legere quod eſt in margine quomodo Hieron. & Septuaginta verterunt quam foreign. Tertia perſona ſumitur, pro ſecunda, ſic mos Hebraeis permutandi perſonas.. Saul then perceived him in that form, (though it were not the true Samuel but the Devil in his likeneſs) and ſtooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himſelf to him. This counterfeit Samuel now asked him, Why he had diſquieted him to bring him up thither? Saul anſwered, I am ſore diſtreſſed, the Philiſtines make war upon me, and God is departed from me, and anſwereth me no more either by Prophets, or Dreams, therefore have I called for thee that thou maiſt make known to me what I ſhould do. The evil ſpirit now counterfeiting not only Samuel's perſon, but his words and actions, replied, Why doſt thou ask counſel of me ſeeing the Lord is departed from thee, and become thine enemy. Alas! I cannot help thee, for the Lord will do to thee as he hath ſpoken by me. He will rend the Kingdom out of thine hand and give it to thy neighbour, even to David, becauſe thou obeyeſt not his voice, nor executeſt his fierce wrath upon Amalek; and therefore it is that this judgment will fall upon thee. And moreover the Lord will deliver Iſrael with thee into the hands of the Philiſtines, and to morrow (h)(h)To morrow is not to be underſtood preciſely of the next day following, but indefinitely of ſome time near approaching: So to morrow is taken Exod. 13.14. Mat. 6.34. and ſo here to be underſtood. For it was not the next day after that Saul, and his Sons were ſlain, in which the Philiſtines were but preparing for the battel, and ſent away David from among them, (ſee Ch. 29.) but as it ſeemeth by the Hiſtory ſome few days after.Exod 13:14Matt 6:34thou and thy ſons ſhall be with me (i)(i)Firſt, God may reveal things future and contingent unto Satan, who may reveal them to Witches, and to Sorcerers before they came to paſs, to encourage and harden their hearts in their Diabolical practices, and the hearts of others alſo that reſort unto them. 2ly, God ſometimes uſeth Satan as an inſtrument to execute his judgments, as he did in the caſe of Job, and the four hundred falſe Prophets, that were deluded by him, 1 King. 22.22. and then 'tis eaſie for him to reveal thoſe things he hath in commiſſion to execute. Permittit Deus Daemones aliquando reſponſa dare Idololatris, quia ex malitia ſua demerentur, ut ſic in erroribus exerceantur, ut Ancilla illa, Act. 16. quae niſi vera prae dixiſſet, magnum Dominis ſuis quaeſtum non prae buiſſet; Multa de oraculo Delphico referant omnes Hiſtoriae. Craeſo ſciſcitanti num futurum eſſet, ut filius mutus loqueretur, reſpondit, infauſto die loquuturum eſſe: quod & accidit.1 Kgs 22:22Acts 16; that is, ſhall be dead as the true Samuel was, who was perſonated by this evil ſpirit. Saul hearing theſe diſmal tidings, and being very faint through faſting all the day before, even to that time of the night, he fell on the ground in a ſwoon, and there was no ſtrength in him. The Witch hereupon came to him and told him that ſhe had ſo far obeyed him as to put her life into his hands, therefore ſhe deſired him ſo far to gratifie her as to receive a little refreſhment from her, that he might have ſtrength to return to the army. But he utterly refuſed it, till his ſervants together with the woman, by their earneſt importunity prevailed with him; ſo he aroſe from the earth, and ſat upon the bed, and the woman having a fatted calf in the ſtall, ſhe cauſed it preſently to be kill'd, and dreſt and prepar'd ſome of it, and took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened **Panes azymos, quos ſtatim curavit coquendos, non enim expectavit donec farinae illa ſubacta fermentaretur.bread thereof, and ſo brought her proviſions and ſet them before Saul and his ſervants, and they did eat of them, and then aroſe and went their way.

1 Sam. Ch. 28. from v. 1, to the end.

p. 39614. The Philiſtines now gathered all their forces together to Aphek, a Town in the Tribe of Aſher, and the Iſraelites pitched by a fountain near Jezreel. The Four Lords of the Philiſtines led up their forces, and marched with their hundreds, and thouſands, but David and his men marched in the rear with Achiſh, who ſeems to be chief among them, if not their General. The Princes of the Philiſtines obſerving this, askt in ſome paſſion what thoſe Hebrews did among them? Achiſh reply'd the chief commander of them was David a ſervant of Saul's, a man of great wiſdom and fortitude, who had been with him ſome days, or rather ſome years, he having dwelt with him one full year, and four months, (ſee Ch. 27.7.) and in all that time ſince he fell to him, he had found no fault in him. But the Princes of the Philiſtines were not ſatisfied with that but imagined that Achiſh was meerly deluded by him, and that he would endanger their Army; therefore they urge Achiſh to ſend him back, and to cauſe him to return to the place he had appointed for him, viz. to Ziklag, leſt in the battel he ſhould fall off from them, and help their enemies. For how can he better contrive (ſay they) to reconcile himſelf to his maſter than by betraying the lives of this whole Army into his hands? They further add that he was a moſt dangerous perſon, (of whoſe abilities they ought to be very apprehenſive) being highly renown'd for his military prudence and valour, among his own Nation, inſomuch that the women ſang of him in their dances, Saul hath ſlain his thouſands, but David his ten thouſands. [See Ch. 18.7. & 21.11.] Hereupon Achiſh called David, and told him that as ſure as the Lord lived he had found him faithful to him, and he could not but highly approve all his carriage ſince he came into the Army; nay he had found no evil in him ſince the firſt day he came up to him. Nevertheleſs he muſt acquaint him that the Lords of the Philiſtines favoured him not, therefore he adviſed him to return with his forces to Ziklag that he might not give them any further cauſe of jealouſie. David replies, what evil haſt thou found in thy ſervant ſince I have been with thee, even unto this day, that I may not go and fight againſt the enemies of my Lord the King (k)(k)Neceſſaria querela, ne ſi taceret ſuſpitionibus Philiſtaeonum ſuffragari videretur. Menoch.? Achiſh anſwers, I proteſt thou ſeemeſt unto me to be a perſon of ſuch excellencies, of ſuch probity and goodneſs as if thou wert an Angel (l)(l)Hunc loquendi modum Philiſtaei a vicinis hauſerunt Hebraeis. Conterminae enim regiones (ut experientia docet) multas voces, & phraſes communes habent.ſent from heaven unto me; I perceive every thing to proſper that thou takeſt in hand. However the Princes of the Philiſtines have reſolv'd that thou ſhalt not go with them to battel, wherefore ariſe very early in the morning, and with thy forces (that are Saul's ſubjects) depart and be gone, leſt our people fall upon thee. Achiſh intended no more by his advice than this; but God had a further deſign in it, for by this means David was not only freed from the danger of being perfidious and ungrateful to Achiſh (who ſo much truſted in him) but alſo from fighting againſt his brethren and Country-men, and hereby alſo he came in time to reſcue the prey out of the hands of the Amalekites which they had carried away from Ziklag **As he went forth with the Philiſtines, and as he returned from them divers fell to him of the Tribe of Manaſſeh, as we may ſee 1 Chron. 12.19, 20, 21, 22.1 Chr 12:191 Chr 12:201 Chr 12:211 Chr 12:22.

1 Sam. Ch. 29. whole Chapter.

15. David according to Achiſh's advice marches back with his forces, and coming on the third day after to Ziklag, he found it to his great aſtoniſhment burnt by the Amalekites; for ſuch of them as had eſcaped Saul's ſword formerly, and his ſword of late, taking advantage of the Philiſtines, and his abſence, and reſolving to revenge themſelves on him, they ſuddenly invaded the South part of the Philiſtines (a)(a)V. 14. Called Cherethites, ſome part of the Philiſtines Country being call'd Cherith, and thence the Philiſtines called Chereſhim, or Cherethites. See Ezek. 25.15, 16. Zeph. 2.5.Ezek 25:15Ezek 25:16Zeph 2:5Country, and the South of Judah (b)(b)By the South of Caleb is meant the South of Judah belonging to Calebs poſterity, Joſh. 14.13. where Davids poſſeſſions lay which he had by Abigail, Nabals widdow.Josh 14:13, and ſurprizing Ziklag burnt it, (or at leaſt a great part of it) and carried away the women and children captive, God ſo over-ruling their hearts that they did not put any of them to death, but kept them alive to ſell them††Quod mirum cum David occidiſſet omnes, Cap. 27.9, 11. ſed Deus ipſorum furorem mitigavit., (as 'tis probable) for ſlaves, and to make merchandize of them; among the reſt that were carried away captive, were David's two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail; David and his men coming to Ziklag were extreamly ſurpriz'd at this diſmal calamity, and burſting out into tears, they wept till they had no more power to weep; David now felt the hand of the Lord ſore upon him, for his diſtruſt of God, and ſeeking to help himſelf by flying to the Philiſtines the profeſſed enemies of Gods people, and for his p. 397lying and diſſembling, and pretending to Achiſh as if he had a deſire to fight againſt Saul, and againſt the Iſraelites; never was he in greater ſtraits than at this time, for his followers being tranſported with rage and diſcontent for the loſs of their wives and children, began to mutiny (c)(c)Hac omnia Davidi acciderunt, cum jam ſibi videretur eſſe in tuto., and talk of ſtoning him as the chief cauſe of this their great calamity and miſery, becauſe having provoked the Amalekites by invading their Country, and ſlaughtering their people, [Ch. 27.8, 9.] he had imprudently drawn out his forces out of the city, and left it naked to the malice of their enemies, all this only to imploy them in aſſiſting the Philiſtines in a pernicious war againſt their own people. However in this deſperate danger David encouraged himſelf in the Lord his God, and by an humble and actual truſt caſt himſelf upon his power, goodneſs, and fatherly care, of which he had had ſo large experience; then calling to the High-Prieſt Abiathar to bring the Ephod and by it to enquire(d)(d)This David had divers times neglected to do upon weighty occaſions, as particularly before he fled out of Judea into the land of the Philiſtines, and before he followed Achiſh in the war, but having ſmarted for it, he is now unwilling to do any thing without Gods direction. of the Lord whither he ſhould purſue thoſe Amalekites, and whither he ſhould overtake them, he had a gracious anſwer encouraging him to purſue them, and a promiſe that he ſhould without fail recover all that they had taken away. Wherefore immediately with his ſix hundred men he marches after them as far as the brook Beſor in the borders of Simeon, where two hundred of them being faint and tired could march no further. Here God was pleaſed to try and exerciſe his faith again, in that after he had encouraged him to purſue his enemies, he ſeem'd now to croſs him by diſabling one third part of his men from going on againſt them, and this he did that the glory of the victory might be aſcribed unto him and not to David; therefore with theſe four hundred men (leaving the other two hundred with their baggage) going on in the purſuit, at laſt they found a poor Egyptian in the field almoſt ready to periſh thorough ſickneſs and hunger, having neither eaten nor drunk any thing for three days, and three nights together; this poor creature they refreſhed with bread and water, and a piece of a cake of figs, and ſome raiſins, and then brought him to David, who examining him whence he was, and to whom he belonged, he told him he was by Nation an Egyptian, and ſerv'd an Amalekite that was in the army gone before, who left him there in the field three days ago upon his falling ſick. He tells him he came out with his maſter, and they had inroaded and plundered the South part of the Philiſtines, and of Judah, and had burnt Ziklag. David asks him if he could bring him down to the Camp where his maſter was. It ſeems the Amalekites had told him where they intended to encamp, that ſo if he recovered he might come to them. Accordingly he tells David that if he would ſwear to him by God, that he would neither kill him himſelf, nor deliver him into the power of his maſter, he would bring him down to them; David promiſed him faithfully he would not, and ſo he brought them to the place where the Amalekites had pitched. David found them in a careleſs poſture ſpread abroad upon the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing and rejoicing for the great ſpoils they had gotten out of the land of the Philiſtines, and out of the land of Judah; ſeeing them in this poſture, he fell upon them immediately at the evening of the day, and ſmote them to the evening of the day following, and deſtroyed in a manner all of them, excepting only four hundred young men that rode upon Camels, and ſo eſcaped. He ſpared none he could lay his hands on, they being a Nation deſtin'd by God to utter deſtruction. David and his men having thus vanquiſhed this great band of the Amalekites, they reſcued all the women and children which had been carried away by them, and there was nothing lacking to them, either ſmall or great, either ſons or daughters, they recovered all (e)(e)Miro Dei diſpoſitus hoc factum qui neque Davidi quicquam perire voluit, neque aliis propter Davidem.; and Davids men took all the flocks and herds which the Amalekites had taken from other places beſides Ziklag, and drove them before thoſe Cattel which they had taken from Ziklag, (which belonged to David and his followers) extolling David, and proclaiming, this is Davids ſpoil, that is, which belongeth to him by the Souldiers free conſent, and gift, and accordingly afterwards he beſtowed it on whom he pleaſed. David with his men now returning with the captives and ſpoils they had taken, he came at laſt to the place where he left the two hundred weary men, who came forth with great joy to meet David and the people that were with him. When they came near him he ſpoke kindly and courteouſly to them, that they might not be diſcouraged at the thoughts of their abſence from the fight, ſeeing it was occaſion'd by their wearineſs. They deſiring to have a part in the ſpoils, ſome of the four hundred who had with David vanquiſhed the Amalekites (being wicked men, and ſons of Belial) expreſt an unwillingneſs that they ſhould have any ſhare therein, but only their wives and children again, p. 398though it was not cowardize, but meer faintneſs that made them ſtay behind, and their ſtaying behind with the carriages to defend the ſtuff, and being in readineſs to aid and aſſiſt their fellows if they had been forc'd to retire, might be lookt upon as a good ſervice. David mildly ſpeaks to theſe murmurers ſaying to them, Ye ſhall not do ſo, my Brethren, with the ſpoil the Lord hath given us, and which we have gotten not by our own valour and ſtrength, but by Gods gracious favour, who hath preſerved us, and given our enemies into our hands; the thing you propoſe is unreaſonable and unjuſt, therefore I ſhall decide the matter thus: As his part is that goeth down to the battel, ſo ſhall his part be that tarrieth by the ſtuff; that is, the men that tarried behind and abode with the baggage ſhall have their ſhare of the prey, as well as thoſe that marched out with me unto the battel. And ſo from that day he revived and ratified a ſtatute formerly made by God, [Numb. 31.27. Joſh. 22.8.] that the ſpoil ſhould be divided betwixt thoſe that fought with the enemy, and thoſe that ſtayed with the ſtuff. And when David was return'd to Ziklag, he ſent ſome of the ſpoils he had taken to the Elders of Judah his friends, partly by way of reſtitution, becauſe the Amalekites had taken much of this prey from the South parts of Judah, and partly by way of thankfulneſs for the many kindneſſes he had received from them, when Saul hunted him from place to place, and partly in a way of prudence to make them hereby the more firm to him, and more ready to give him their aſſiſtance when he ſhould ſtand in need of it. Thus as it is always darkeſt juſt before day dawneth, ſo God uſeth to viſit his ſervants with greateſt afflictions when he intends their ſpeedy advancement.

1 Sam. Ch. 20. whole Chapter.

16. We return now to the Philiſtines and Iſraelites (whom we left nigh to each other, Ch. 29.) who joining battel at the very time (as Joſephus ſays) when David was victorious over the Amalekites, the Iſraelites were ſmitten, and Saul's three Sons, Jonathan (a)(a)By Jonathan's death the Lord cleared the way for Davids advancement to the Kingdom. For if Iſhboſheth a worthleſs man found ſo many of the people ready to ſide with him againſt David, what would they have done for Jonathan ſo brave and worthy a Prince, if he had out-liv'd his Father. And Jonathan was no loſer by it, for inſtead of an earthly God gave him an Heavenly Kingdom., Aminadab, and Melchiſhua ſlain. And the battel went ſore againſt Saul himſelf, for the Arch…rs hit him, and ſore wounded him; he ſaw his Army routed, his friends and followers ſlain, his dear Sons killed before his face, he found himſelf ſore wounded and inviron'd with enemies, and apprehending no poſſibility of eſcaping, he bad his Armour-hearer take his ſword and run him thorough, leſt the uncircumciſed Philiſtines ſhould take him and put him to ſome ignominious death; but his Armour-bearer utterly refuſing to do it, he fell upon his own ſword. And thus Saul with the ſword he had drawn againſt David ſlew himſelf, and ſo concluded a wicked life with a deſperate death, the Lord in a juſt judgment giving him up to act this horrid murder on himſelf, as a puniſhment of his former wickedneſs, therefore 'tis ſaid, 1 Chron. 10.14. that the Lord ſlew him. His Armour-bearer ſeeing what he had done, followed his wicked example, and fell likewiſe upon his own ſword, and killed himſelf. Thus died Saul and his three Sons, and his Armour-bearer, and moſt of his family, and kindred, moſt of his Courtiers and Commanders, with a great part of his army, ſee 1 Chron. 10.6. And when the Iſraelites (who dwelt on each ſide of this valley of Jezreel, where the battel was fought, and they that dwelt in it, 1 Ch. 10.7.) ſaw that their army was routed, and that Saul and his Sons were ſlain, they forſook their Cities and Towns, and fled for their lives, and the Philiſtines entred into them and poſſeſſed them. On the morrow after the battel was fought, the Philiſtines coming to ſtrip the bodies of the ſlain, they found Saul and his three Sons fallen in mount Gilboa, and they cut off Sauls head, and ſtript off his armour. His head they carried about as a Trophy, and ſhewed it in all parts of their Country, publiſhing their victory, and the death of Saul and his Sons in a way of joy and triumph in the houſes of their Idols (b)(b)Heb. Terrors, ſo called becauſe they poſſeſs the minds and hearts of their ſuperſtitious worſhippers with terrors and fears, and do neither teach nor comfort them. Hinc ſuperſtitio foreign dicitur i. e. Daemonium pavor., and afterwards ſet it up in the houſe of Dagon their God, thereby aſcribing to him the glory of their victory, as appeareth 1 Chron. 10.10. ſo David had before ſerved the head of Goliath, which he carried to Jeruſalem, Ch. 17.54. They plac'd his Armour in the houſe of Aſhtaroth, ſee the Note on Judg. 2.13. his body, and the bodies of his Sons they faſtened to the wall of Bethſhan (c)(c)A Town that belonged to the lot of Manaſſeh, but not recovered from the Philiſtines in the firſt conqueſt, Judg. 1.27. nor to this day as was ſaid before of Ziklag, Ch. 27.6.Judg 1:27, viz. in a ſtreet that was by the City-wall, ſee 2 Sam. 21.12. And when the Inhabitants of Jabeſh-Gilead heard what the Philiſtines had done to the bodies of Saul and his three Sons, in gratitude to p. 399Saul (who had reſcued them from Nahaſh King of the Ammonites, when he had ſtraitly beſieged their City, Ch. 11.11.) all the valiant men of that City aroſe and march'd all night, and coming to Bethſhan took and carried away their dead bodies, and brought them to Jabeſh and burnt them there, that is, burnt the fleſh of them, which having hung ſome days in the Sun was putrified and ſtinking, and ſo could not be embalmed; and the fleſh being burnt from the bones, they gathered up their bones and ſolemnly buried them under a Tree in Jabeſh, and there they continued till towards the end of Davids reign, when he took them up and buried them in the Sepulchre of Kiſh the father of Saul, 2 Sam. 21.12, 14. Then the men of Jabeſh-Gilead to expreſs their ſorrow for the death of Saul and his Sons, and that they might implore mercy from God in behalf of the whole land which was now in a very ſad condition, they afflicted themſelves with faſting for ſeven days together, only taking ſtill at night ſome ſmall refreſhment.

1 Sam. Ch. 31. whole Chapter.

SECT. CLXXIII.

MEphiboſheth the Son of Jonathan being five years old at this time, upon the diſmal tidings of theſe diſaſters, his Nurſe catching him up and flying away with him in that great fright and conſternation, ſhe let him fall out of her arms, and he became lame of his feet ever after, 2 Sam. 4.4.