Westminster Annotations, 1 Samuel (1 Kings) · Chapter 26 – Chapter 29
CHAP. XXVI.
Vers. 1. ZIphites] That is, the inhabitants of Ziph, in the tribe of Judah, Josh. 15. 55.
came] That is, came again the second time to betray David, See Chap. 23. 19.
doth not David] That is, we know certainly that he doth.
V. 2. chosen men] That is, such as were the most skilfull and valiant.
V. 4. David therefore sent] Or thus, for David bad sent:
V. 5. Abner the son of Ner.] Chap. 14. 50. and 17. 55.
trench] Or, midst of his carriages, enclosed with his carriages, fearing lest David might in the night make some sudden attempt to surprise his person.
the people.] That is, his souldiers that came out with him,
V. 6. answered] Hebr. That is, said up…n this occasion,
the Hittite] To wit, by nation; but now an Israelitish pros… lyte professing their religion.
Zerujah] To wit, Davids sister, who had three sons, Joab▪ Abishai and Asahel, 1 Chro. 2. 16. still mentioned under her name, and not their father, as chiesly taking their honour from her, being Davids sister; and not her husband, who is unknown.
V. 8. delivered] Heb. shut up.
second time] That is, I will strike so sure, that I will kill him with one blow, so as there shall not need a second.
V. 10. Lord liveth] q. d, I will not smite nor suffer him to be smitten, but leave vengeance to God.
the Lord] That is, I will leave him to God, to do with him what he pleaseth, or when he pleaseth: but as for my self, I will have no hand in his death.
his day] That is, his appointed time to die a naturall death, Job 7. 1. 14. 5.
V. 14. to the king] That is, who cryest so loud, that the king shall hear, and be disturbed of his rest.
V. 15. not kept] Or, not looked unto thy lord the king, when there came one, &c.
one of the people] That is, Abishai, or indefinitely, any one might have come and slain the king.
V. 16. worthy to die] Heb. the sons of doath.
and now see] That is, that I may not seem to accuse thee wrongfully, here are evidences of what I say.
V. 17. my son] Hereby it appeareth, that the hypocrite persecuted David against his own conscience, and contrary to his promise, Chap. 24. 20.
V. 19. accept an offering] Heb. smell; That is, that his anger may be appeased, and he made propitious by sacrifices for sin, offered unto him. Others thus, I am ready to dy, if I have deserved it, and to become a sacrifice to appease Gods displeasure.
from abiding] Heb. cleaving; That is, that I cannot be present at Gods service in his tabernacle; but am forced to wander from place to place.
in the inheritance] That is, among Gods peculiar people, who are his inheritance.
Go serve] That is, as much as lieth in them they have compelled me to idolatry, by forcing me to flee unto idolaters, and so to run my self into a totall apostasie, Psal. 120. 5.
V. 20. let not my blood] q. d. The LORD who is present, and seeth my innocency, will not permit thee to shed my blood, and therefore do not attempt it.
a flea] Heb. one flea. See Chap. 24. 14, 15.
V. 21. was precious] That is, because thou hast spared me when I was in thy power, and perserved my life as a thing precious in thy sight.
V. 22. fetch it] He durst not trust him by going to him himself, seeing he had so often after shew of reconciliation, returned presently to his old practices.
V. 23. render] Or, and the Lord render; That is, recompense and reward, according to his gracious promise.
V. 24. eyes of the Lord] Who is able to preserve it, though thou again shouldest seek to take it away.
V. 25. great things] To wit, against thine and Gods enemies, or all things shall prosper in thy hand, according to thine own heart, and thou shalt be crowned with regall dignity.
to his place] That is, to Gibeah-Benjamin or Saul.
CHAP. XXVII.
Vers. 1. DAvid said] Through weaknesse of faith, and too much relying on carnall wisdom, and his own providence; notwithstanding, that he had Gods promises, and manifold experience of Gods protection, now fainting and failing through humane frailty, as before, Chap. 22. 3, 5. For which God reproveth him.
perish] Heb. be consumed.
V. 2. passed over] Having (as it is like) first obtained safe conduct for him and his.
V. 5. let them] That is, thy officers whom thou shalt appoint.
for why] David wisely hideth his purpose and counsell under the pretext of modesty and humility, his main aym being to preserve his followers from idolatry, and that they being alone, might act their businesse undiscovered.
V. 6. Ziklag] Which formerly belonged to the tribe of Judah, Josh. 15. 31. But was taken from them, and possessed till now by the Philistines.
V. 7. the time] Heb. the number of dayes.
a full yeer] Heb. a yeer of dayes.
V. 8. Geshurites and the Gezrites] Or, Gerzites, who were some reliques of the Canaanites, that at the coming of the Israelites, left their places in Gilead, and the tribe of Ephraim, and went to the Amalekites, Josh. 12. 5. and 16. 3.
Amalekites] Descended from Esau, which Saul was commanded to root out, but left some alive, which David now goeth against.
those nations] That is, the Geshurites and Gezrites.
land] To wit, of Canaan on both sides Jordan.
Shur] The entrance to the wildernesse of Shur, towards Egypt.
V. 9. the land] That is, the Amalekites, the inhabitants of the land, which were to be destroyed by Gods command, Exod. 17. 14. 1 Sam. 15. 3.
V. 10. Whither have ye made a rode] Or, Did you not make a rode, &c.
south of Judah] Not in the land of Judah, as he would have Achish understand him; but that countrey which bordered upon it, that is, of the Amalekites, wherein David through humane frailty deludes Achish with an equivocation.
Jerahmeelites] The inhabitants of a region in Judah, which the posterity of Jerahmeel the first born of Hezron inhabited, 1 Chro. 2. 9, 25.
Kenites] The posterity of Jethro. See Judg. 1. 16.
V. 11. alive] To wit, that none might carry the news to Achish at Gath, which was in a good distance from Ziklag, and those spoiled countreyes, scattered and solitary.
saying] That is, thinking with himself.
V. 12. utterly] Heb. to stink.
to abhorre him] Because he hath invaded their countrey and spoiled them, Gen. 34. 30.
CHAP. XXVIII.
Vers. 2. WHat thy servant] Here David again through humane frailty, equivocates, for he meant nothing lesse by this doubtfull speech, then to fight for Gods enemies against his people, as he would have Achish to understand him.
keeper of mine head] That is, captain of my life-guard, as long as we live.
V. 3. Samuel was dead] Chap. 25. 1. Here he prepareth a way for the following history, shewing the cause why Saul sought to a witch, namely, because he could not ask counsell of Samuel seeing he was dead.
V. 4. Shunem] A city situate on the borders of Issachar, Josh. 19. 18. where Elisha harboured, 2 King. 4. 8, 10. and Abishag was born, 2 King. 1. 3.
Gilboa] A mountainous place neer Jazreel, where Saul and his sons were slain, Chap. 31. 1. and 2 Sam. 1. 21.
V. 5. trembled] Out of inward guilt, thinking the time now come of his cutting off.
V. 6. enquired] That is, by such means as were at hand.
nor by Ʋrim] For Abiathar the high priest was with David, with the ephod and brest-plate, Chap. 23. 6. and 30. 7.
nor by prophets] That is, by no means, ordinary or extraordinary. See Numb. 12. 5. 27. 21.
V. 7. Seek me] Contrary to Gods command, Deut. 18. 11. and his own conscience and practice, who had before justly destroyed them.
En-dor] A town in the tribe of Manasseh on this side Jordan. See Josh. 17. 11. where many of Sisera's sleeing souldiers perished, Psal. 83. 10.
V. 8. disguised] To wit, lest the woman knowing him, might hide her act, and deny his request for fear of death.
up] That is, out of the ground or grave.
V. 9. to die] To wit, by the command of Saul.
V. 10. sware to her] Impiously, abusing Gods holy name, that he might encourage her to do a wicked act.
V. 12. saw Samuel] That is, a wicked spirit in the shape of Samuel, personating, and acting his part, as if it had been Samuel himself, contrary to that opinion, Ecclesiasticus 46. 20.
thou art Saul] For so the spirit which she had raised had told her.
V. 13. not afraid] That is, fear nothing, for I will not hurt thee.
I saw gods] Like an heathen she speaketh in the plurall number, though she saw but one. So Exod. 32. 4. meaning a glorious and divine person like a god, for the devill can thus transform himself, 2 Cor. 11. 14.
V. 14. What form is he of] Heb. What is his form?
a mantle] A garment used by Samuel, and other of the prophets, 2 King. 2. 8, 13. and Chap. 15. 27.
perceived] That is, by her description, though himself saw him not.
stouped] Being deluded by the devill, he doth him this honour in stead of Samuel.
V. 15. bring me up] It was neither in the witches, nor in the devils power, to raise up Samuel: But God permitteth the devill to delude those, who beleeve lies, to their perdition.
by prophets] Heb. by the hand of prophets.
V. 16. ask me] As the devill counterfeited Samuels person and habit; so also his words and speeches in all his conference with Saul. Why doest thou seek to me for counsell, seeing I can do thee no favour, being Gods enemy.
V. 17. done to him] That is, to David as he promised. Others thus, for himself, that is, hath disposed his counsels to his own ends, as he spoke by Samuel, Chap. 15. 27, 28.
me] Heb. mine hand.
V. 19. with me] In the state of the dead, or dead as I am, So 2 Sam. 12. 23.
V. 20. fell straight-way all along on the earth] Heb. made haste and fell with the fulnesse of his statu…e.
V. 21. put my life] That is, have adventured my life to death, to satisfie thy desire. See Judg. 12. 3.
CHAP. XXIX.
Vers. 1. TO Aphek] There were divers cities of this name in Canaan, one in the tribe of Judah, Josh. 15. 53. Another in the tribe of Asher, Josh. 19. 30. Judg. 1. 31. And this in the tribe of Issachar, neer Gilboa, by the great field Megiddo, Josh. 19. 18.
V. 2. passed on] To wit, to take a view of their armies as they were divided into hundreds and thousands.
V. 3. fell to me] That is, from Saul his master.
V. 4. Make this fellow return] 1 Chron. 12. 19.
appointed him] Or, over which thou hast set him.
to us] Turning from our side to help our enemies, as they have formerly done, Chap. 14. 21.
with the heads] That is, by fighting against our people, and taking away their lives.
V. 5. Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?] Chap. 18. 7. and 21. 11.
V. 6. as the Lord liveth] He sweareth by the true God Jehovah, though he were an idolater, either because he had learned so to do of David, or, because swearing by his God, he should the rather believe him.
upright] That is, approved thy self to be a faithfull servant, and all thy dealings, since thou camest into the army, I approve as good, Numb. 27. 17.
the lords favour thee not] Heb. thou art not good in the eyes of the lords.
V. 7. displease not the lords] Heb. do not …vil in the eyes of the lords.
V. 8. But what have I done?] This dissimulation in David cannot be excused; for it could not but grieve him to go against the people of God.
with thee] Heb. before thee.
V. 9. as an angel] This phrase he had learned of David, or had it from the Hebrews, who were a neighbour nation.
V. 10. depart] That is, before the battell begineth.