Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Samuel · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Verſ. 1. SAmuel alſo ſaid unto Saul, The Lord ſent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Iſrael.] That is, the Lord gave me commiſſion to anoint thee king (for Samuel went not to Saul, but Saul came to Samuel) and this Samuel premiſed, before he gave him the following charge from the Lord, that he ſhould go and deſtroy the Amalekites, that the remembrance of this honour, whereto God had exalted him, might make him the more carefull exactly to do what God had enjoyned him.
Now therefore hearken thou unto the voyce of the words of the Lord.] In this word (now) Samuel covertly puts him in mind of his former tranſgreſſion, chap. 13.8.9. As if he had ſaid, though thou didſt formerly neglect to do what the Lord enjoyned thee, yet now remember what God hath done for thee, and be ſure ſtrictly to obſerve this which God hath given thee in charge.
Verſ. 2. I remember that which Amalek did to Iſrael, how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt.] Three ſeverall times God had foretold that he would deſtroy the Amalekites, and that for the violence which they offered to the Iſraelites▪ to wit, Exod. 17.14. Numb. 24.20. and Deut. 25.19. And now Saul is ſent to execute that vengeance upon them, which the Lord had ſo long time ſince at ſeverall times threatned: for though the preſent king and people of Amalek had been cruell and bloudy adverſaries to the people of God, as Samuels ſpeech to Agag ſeems to imply, verſ. 33. As thy ſword hath made women childleſſe, ſo ſhall thy mother be childleſſe among women; and ſo had deſerved to be deſtroyed for their own ſinnes; yet becauſe the Lord would have his people know that he had not forgot that former injurie of their Anceſtours towards his people, though it were now above foure hundred years ſince; but intended now principally to be avenged on them for that, in the commiſſion that he ſent now to Saul for the deſtroying of the Amalekites, he mentions no other cauſe but that wrong which of old their fathers had done to his people, expreſſing one circumſtance as a great aggravation of their crueltie; namely, that when his poore people had been ſo long under a miſerable bondage in Egypt, and were now newly eſcaped thence, then they came preſently out againſt them, and ſought to deſtroy them. I remember, ſaith the Lord, that which Amalek did to Iſrael when he came up from Egypt. Nor need it ſeem ſtrange that the preſent Amalekites ſhould be utterly deſtroyed, for that which their Anceſtours had done ſo many years ago; for though God deſtroyes none everlaſtingly, but for their own ſinnes, yet with temporall puniſhments he doth uſually puniſh the children for the ſinnes of their Anceſtours; eſpecially when the children go in their fathers ſteps, as by that which is ſaid of Agag verſ. 33. it ſeems theſe did.
Verſ. 3. Now go, and ſmite Amalek, and utterly deſtroy all that they have.] That is, not the men and cattell onelyonly, as is afterward expreſſed, but their cities alſo, and all the wealth therein, &c.
Verſ 4. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbred them in Telaim.] Which moſt Expoſitours conceive to be the city of Judah called Telem, Joſh. 15.24. As for the following clauſe wherein thoſe of Judah are numbred apart by themſelves, two hundred thouſand footmen, and ten thouſand men of Judah, ſee the note upon chap. 11.8.
Verſ. 5. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.] The inſerting of this here ſeems to imply, that either it was the firſt city he came to, or that it was the city where their king was.
Verſ. 6. And Saul ſaid unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get ye down from among the Amalekites, &c.] This muſt be meant either of the poſterity of Jethro the Kenite, who though they had planted themſelves in the tribe of Judah, Judg. 1.16. yet now happely they were removed further, becauſe of the Iſraelites warres, into the land of the Amalekites (for they dwelt in Tents, Judg. 4.17. and therefore might eaſily remove from one place to another:) or elſe it is meant of a people ſo called of whom Jethro was, Numb. 24.21. who are now ſpared for Jethro's ſake. Yet his redoubling the charge that they ſhould get them away, in thoſe ſeverall terms, Go, depart, was to imply, that if they loved their lives they ſhould make haſte away.
For ye ſhewed kindneſſe to all the children of Iſrael, when they came up out of Egypt.] This is queſtionleſſe meant of the kindneſſe which Jethro the Kenite and his family ſhewed to the Iſraelites. He came out with much joy to meet Moſes, and to congratulate all the goodneſſe which God had ſhewn to the Iſraelites: he gave him counſell for the well-ordering of the government of Iſrael; and doubtleſſe, he and his were eyes unto the Iſraelites in their going through the wilderneſſe, according to Moſes deſire, Numb. 10.31. And therefore now Saul gave them warning to remove away, that they might not ſuffer together with the Amalekites. As the Lord puniſhed the Amalekites for the wrong their Progenitours did to his people, ſo he ſpared the Kenites for the kindneſſe their Anceſtours had ſhown them.
Verſ. 7. And Saul ſmote the Amalekites, from Havilah, untill thou comeſt to Shur, that is over against Egypt.] That Saul deſtroyed not all the whole nation of the Amalekites, is evident, chap. 27.8. And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geſhurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites. And chap. 30.1. And it came to paſſe, when David was come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded Ziklag, &c. Either therefore this muſt be meant of ſome one part of their countrey; or that Saul ſlew throughout the land all that he could get into his power; for Shur is the furtheſt border of their land towards Egypt.
Verſ. 8. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly deſtroyed all the people, &c.] Agag was the common name of the kings of that land, Numb. 24.7. And his king ſhall be higher then Agag, &c. Now this Agag whom above the reſt he ſhould have ſlain, Saul ſpared, either to make his triumph more glorious, which he might think would be moſt for Gods glory; or out of covetouſneſſe, to get a great ranſome for him: or rather out of a fooliſh pitty, becauſe he was a king: and indeed the confidence of Saul in his anſwer to Samuel, verſ. 20. Yea, I have obeyed the voyce of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord ſent me. And have brought Agag the king of Amalek, &c. makes it not very improbable, that in ſparing Agag, he thought he had done well.
Verſ. 9. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the beſt of the ſheep, and of the oxen, &c.] In ſparing theſe cattell, they pretended a reſpect they had to the glory of God; namely, that they ſpared them for ſacrifice, as Saul told Samuel afterwards, verſ. 15. The people ſpared the beſt of the ſheep, and of the oxen, to ſacrifice unto the Lord. Whereas indeed it is moſt probable, that ſecretly they had a purpoſe to retain many of them for their own uſe; as thoſe words of Samuel ſeem to imply, verſ. 19. Wherefore didst thou not obey the voyce of the Lord, but didſt fly upon the ſpoyl? However, when God had injoyned them to deſtroy all the cattell, and not to ſpare any, for them to ſpare all that was good, and to deſtroy thoſe onelyonly that were vile and refuſe, as it follows in this verſe, was all one in effect as if they had reſolved, that in thoſe that were worth nothing God ſhould have his deſire, but that thoſe that were fat and good, they knew how to reſerve for a better uſe.
Verſ. 11. It repenteth me, that I have ſet up Saul to be king.] See the note upon Gen. 6.6.
Verſ. 12. Saul came to Carmel, and Behold, he ſet him up a place, and is gone about, &c.] That is, he pitched their Tents in Carmell, and ſo ſtayed there a while to refreſh his army, and divide the ſpoil, and then went away to Gilgal: or elſe the meaning may be this, he ſet him up a place in Carmel, that is, ſome Pillar or Piramides, as a triumphant monument of his victory, and ſo went thence away to Gilgal.
Verſ. 13. And Saul ſaid unto him, Bleſſed be thou of the Lord; I have performed the commandment of the Lord.] This confident boaſting of Saul may ſeem to imply, that he did think indeed that he had performed what God injoyned him, as not thinking that his ſparing of Agag, and ſome of the cattell for ſacrifices, would have been judged a tranſgreſſion of Gods command; but yet others conceive, that his own conſcience told him that he had not done well; and that thence it was, that now at his meeting with Samuel, he ſaluted him in ſuch a fawning manner, as by way of colloging with him; Bleſſed be thou of the Lord, &c.
Verſ. 15. For the people ſpared the best of the ſheep, and of the oxen to ſacrifice to the Lord thy God.] It is evident that he conſented at leaſt, to the ſparing of thoſe cattell they had brought from the Amalekites; for ſo it is expreſſely ſaid before, verſ. 9. But Saul and the people ſpared Agag, and the beſt of the ſheep, &c. And yet now to excuſe himſelf, he would make Samuel believe, that if this were a fault, it was not he but the people that had herein tranſgreſſed; onelyonly withall he alledgeth in the defence of the people, that they had ſpared them onelyonly for ſacrifices, which he hoped Samuel could not but approve; and to make this take the better with Samuel, he ſaith not onelyonly that they were to be ſacrificed to the Lord, but to the Lord thy God.
Verſ. 16. Then Samuel ſaid unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath ſaid to me this night. And he ſaid, Say on.] As happely expecting ſome good meſſage: ſo farre doth hypocriſie blind men, even when they have done that which is notoriouſly evil.
Verſ. 18. Go and utterly deſtroy the ſinners the Amalekites.] That is, thoſe wicked wretches the Amalekites ſinners, above others; ſo the word ſinners is elſewhere uſed, Gen. 13.13. and Matth. 19.10.
Verſ. 23. For rebellion is as the ſinne of witchcraft, and ſtubbornneſſe is as iniquity and idolatry.] All unrighteouſneſſe and ſinne is in the Scripture termed iniquity, as Gen. 15.16. For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. And Rom. 4.7. Bleſſed are they whoſe iniquities are forgiven, &c. But in this ſenſe how ſtubbornneſſe may be ſaid to be as iniquity, is not eaſie to conceive. And therefore here by iniquity many Expoſitours underſtand the aberration of men from the right rule of Gods worſhip (and therefore it is joyned here with idolatry) and is by many tranſlated ſuperſtition, ſtubbornneſſe is as ſuperſtition and idolatry. But why doth Samuel ſay (and that doubtleſſe in relation to Sauls ſinne) that Rebellion is as the ſinne of witchcraft, and ſtubbornneſſe is as iniquity and idolatry? I anſwer, Firſt, ſome take it to be ſpoken onelyonly comparatively, that rebellion and ſtubbornneſſe are as great ſinnes, and as hatefull to God as witchcraft and idolatry. And ſecondly, others ſay, that the drift of theſe words is to ſhew, that rebellion and ſtubbornneſſe are ſinnes much of the ſame nature as are witchcraft and Idolatry. Becauſe as witches and idolatours do give away the glory of God to a poore creature, and advance the creature above God; ſo they that have an expreſſe command from God for doing of any thing, & will then conſult with their own reaſon, whether they ſhall do it or no, and will ſtubbornly and rebelliouſly do contrary to what God hath commanded, merely out of a conceit that they judge it better to do otherwiſe; then they do as manifeſtly give away the glory of God to a baſe creature, exalt the creature above God, as witches and idolatours do. But thirdly, others (and I think upon the beſt grounds) do conceive the intention of theſe words to be onelyonly this, That an act of rebellion againſt any command of God (though had it not been for that command of God, it would not have been otherwiſe unlawfull,) is as manifeſtly a ſinne, and may be in its degree as hatefull to God, as thoſe ſinnes are that are againſt the law and light of nature, and contrary to the truth and glory of Gods nature and eſſence, ſuch as witchcraft and idolatry are: Such was this act of Sauls in ſparing Agag, and the beſt of the cattell. There would have been no evil in it, had not God commanded them to be deſtroyed: But being done ſo expreſſely againſt the command of God, it was no leſſe then rebellion, and in that regard hatefull to God as well as witchcraft and idolatry.
Verſ. 24. And Saul ſaid unto Samuel, I have ſinned, &c.] Thus Saul at laſt confeſſed his ſinne, but hypocritically, not ſincerely; not becauſe he was at all humbled for what he had done, but onelyonly becauſe he deſired by this means to pacifie Samuel, and to ſee if he might revoke the ſentence pronounced againſt him concerning the loſſe of his kingdome: All which is evident in the following clauſe, wherein he ſeeks to excuſe, or at leaſt to extenuate his offence, by pretending that he did it for fear of the people, which true penitents are not wont to do, I have tranſgreſſed, ſaith he, the commandment of the Lord, and thy words, becauſe I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
Verſ. 25. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my ſinne, and turn again with me, that I may worſhip the Lord.] Pardon my ſinne, that is, do thou forgive the ſinne I have committed, and effect my reconciliation with God, And turn again with me, that I may worſhip the Lord, to wit, both by way of thankfulneſſe for the Lords fighting for them againſt the Amalekites, and alſo to ſeek to God for the pardon of this ſinne they had runne into.
Verſ. 26. And Samuel ſaid unto Saul, I will not return with thee.] To wit, for fear he ſhould ſeem any way to allow or approve of that which he had done.
Verſ. 27. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.] He catched hold of the skirt of his mantle, as being wondrous loth to have the people take any notice of Samuels and conſequently of the Lords diſpleaſure againſt him. But the rending of the skirt of his mantle, was of God as a ſigne that the kingdome ſhould be rent away from him▪ verſ. 28. And Samuel ſaid unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdome from thee this day. And the Hebrews adde, that it was alſo to ſhew, that the man that ſhould hereafter tear off the skirt of his garment, ſhould be the man that ſhould ſucceed him in the throne, and that hence was that which Saul ſaid then, chap. 24.20. And now behold, I know well that thou ſhalt ſurely be king, and that the kingdome of Iſrael ſhall be eſtabliſhed in thine hand.
Verſ. 29. And alſo the ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie nor repent, for he is not a man that he ſhould repent.] This laſt clauſe is added, becauſe men are ſo prone naturally to meaſure God by themſelves. The greateſt difficulty in theſe words is, why Samuel affirming this of God, terms him the ſtrength of Iſrael; of which theſe reaſons may be given, to wit, firſt, That it was to imply the immutabilitie of God; for as the mutabilitie of man proceeds from mans weakneſſe, whence it is that the weaker men are, the more irreſolute and changeable they are; ſo the immutability of God argues Gods ſtrength. Secondly, It was to imply how unreſiſtably able God was to effect what he had ſaid concerning the removing of the kingdome from Saul to David: Saul might hope to ſettle the kingdome upon his poſterity, but the ſtrength of Iſrael had decreed otherwiſe, and he would not lie nor repent, as being almighty and therefore able to do whatever he pleaſed: in deſpite of all that Saul ſhould do againſt David, the kingdome ſhould be taken from him and given to David. And thirdly, It might be to anſwer an objection that might ariſe in Sauls mind: Saul might think that ſurely the Lord would not indeed take away the kingdome from him, becauſe the Lord himſelf had ſaid, that he ſhould ſave Iſrael out of the hands of the Philiſtines, chap. 9.16. To beat him from this refuge, Samuel puts him in mind that God was the ſtrength of his people, and ſo could ſave and deliver them, and yet make good his word in removing him from being king.
Verſ. 30. Then he ſaid, I have ſinned.] See the note, verſ. 24.
Verſ. 31. So Samuel turned again after Saul, &c.] Though he had formerly refuſed to go with Saul, to wit, at that time, and that upon this ground, that he might not ſeem to allow of Sauls ſinne; yet now upon another ground he yields to go, to wit, that the people might not take any occaſion of not yielding to Saul that honour which was yet due to him as the anointed of the Lord; the rather becauſe he intended to take away the offence of ſeeming to allow Sauls ſinne, by executing Gods ſentence upon Agag whom Saul had ſpared.
Verſ. 32. And Agag came unto him delicately.] That is, in the attire, and with the geſture and gate of a king, as one that thought not of death, but onelyonly took care that both his apparell and every thing elſe about him, yea his deportment and carriage of himſelf ſhould be Prince-like, and ſuch as beſeemed the dignity of his perſon though now a captive. Becauſe he was brought not to Saul the king that had taken him priſoner, but to Samuel an aged prophet, this it may be made him ſo confident, that now the danger of death was over; now (thinks he with himſelf) Surely the bitterneſſe of death is paſt.
Verſ. 33. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.] Whether Samuel did this by himſelf or by others, he did it doubtleſſe by the ſpeciall inſtinct of Gods ſpirit.
Verſ. 35. And Samuel came to ſee Saul no more untill the day of his death.] That is, he never went after this to viſit him, as formerly to give him inſtruction and direction in his affairs. For that Samuel did before his death ſee Saul after this, is evident chap. 19.24. And he ſtript off his clothes alſo, and propheſied before Samuel in like manner, &c.