A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Commentary on 1 Samuel · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. The Hiſtory and Myſtery of Iſrael, under Eli the Fourteenth Judge.
N. B. AFTER the Hiſtory of Ruth (which Dr. Lightfoot placeth before Deborah, and which ſetteth out the marvelous Providence of God, in bringing Light out of Darkneſs, namely, our Lord Chriſt, (the Light of the World.) out of the dark Corners of Moab, that came by Lot's Inceſt, Gen. 19.34. Yet Ruth the Moabiteſs muſt be a Mother to our Saviour, Matth. 1.5.) Then comes in the Hiſtory of the Firſt of Samuel, which containeth an Hiſtory of Eighty Years; namely, from the Death of Samſon, who died by his own Hands Gloriouſly, to the Death of Saul, who alſo died by his own hands, but Wretchedly and Ingloriouſly, or ſhamefully.
The Firſt Book of Samuel is a Synopſis, or Recapitulation, which runs upon two Heads.
Firſt, The Hiſtory of Eli and of Samuel (who is both the Author and the Matter of a great part of it. And,
Secondly, The Hiſtory of the two firſt Kings of Iſrael; to wit, Saul and David.
The firſt Chapter of this firſt Book, containeth the Birth of Samuel, within the forty Years of Eli's Judgeſhip, or Prieſthood. The Remarks upon it are theſe.
Firſt, Samuel's Father was Elkanah, call'd an Ephrathite, ver. 1. not becauſe he was of Ephraim's Tribe, but becauſe he was Born there, for he was a Levite, 1 Chron. 6.22, 23. and ver. 33, 34.
N. B. This Son deſcended from Korah, a good Son from a bad Father, and theſe Levites were ſcattered among all the Tribes, as afterward the Jews were among other Nations, and were called by the Names of thoſe Nations, Act. 2.9, 10.
N. B. The Rabbins do reckon this very Elkanah among their Forty and Eight Prophets, that Propheſied to Iſrael, and that he was the Man of God, who ſo ſharply reproved Eli, chap. 2.27.
N. B. This good Man had two Wives, ver. 2. Polygamy (in the Patriarchs and in him) was a ſin of Ignorance, flatly forbidden, Levit. 18.18. Thou ſhalt not take one Wife to another, to vex her, as Peninnah did Hannah here, v. 6. It was not ſo from the beginning, Matth. 19.8. Mal. 2.15. but Lamech (of the Curſed Seed of Cain) firſt brought in this ſinful practice, and ſo his Second Wife is called Zilla, which ſignifies a Shadow, becauſe ſhe was but the Shadow of a Wife; yet this Shadow Peninnah, (whom Elkanah made his ſecond Wife to ſupply Hannah's Barrenneſs, as Abraham did Hagar for Sarah's) had a moſt petulant and peeviſh Spirit, in upbraiding Hannah not only with the fruitleſſneſs of her Body, but alſo of her Prayers for a Child from Year to Year, v. 7. This was undoubtedly Vexatious to Elkanah, to behold his Beloved Hannah ſo daily vexed by Peninnah, whoſe Sarcaſms he could not ſilence, nor could he comfort Hannah, ver. 8. ſo this good Man had ſmall Peace in his Polygamy, which was his puniſhment for that ſin.
The Second Remark is on Samuel's Mother, Hannah, who was ſo ſorely grieved with Peninnah's Provocations, that though ſhe went up with her Family to the Feaſt of the Lord in Shilo (which the Law required to be kept with rejoicing, Deut. 12.7. and Levit. 10.19.) yet Hannah's both Harp and Heart were out of Tune, and cannot be chearful, but betakes her ſelf to Faſting and Prayer before the Lord, while others were Feaſting: Nor could ſhe be comforted by her Husband, by telling her, that he was better to her, than the Ten Sons which Peninnah had (wherein ſhe ſo much glory'd over her) and that her Barrenneſs was no abatement of his fervent Affections to her. Hannah ſtill found Prayer and Patience the beſt Anodines and Antidotes for aſſwaging her grief; cold Patience muſt quench her Corrivals fiery Contumely's, and hot fervent Prayer muſt quicken and prevail with God to grant her deſire; and to animate her Devotion the more, ſhe adds warm Tears thereunto, and as if all this were not enough, ſhe ſubjoyns likewiſe her Solemn Vow to God, ſaying, If thou wilt give thine Hand-maid a Man Child, then will I give him to the Lord all the days of his life, &c.] v. 8.9, 10, 11.
The Third Remark is, Eli's miſtake concerning this Melancholick Woman; it ſeems Hannah prayed, and continued praying in the ſight of the High-Prieſt, yet prayed in her heart, moving only her Lips, but her Voice was not heard, partly to avoid all ſuſpicion of Vain-glory, partly that others might not be acquainted with her Barrenneſs, which was a great Reproach in Iſrael; and partly that ſhe might not give any diſturbance to the publick Worſhip at that time, with her private Prayers, had ſhe utter'd them with an Audible Voice: However Eli marked the Writhing Motions of her Mouth, and her unuſual Geſtures ſhe uſed through the vehemency of her Affections, and her fervency in Prayer: He hereupon judged ſhe had drunk Wine too liberally at the Feaſt, and ſitting as Judge there, he, to redreſs this diſorder, commands her to go ſleep out her Drunkenneſs, and repent of her wickedneſs, which is a ſhame to the Lord's Feaſt, v. 12, 13. Thus the Judge misjudged, and miſconſtrued her true Devotion, as was that of thoſe Primitive Chriſtians, Acts 2.13, &c. Thus alſo both Ancient and Modern Martyrs have been misjudged in all Ages, and if we be ſo in our Age, God is not leading us through any untrodden Paths; many better than we have gone before us in that way, but our comfort is, Veniet, veniet qui malè judicata rejudicabit dies, the Day of Judgment will judge over again all that are misjudged, Pſal. 37.6.
The Fourth Remark is, Hannah's juſt Apology to Eli's unjuſt Accuſation, v. 15, 16. 'Twas indeed foul play that Eli ſhould be both Plaintiff, Witneſs and Judge alone, yet Hannah makes a fair Defence, being the Defendant, and forced to be her own Advocate, ſaying, [No, my Lord, I am a Woman of a Sorrowful Spirit, &c.] ver. 15, 16. This Plea that ſhe enters containeth, (ſaith Chryſoſtom) a ſweet bundle of precious Graces. As,
N. B. Firſt, Her Patience, ſhe then had not rendred to Peninnah's Reproaches, railing for railing; had ſhe done ſo, how would Elkanah's Houſe have been filled with the fire of Contention! conſtant Combuſtions in his Houſe betwixt his two Corrivals in Emulation, would have fill'd that good Man's Heart with Horrible Anxiety; as it had been no ſmall croſs to good Jacob in keeping the Peace betwixt his two envious Wives, Rachel and Leah, who both of them took their turns of Diſcontented Speeches, to the troubling of Jacob's Tranquility; but Hannah here, is ſilent, touching the Taunts of Peninnah, that was ſo peeviſh to her; and though ſhe could not be ſo to Eli's Taunts here, but anſwers them, yet ſhe ſetteth not up a loud Note at him, calling him a falſe Accuſer; nor doth ſhe twit him in the Teeth, with bidding him to look better to thoſe Drunken Whoremaſters, his own Sons, ſaying, [Clodius accuſat Machos,] Vice corrects ſin, as many Malapert Dames would have done in her Circumſtances; but ſhe gives him a milder Anſwer to his Reproaches, than the Bleſſed Apoſtle could ſcarcely give to the High-Priest in his Day, Acts 23.5. calling him a Whited Wall, &c. but ſhe here gives the High-Prieſt good words, patiently bearing his Unjuſt Cenſurings of her.
N. B. Secondly, Here is her Prudence, as well as Patience, ſhe ſeeketh to ſatisfie him againſt his falſe Judgment (he had paſſed ſo raſhly upon her from his Seat of Judicature, as a Judge) by ſuch Cogent Arguments, and ſuch Undeniable Reaſons, as did clearly demonſtrate, that ſhe was Sober enough, ſaying, [I have drunk neither Wine, nor ſtrong Drink, &c.] for I have ſpent this Day hitherto in Faſting, which all others have ſpent in Feaſting, v. 7, 8. Beſide (ſaith ſhe) I am a Woman in whom Drunkenneſs is more abominable than in Men; and thereupon the Romans puniſh'd it with Death, as well as Adultery; and that ſhe was a Woman of a troubled Spirit, ſo more likely to be Drunk with her own Tears (whereof, good Soul, ſhe had drunk abundance) rather than with any Intoxicating Liquors.
N. B. Moreover Hannah, prudently Argueth againſt Eli's calumny, that he ought not to count her a Daughter of the Devil, but upon better grounds. Confeſſing, ſhe had been no better than a Daughter of Belial (which is the Devil, 2. Cor. 6.15.) had ſhe been drunk indeed (as he ſuppoſed) then had ſhe thrown off the Yoke of the Law of God (as the word Belial ſignifies) and become a monſtrous Miſcreant, as all drunken Women be, in the deliberate and ſober ſentiment of this Gracious Woman. And,
N. B. Thirdly, Behold here, her Humility and Modeſty, together with her Patience and Prudence, none of which could have ſhined ſo forth in her, had ſhe been really drunk according to Eli's over-ſevere Sentence; Notwithſtanding Eli's Raſh Severity in ſo Misjudging her, yet ſhe uſeth no Railing Accuſation againſt Him (as is ſaid of Michael againſt the Devil, Jude, ver. 9.) in calling him an Ʋnjust Judge, but Humbly and Modeſtly, Beautifies all her Pleadings for her Innocency, with that comely and commendable Compellation [no, my Lord] wherein ſhe ſheweth, that ſhe had a Reverence and Veneration for Him, tho' he had paſſed ſo ſevere a Cenſure unworthily upon her: All theſe things put together, do plainly prove, that as Hannah calls her ſelf, [A Woman of a Sorrowful Spirit,] ſo we muſt call her, A Woman of a meek and quiet Spirit, which is in the ſight of God, [foreign] of great price, 1 Pet. 3.3, 4. and that there was a Bleſſed Harmony betwixt her Name and her Nature; for as her Name ſignifies Gracious in the Hebrew Tongue, ſo had ſhe a moſt Gratious Nature and Diſpoſition: Conveniunt Rebus Nomina ſape ſuis. Names and Natures do oft Harmonize.
The Fifth Remark is, Eli's Racalling his unjuſt Cenſure, and pronouncing his Sacerdotal Benediction upon her, &c. v. 17, 18. Now Old Eli ſees with new Eyes, being ſtrongly convinced by her ſtrenuous Arguments; he is now ſatisfied that ſhe was Sober, and not only ſo, but Sorrowful alſo, and ſo Sorrowful, that ſhe was Drunk with Sorrow, (as the Phraſe is uſed, Iſa. 51.21.) but not with Wine; now he underſtood ſhe had not been pouring in Wine down her Throat, but pouring out Tears before the Lord, multiplying her Prayers.
N. B. As one reſolved not to let the Lord go without his Bleſſing, Gen. 32.26. a right Daughter of Jacob, rather than of Belial: Now Eli ſaw all Hannah's earneſtneſs in her ſtrange Motions without ſpeaking out, was only to wreſt out of God's Hands that Mercy, which he for a while with an unwilling willingneſs withheld from her, that ſhe might be the more importunate with God in her moſt fervent Prayers. Hereupon Eli (to make her amends for his former Uncharitableneſs) bids her [go in Peace] as Eliſha diſmiſſed Naaman, 2 Kings 5.19. wiſhing her Mind might be more compoſed from all her Griefs, that ſhe might learn to caſt her burden upon the Lord, and he would ſuſtain her, Pſal. 55.22. and withal Eli promiſes to her his Prayers for her to that purpoſe; and not only ſo, but he alſo Propheſies, [That the God of Iſrael will grant thy Petition,] either from a general Conſideration of God's known kindneſs in hearing Prayer, or from a ſpecial Revelation of God's Spirit, which he (a good Man) might better have than ſuch a wicked High-Prieſt as Caiphas had, John 11.51.
N. B. Hannah being thus cheared up with the High-Prieſt's chearful words, beggs the benefit of his continued Prayers, looking upon his Anſwer as God's Oracle, and the Motions of the Comforter meeting with the Motions of her own Mind, all her Vexations vaniſh away, and now ſhe could eat and drink with a merry heart, Eccleſ. 9.7.
The Sixth Remark is, Samuel's Birth and Education at home, &c. v. 19, 20. to 24. Then Elkanah and Hannah (thus comforted) roſe up early in the Morning to Worſhip God, before their Ten Miles Journey home to Ramah; this Whet was not look'd upon as any Let thereto; Prayer and Provender never hinders a Journey.
N. B. This was a good Preſident for our Practice; they redeemed ſome time for Prayer, and God's Anſwer of Peace to their Prayers, not only brought them ſafely home, but alſo Bleſt Barren Hannah immediately with Conception, and likewiſe with the Birth of a Boy after Nine Months, whom ſhe called Samuel, becauſe he was asked of God (as the Hebr. Name ſignifies) a Son ſent to her from the Lord, as an Anſwer to her Prayer: Now Elkanah goes up to Shiloh with a Sacrifice of Thankſgiving for the Birth of his Son, and to ratifie his Wifes Vow, v. 11. which he now had made his own Vow alſo, v. 21. and had not diſannull'd it as according to the Law he might have done, Numb. 30.8. but Hannah ſtaid at home,
N. B. To perform the Moral Duty of Nurſing her Child, and therefore ſinned not in neglecting the Ceremonial Duties, the Women being not ſo obliged as the Men were, Exod. 23.17. She deſired her Husband to let her ſtay till ſhe might carry her Vowed Child along with her, and ſo leave him with the Lord as ſoon as he could do any Service in his Sanctuary.
N. B. To ſuch a lawful and reaſonable Requeſt of Hannah, her Husband conſents, v. 22, 23. and ſo all Husbands ought to gratifie their Wives.
The Seventh Remark is, Samuel's removal from Ramah to Shiloh, v. 24. to 28. then Hannah takes her deſired and Vowed Child, (after ſhe had Weaned and Nurſed him up until he was fit for ſome Service, and to ſhift for himſelf among Strangers) and three Bullocks with him &c. one whereof was to be for a Burnt-Offering, and the other two as a Gratuity to the High-Prieſt, and the reſt of the Prieſts to Feaſt with, that they all might be obliged in their tender care-over the young Child. Thus,
N. B. She will not appear before the Lord empty, Deut. 16.16. Exod. 23.15. and 34.20. but brings her Son, three Bullocks, a Bottle of Wine, and about a Buſhel of fine Flour unto Eli in Shiloh, as ſpecial Preſents to make Merry with, v. 24, 25. and there Hannah told Eli, that as ſure as he lived, ſhe was the very Woman whom he had misjudged; and and yet upon better Information, had ſo heartily prayed for her. v. 13, 18. and then ſhews him her Son Samuel, that was an Anſwer of his Prayers, ſtrengthening her own. And,
N. B. She had both a full Heart, and a fluent Tongue, while ſhe is mentioning this Mercy of God to her before him, v. 26 27. There is much Elegancy in her Oration to Eli, which ſhe concludeth moſt pathetically, v. 28.
Firſt, Arguing from the Topick [ab honeſto,] 'tis but Honeſt that he ſhould be Educated in that Houſe wherein he was obtained by Prayer from the Lord; I received him from God, and now I will return him to God. The Lord hath lent him to me hitherto, and now will I lend him to the Lord all his Life. Then,
Secondly, She Argues [à Juſto,] 'tis but a Juſt and Righteous thing, that I ſhould pay my Vows, and that my [Shaul-Me-el] Hebr. (alluding to her Son's Name Shemuel) ſhould now become [Shaul-Leel] Hebr. that is, by Interpretation, 'tis meet, that as God hath freely given him to me, ſo I ſhould as freely give him back to God, and Devote him to his Solemn Service, which accordingly was done, as the laſt clauſe of v. 28. that [He] is emphatical, and ſignifies Samuel, who now ſtaid with Eli, and did what ſervice he was capable to do in the Sanctuary.