A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Commentary on 1 Samuel · Chapter 2
1 Samuel, CHAP. II.
CHapter the ſecond, of the Firſt Book of Samuel, relateth Samuel's Education at God's Sanctuary in Shiloh.
The Firſt Remark herein is, Holy Hannah's Song of Thankſgiving for her double Bleſſing God had beſtowed upon her.
Firſt, In removing from her the Reproach of Barrenneſs, for which peeviſh Peninnah had ſo vexatiouſly Reproached her. And,
Secondly, In making her a Joyful Mother of ſuch an Hopeful Son: Yet her praiſing of God for this double Bleſſing, is call'd her praying to God, v. 1. for Thanksgiving is a part of Prayer, Col 4.2. and 1 Tim. 2.1. and praiſing is an Artificial way of praying, Gratiarum Actio est ad plus dandum Invitatio, ſaith the Father; Thankfulneſs for old Mercies, is the beſt way to procure new ones: God ſaith of ſuch, They are a Thankful People, they ſhall have more of my Mercy; and Hannah's praiſing God for former Benefits, was her cunning way of begging God's Bleſſing upon the Education and Matriculation of her Son, under Eli's Conduct.
The Second Remark is, This Heavenly Song of Holy Hannah, for her Son Samuel, carries a congruous Correſpondency, with that Coeleſtial Song of the Bleſſed Virgin Mary for her Son Jeſus, who was both hers and our Saviour, Luke 1.46, 47, &c.
N. B. In both theſe Bleſſed Women, there was, Firſt, A Congruity of Cauſes, the removal of the Reproach of Barrenneſs, and rewarding them with Soveraign Sons.
Secondly, Both of them did leap Levalto's, and did Dance a Galliard (as the Greek word [foreign] Luke 1.47. ſignifies) in their Religions Rejoycings. And,
Thirdly, Both their Songs are filled with the like Metaphors, Aſyndeta's, and Apoſtrophe's: Yea, and,
Fourthly, Hannah Propheſieth of Bleſſed Mary's Son, whom ſhe expreſly calls the Meſſiah, or Anointed one, v. 10. which is the firſt Scripture that gives this Name to the Lord Jeſus, of whom the Rabbins Interpret this place, and Zecharias himſelf accommodates it to Chriſt, Luke 1.69. who was to Judge all the ends of the Earth, eſpecially at the Day of Judgment: And ſhe foretelleth, [He ſhall give ſtrength to his King] that after the Judges, God would raiſe up a King to ſave them wholy, which ſhould not be Saul, for he was a King of the Peoples chuſing, but it muſt be David, whom God did chuſe, and whom her Son Samuel did anoint, and who was alſo a Type of Chriſt, this Anointed one here, &c.
The Third Remark is, The Commendation of Samuel for his Sedulity in the Service of the Sanctuary, though ſo young, v. 11. and though he had the daily wicked Examples of Eli's Diſſolute Sons before his Eyes, yet was not this young Child debauched by them.
N. B. Some Parents (to my knowledge) have trembled to leave their young Sons, as Pupils to a Tutor, who had any Debauchee-Students attending him: Yet Gracious Hannah here adventureth to leave her only Son (when but Young, yet Hopeful) with Eli as his Tutor, who had Tutor'd his own Sons no better, and by whom the tender Buds of Samuel's hopefulneſs might ſoon have been blaſted, ſeeing Sin is as catching as the Plague to our corrupt Natures, and eſpecially the ſinful Practices of the Elder prove too often woful Patterns and Preſidents to the Younger, as was the caſe of Samuel here: 'Tis a wonder, that Samuel's Soul (which the Philoſopher calls Raſa Tabula, a piece of White Paper, whereon bad may be written, as well as good) was not tainted with the lewdneſs of Eli's Sons, who were much elder than he, and no doubt were oft tempting him to partake with them in their Villanies.
N. B. Mendoza indeed affirmeth, That Samuel muſt be about Nine or Ten Years old, when it is ſaid of him, [That he miniſtred unto the Lord before Eli▪] v. 11. becauſe the Nature of his Mothers Vow, chap. 1.28. did deſign ſome Service, whereof Samuel was capable to perform; nor is it probable, ſhe would preſent him to the Tabernacle of God, before he was well weaned from the common Food of Children; for had he not been ſo when he came thither, he had ſurely been an Encumbrance, and no Advantage to Eli, and the Service of the Sanctuary, had he been left there a very young Child after his firſt Weaning from his Mother's Breaſts: Suppoſe all this true, yet in thoſe Years was he the more expoſed to Temptation by Eli's Lewd Sons; and therefore it ſeems a bold Venture in Hannah to leave her Hopeful Son among Eli's Hopeleſs and Graceleſs Sons, who at their grown years would be apt enough to Inſult over ſuch a Stripling.
N. B. But undoubtedly ſhe had a particular Faith for her Son, and could ſay with David, [In this will I be confident,] Pſal. 27.3. Then the Lord took him up, Pſal. 27.10. whereby ſhe left him with the Lord, more than with Eli. And Mendoza's Opinion (of Samuel being about Ten Years old) is the more probable, becauſe, though as a Levite he could not enter into the Service of the Sanctuary before he was Twenty five Years old, Numb 8.24. yet as a Nazarite devoted to God from his Conception, &c. he had ſome ſpecial Diſpenſation, and only lighted the Lamps, ſang Spiritual Songs, and play'd on Inſtruments of Muſick, and ſuch like Offices of the Tabernacle, as he at that Age was able to perform, 1 Chron. 6.31, 32. and 25.6, 7, 8.
The Fourth Remark is, The Diſcommendation of Eli's Sons, v. 12. to v. 22. for their five foul ſins. As,
Firſt, For their affected Ignorance, v. 12. the Sons of Eli were Sons of Belial, and knew not either the Lord, or his Law practically, as 'tis Rom. 1.28. 1 Cor. 15.34. Tit. 1.16. Jerem. 9.3. 1 John 2.4. though they could not want a Speculative, or Notional Knowledge of God, &c. by vertue of their Education under a Godly Father.
Secondly, For their odious Avarice, Rapine and Violence, v. 13, 14. where they are branded not only for Inhumane Robbery, but alſo for Impious Sacriledge; they did not only rob the offerer of his part of his own offering, but they ſtole God's part too, and ſerv'd themſelves before him: So covetous they were, as not being content with the Breaſt and Shoulder allotted them by the Lord, Exod. 29.27, 28. Levit. 7.31, &c. which alſo ought to have been waved, &c. Levit. 7.34. They catch what they can with their Fleſh-hook out of the Caldron, and whether it were their part by the Law, or not, they converted it to their own uſe; this was their Cuſtom, but not their Right.
Thirdly, For their Abominable Intemperance and Gluttony, v. 15, 16, 17. Sodden Fleſh would not ſerve and ſatisfie thoſe Liquoriſh Loſels.
N. B. They muſt be fed with Roſt-meat, forſooth, and would be kinder to themſelves than God was to them: Their Belly was their God, Phil. 3.19. they ſerved their Luſts (in pampering their Appetites) more than the Lord in attending his Altar: They made their Gut their God, they took what they liſted, and both how and when they pleaſed.
Fourthly, For their unparallel'd Whoredoms with the Women that came up out of all the Tribes to Worſhip God at his Tabernacle, v. 22. this was ordinary, for Women to accompany their Husbands thither: Thus Hannah did here, and the Bleſſed Virgin Mary, Luke 2.41. and thus they uſed to do long before, Exod. 38.8. ſometimes with their Parents.
N. B. Oh Abominable Impiety! That thoſe Prophane Prieſts ſhould ſo ſcandalize their High and Holy Calling with ſuch Matchleſs Villanies, as to commit a Rape upon the Women that came thither for better purpoſes, poſſibly to faſt and pray, as Luke 2.37. However to perform ſome Service to God in a Religious Manner: Oh what an high provocation was this to the moſt Holy God, (whoſe Prieſts they were) that they ſhould give themſelves up to ſuch outragious Filthineſs! And Oh what a peſtilent pattern was this to the People in General, ſeeing 'tis ſo generally obſerved, like Prieſt, like People! No wonder if it be ſaid, [Men abborr'd the Offerings of the Lord,] v. 17. becauſe they knew that their Offerings might paſs through the polluted hands of theſe profligate Prieſts, which was enough to make the Lord to abhor them, rather than to accept of them; nor durſt they truſt their Wives to go thither for Purification after Child-bearing, as was required, Levit. 12.6. much leſs their Virgin-Daughters, leſt they ſhould be Raviſh'd by thoſe Lecherous Lurdans.
N. B. Their wanton Tooth was the Harbinger of their Luxuriant Wantonneſs, and their Gluttony was the Gallery that their Lechery walked through: Sine Cerere & Baccho friget Venus; Lechery is a Monſter without Gluttony and Drunkenneſs, ſaith Tertullian; Et Ventrem Vino Aeſtuans deſpumat in libidines, he that pampers his Paunch, muſt fry forth his Froth in wicked ways, ſaith Jerom: This Luxury had been abominable in any of the People, much more in thoſe Prieſts, who ſhould have taught the People better Leſſons by their Lives as well as Lips: So that a wicked Prieſt is the worſt Creature in the World.
N. B. Thoſe that were once Angels of Light, damn'd themſelves into Devils of Darkneſs: The more damnable was the practice of thoſe Prieſts, becauſe they had Wives of their own, Chap. 4.19. and ſo might drink Water out of their own Ciſtern, &c. as Solomon adviſeth, Prov. 5.15. No Wonder then if Popiſh Prieſts (who are not allow'd to Marry) be ſo notoriouſly branded for Whoredom, eſpecially conſidering they moſtly want that pious Education which Eli's Sons had. And,
Fifthly, or Laſtly, They ſtand ſtigmatiz'd for their Obſtinacy and Obduration upon Scripture Record, v. 25. They were diſobedient to the grave Counſel of their good Father, whom they deſpiſed for his Old Age, ſo perſiſted in their pertinacious practices, which are deſcribed by aggravating Circumſtances. As,
Firſt, Oh Place, in Shilo, the Holineſs whereof ſhould have ſmitten them with ſhame to commit ſuch Horrible Abominations even in the ſight of God himſelf, ver. 14.
Secondly, Of Perſons, [Prieſts,] who ought to lead exemplary Lives, and to teach by pattern, as well as by precept. And,
Thirdly, By Time, when they ſhould have been better employed in God's Worſhip.
N. B. But the cauſe of all their wicked Courſes is expreſſed; God gave them up to their own Luſts, becauſe he had a purpoſe to ſlay them, ver. 25.
The Fifth Remark is, The manner how this Good Man Eli (yet a fond Father) did chaſtize his moſt notoriouſly flagitious Sons for their unparallell'd Sins, v. 23. to v. 27. wherein he is found too fondly mild with them all along in his chaſtizing of ſuch Miſcreant Villains, not only as too fond a Father, but alſo as too Indulgent a Judge, and too remiſs an High-Prieſt; both which Superiour Offices did require in him much more ſeverity againſt ſuch ſins of the firſt Magnitude, and againſt ſuch Sinners of the blackeſt Dye, (as they were Chemarims, (which ſignifies Black-Coats) a word uſed for Prieſts, Zeph. 1.4. but more eſpecially againſt ſinful Sons of his own Loins and Family: He that ruleth not his own Houſe well, how can he rule well the Houſe of God? 1 Tim. 3, 4, 5.
N. B. Let us take a view hereof in its Branches.
Firſt, He ſaith over ſoftly to them, [Why do ye ſuch things?] v. 23. This was reprove them Lenitate Patris, non Authoritate Pontificis, ſaith Jerom, with the Lenity of a Father, not with the Authority of a Magiſtrate: 'Tis an old Saying, [Pity ſpoils a City;] ſure I am it did ſo here, for it ſpoil'd his Family, cauſing the Prieſthood to be removed from it, as is demonſtrated afterwards in the next Remark.
Secondly, [I hear of your evil Doing:] This was too Gentle, to mention them in the general only, and not to particularize them with their Deteſtable Aggravations, he ſhould have rebuk'd them, [foreign,] cuttingly, or ſharply, Tit. 2.15. with all Authority, and not by Hear-ſay only.
Thirdly, [By all the People:] As if it were their Report only, and that he was put on by the People to ſay what he ſaid.
Fourthly, [Nay my Sons,] v. 24. He ſhould have ſet on his Reproof, by ſaying, [Ye act more like Sons of Belial, than my Sons, the Sons of the High-Prieſt of the Moſt High God.
Fifthly, ['Tis no good Report:] He ſhould have call'd it, the moſt Diſmal and Diabolical, if he had had a right Zeal for God's Glory, &c.
Sixthly, He was not willing to Reprove them, but the Clamours of others forced him to do it.
Seventhly, He did not Rebuke them publickly, 1 Tim. 5.20. for their publick ſins to make the Plaſter as broad as the Wound.
Eighthly, It was only a Verbal Reproof, whereas he ſhould have put them out of their Prieſthood and puniſhed them for their Adultery according to the Law, without reſpect of Perſons as a Judge, &c.
Ninthly, He did not Rebuke them in time, but let them live long in ſin.
Tenthly, He ſoon ceaſed chiding them ſo 'tis ſaid, [He reſtrained them not,] ch. 3.13. All that can be ſaid by way of Apology for Eli in this caſe is,
Firſt, That he now was very Old, v. 22. Some ſuppoſe him to be now come to his Ninetieth Year, even in his Doteage, ſo could not himſelf Converſe with his Sons, ſo as to obſerve their Male-Adminiſtrations, and withal, he was dim-ſighted, ſo could not ſo well ſee their ſinful Practices: His Superannuation cauſed his frequent Abſence from the Tabernacle, which gave a greater opportunity for his Sons Wickedneſs, to whom the management of God's Worſhip was (in their Father's Retirement) betruſted, and 'tis not improbable, his Sons did not much regard his Reproofs, becauſe he was Old and Over-worn; but themſelves, being in their Vigour, had Marry'd Wives, and were Fathers of Children. And,
N. B. 'Tis commonly known, that Old Age doth incline Men to Mercy, ſo that 'tis no Wonder if Eli ſeem rather to Flatter than to Chaſtize his Sons.
Secondly, This Apology may be made alſo for Old Eli, in his giving right Counſel to his Refractory Sons, v. 24, 25. telling them,
1. [How they made the Lord's People to tranſgreſs,] either in encouraging them to perpetrate the like execrable Practices, by their prophane patterns, and inſtigating the Lord's People to become Children of Belial, the Devil's People, by their pernicious Examples; or otherwiſe in hurrying them into the other extream of not only neglecting, but alſo of contemning their own indiſpenſable Duties of Offering Sacrifices, when they ſaw that their Oblations muſt paſs through ſuch horrible wicked hands. And,
2. Telling them, If one Man ſin againſt another, by doing any Injury, the Magiſtrate, or Ʋmpire may in ſuch a caſe compoſe the Difference, and patch up ſuch a Peace as both Parties ought to acquieſce (if their Hearts be not bigger than their Suits) in that final Determination: But (ſaith he) you have not ſinned against Man only, but againſt the Lord alſo, therefore it is not in the power of Man to right the wrong done to God, or to reconcile you to him whom you have ſo immediately offended in his Worſhip.
N. B. Eli meaneth, that after the manner of Men, many dare intercede with the Prince for ſuch as have injur'd any private perſon, but none dare do ſo preſume, when the Injury is offered to the Prince's own Perſon: None dare be a Solicitor, much leſs can be a Days-Man in ſuch a caſe; ſo that Eli ſeems to point at the Meſſiah (whoſe Office is to take away tranſgreſſion, Dan. 9.24) who was the Antitype of their Prieſtly Office, and whom he wiſhes them to make their Mediator, repenting of their ſins, and laying hold of his Merits by Faith, and not to periſh in their final Impenitency.
The Sixth Remark is, The manner how the Man of God (a Prophet ſent of God) did chaſtize both the cockering Father, and his cockered Children, which is done partly Reprehenſory, and partly Comminatory, from v. 27. to the end.
Firſt, By way of Reproof, who this Reprover was, many are the Conjectures of Learned Men; ſome ſay it was Elias, who was not yet Born into the World, or Phinehas, who was now lately gone out of the World: Others more probably think it was Elkanah, or an Angel in Man's ſhape; but ſeeing this is not revealed in Scripture, as 'tis vain curioſity to enquire, ſo 'tis impoſſible to determine who he was; yet whoever was this Reprover, whereas Eli did but dally with this Nail of Reproof, he drove it down to the Head here, both to the Father, and to his Sons.
N. B. Firſt, As to Eli, this Man of God upbraids him with that diſtinguiſhing favour he had received from God, in making him his High Prieſt, though deſcended of Ithamar the younger Son of Aaron, and gave all the Emoluments of the Prieſthood, (a very Honourable Maintenance) to him and his Sons, and yet dare they thus provoke the Lord (their Benefactor) like fooliſh Folk and unwiſe, Deut. 32.5, 6. Beneficium poſtulat officium, Benefits are binders to Offices and Duties of Thankfulneſs; God looks upon the Abuſe of his Benignity as an high Indignity, and therefore chides he thus with Eli for this Affront, v. 27, 28. and not only ſo in the general, but gives him this particular Impeachment, that he had neglected his Duty both as a Parent and as a Prieſt, and as a Judge, in indulging his Sons to trample under foot the Ordinances of the Lord, yet chuſed he rather to gratifie them, than to glorifie God, v. 29.
N. B. Eli is charged here with conniving at his Sons ſins, for his own Self-ends, becauſe their Sacriledge help'd to feed their Old Father.
N. B. Secondly, By way of Threatning. (1.) The loſs of the Prieſthood to Eli's Family, v. 30. God had promis'd it to Phinehas Eleazar's Son, Numb. 25.12. but in ſome time of the Judges (ſaith Dr. Lightfoot) the High Prieſthood was tranſlated from the Line of Eleazar Aaron's Elder Son, to the Line of Ithamar the younger of whom this Eli deſcended, 1 Chron. 6.4, 5, 6. and 7, 8, 6, 10. This forfeiture from the Elder Line (the Doctor ſuppoſeth) was made in the matter of Jephtah, for inſtructing him no better, but ſuffering him ſo unnaturally to diſpoſe of, or diſpatch his own only and Religious Daughter.
N. B. Thus, as the Promiſe for the perpetuation of the Prieſthood to Aaron's Family, Exod. 28.43. and 29.9. was Conditional only, ſo long as they did Honour God therein, which Condition the Elder Line of Aaron kept not in the caſe of Jephtah's Vow, therefore was the High Prieſthood transferr'd to the Younger Line, which now upon the like failure in the Condition, made a new forfeiture thereof, by Diſhonouring God ſo notoriouſly in Eli's Sons.
N. B. This may be called Breach of Promiſe, as that is, Num. 14.34. when the old Generation were waſted in the Wilderneſs, and yet the new one was brought into Canaan as God had promiſed, Deus non deſcrit niſi deferentem, Auſtin. 2 Chron. 15.3.
(2.) This Man of God threatens the Extirpation of Eli's Family, v. 31, 32. His Arm ſhall be out off, as Zech. 11.17. which may either be the Ark call'd the ſtrength of God, Pſal. 78.61. and taken after by the Philiſtines, chap 4. or his Prieſthood, which was his ſtrength and ſubſiſtency, whereby he and his Family ſubſiſted; but principally his Poſterity, who are the ſtrength of Parents, Gen. 49.3. Deut. 21.17. Pſal. 127.4, 5. this Arm of Strength ſhould wither away before they were old, ſaith he.
(3.) This Man of God threatens him with a Rival in the place of the Prieſthood, which he, or his Poſterity ſhould behold with their Eyes, to their great grief and regret, v. 32, 33. for though God raiſed up the Young Prophet Samuel to be his Competitor, or Rival in his publick employ in his very day, which he in perſon might ſee to his ſorrow, yet the full accompliſhment of this threatning was not until the Days of Eli's Poſterity, which ſaw Abiathar (of Eli's Race) put out of the Prieſthood, and Zadok of the Elder Line put into his place, 1 Kings 2.27, 35. and that in the Days of Solomon, to which this Clauſe, [In all the Wealth which God ſhall give Iſrael, v. 32.] pointeth at, for then Iſrael flouriſhed moſt, and the Prieſthood was then moſt profitable.
(4.) This Man of God threatens him with the Violent Death of his Sons before their Father's Death, v. 34, 35. which was fulfilled, chap. 4.11. promiſing withal to raiſe up a better Prieſthood, which would Honour God, and which ſhould continue to the Captivity, or to the coming of Chriſt, the moſt Anointed one.
(5.) He threatens h…m with the Poverty of his Poſterity, v. 36. [They ſhall come crouching] as Abiathar did, 1 Kings 2.26. when Baniſh'd to Anathoth: Their ſin is writ on their puniſhment; before they pamper'd their Panches with Roſt-meat, &c. v. 13. to 17. now glad of a Morſel of Bread, and poſſibly thoſe of the Elder Line did tyrannize over them for being their Rivals ſo long, for withholding the Prieſthood ſo great a term of time from the right Line of Eliazar, to whom it was moſt properly due, and hereupon might either degrade thoſe Prieſts of the Line of Ithamar, or cut them ſhort of that plentiful proviſion God made even for the Inferiour Prieſthood, &c.