A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Commentary on 1 Samuel · Chapter 13
1 Sam. CHAP. XIII.
CHapter the 13th, is a Narrative of Saul's diſtruſt and timorous Temper in taking up Arms againſt the …hilistines
Remarks upon it are, (i.) The Time when this was done, ver. 1. namely, when he had Reigned one year from his firſt Election at Mizpeh, in which time the Stories in chap. 11 and 12. did fall out: So long he Ruled righteouſly, peaceably and orderly; and he Reigned two years more after this, wherein he Conquered the Philiſtines, Syrians, M…abi…es, and Ammonites that Invaded the Land, and in that Time alſo he Invaded Amalek, but becauſe he ſpared Agag, &c. the Lord caſt him off, and Anointed David.
N. B. He Ruled well, till he was Rejected of God, and was bereaved of God's Spirit, and then he turned Tyrant, holding the Kingdom by Violence; the time he Ruled after his Rejection, was not properly a Rule, but rather a Tyranny and a Perſecution; therefore 'tis ſaid [He took the Kingdom] chap. 14.47. that is, reaſſumed the Adminiſtration of it, which he had in a manner loſt, partly by Samuel's Sentence, chap. 13.14. and partly by the Philiſtines, who had almoſt thruſt him out of it. He took it, in oppoſition to God, who had ſaid by his Servant Samuel, that he ſhould loſe it; ſo he Ruled with Rigour ever after. and therefore is he ſaid to Rule ſo few years.
N. B. And thus in God's account a Man is ſaid to live no longer in the World, than while he liveth well: Whereunto Seneca's Notion doth correſpond [diu fuit, non diu vixit] A bad Man may be long in the World, but he lives very little, for he is Dead while he lives, like Paul's Widow, 1 Tim. 5.6.
The (2d.) Remark is, The Philiſtine's freſh Invaſion of Judea, whereof we have an account and the occaſion of it, ver. 2, 3, 4, 5, 17, 18, 23. The old Enemy of Iſrael, the Philiſtines, muſtars Thirty thouſand Charets, and ſix thouſand horſe-men and foot-men innumerable, ver. 5. Joſephus ſaith, They were three hundred thouſand foot-men, and Invaded the Land.
N. B. The Provocation was this; The firſt Deſign of Saul and Jonathan was to free Judea of the Garriſons or Cittadels, which the Philiſtines had framed therein to ſuppreſs all Seditions, and to keep the Iſraelites in ſubjection to them after they had got Dominion over them: Therefore this new King and his Son Jonathan (by his Fathers order) fall upon the Philiſtines at Geba in Benjamin▪ not far from Gibeah, that their own Country might firſt be cleared of their Oppreſſors: Jonathan (a brave Heroick Prince) with his ſmall Band of Men, and thoſe badly Armed (for the Philiſtines had either ſlain all their Black-Smiths, or carried them away, ſo as neither Sword nor Spear was found with any Iſraelite, ſave with Saul and Jonathan, ver. 19, 20, 21, 22.) falls upon them in the night (as is well ſuppoſed) when the Guard of the Garriſon was faſt aſleep, and with their Clubs and Inſtruments of Agriculture, &c. ſlew the Souldiers, and took the Cittadel into his hand.
N. B. Saul knew well, that this was enough to anger thoſe Waſps the Philiſtines, to be thus driven out of any of their Hives or Holes; he hereupon ſounds an Alarm of War all the Country over, ver. 3, 4. and indeed, becauſe God was not conſulted with by Samuel, this Noble Exploit of Heroick Jonathan proved not as yet ſo happy and ſucceſsful; for the Spoilers (from the Philiſtines Innumerable Army) turned three ways to waſte Iſrael's Country, and to plunder at pleaſure, there being none but a naked People to prevent thoſe Woes of War, &c. ver. 17, 18.
The (3d.) Remark is, Iſrael's Malady was mighty, but their Remedy was impotent and inconſiderable notwithſtanding their New King, ver. 5, 6 7. Their Enemies, the Philiſtines, filled the whole Fields with their Forces: The Iſraelites were ſenſible how they ſtank in the Noſtrils of their Foes the Philistines, ver. 4 who would now undoubtedly devour them with their vaſt Multitudes, ver. 5. This great ſtrait did greatly diſtreſs them, ver. 6. And tho' Saul (their New King) had ſounded a Trumpet to call all the Tribes together to his Camp for their own defence, yet moſt of them did deſert him, ſome hiding themſelves in ſeveral Holes, ver 6 and others ſhrank and ſneaked away over Jordan, to be farther off from Danger; ver. 7. ſo that there remained only Six hundred Men to follow Saul, ver. 15. and even thoſe few followed him trembling, ver. 7. a likely Army to Conquer an Enemy that ſo far exceeded them in Arms, Order, Number and C…urage.
N. B. Oh what a ſad proſpect have we here of Iſrael, who had promiſed themſelves ſuch profound Proſperity, might they but once be honoured with having a King! and now they have him with a vengeance; 'twas now worſe with them than it had been in the Time of the Judges: God loves to confute the Vanity of Men, when they put their Truſt in an Arm of Fleſh; they had formerly preſumed, a King would cure them of all Diſaſters, and now that Carnal Confidence concludeth in this preſent Confuſion; God learning them this Leſſon, that they no leſs needed his Help now with a King, than they did before, when they had no King: It was not in the power of a Prince to procure their Peace without God's favour.
N. B. 'Tis the Prerogative of the Prince of Peace, who will cauſe the ſtrongeſt Sinew in the Arm of Fleſh to crack when he takes Men to task, as he did here Iſrael.
The (4th) Remark is, Saul's ſorry Remedy againſt his preſent Malady in Sacrificing before Samuel came to him, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Samuel had given to Saul a ſtanding Rule to obſerve while they two lived [Thou ſhalt tarry at Gilgal ſeven days, until I come and offer Sacrifice, &c.] Chap. 10.8. This Rule Saul ſhould have obſerved in all Times of Difficulty, ſuch as Invaſion of Enemies, &c. Where Joſephus affirms, that this was to be conſtantly practiſed upon all ſuch Occaſions, though it be but once Related to be done: And Saul here ſtaid not compleat ſeven Days, ſeeing the laſt Day was not finiſhed when Samuel came to Gilgal; for he came upon the Seventh Day with a purpoſe to Sacrifice, but Saul, too ſhort Spirited, had done it before.
N. B. The ſame Saul, who had been among the Prophets, Chap. 10.12. will likewiſe intrude himſelf here to be now among the Prieſts. His Patience had not its perfect work, Jam. 1.3, 4 He ſtaid not out his full time, and no doubt but Samuel had Divine Direction for his ſtaying ſo long before he came upon the Seventh Day; to Diſcover the Hypocriſie that lay lurking in Saul's Heart: For Samuel came ſoon enough to Offer up the Evening-Sacrifice, which was to be done before Sun-ſetting, Exod. 29.38, 39. So Saul waited only ſix whole Days, and but a part of the ſeventh, upon which Day Saul ſaid, [Bring the Burnt-Offering, &c. to me.] If he offer'd it with his own hands, (as Ʋzziah did after) his ſin was the greater, but Samuel came before he had offer'd the Peace Offering.
N. B. How Samuel reſented Saul's Precipitancy, we are told, ver. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Saul indeed would have ſalv'd up the matter, had it been practicable, when his own heart had ſmote him at the Tidings of Samuel's approach for what he had done, and therefore gave he him a double honour both of meeting and of ſaluting him, v. 10. ſaying, [The Lord Bleſs thee,] the common Salutation. Samuel deſirous to bring Saul to a ſenſe and Confeſſion of his ſin, asks him, [What haſt thou done?] Though he knew well enough, the Altar ſtill ſmoaking with his Sacrifice: Saul's Anſwer, v. 11, 12. diſcovers his Hypocriſie, that by no means would be brought to Accuſe himſelf: He doth not only excuſe himſelf, but alſo he accuſeth all others he could think of. As, (1.) His Soldiers for running from him. (2.) His Enemies for preſſing ſo hard upon him. And, (3.) Samuel himſelf for not coming within the time appointed, as one who had forgot his own promiſe, &c. Yea, and (4.) God himſelf (as we may ſay) muſt not eſcape his cenſure, ſaying, [I feared God would be angry, if I neglected this Duty,] as if the Lord loved the breach of his own Law.
N. B. Samuel replys, v. 13, 15. wherein, (1.) He [Tantamount] calls Saul Fool; a word that ſeems too ſawcy from a Subject to a King, but Samuel ſtood in God's ſtead here: Thus the Prophets uſed to deal roundly with Kings in the Name of the Lord, as 1 Kings 14.6. and 18.18. and 21.19. and 2 Kings 1.16. and 3.13, 14, &c. and ſurely Samuel ſaid right here; for what Saul thought was the Higheſt Wiſdom, Samuel convinced him, that it was the ſublimeſt Folly, for he both ſaid and did fooliſhly: Firſt, He had ſaid like a Fool in charging Samuel with breach of Promiſe, which was a loud Lye. for he came within the time appointed. And, Secondly, He did Fooliſhly, pretending urgent neceſſity for his own Impatience and Precipitancy in breaking God's Command, the keeping whereof is of indiſpenſable neceſſity, ſeeing the Lord never neceſſitates any Man to ſin, and his Sacrificing under ſuch a pretence only was more probable to provoke than to pacifie God. Therefore (2.) Samuel taxes him [for breaking the Command of the Lord his God] Every word hath its Emphaſis.
N. B. Eſpecially [thy God] who hath ſo exalted thee from feeding Aſſes to Rule a Kingdom, yet him thou haſt renounced by thy Diffidence and Diſtruſt in relying more upon thy Army, that Arm of Fleſh now melted away, than in thy God, who binds the Hands and the Feet of the Philiſtines ſo to the Peace, that they cannot aſſault thee, but when he will. Hereupon he tells him, (3.) Thy Diſobedience will coſt thee the loſs of two Kingdoms, not only that which is Temporal, (to be torn from thy Tribe and Family, and to be given to one after God's own heart, of the Tribe of Judah, &c.) but alſo the loſs of that which is Eternal, the greateſt loſs of all, v. 14. If thou Repent not.
N. B. Enquiry Why did God puniſh Saul ſo ſeverely for ſuch a ſmall Offence, occaſion'd by a ſeeming neceſſity, &c?
Anſwer. 1. Man is not a competent Judge of the Judgments of God, becauſe Man ſeeth only the External Act, but God ſeeth the Internal Temper. Solomon ſaith, The Sacrifice of the Wicked, is an Abomination to the Lord, Prov. 15.8. How much more, when it is brought with an Evil heart, Prov. 21.27. that Saul did this in Rebellion againſt the Light of his own Conſcience, his own words, [I forced my ſelf,] do imply, to ſay nothing of his Diſtruſt of God's Providence, &c.
N. B. Anſwer 2. It hath ever been accounted an high piece of prudence in all Lawgivers, ſeverely to puniſh the firſt Violations of their Laws, to be in terrerem to others for the future, and accordingly God dealt ſo ſeverely with Adam the firſt Tranſgreſſor, with Cain the firſt Murd…rer, with Iſrael for their firſt Idolatry in the Golden Calf, Exod. 32.28, 35. with Aaron's Sons for their firſt Miſcarriage in the Prieſthood, Levit. 10 1, 2. with that Perſon, who was the firſt Prophaner of the Sabbath, Numb. 15.32. and Laſtly, with the firſt groſs Hypocrites in the firſt Goſpel Church, Acts 5.5, 10. Accordingly Saul was the firſt King of Iſrael, and therefore God's Severity with him, was to be a terrour to all his Succeſſors, &c.
N. B. Anſwer 3. Though God threaten Saul with the loſs of his Kingdom here, yet may it probably be ſuppoſed, that a tacit condition was implyed, namely, if he did not heartily repent of his ſin: Thus it was in the caſe of Nineveh, Jonah 3.4. And this is the more probable here, becauſe the full, final and peremptory Sentence of Saul's Rejection, is plainly aſcribed to his Deſperate Diſobedience unto God's Command, in ſparing Curſed Amalek, chap. 15.11, 23.26, 28.29. and until that ſecond prevocation, neither did the Spirit of the Lord depart from him, nor was David Anointed by Samuel in his ſtead, until Chap. 16.13, 14.
N. B. Anſwer 4. Sometimes God puniſhes ſmall ſins ſeverely, and ſuch are ſet down in Scripture Record, for weighty Reaſons. As,
Firſt, To teach us the heinous Nature of ſin in it ſelf, ſo hateful to God, and ſo hurtful to Men, that we may abhor all the degrees of it; 'tis the proper Object of Hatred, Ye that love the Lord, hate evil,] Pſal. 97.10. we ſhould hate it with a perfect Hatred, the ſmall as well as the great, otherwiſe our hatred of it is not perfect.
Secondly, To ſhew us, that indeed no ſin can truly be called a little ſin, becauſe there is no little God to ſin againſt; therefore to diſobey the great God even in the ſmalleſt matters (as in Adam's eating an Apple) is a ground great enough, and a ſin great enough to procure God's Severity.
Thirdly, That we may not indulge our ſelves in the leaſt ſin, as we are prone to do in preſuming on God's Mercy, leſt God puniſh us for them, and leſt little ſins make way for greater, as little Wedges make room for the more Maſſie ones, and little Thieves ſerve to open the Doors for the grand Crew. This will befal us, when God is offended with our allowing of little ſins, he lets us alone at laſt to a wallowing in groſſeſt Enormities.
Fourthly, N. B. That we may all learn the Riches of Divine Grace and free Mercy, in paſſing by and pardoning ſuch great Inquities in us. when we find the rigour of Juſtice executed upon others for far leſſer faults Recorded in Scripture, Alterius perditio tua fiat cautio, ſuch Examples of God's Severity are purpoſely Regiſtred in Sacred Writ, as neceſſary Cautions unto us; they are written for an Admonition to all future Ages, 1 Cor. 10.6, 11. and therefore the Ʋniverſal Good to all Generations, that is learnt out of thoſe Inſtances of God s Severity for ſmall Matters, doth abundantly preponderate, and holds forth more of Divine Mercy, than that Divine Rigour on thoſe particular perſons had inflicted on them, can amount to God's Diſhonour.
Anſwer 5. As this ſeverity upon Saul was perſonal only, yet for a General Advantage to all Ages (in which reſpect it hath more of God's Kindneſs than of his Harſhneſs in it) ſo 'tis Recorded for our inſtruction.
N. B. That an Honeſt Intention will not warrant an unwarrantable Action, as ſome ſuppoſe Saul had in Sacrificing; two things make a Godly Man, good Actions, and good Aims. A good Aim maketh not a bad Action good, as in the Caſe of Ʋzzah, who had an Honeſt Intention probably in putting forth his Hand to hold up the Ark ready to tumble down, yet God ſmote the Breath out of his Body for ſo doing, 2 Sam. 6.6, 7. but a bad Aim, may make a good Action bad, as in the Caſe of Jehu, the matter of his Act ons was good, 2 Kings 10 30. but the Motive, Aim and End were all amiſs, v. 29.31, &c. He followed God ſo far as to get a Kingdom, and when their ways parted, Jehu follows no farther, and ſo his Rotten Aims became his Ruine: Accordingly Saul's unſound Heart and diſpenſatory Conſcience (which he here forced to comply in a Work not warranted by the word) diſcovered his Hypocriſie, and uſher'd in his Deſtruction.
The laſt Remark upon chap. 13. is the low Eſtate of Iſrael, notwithſtanding their promiſing to themſelves ſo much Protection and Proſperity from a Crowned Prince. This appears,
Firſt, In the ſcornful number of the Army, but ſix Hundred Men, v. 15. to oppoſe the prodigious Army of the Philiſtines, who had ſent forth Spoilers three ways to ſpoil the Countrey, v. 17, 18. it ſeems, not only Saul's Army (which he ſummon'd in by ſound of Trumpet, v. 3.) but alſo the Three Thouſand for his and his Son's Life-guard, v. 2. did all ſhrink away, ſave theſe Six Hundred, when they ſaw Samuel deſert Saul in ſo high Diſpleaſure, and Saul haſtening after him from Gilgal to Gibeah, v. 15, 16. hoping ſtill, and hanging upon him for ſome aſſiſtance from him.
N. B. Secondly, In their want of Smiths, to furniſh them with Arms, v. 19. this was the crafty Policy of thoſe Tyrannical Philiſtines, not only to take away all the old Arms of the Subdued Iſraelites, but all their Artiſicers alſo, that ſhould have made them new Arms, leſt they ſhould Rebel with them: The Caldeans did the like to Iſrael afterwards, 2 Kings. 24.14. to prevent Rebellion.
Thirdly, In the want of all Inſtruments, even for their Husbandry, v. 20, 21. nothing being allowed but the File; and though they had divers Tools for Tillage, yet were they ſo blunt, that they were unfit for War (as ſometime had been uſed, Judg. 3.31: and 5.8, &c.) and to be ſure the Philiſtines Foges would not ſharpen them for any ſuch uſe, much leſs furniſh them with Inſtruments for Battle.
N. B. 'Tis ſad with the Proteſtant Church, when we muſt go down to Popiſh Powers to ſharpen our Tools for God's Husbandry, &c. Mark likewiſe, There was ſuch a want of Arms, that no Weapon of War was in any hand but in Saul's and Jonathan's, v. 22. the Six Hundred Men were Weaponleſs.
N. B. All which ſhews into what Slavery God's People may be plunged, by being the Slaves of ſin, &c.