Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · 1 Samuel · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
HEre Saul is sent by Samuel against Amalek, being charged to destroy V. 1.them all, and all their cattle, sparing none, because they had dealt so wickedly with the Hebrews in the wildernesse, Exod. 17. 8. Comestor following R. Solomon saith hereupon, that hee was charged to destroy the Beasts, because many amongst the Amalekites had the faculty of transforming themselves into Beasts by witchcraft, lest in those shapes they should escape. But Lyra well rejecteth this, because this generall destruction of all things tended Lyra.to shew the greatest indignation against so wicked a nation, that might bee, that the memory thereof might be quite rased out. And Amalek was not served thus alone but others had also the in like detestation, as Numb. 24. the Lord saith, I remember what Amalek did, this is spoken, as Peter Martyr hath it, Peter Martyr.not that God doth properly remember or forget, but according to the manner of men, because by not doing any thing yet against Amalek in 400. yeares, hee might seeme to have forgotten their injuries done to his people, but now taking order for revenge upon them hee seemed to remember them. Whence note, that judgements against the wicked may long bee deferred, but at length Note. they shall come. The particulars to bee destroyed are enumerated, that Saul might be without al colour of excuse, men, women and children, sheep and oxen, &c. If this shall seeme to bee cruelty, for what had the little children or beasts done? I answer, if men of themselves being carryed on with a desire of revenge should have done thus, it had beene intolerable cruelty, but authority being given from God thus to doe, it is justice to punish them not onelyonly in themselves, but also in their children and cattle. When Samuel came to send Saul against Amalek hee said, thus saith the Lord of Hoasts, because hee hath all power, and all creatures are used as his Hoasts, whensoever hee pleaseth, see Esay 40. 26.
Saul therefore calleth the people together, and numbreth them in Telaim 200000. V. 4.footmen and 10000. men of Judah. The word Telaim signifying Lambes, is in the Vulgar Latin rendred, as Lambes, and the Hebrews hold, that it being the time of the passeover, every one brought a Lambe, which when they were numbred, the number of the men was knowne, for it was not lawfull to number them by the poll. But to leave this, as a fond conjecture, it is more probable, that Telaim is a proper name here, which Junius conjectureth to be Telem, in the Iunius. P. Martyr. Josephus.tribe of Iudah, spoken of Iosh. 15. 24. as lambes, it cannot bee rendred, because foreign is prefixed signifying in, and not foreign signifying as. Josephus saith, that he numbred them in Gilgal, but hee erreth manifestly in the number, for he hath but 40000. of Israel, and 30000. of Judah. Whereas Judah affordeth a lesse number then any other tribe and yet was the greatest, 2 Sam. 24. it was because it lay upon the Philistims cost, and so could spare no more. Having this great Army he sendeth V. 6.to the Kenites to goe away, or to descend from the Amalekites, that they might bee out of danger; and he biddeth them descend, because they dwelt upon hils and rockes, Numb. 24. 21. These were the people, of whom came Hobab the father in law of Moses, Iudg. 1. 16. and they dwelt now on the south of Iudah, neare unto Amalek, and partly amongst them. Now because the people of Israel had received kindenesse from one of them in the wildernesse, this is here long after requited, as the Amalekites are appointed to destruction for their unkindenesse, and cruelty, so the benefits done to Gods people shall not goe unrewarded. But because they are required to depart from amongst the Amalekites, Note that they might be spared, hereby was shewed, that who so would not partake with the wicked in their judgments, must separate from them, and not bee linked in society with them, as 2 Cor. 6. 17.
And Saul smote Amalek from Havilah to Shurright over against Egypt, that is, V. 7.a Countrey of Arabia to the uttermost bound of Arabia towards Egypt, whereby saith Junius, is not meant the whole Countrey of the Amalekites, but so Iunius.many of them, as came into the place here described against Saul: for if all the Amalekites had now beene destroyed, how could they have after this invaded 1 Sam. 27. 8. Ch. 30. 1.Ziklag, and beene pursued and slaine by David? thus hee, but if Saul had slaine onelyonly those, that came out against him, he should not have fulfilled Gods command, which was not onelyonly to destroy the men, but also the women and children, for which hee must needs enter into their Cities. Wherefore Josephus Iosephus.better, he went from Towne to Towne killing and slaying all that hee could meet withall from Pelusium to the Red-sea. And whereas the Amalekites are againe spoken of after this, Ch. 27. 8. and 30. 1. whereby it should seeme, that they were not all rooted out at this time, it may bee thought, that some fled away into other parts, and some hid themselves and so escaped, or men of other countreys seeing Amalek now to lye waste having some Amalekites amongst them came and inhabited there, being from the place where they lived called Amalekites.
And he tooke Agag their King alive. This was the common name of the Kings V. 8.of Amalek, as Pharaoh of the Kings of Aegypt. Saul, saith Josephus, was taken with the beauty of Agag, and therefore spared him; but other Hebrewes, that he might shew him his hidden treasure, and it is most probable, that he was led by covetousnesse to do this against Gods command, as to spare the best Josephus.and fattest of the Cattle, and every good thing, v. 9. This sinne of Saul in sparing Agag, is thus aggravated by Josephus, when God had sent him to destroy the wicked Amalekites and had given him the Victory, he fell into this foule fault to spare the head and chiefe of all that wicked people, who ought chiefly to have beene cut off, and therefore was justly put from his Kingdome. Yet Pellican will not have Saul to have sinned herein, because he is not charged with Pellican.this, as a sinne, but with sparing the Cattle, and happily he saved Agag alive to do execution upon him before all Israel, thus he: but Saul is plainely noted to have sinned herein, because he did contrary to Gods command, and Samuels slaying of Agag, shewed, that Saul had no meaning to kill him. v. 9. The best V. 9.of the sheepe, and of the oxen, and the fatlings and lambes, &c. for fatlings and lambs the Vulg. Lat. hath garments and rammes, Junius, the secundaries and leaders of the sheepe, but the word foreign here used signifieth the double, that is, those that were double in fat and flesh to the rest, wherefore this word is well rendred the fat, and happily, as Pagninus hath it, foreign is put for foreign by a Metathesis, which signifieth fat, and the next word foreign signifieth lambes as well as rammes. v. 11. The wickednesse of Saul is soone revealed by the Lord unto V. 11. Lyra.Samuel, who said unto him, it repenteth me that I have made Saul King, &c. In him that repenteth, saith Lyra, there is mutability, but there is none in God, he is therefore said to repent, because he did like man repenting, destroying that which hee had made, in deposing him from the Kingdome, whom he had advanced to it, for v. 29. God is said not to be like unto man, that he should repent. All the mutability then was in Saul; and Gods decree, which was from the beginning, that Saul should be put from his Kingdome, remained immutable, wherefore Saint Augustine saith well, paenitudo dei est mutandorum August.immutabilis ratio.
And when Samuel rose earely to meet Saul, it was told him, Saul came to Carmel, and V. 12.he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on to Gilgal. For these words, he set him up a place, the Vulg. Lat. hath erexisset sibi fornicem triumphalem, expounded by Lyra, he set up a triumphal arch of Palmes and Olive branches in token of the Victory, which he did in a boasting manner through vaine-glory, thus Lyra.aggravating his sinne, in that he did not give all the praise to God. Hierome saith that the Hebrewes, when they had gotten a great Victory, used to set up a Hieron. de Hebr. qu. Hugo Cardin.triumphant arch of Myrtles, Palmes, and Olives, and this saith Hugo, was called fornix from fornicor to commit fornication, because it was erected upon a Wall arched, under which of old, whores were prostituted. The Hebrew word is foreign an hand, he made him an hand, which Junius expoundeth of a station, in Iunius.which he rested with his Army a while; Kimhi and the Chaldeans understand it of a place, where he divided the spoiles, and some, saith Peter Martyr, of an Altar, Peter Martyr.which Altar they thinke is againe spoken of, when Elijah is said to have repaired the Altar in Carmel. To me that of Hierom seemeth best, he set up some 1 King. 18.monument of his Victory, and so putting his men in order, he led them along in a triumphant manner downe to Gilgal, to make the greater shew, for by hand power or forces may be understood, Numb. 11. 23. One describing the way that Saul went about this expedition, saith, that from Gibeah to the Amalekites H. Bunting Patriar. travailes.Country was 160 miles, from Pelusium to the Red-sea, the whole Country subdued by him 92 miles, and from thence backe to Carmel 140 miles, from Carmel to Gilgal 32 miles.
When Samuel came to Saul, he first said, that he had done Gods commandement, but Samuel disproving him by the bleating of the Sheep, and lowing of V. 13, 14, 15.the Oxen, which were kept alive, he excuseth it, by saying that the People preserved these for sacrifice. Unto his sinne of doing against the word of God, Saul here addeth divers other sinnes, as 1. boasting of his obedience, 2. laying the fault upon the people, and clearing himselfe, 3. hypocrisie, in that when he spared the Amalekites best things out of covetousnesse, he pretended piety, 4. his justifying of himselfe againe v. 20. 5. in that when he confessed his sinne, he did it feignedly, still extenuating it by his fearing of the people, v. 24. 6. by vaineglory, in that he would needes have Samuel to honour him with his presence (when he worshipped,) before the Elders of Israel. When Saul had spoken, V. 16, 17, 18, 19.Samuel telleth him of his great sinne, and what the Lord had said unto him the night before, first recounting the wonderfull great favour done by God unto him to raise him from so meane an estate to that royall dignity, thus aggravating his sinne, in that being so engaged to the Lord he would be moved by the spoile to doe contrary to the straight charge which he had given him.
Then Saul justifyed himselfe againe, saying, that he had gone the way which V. 20.God appointed, and had destroyed the Amalekites, onelyonly he brought Agag alive with him, if it should seeme so good unto him, to be slaine there before all Israel, and for the Sheep and Oxen, and other good things of Amalek, the people spared them for sacrifice, not unto any strange Gods, but to the Lord his God in Gilgal: which he spake to insinuate the more into Samuel, thinking, that this would be pleasing unto him, if after so great a Victory obtained, he provided, as piety required, some Eucharisticall sacrifices to be made unto the Lord.
Samuel replyeth, that obedience is better then sacrifice, and that Rebellion V. 22, 23.is as the sinne of witchcraft, and as Idolatry, and because he had rejected the word of the Lord, he telleth him, that God had rejected him from being King. Sauls sinne in disobeying the expresse command of God, is likened unto witchcraft and Idolatry, because there is the same fountaine Infidelity, and he that Pellican.feareth not to transgresse the knowne will of God, doth in effect deny him to be God, as Witches and Idolaters doe, and he maketh himselfe wiser then God, as if he could finde out a better way then God hath prescribed, saith Vatablus; Vatablus.wherefore Saul sinning so heinously was well worthy to be put downe from reigning. But seeing Saul reigned still, how was he rejected from being King? Ans. He was put from his Kingdome in his posterity, seeing none of them reigned after him, but a King was set up of another Tribe and Family.
Then Saul said, I have sinned, and transgressed the Commandement of the Lord and V. 24.thy word, because I feared the people &c. That this penitency of Saul was not true, but feigned, saith Lyra, appeareth by this, that he sought falsely to shadow over Lyra.his fault by laying it upon the people. The confession of Saul in the first words was the same with that of David, but yet much different from it. 1. For that it was long before this confession could be wrung from him. 2. He confessed not being moved out of conscience of any offence committed against God, but for feare of losing his Kingdome. 3. He extenuated his sinne by making the people most guilty. And such is the repentance of Hypocrites. 1. It is long Note. before they repent. 2. They are not moved in conscience, but by sinister respects. 3. They will maintaine their credit as much, as they can, by laying the least fault upon themselves. But all such penitentiaries shall speed no better then Saul.
Now therefore I pray thee pardon my sinne, and turne againe with me, that I may worship the Lord. The word here rendred, pardon, is foreign comming of foreign to beare, V. 25.to take away, or to pardon, the Vulg. Lat. therefore rendreth it porta, beare, which is by Hugo expounded, either pacify Gods wrath for my sinnes by praying unto Hugo Card.him, for so Levit. 10. the word beare is used, where it is said, that Aarons sonnes should beare the iniquities of the people, or to beare sinne is to beare the punishments due to sinne, as 1 Pet. 2. 24. or to take it away by prayer, as Hos. 4. 8. This last is altogether misalledged, neither hath the second any place here, but onelyonly the first, for no man can beare the punishments due to the sinne of another, but Christ onelyonly: but by praying for him he may obtaine remission, as James 5. 16. and if the word beare be thus taken, it is all one to expound it, beare or pardon, the meaning being, procure me pardon by turning and praying with me, and for me to the Lord. Samuel being entreated refuseth to returne V. 26.with him at the first, but afterwards being againe importuned, hee returneth, not hereby falsifying his word, as Lyra noteth, and others; but as Christ sometime Lyra. Osiander.said, I will not goe up to this feast, and yet afterwards hee went, for hee meant, hee would not then goe up, so Samuel would not at the first returne, but afterwards being againe urged, he returned, not to pray God to take Saul's sinne so away, as that hee might bee againe established in the Kingdome, but both to doe him honour before the people, that hee might not fall into contempt whilst hee lived, which would have been dangerous to the State; and to assist him in his worshipping, which was his praying, that his sinne might bee so pardoned, that hee might not come into everlasting condemnation therefore. Some thinke that hee returned, that being present whilst Saul worshipped, hee might onelyonly doe him some civill honour in publike, and that hee Osiander.prayed not with him. But Josephus is plaine for the contrary, that hee worshipped Ioseph. lib. 6. Antiq. cap. 7. Pellican. V. 27. V. 28.with Saul; and Pellican thinketh, that hee assisted him according to the will of God, as his propheticall office required. V. 27. Samuel then turning to goe away from Saul, hee tooke hold of his garment to stay him, and it rent; then said Samuel, The Lord hath rent the kingdome from thee this day, &c. Here, saith Lyra, some Hebrews have delivered, that Samuel gave Lyra.Saul a signe who should reigne after him, viz. hee that should afterwards cut off the lap of his garment; wherefore when David had done this, Saul said, I know surely that thou shalt reigne, Chap. 24. but this is uncertaine. Whereas Samuel said, This day is thy kingdome rent from thee; Hugo moveth a question, Hugo Cardin.how that could bee, seeing Saul was not then put from the kingdome, but reigned divers yeares after, and hee answereth, that now hee deserved to have the kingdome rent from him: but Peter Martyr better, the decree is now made never Peter Martyr.to bee altered againe, of rending the kingdome from thee, before it was threatened that it should not goe to his posterity, but now that hee should bee turned out of it, by being cut off before his time came to dye naturally.
For the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent, for hee is not man that he should repent. For strength, Hebr. is foreign, in the Vulg. Latine rendred triumphator; V. 9.by Junius, the eternity, because it was more apt to set forth God in this case by his eternity, then by his power, seeing hee now spake of his unalterable decree for ever. But the word most properly signifieth strength, fortitude, or power, and it agreed very well in this case to call God strength, because by his power Saul should now bee put downe, and another set up, although hee should seeke to prevent it with all his power; and his power and strength to hold his resolution against all prayers and entreaties, is hereby also set forth. But of what is it meant that hee would not repent? Kimhi, saith Martyr, understandeth it of David, his purpose of removing the kingdome to him, and Peter Martyr.establishing it in his seed shall never bee altered; but it is best understood both of the rejection of Saul and his seed, and the setting up and establishing of David, because he spake before of both.
Here Saul confesseth his sinne againe, and desireth Samuel to honour him by returning with him, before the Elders of Israel, whereunto hee yeeldeth; seeing V. 30.hee was yet King, saith Lyra, hee gave him honour accordingly by going with him to pray; but there was also another cause of his returning with Lyra.him, viz. to slay Agag: as here followeth.
And Agag came forth delicately, and said, Surely the bitternesse of death is past. In the Vulg. Latine it is, Most fat Agag came forth trembling, and he said, Doth V. 32.bitter death thus separate? Peter Martyr, verily the bitternesse of death cometh, the Hebr. is, Agag came forth with pleasures or delights, and said, Verily the bitternesse of death is removed, so also Junius, hee would seeme to bee so valiant, as to contemne death, or as some thinke, seeing Samuel, hee hoped for mercy, which is the more probable, because the word used is foreign recessit, is gone.
And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made other women childlesse, &c. Hereby it is V. 33.not meant, say the Hebrews, that Agag whilst hee was King, had slaine many of the Hebrews by invading them, but that the King of Amalek had done so, and thus made other women childlesse when hee fought against Israel in the wildernesse, Exod. 17. so Lyra: but I see no reason why it should not bee understood properly of this King, seeing the Amalekites. were a warlike Nation, and used to invade other Countreys, as appeareth, 1 Sam. 30. Now his mother, Samuel telleth him, should likewise bee made childlesse, because her other children were slaine in this warre, if shee had any more, and hee the onelyonly surviver should now bee put to death; And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces, &c. This, Josephus saith, hee did by the ministry of others, but if so, it would have Josephus.been said, that hee commanded him to bee hewed in pieces, as before to bee brought forth; it is plaine therefore, that hee did this execution with his own hands, as being Judge, to supply the defect that had been in Saul, who ought to have slaine him before, not out of a desire of revenge, but out of zeale to do Justice; so Pellican and Lyra. Whereas his calling might seem to bee against Pellican.it, because hee was a Levite and a Nazarite; it is answered, that hee was extraordinarily stirred up, as Phinees the Priest had been before, and Moses a Levite, Numb. 25.and Elijah to slay Baals Prophets. But this is not to bee imitated by other Ministers about the holy things of God: for a Bishop, saith Paul, must be no 1 Tim. 3. Concil. Matiscon. 2. c. 19. Concil. Antisioder. c. 33, 34.striker; and in ancient Councells they are not onelyonly forbidden doing execution, but comming to the place where malefactors were to bee put to death, or standing, by the rack wherewith the guilty were tortured, or sitting in judgement where any is delivered to death. And if any Clergy-man by chance sheddeth blood, hee is by the Canons of the Church counted irregular, and uncapable of sacred Orders. Wherefore the Pope, that challengeth unto himself the right of the sword, is plainly an usurper, and irregular. Samuel did not onelyonly slay Agag, but cut him in pieces, that his destruction deferred contrary to the will of God might be the more notorious; and hee is said to have done it before the Lord in Gilgal, because most probably there was an Altar there, it being anciently the place where the Tabernacle stood.
In this slaying of Agag, Peter Martyr observeth the fulfilling of an old prophefie P. Martyr. Numb. 24. 7.of Balaam touching. Agag 400 yeares before, although some thinke Agag to have been the common name of the Kings of Amalek.
After this, Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul to Gibeah; And Samuel came no V. 34, 35.more to see Saul till the day of his death. Here a question is made by Expositors, how this can be, seeing Saul prophesied after this before Samuel at Naioth in Ramah, Chap. 19. 24. But this question is needlesse, for there is no contradiction in this he came no more at him, and this, Saul came and prophesied before Samuel; for there Saul came to Samuel, and not Samuel to him, as hee had used before to doe, to direct him about the affaires of the Kingdome. That is frivolous of some, who say, that these words, hee came not to see Saul till the day of his death, imply his comming to him after his death, being raised by the witch of Endor, for it is plainly meant, that hee never came to see him any more; so Peter Martyr, who also examining the reason of Samuels mourning Peter Martyr.for Saul, which here next followeth, and praying for him, and how God is said to repent that hee made him King; answereth to the first, that although he knew that the sentence of God against Saul could not bee reversed, as the case then stood, Saul being impenitent, yet hee knew not whether God might be entreated to give him an heart to repent, and so it might bee reversed; and thus he might in faith both mourne and pray for him; or although the sentence of losing his kingdome here, must needs stand, yet hee might obtaine such grace for him, that hee might not lose the kingdome of heaven; but hee preferreth the former. And for Gods repenting, hee following Tertullian against Marcion, saith, that in thus saying, no errour or crime is implyed in the Lord, but the fault of Saul is aggravated, as if he had said, it was so hainous, that if it were possible for the Lord to repent, it would have repented him, that hee made him King; for to repent in God, is to change his former sentence without any fault of the changer. But sith it is not said, that Samuel prayed for Saul, but onelyonly mourned for him: I assent rather to Pellican, Pellican.that hee grieved for the hardnesse of his heart, and the misery and violent death that hee foresaw was to come upon him, for he was much affected with his wickednesse, for that neare relation that he had unto him, being his successor, and by him set up.