Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• Visual reminders to keep the law 15:37-41
  Perhaps God initiated this command in response to the incident of Sabbath-breaking just mentioned.The Israelites were to wear tassels on the four corners of their upper outer garments (Deut. 22:12). The text does not explain ...
• Date and Writer
  Statements in the Book of Samuel imply that someone who had witnessed at least some of the events recorded wrote it. However the original writer must have written most of it after Samuel's death (i.e., -1 Sam. 25-2 Sam. 24) a...
• Scope
  The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
• Outline
  I. Eli and Samuel chs. 1-3A. The change from barrenness to fertility 1:1-2:101. Hannah's condition 1:1-82. Hannah's vow 1:9-183. Hannah's obedience 1:19-284. Hannah's song 2:1-10B. The contrast between Samuel and Eli's sons 2...
• 1. Saul's disobedience at Gilgal 13:1-15
  The writer introduced the history of Saul's reign by referring to the king's age and possibly the length of his reign. Verse one contains a textual corruption in the Hebrew text.132There the verse reads, "Saul was . . . years...
• 5. Yahweh's final rejection of Saul ch. 15
  "In the short pericope 13:7b-15a obedience was the stone on which Saul stumbled; here it is the rock that crushes him."147Chapter 15 records one of the battles Saul had with the Amalekites, Israel's enemy to the south (cf. 14...
• IV. SAUL AND DAVID 1 Sam. 16--31
  The basic theme in Samuel, that blessing, and in particular fertility of all kinds, follows from faithful commitment to God's revealed will, continues in this section. However another major motif now becomes more prominent. W...
• C. David in Exile chs. 21-30
  In chapters 21-30 we see David's forces growing stronger and stronger while Saul's forces get weaker and weaker. This is a further demonstration of the fertility theme. However these chapters also develop the motif of the pro...
• Saul's slaughter of the priests 22:6-23
  The writer's attention focused next on Saul's activities. He used the literary device of focusing on David, then on Saul, then on David, etc. He used the same technique in chapters 1-3 with Samuel and Eli's sons to contrast S...
• 3. David's goodness to two fools ch. 24-26
  ". . . chapters 24-26 form a discrete literary unit within 1 Samuel. Chapters 24 and 26 are virtually mirror images of each other, beginning with Saul's receiving a report about David's latest hiding place (24:1; 26:1), focus...
• David's first sparing of Saul's life ch. 24
  The incident recorded in this chapter concerns cutting off (vv. 4, 5, 11, 21). David had the opportunity and received encouragement to cut off Saul's life but chose to cut off only his robe hem. He ended up promising not to c...
• David's cutting off of Saul's hem 24:1-7
  Engedi lay near the Salt Sea's western shore close to its mid-point north to south. Even today it is a refreshing oasis with waterfall, tropical plants, and wild goats. The Hebrew word means "spring of the kid."It may have be...
• David's verbal defense to Saul 24:8-15
  The object lesson that David presented to Saul had a double application. David proved that he was not trying to kill Saul because Saul was the Lord's anointed. Furthermore he showed that it was inappropriate for Saul to seek ...
• David's promise not to cut off Saul's descendants and name 24:16-22
  David's words and actions convicted Saul of his actions (v. 17), and the king wept tears of remorse (v. 16). He referred to David as his "son"(v. 16), as David had earlier called Saul his "father"(v. 11). Saul confessed David...
• David's sparing of Nabal's life ch. 25
  "Chapter 25 is the central panel in the triptych that comprises chapters 24-26. As such it not only anchors the literary unit but also facilitates the fact that chapters 24 and 26 mirror each other."244This central chapter al...
• The death of Samuel 25:1
  Samuel's years of being a blessing to all Israel ended at this time. David took his place as God's major channel of blessing to the nation. It is appropriate that the notice of Samuel's death occurs here since Saul had just a...
• David's request of Nabal 25:2-8
  Both Maon and Carmel (meaning "Garden Spot") stood about 14 miles west of Engedi and about 7 miles south-southeast of Hebron. The reference to Nabal's 3,000 sheep may be an allusion to Saul's 3,000 soldiers (24:2). As the sto...
• David's response to Abigail's appeal 25:32-35
  David heard the Lord's voice behind Abigail's words. Consequently he blessed the Lord, her discernment, and her. God had used David's conscience to keep him from killing Saul (24:5), and now He had used Abigail's appeal to ke...
• David's second sparing of Saul's life ch. 26
  Again the scene shifts to Saul (cf. ch. 24). The writer contrasted his improper attitudes and behavior and their consequences with David's proper attitudes and behavior and their consequences. There are many similarities betw...
• Abishai's offer to kill Saul 26:6-12
  Ahimelech the Hittite may have been a foreign mercenary (cf. Uriah the Hittite, 2 Sam. 11:3). The writer may have mentioned him to show the extent of David's appeal. Abishai was David's nephew, one of the sons of his sister Z...
• David's appeal to Saul 26:17-20
  Evidently the realization that David or Abishai again could have killed him but did not led Saul to respond to David tenderly calling him his son (v. 17; cf. vv. 21, 25). Indeed, David had behaved as a loyal son toward Saul. ...
• David's trust in God 26:21-25
  Saul again confessed that he had sinned, as he had done when he had sacrificed at Gilgal (v. 21; cf. 15:24, 30) and when David had spared his life in the cave (24:17). Nevertheless he seems to have failed again to follow thro...
• David's relocation to Ziklag 27:1-7
  Was it God's will for David to leave Israel and move to Philistia? The text does not say, but there are indications that lead me to believe that he should not have done this even though he must have felt almost forced to do s...
• Saul's conversation with the medium 28:8-14
  Evidently Saul knew the woman would not cooperate with him if she knew who he was, so he disguised himself (v. 8). He further hid his hypocrisy by visiting her under cover of darkness. Saul sank so low as to swear to the woma...
• The aftermath of the battle 31:7-13
  The other Israelite soldiers retreated when they heard that Saul and his sons had died. This left towns in the region open for Philistine seizure. Instead of driving the native inhabitants out of the land Saul had made it pos...
• Bibliography
  Ackroyd, Peter R. The First Book of Samuel. Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible series. Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1971._____. "The Verb Love--'Aheb in the David-Jonathan Narratives--A Footnote."Vetus ...
• David's lament for Saul and Jonathan 1:17-27
  Students of David's lament over Saul and Jonathan's deaths have called it the Song of the Bow (cf. v. 22).10Many people in Judah learned and sang it (v. 18). The Book of Jasher (v. 18) is no longer extant (cf. Josh. 10:13)."H...
• VI. DAVID'S TROUBLES chs. 9--20
  Chapters 9-20 contrast with chapters 2-8 in that this later section is negative whereas the earlier one was positive. It records failure; the former records success. Compare the similar narrative of Saul's triumphs (1 Sam. 7-...
• 1. Petition for rescue 7:1-2
  On the basis of God's protection of those who trust in Him David asked for protection from those who were pursuing him, perhaps Saul's men (cf. 1 Sam. 22:8; 24:9; 26:19). He felt like a helpless lamb that a powerful ferocious...
• Psalm 57
  David's hiding from Saul in a cave precipitated this psalm (1 Sam. 22; 24; cf. Ps. 142). The tune name means, "Do not destroy."This psalm resembles the preceding one in its general theme and design. It too has a recurring ref...
• 3. A reason for consolation 94:16-23
  94:16-19 After looking everywhere for some consolation during the temporary ascendancy of the wicked, the psalmist found it only in God. If God had not strengthened him he would have died, slipped in his walk with God, and be...
• Love for all 12:14-21
  12:14 Paul repeated Jesus' instruction here (Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:27-28). To persecute means to pursue. Blessing involves both wishing God's best on people and praying for them."The principle of nonretaliation for personal inju...
• The Judaizing danger 3:2-4a
  Paul proceeded to deal with a significant group of antagonists that the Philippians faced.3:2 Jesus and other prophets used the term "dogs"to refer to opponents of God's truth (Matt. 7:6; cf. Deut. 23:18; 1 Sam. 17:43; 24:14;...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

• Love For Hate, The True Quid Pro Quo
  1 Samuel 24:4-17A sudden Philistine invasion had saved David, when hard pressed by Saul, and had given him the opportunity of flight to the wild country on the west of the Dead Sea, near the place where En-Gedi (the Fountain ...