1 Samuel 27:10-11
<0408> [Whither, etc. or, Did you not make a road. And David.]
Negev ...... Negev ...... Negev <05045> [Against.]
David here meant the Geshurites, and Gezrites, and Amalekites, which people occupied that part of the country which lies to the south of Judah. But Achish, as was intended, understood him in a different sense, and believed that he had attacked his own countrymen. David's answer, therefore, though not an absolute falsehood, was certainly an equivocation intended to deceive, and therefore incompatible with that sense of truth and honour which became him as a prince, and a professor of true religion. From these, and similar passages, we may observe the strict impartiality of the Sacred Scriptures. They present us with the most faithful delineation of human nature; they exhibit the frailties of kings, priests, and prophets, with equal truth; and examples of vice and frailty, as well as of piety and virtue, are held up, that we may guard against the errors to which the best men are exposed.
Jeharmeel <03397> [the Jerahmeelites.]
Kenites <07017> [Kenites.]
tell <05046> [Lest.]
1 Samuel 21:10-15
fled <01272> [fled.]
Achish <0397> [Achish. or, Abimelech.]
Gath <01661> [Gath.]
Jerome says there was a large town called Gath, in the way from Eleutheropolis to Gaza; and Eusebius speaks of another Gath, five miles from Eleutheropolis, towards Lydda, (and consequently different from that mentioned by Jerome;) and also of another Gath, between Jamnia and Antipatris. It appears to have been the extreme boundary of the Philistine territory in one direction, as Ekron was on the other, (ch. 7:14; 17:52,) and lay near Mareshah, (2 Ch 11:8. Mic 1:14,) which agrees pretty well with the position assigned it by Jerome. But Reland and Dr. Wells agree with Eusebius; and the authors of the Universal History (b. i. c. 7) place it about six miles form Jamnia, fourteen south of Joppa, and thirty-two west of Jerusalem.
servants <05650> [the servants.]
king <04428> [the king.]
thought <07760> [laid up.]
very <03966> [sore.]
altered <08138> [changed.]
making marks <08427> [scrabbled. or, made marks.]
madman <07696> [is mad. or, playeth the madman.]
1 Samuel 28:1-2
Philistines <06430> [that the.]
Philistines <06430> [Philistines.]
go <03318> [thou shalt go.]
being .................. Then <03651> [Surely.]
1 Samuel 29:2--30:3
leaders <05633> [the lords.]
David <01732> [but David.]
David <01732> [Is not this David.]
These words seem to mark no definite time; and may be understood thus: "Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me for a considerable time?"
time ........... day ........ time <03117> [these days.]
found <04672> [found.]
Send ... man back .... return <0376 07725> [Make this fellow.]
The princes reasoned wisely, according to the common practice of mankind; and it was well for David that they were such good politicians: it was ordered by a gracious Providence that they refused to let David go with them to this battle, in which he must have been either an enemy to his country, or false to his friends and to his trust. Had he fought for the Philistines, he would have fought against God and his country; and had he in the battle gone over to the Israelites, he would have deceived and become a traitor to the hospitable Achish. God therefore delivered him from such disgrace; and by the same kind Providence he was sent back to rescue his wives, and the wives and children of his people, from captivity.
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
honest <03477> [thou hast.]
serving <03318> [thy going.]
found <04672> [I have not.]
leaders ..... reliable <02896 05633> [the lords favour, etc. Heb. thou art not good in the eyes of the lords.]
do <06213> [displease. Heb. do not evil in the eyes of the lords.]
done <06213> [But what have.]
presence <06440> [with. Heb. before. that I may not.]
angel <04397> [as an angel.]
leaders <08269> [the princes.]
Philistines .... Philistines <06430> [And the Philistines.]
Jezreel <03157> [Jezreel.]
Jezreel, or Esdr‘lon, was a city of Issachar, afterwards celebrated as the residence of the kings of Israel, delightfully situated in the extensive and fertile plain of the same name, which extends from Scythopolis or Bethshan on the east to mount Carmel on the west. Eusebius and Jerome inform us, that it was in their time a place of considerable consequence, lying between Scythopolis on the east and Legio on the west; and the latter (on Ho 1.) informs us that it was pretty near Maximianopolis. The Jerusalem Itinerary places it ten miles west from Scythopolis; and William of Tyre says it was called Little Gerinum in his time, and that there was a fine fountain in it, whose waters fell into the Jordan near Scythopolis. See ver. 1.
came <0935> [were come.]
third <07992> [on the third.]
This was the third day after he had left the Philistine army at Aphek, from which place, Calmet supposes, Ziklag was distant more than thirty leagues.
Amalekites <06003> [the Amalekites.]
kill anyone <04191 0376> [slew not.]
burned <08313> [burned.]
