1 Samuel 27:1--29:11
David <01732> [A.M. 2946. B.C. 1058. An. Ex. Is. 433. And David.]
swept <05595> [I shall.]
This was a rash conclusion: God had caused him to be anointed king of Israel, and promised his accession to the throne, and had so often interposed in his behalf, that he was authorised to believe the very reverse.
swept <05595> [perish. Heb. be consumed. there is nothing.]
land <0776> [into the land.]
David <01732> [David.]
This measure of David's, in uniting himself to the enemies of his God and people, was highly blameable; was calculated to alienate the affections of the Israelites; and led to equivocation, if not downright falsehood.
six <08337> [the six.]
Achish <0397> [Achish.]
two <08147> [with his two.]
search <01245> [he sought.]
one ..... towns ................ city <05892 0259> [some town.]
Ziklag ........ Ziklag <06860> [Ziklag.]
Ziklag was at first given to the tribe of Judah, but was afterwards ceded to that of Simeon; but as it bordered on the Philistines, if they had ever been expelled, they had retaken it. Eusebius simply says it was situated in the south of Canaan.
length of time <04557> [the time. Heb. the number of days. a full year. Heb. a year of days.]
Geshurites <01651> [A.M. 2948. B.C. 1056. An. Ex. Is. 435. the Geshurites.]
Girzites <01511> [Gezrites. or, Gerzites.]
These people seem to be the Gerrhenians, (2 Mac 13:24) whose chief city, Gerrha, is mentioned by Strabo as lying between Gaza and Pelusium in Egypt.
Amalekites <06003> [the Amalekites.]
approach <0935> [as thou goest.]
man <0376> [left neither.]
camels <01581> [and the camels.]
<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.]
hated <0887> [utterly to abhor. Heb. to stink.]
Philistines <06430> [that the.]
Philistines <06430> [Philistines.]
go <03318> [thou shalt go.]
being .................. Then <03651> [Surely.]
Samuel <08050> [Samuel.]
removed <05493> [put away.]
Shunem <07766> [Shunem.]
Gilboa <01533> [Gilboa.]
was absolutely <03372> [he was afraid.]
inquired <07592> [enquired.]
dreams <02472> [by dreams.]
Urim <0224> [by Urim.]
prophets <05030> [by prophets.]
Find .... woman ......................... woman <01245 0802> [Seek me.]
medium ......................... medium <0178> [a familiar spirit.]
<03212> [that I may.]
Endor <05874> [En-dor.]
En-dor, a city of Manasseh, was situated in the plain of Jezreel; and Eusebius and Jerome inform us, that it was a great town in their days, four miles south from Mount Tabor, near Nain, towards Scythopolis. This agrees with Maundrell, who says, that not many miles eastward of Tabor, you see mount Hermon, at the foot of which is seated Nain and Endor; and Burckhardt says, that in two hours and a half from Nazareth, towards Scythopolis or Bisan, they came to the village of Denouny, near which are the ruins of Endor; where the witch's grotto is shewn.
disguised <02664> [disguised.]
Use ... ritual <07080> [I pray thee.]
up <05927> [bring me.]
<03772> [how he hath.]
trapping <05367> [wherefore.]
swore <07650> [sware.]
Saul ......... Saul <07586> [thou art Saul.]
god ... up <0430 05927> [gods ascending.]
appearance <08389> [What form is he of? Heb. What is his form? a mantle.]
disturbed <07264> [Why hast.]
troubled <03966> [I am sore.]
Philistines <06430> [the Philistines.]
God <0430> [God.]
answer <06030> [answereth.]
prophets <05030> [prophets. Heb. the hand of prophets. therefore.]
asking <07592> [Wherefore.]
enemy <06145> [and is become.]
has ...... prophesied <01696> [to him. or, for himself.]
The LXX. read [soi,] and the Vulgate {tibi,} to thee; which is the reading of five of Dr. Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., as well as both the Bibles printed at Venice in 1518, where we read {lecha,} "to thee," for {lo,} "to him;" and as the words are spoken to Saul, this seems to be evidently the correct reading.
has ...... prophesied <01696> [as he spake.]
hand <03027> [me. Heb. mine hand. thy neighbour.]
obey <08085> [obeyedst.]
Lord .............. Lord <03068> [hath the Lord.]
Lord ...................... Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
Tomorrow <04279> [and to-morrow.]
There is considerable diversity of opinion, both among learned and pious men, relative to this appearance to Saul. But the most probable opinion seems to be, that Samuel himself did actually appear to Saul, not by the power of enchantment, but by the appointment and especial mercy of God, to warn this infatuated monarch of his approaching end, that he might be reconciled with his Maker. There is not the smallest intimation of chicanery or Satanic influence given in the text; but on the contrary, from the plain and obvious meaning of the language employed, it is perfectly evident that it was Samuel himself, {Shemooel hoo,} as it is expressed in ver. 14. Indeed the very soul of Samuel seems to breathe in his expressions of displeasure against the disobedience and wickedness of Saul; while the awful prophetic denunciations which accordingly came to pass, were such as neither human nor diabolical wisdom could foresee, and which could only be known to God himself, and to those to whom he chose to reveal them.
quickly fell <05307 04116> [fell straightway. Heb. made haste and fell with the fullness of his stature. sore afraid.]
took <07760> [I have put.]
eat <0398> [I will.]
urged ....... gave in <06555 08085> [compelled him.]
well-fed calf <05695 04770> [a fat calf.]
Philistines <06430> [the Philistines.]
Aphek <0663> [Aphek.]
Jezreel <03157> [Jezreel.]
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.
