_A.M. 2942. B.C. 1062._ David saves Keilah from the Philistines, 1 Samuel 23:1. His danger there, and deliverance from it, 1 Samuel 23:7. He remains in the wilderness of Ziph, and is visited by Jonathan, 1 Samuel 23:14. Saul pursues him, 1 Samuel 23:19. His narrow escape, 1 Samuel 23:26.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then they told_ Or rather, _Now they had told David._ For it is evident from 1 Samuel 23:6, that David had received the information here referred to, and had even delivered the inhabitants of Keilah before Abiathar came to tell him of the slaughter of the priests. _The Philistines fight against Kei... [ Continue Reading ]
_David inquired of the Lord_ In what way he made inquiry is not certain, as it seems from 1Sa 23:6 that Abiathar had not yet brought to David the sacred ephod, with all things belonging to it that were made use of in consulting God. _Shall I go and smite these Philistines?_ We have here a remarkable... [ Continue Reading ]
_David's men said, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah_ “They had more than difficulty enough to defend themselves against Saul where they were; and could it be less than madness to provoke more and greater enemies? Doubtless Saul would send forces to beat off the Philistines, and then they should b... [ Continue Reading ]
_So David and his men went to Keilah_, &c. “His success on this occasion was very extraordinary; he saved the city and the inhabitants; he delivered the country all around from the ravages of the enemy; he smote the Philistines with great slaughter, and brought away their cattle, by which means he w... [ Continue Reading ]
_He came down with an ephod_ Rather, _with the ephod_, namely, the high-priest's ephod, wherein were the _Urim_ and _Thummim._ For Abiathar, being left, it is probable, to keep the sanctuary, while his father Ahimelech and the rest of the priests went to wait upon Saul, as soon as he heard of their... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saul said, God hath delivered him into my hand_ David, who judged of other men's generosity by his own, hoped he should be protected in Keilah; and Saul, who judged in the same manner of their baseness, believed he should not; and therefore he rejoiced upon receiving the news of David's being shut... [ Continue Reading ]
_Bring hither the ephod_ Which, doubtless, Abiathar put on; otherwise he could not have inquired of the Lord by it. _The Lord said, He will come down_ He purposeth to come if thou continue here. For still both David's question and God's answer are conditional, upon supposition. As David's being ther... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord said, They will deliver thee up_ God saw the base and cowardly disposition of the inhabitants of Keilah, who, though they had been so lately delivered by David, yet would have given him up, had he stayed among them, at the first appearance of Saul's army coming against them. “And here, met... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which were about six hundred_ His forces were increased two hundred since his famous victory over the Philistines at Keilah. _Whithersoever they could go_ To the first convenient place of safety to which a way lay open. _In the wilderness of Ziph_ A mountainous wilderness, within the precincts of t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jonathan went and strengthened his hand in God_ He comforted and supported him against all his fears, by considerations on the divine goodness and power, and by reminding him of God's faithful promises made to him, and of his singular providence, which hitherto had been, and still would be with him... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt be king, and I shall be next unto thee_ Or, hold the second place in the kingdom; which words import thus much: I do not look to be king myself, as by my birth I might expect, but that thou shalt be king, God having so appointed, and I but in a secondary place, inferior to thee. The firs... [ Continue Reading ]
_They two made a covenant before the Lord_ We have reason here to admire the sincere friendship of Jonathan, which remained so unshaken to David in all events, as well in his adversity and dangers, as in his prosperity and successes. It is to be observed, that, after making this covenant, they never... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then came the Ziphites to Saul_ They were of David's own tribe, though for this unnatural carriage to him he calls them strangers. _Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord_ Saul, notwithstanding all his injustice and cruelty to David, still supposes himself to be the injured person, and his cause the... [ Continue Reading ]
_But David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon_ Having heard what the Ziphites had undertaken, David disappointed their design by going into another place, with which, it is likely, they were not so well acquainted. For Maon was a distant wilderness from Ziph, though both were in the tribe of... [ Continue Reading ]
_There came a messenger unto Saul_ See the providence of God! His wisdom is never at a loss for ways and means to preserve his people. Nothing could be more distressful, nothing more hopeless than the situation of David at this time. He was surrounded on all sides, and there seemed no way left for e... [ Continue Reading ]