INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 18 This chapter gives an account of the respect shown to David by Saul and Jonathan, by the servants of Saul, and all the people, and of what was said in his praise in the songs of the women, 1 Samuel 18:1; which latter gave Saul a great offence, and upon which he envie... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN HE HAD MADE AN END OF SPEAKING UNTO SAUL,.... In answer to his questions about his descent and family, and doubtless more things were talked of than are recorded: THAT THE SOUL OF JONATHAN WAS KNIT WITH THE SOUL OF DAVID: he won his heart, made a conquest of his affections... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL TOOK HIM THAT DAY,.... Not only into his favour, and into his service, but into his court; even on that very day he slew the Philistine, or however as soon as it could be done: AND WOULD LET HIM GO NO MORE HOME TO HIS FATHER'S HOUSE; as he used to do before; when he only served as a musici... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JONATHAN AND DAVID MADE A COVENANT,.... A covenant of friendship; entered into a solemn agreement to keep up and maintain a cordial respect to each other, and to support each other's interest both in life and after death, whoever was the survivor; and in consequence of this David had a friend a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JONATHAN STRIPPED HIMSELF OF THE ROBE THAT [WAS] UPON HIM,.... As a token of his hearty love and true friendship, and that David might appear at court not in the habit of a shepherd, but in that of a prince: AND GAVE IT TO DAVID, AND HIS GARMENTS; his other garments besides his robe, and so clo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID WENT OUT WHITHERSOEVER SAUL SENT HIM,.... About any business whatsoever, especially about martial affairs, for which he was abundantly qualified: [AND] BEHAVED HIMSELF WISELY; in the management of them, using great prudence and discretion, and so failed not of success, and of recommending... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS THEY CAME,.... The armies of Israel, with their commanders at the head of them: WHEN DAVID WAS RETURNED FROM THE SLAUGHTER OF THE PHILISTINE; either from the slaughter of Goliath, with his head in his hand, going to Jerusalem, and Saul accompanying him; or rather from the sl... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WOMEN ANSWERED [ONE ANOTHER] AS THEY PLAYED,.... They sung vocally to their instruments, and that by turns, one rehearsing one line or verse in the song, and then the other another: AND SAID, SAUL HATH SLAIN HIS THOUSANDS, AND DAVID HIS TEN THOUSANDS; which, if to be referred to the battle... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL WAS VERY WROTH, AND THE SAYING DISPLEASED HIM,.... Partly because they called him plain Saul, and not King Saul; did not give him his royal title, which might serve to strengthen his suspicion, after suggested; and chiefly because they attributed a greater number of slain to David than to h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL EYED DAVID FROM THAT DAY AND FORWARD. Instead of looking pleasantly, and with a smile, upon him, as a courtier and favourite, he was justly entitled to by his gallant behaviour, he looked at him with a sour, ill natured look; he looked at him with an evil, spiteful, malicious, and envious e... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE MORROW,.... After the women had met him with their music and dancing, and when returned home: THAT THE EVIL SPIRIT FROM GOD CAME UPON SAUL; thinking on the above things that had passed, he became melancholy: AND HE PROPHESIED IN THE MIDST OF THE HOUSE; either really, del... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL CAST THE JAVELIN,.... Out of his hand at David: FOR HE SAID; in his heart, determining in his mind: I WILL SMITE DAVID EVEN TO THE WALL [WITH IT]; he determined to cast it with such force and violence, that it should pierce through David, and enter into the very wall, by the side of which... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL WAS AFRAID OF DAVID, BECAUSE THE LORD WAS WITH HIM,.... Protecting and preserving him, prospering and succeeding him, giving him victory over his enemies, and favour among the people; the Targum is, "the Word of the Lord was for his help.'' Procopius Gazaeus interprets it of the Holy Ghos... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE SAUL REMOVED HIM FROM HIM,.... From court, partly that he might be out of his sight, having such an hatred of his person that he could not bear to see him, and partly that he might be safer from any designs of his upon his life, which he might fear, because of his treatment of him: AND MA... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID BEHAVED HIMSELF WISELY IN ALL HIS WAYS,.... Both in the court and in the camp, in whatsoever service he was employed; or "prospered" u, as the word also signifies; for, generally speaking, those that behave wisely succeed well; in this he was a type of Christ, Isaiah 52:13; the reason of i... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE WHEN SAUL SAW THAT HE BEHAVED HIMSELF VERY WISELY,.... So that he could get no advantage against him, and he succeeded and was prosperous in all his enterprises, and was more and more in favour with the people: HE WAS AFRAID OF HIM; lest the time was drawing near that the kingdom should b... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL ISRAEL AND JUDAH LOVED DAVID,.... The verb is singular, and denotes that everyone of them loved him in all the tribes of Israel, as well as in Judah his own tribe; in such general esteem was he, and so much had he got the hearts and affections of the people: BECAUSE HE WENT OUT AND CAME IN... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL SAID TO DAVID,.... Not in friendship and good will to him, but designing to lay a snare for him: BEHOLD, MY ELDEST DAUGHTER MERAB, HER WILL I GIVE THEE TO WIFE; most interpreters understand it, that he was obliged to this by promise, on account of David's slaying Goliath, 1 Samuel 17:25; b... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID SAID UNTO SAUL,.... Surprised at the offer Saul made him, yet not refusing it, but expressing himself with great modesty and humility: WHO [AM] I? as to his person, parentage, and employment, mean and despicable, at least in his own eyes, a type of the lowly Jesus, Matthew 11:29; AND WHA... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IT CAME TO PASS, AT THE TIME WHEN MERAB, SAUL'S DAUGHTER, SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO DAVID,.... Either when the giving of her to him was talked of, or when the time fixed for her marriage was come: THAT SHE WAS GIVEN TO ADRIEL THE MEHOLATHITE TO WIFE: Saul either having in reality never designe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MICHAL, SAUL'S DAUGHTER, LOVED DAVID,.... His youngest daughter fell in love with him, because of the comeliness of his person, his gallant behaviour, his wise conduct, and the general esteem and reputation he was had in, as may be supposed: AND THEY TOLD SAUL, AND THE THING PLEASED HIM; not th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL SAID, I WILL GIVE HIM HER, THAT SHE MAY BE A SNARE TO HIM,.... The cause and occasion of his fall and ruin, by means of what he should propose to him as the condition of marriage; but instead of proving a snare to him, as he hoped, she was the means of his deliverance, when Saul sent messen... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL COMMANDED HIS SERVANTS, [SAYING], COMMUNE WITH DAVID SECRETLY,.... And persuade him to marry Michal, and assure him of Saul's real regard to him, and good intention towards him; for it seems that David being ill used in the affair of his eldest daughter, did not listen to the proposals of S... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL'S SERVANTS SPAKE THESE WORDS IN THE EARS OF DAVID,.... Those before related, which Saul commanded them to speak, which they delivered exactly according to their orders, with an audible voice, clearly, plainly, and distinctly, so that David might hear and understand them: AND DAVID SAID, SE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SERVANTS OF SAUL TOLD HIM, SAYING, ON THIS MANNER SPAKE DAVID. Such and such words were spoken by him, to this purpose; the sum and substance of them were expressive of his unworthiness to be a king's son-in-law, and of his inability to bring a dowry suitable to her quality.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL SAID, THUS SHALL YE SAY TO DAVID,.... In answer to his objections, and in order to remove them, and especially what concerned the dowry: THE KING DESIRETH NOT ANY DOWRY, BUT AN HUNDRED FORESKINS OF THE PHILISTINES, TO BE AVENGED OF THE KING'S ENEMIES; that is, he required or desired no oth... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HIS SERVANTS TOLD DAVID THESE WORDS,.... That the king desired no other dowry than an hundred foreskins of the Philistines: IT PLEASED DAVID WELL TO BE THE KING'S SON IN LAW; on such conditions; partly because of the honour of it, and partly because of his love to Michal; and chiefly becau... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE DAVID AROSE AND WENT, HE AND HIS MEN, AND SLEW OF THE PHILISTINES TWO HUNDRED MEN,.... This he did himself, for the verb is singular, and which were an hundred more than required; this he did to show his regard to the orders of Saul, and his obedience to him, and to testify the sincerity o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL SAW AND KNEW THAT THE LORD [WAS] WITH DAVID,.... This he perceived by the favour he gave him among men, by overruling all the steps Saul took to do him hurt, for his good, and in giving him success in all that he engaged in; the Targum is, "that the Word of the Lord was for the help of Dav... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL WAS YET THE MORE AFRAID OF DAVID,.... Because the Lord was with him, and his wife loved him; so that he feared he should never be able to accomplish his designs, and that this marriage, which he intended as the means of his ruin, would pave the way for his ascending the throne: AND SAUL BE... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE PRINCES OF THE PHILISTINES WENT FORTH,.... Out of their cities in troops, to revenge and spoil the land of Israel, being enraged at their defeat when Goliath their champion was slain, and at the injury and dishonour done them by David very lately in slaying two hundred of them, and taking o... [ Continue Reading ]