1 Samuel 27

1Sa 27:1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul - This was a very hasty conclusion: God had so often interposed in behalf of his life, that he should have believed the reverse. God had hitherto confounded all Saul’s stratagems, and it was not at all likely that he would now abandon him: there was now no additional reason why he should withdraw from David his helping hand.

I shall perish - Unbelief is a sin that easily besets even good men. But this was certainly a very great fault in David: for this proceeded from gross distrust of God's promise and providence; and that after such repeated demonstrations of God's peculiar care over him. He forsakes the place where god had settled him, 1Sa_22:5, and given him both assurance and experience of his protection there. He voluntarily runs upon that rock, which he cursed his enemies for throwing him upon, 1Sa_26:19, and upon many other snares and dangers, as the following history will show; and withal, deprives the people of the Lord of those succours which he might have given them, in case of a battle. But God hereby designed to withdraw David from the Israelites, that they might fall by the hand of the Philistines, without any reproach or inconvenience to David.

David said in his heart - Within himself, and to himself; while he was pondering things in his own mind, and considering the circumstances in which he was, and things appearing, very gloomy to him, he falls into a fit of unbelief and thus addresses himself:

I should escape into the land of the Philistines - which may seem strange, when he was advised by the Prophet Gad to depart from the land of Moab, and go into the land of Judah, 1Sa_22:5, and where he had been so wonderfully preserved; and when he was in so much danger, when in the land of the Philistines before, insomuch that he was obliged to feign himself mad, 1Sa_21:13; and seeing this also was the very thing he lately dreaded, and cursed the men that should be the cause of his going out of his own land into an idolatrous one:

Saul shall despair of me - hearing that he was gone into a foreign country, would seek for him no more in any part of the land of Israel , and so despair of ever getting him into his hands, would lay aside all thoughts about him for the future:

so shall I escape out of his hand - these were the carnal reasonings of his mind, under the prevalence of doubt; and shows what poor weak creatures the best of men are, and how low their graces may sink as to exercise, when left to themselves.

1Sa 27:2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

David arose, and he passed over unto Achish - There is not one circumstance in this transaction that is not blameable. David joins the enemies of his God and of his country, acts a most inhuman part against the Geshurites and Amalekites, without even the pretense of a Divine authority; tells a most deliberate falsehood to Achish, his protector, relative to the people against whom he had perpetrated this cruel act; giving him to understand that he had been destroying the Israelites, his enemies.

six hundred men that were with him - having neither lost any, nor had any added to him, since he was at Keilah, 1Sa_23:13,

to Achish the son of Maoch - The circumstances of David were now very much altered from what they were when he went to Gath before; then he went secretly, now openly; then as a person unknown, now as well known; then alone, now with six hundred men; then when discovered he was seized by the princes of Gath, and brought before the king, and was driven from his presence; but now he came either at the invitation of Achish, hearing how he had been treated by Saul, or David sent an embassy to him.

Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath--The popular description of this king's family creates a presumption that he was a different king from the reigning sovereign on David's first visit to Gath . Whether David had received a special invitation from him or a mere permission to enter his territories, cannot be determined. It is probable that the former was the case. From the universal notoriety given to the feud between Saul and David, which had now become irreconcilable, it might appear to Achish good policy to harbor him as a guest, and so the better pave the way for the hostile measures against Israel which the Philistines were at this time meditating.

1Sa 27:3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.

Every man with his household - So it appears that the men who consorted with David had wives and families which they brought with them, to secure them from the malice of Saul; who in their absence might have destroyed them, as being the families of traitors and fugitives.

1Sa 27:4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

1Sa 27:5 And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?

Why should thy servant dwell in the royal city - David suggests as a reason for leaving Gath that his presence was burdensome and expensive to the king. He seemed to intimate that two princely establishments in the same city were too many. Achish appears to have felt the propriety of his proposal, and therefore appoints him Ziklag.

let them give me a place in some town - he does not ask for a city or town, but a place in one of them,

let them give me a place in some town in the country--It was a prudent arrangement on the part of David; for it would prevent him being an object of jealous suspicion, or of mischievous plots among the Philistines. It would place his followers more beyond the risk of contamination by the idolatries of the court and capital; and it would give him an opportunity of making reprisals on the freebooting tribes that infested the common border of Israel and the Philistines.

1Sa 27:6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

Achish gave him Ziklag - Ziklag was at first given to the tribe of Judah , but afterwards it was ceded to that of Simeon, Jos_15:31; Jos_19:5. The Philistines had, however, made themselves masters of it, and held it to the time here mentioned; it then fell into the tribe of Judah again, and continued to be the property of the kings of Judah . This verse is a proof that this book was written long after the days of Samuel, and that it was formed by a later hand, out of materials which had been collected by a contemporary author.

Ziklag - This was properly one of the cities of Simeon within the tribe of Judah , but it had been taken possession of by the Philistines.

Unto this day - This phrase, coupled with the title the kings of Judah , implies that this was written after the revolt of Jeroboam, and before the Babylonian captivity.

unto the kings of Judah - not to the tribe of Judah, though it originally belonged to it, but to the kings of it, it, being granted to David, who quickly after this became king of Judah; and this was annexed to the crown lands, and ever after enjoyed by the kings, of the house of Judah; for this was not given for a temporary habitation, but for perpetual possession.

1Sa 27:7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

a full year and four months - or "days and four months"; days being sometimes put for a year, Jdg_17:10; The word signifies a year; strictly speaking, a term of days which amounted to a full year.

1Sa 27:8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.

Geshurites - some of the old inhabitants of the land of Canaan, the remains of the Amorites, whose land was given to the half tribe of Manasseh, but could never be expelled; and therefore David had a just right to invade them, and, if he could, either expel or destroy them; Deu_3:14; these are the Geshurites which are joined with the Philistines, Jos_13:2 This is the land that still remains: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri, The Geshurites bordered upon the Philistines, and lived in the mountainous district which terminates the desert on the northeast. They were a different tribe, or, at least, a different branch of it, from the Geshurites who lived on the northeast border of Bashan , and were Arameans

The Gezrites - the inhabitants of Gezer, which place fell to the tribe of Ephraim; but that tribe could not drive out the inhabitants of it, and therefore David now fell upon them as the enemies of Israel, and seized on their country, as belonging to them, Jos_16:3,

the Amalekites - the sworn and implacable enemies of Israel , and whose memory they were laid under obligation to root out. These were such as had escaped the sword of Saul, and had fled to the more distant parts, against whom David now went; and perhaps these had fled to and mixed themselves with the people here mentioned:

David and his men went up and invaded - While David was in the land of the Philistines, he attacked some remains of the devoted nations. The people whom he cut off were long before doomed to destruction.

David and his men went up and invaded - The occasion of this attack is not mentioned, as being a matter of indifference in relation to the chief object of the history; but it is likely in retaliation for plundering incursions made by these tribes into the land of Israel . For David would hardly have entered upon such a war without some such occasion, seeing that it would be almost sure to bring him into suspicion with Achish, and endanger his safety.

1Sa 27:9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.

David smote the land - Here was a complete extermination of all these people, not one being left alive. These were the old Canaanites and Amalekites, who according to the law of God were not to be spared, but utterly destroyed; though this must be understood of those who came within his reach; for it is certain there were people of these tribes after this; 1Sa_30:1 And it happened when David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had invaded the south and Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire.

came to Achish; at Gath - to make a report of what he had been about and done; and what he brought was a good booty for the support of his men and their families.

1Sa 27:10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.

The Jerahmeelites - the descendants of Jerahmeel, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah (marginal references). They were therefore a portion of the “south of Judah .”

The Kenites - the posterity of Jethro; these, at least some of them, at the first seating of the children of Israel in the land of Canaan, went with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad, Jdg_1:16 And the sons of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the sons of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad. And they went and lived among the people. For their near neighborhood to Amalek, see 1Sa_15:6 And Saul said to the Kenites, Go! Depart! Get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

Whither have ye made a road today - where had they made their excursion to fetch in the prey and booty they now brought. He had possibly been in the habit of making predatory excursions. This seems to be implied in the question of Achish.

against the south of Judah - he meant against some people that lay to the south of the land of Judah, but not in Judah; but expressed himself this way so that Achish might think he meant the southern parts of Judah within the country; which, though not a downright lie, but was made with a design to deceive.

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 honor which became him as 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.

David - These and the following words are ambiguous, and contrary to that simplicity which became David, both as a prince, and as an eminent professor of the true religion. The fidelity of Achish to him, and the confidence he put in him, aggravates his sin in thus deceiving him, which David seems penitently to reflect on, when he prays, Remove from me the way of lying.

1Sa 27:11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.

Tidings - The word is not in the original. The sense rather is “to bring them to Gath ,” as captives and slaves. The prisoners taken would naturally have been part of the spoil, but David dared not to bring them to Gath lest his deceit should be discovered. Obviously these tribes were allies of the Philistines. The sense is, that he did not carry the captives to Gath , to be disposed of there; for they would have told from whence they came, and so have contradicted what David said; and so the words may be read "spared neither man nor woman alive to bring to Gath ": and so could tell no tales.

1Sa 27:12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

saying, he hath made his people utterly to abhor him - they shall never forgive him the destruction of their cities, and the inhabitants of them, and the plunder of their goods and cattle; his name will be had in the utmost detestation and abhorrence, and he must never return thither any more:

therefore he shall be my servant for ever - would be glad to continue with him as a servant, and be obliged to serve him faithfully and truly, since his own people, and even those of his own tribe, would never more receive him; it being, as he understood it, the south of Judah that he had been plundering.

1 Samuel 26

1Sa 26:1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?

The Ziphites came - The incident related in this chapter of the meeting between Saul and David bears a strong general resemblance to that recorded in 1 Sam. 24.

The Ziphites came - This is the second time that these enemies of David endeavored to throw him into the hands of Saul. 1Sa_23:19 And the men of Ziph came up to Saul, to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the forest, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the wilderness?

David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon - the same place where he was when the Ziphites before gave information of him, 1Sa_23:10;

the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah-- The knowledge of their treachery makes it appear strange that David should return to his former haunt in their neighborhood; but, perhaps he did it to be near Abigail's possessions, and under the impression that Saul had become mollified. But the king had relapsed into his old enmity. Though Gibeah, as its name imports, stood on an elevated position, and the desert of Ziph, which was in the hilly region of Judea, may have been higher than Gibeah, it was still necessary to descend in leaving the latter place; thence Saul (1Sa_26:2) "went down to the wilderness of Ziph."

Some have supposed that this is a retelling of the earlier incident. Details demonstrate that these are indeed 2 separate events. On the first occasion, Saul entered a cave in the desert of Engedi, whilst David and his men were concealed in the interior of the cave, without having the smallest suspicion that they were anywhere near (1Sa_24:2-4). The second time David went with Abishai into the encampment of Saul upon the hill of Hachilah, while the king and all his men were sleeping (1Sa_26:3, 1Sa_26:5). It is true that on both occasions David's men told him that God had given his enemy into his hand; but the first time they added, Do to him what seemeth good in thy sight; and David cut off the lappet of Saul's coat, whereupon his conscience smote him, and he said, “Far be it from me to lay my hand upon the Lord's anointed” (1Sa_24:5-8). In the second instance, on the contrary, when David saw Saul in the distance lying by the carriage rampart and the army sleeping round him, he called to two of his heroes, Ahimelech and Abishai, to go with him into the camp of the sleeping foe, and then went thither with Abishai, who thereupon said to him, “God hath delivered thine enemy into thy hand: let me alone, that I may pierce him with the spear.” But David rejected this proposal, and merely took away the spear and water-bowl that were at Saul's head (1Sa_26:6-12). And lastly, notwithstanding the fact that the words of David and replies of Saul agree in certain general thoughts, yet they differ entirely in the main. On the first occasion David showed the king that his life had been in his power, and yet he had spared him, to dispel the delusion that he was seeking his life (1Sa_24:10-16). On the second occasion he asked the king why he was pursuing him, and called to him to desist from his pursuit (1Sa_26:18.). But Saul was so affected the first time that he wept aloud, and openly declared that David would obtain the kingdom; and asked him to promise on oath, that when he did, he would not destroy his family (1Sa_24:17-22). The second time, on the contrary, he only declared that he had sinned and acted foolishly, and would to David no more harm, and that David would undertake and prevail; but he neither shed tears, nor brought himself to speak of David's ascending the throne, so that he was evidently much more hardened than before (1Sa_26:21-25). These decided differences prove clearly enough that the incident described in this chapter is not the same as the similar one mentioned in 1 Samuel 23 and 24, but belongs to a later date, when Saul's enmity and hardness had increased.

1Sa 26:2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

Three thousand chosen men - Though they knew that David was but six hundred strong, yet Saul thought it was not safe to pursue such an able general with a less force than that mentioned in the text; and, that he might the better depend on them, they were all elect or picked men out of the whole of his army.

1Sa 26:3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

1Sa 26:4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed.

David therefore sent out spies - To observe if he was coming or come, and where he was, that he might not be surprised by him; for though David knew the Lord was and would be his protection, he thought proper to be upon his guard, and to make use of means for his safety:

1Sa 26:5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.

Saul lay in the trench - The word which is translated “in the trench”, is rendered by some “in a ring of carriages”, and by others “in the circle”, which was formed by his troops. The word signifies carriage and may indicate that he slept behind a barricade of his chariots or slept within his chariot. It appears to be some sort of defensive type of arrangement.

David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched - Came near it, within sight of it; so that he could take a view of it with his naked eye, and observe where and in what manner he was encamped:

the people pitched round about him - both for the sake of honor, and for his greater security;

1Sa 26:6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

Ahimelech the Hittite - who was either an Hittite by birth, but was become a proselyte, or he was an Israelite that had dwelt among the Hittites, and so had this name given him; the former seems most probable. Only mentioned here.

Abishai - He was son of Zeruiah, David’s sister, but probably about the same age as David. He because very famous as a warrior 2Sa_23:18 And Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them , and had the name among three. but was implicated with his brother Joab in the murder of Abner in retaliation for the death of their brother Asahel 2Sa_3:30 And Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

1Sa 26:7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.

So David and Abishai came to the people by night - This was a bold enterprise, for two men to go into a camp of three thousand men, though it was in the night; when though many would be asleep, yet there should be guards or sentinels; David was moved to this, not merely by the dint of his natural courage, but by the Spirit of God, by whom he was assured of protection

1Sa 26:8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.

God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand - Here Abishai uses the same language as did David’s men, when Saul came into the cave at En-gedi, 1Sa_24:4 And the men of David said to him, Behold, this is the day of which the LORD said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand so that you may do to him as it shall seem good to you. And David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly. and David uses the same language in reply.

let me smite him - Abishai remembered that David would not put forth his hand to stay him before, when he had an opportunity; and since now another offered, he did not move it to him to do it, but begged leave to do it himself; which he might think would be granted, since there was such a remarkable hand of Providence in it, which seemed to direct to such a step:

I will not smite him the second time - signifying, that he would give such a home blow or thrust, that the spear should pierce through him, and fasten him to the ground, that there would be no need to repeat it.

1Sa 26:9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?

who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless - since Saul was king, and appointed to that office by the Lord, and was anointed by his order for it, and invested with it by him, his person was sacred, and not to be touched; nor could his life be taken away by any without being guilty of a very great crime indeed, which it might be justly expected the Lord would resent and punish.

1Sa 26:10 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.

The Lord shall smite him - He shall die by a stroke of the Divine judgment; or his day shall come to die - he shall die a natural death; Murder David could not consider to be lawful; this would have been taking the matter out of God’s hand, and this David would not do.

the Lord shall smite him - suddenly, which the Jews call cutting off, or death by the hand of heaven, by the immediate hand of God:

as the Lord liveth - which was the form of an oath, made to assure Abishai of the truth of what follows,

1Sa 26:11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.

Take thou now the spear - Thus David withheld the hand of Abishai; but, at the same time, he directed him to carry off some things which would show where they had been, and what they had done. Thus he obtained the best of victories over him, by heaping coals of fire on his head.

the cruse of water - this was for his refreshment should he be hot and thirsty in the night, or to purify him from any nocturnal pollution that might happen; for, according to Clemens, it was a custom of the Jews often to purify themselves in bed:

at his bolster--literally, "at his head";

1Sa 26:12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.

A deep sleep from the Lord - It is the same word which is used, Gen_2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept. And He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh underneath, to describe the sleep which God caused to fall upon Adam, when he formed Eve out of his side.

1Sa 26:13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them:

David went over to the other side - To a hill on the other side, opposite to Hachilah, where Saul lay encamped;

Afar off - That his person might be out of their reach, and yet his voice might be heard; which in a clear air, and in the silence of the night might be heard at a great distance.

1Sa 26:14 And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?

answerest thou not, Abner - it seems David had called to him more than once, and he had returned no answer; perhaps not being thoroughly awake, or not knowing whose voice it was, and from whence it came:

1Sa 26:15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

David said to Abner - This incidental testimony to Abner’s great eminence as a warrior is fully borne out by David’s dirge at Abner’s death 2Sa_3:31-34, 2Sa_3:38, as well as by his whole history. At the same time David’s bantering tone in regard to Abner, coupled with what he says in 1Sa_26:19, makes it probable that David attributed Saul’s persecution of him in some degree to Abner. Abner would be likely to dread a rival in the young conqueror of Judah (compare 2Sa_2:8).

Art not thou a valiant man - a man of great fame for courage and valour, a man of great authority, who had the next post in the army under Saul, but had not behaved like a man, worthy of his character and office: This is a strong irony. David taunted Abner with having watched the king carelessly, and made himself chargeable with his death.

wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king - took care to have set a guard about his person while he slept; which perhaps was neglected through a contempt of David and his men, as being in no fear of them:

wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king - These reproaches that were cast at Abner were intended to show to Saul, who might at any rate possibly hear, and in fact did hear, that David was the most faithful defender of his life, more faithful than his closest and most zealous servants.

wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king - The circumstance of David having penetrated to the center of the encampment, through the circular rows of the sleeping soldiers, constituted the point of this sarcastic taunt. This new evidence of David's moderation and magnanimous forbearance, together with his earnest and kindly expostulation, softened the obduracy of Saul's heart.

there came one of the people in to destroy the king - that is, there had been one in the camp that night, who had entered there with that view to have destroyed him, had he an opportunity, and which did offer; this was true of Abishai, who no doubt went down with David into the camp with that intent, though David did not, and therefore he says, "one of the people", not more; for though two went in, only one with that view: David observes to them the danger the king was in, his carefulness of him to preserve his life, and the negligence of Abner, and those under his command.

1Sa 26:16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD'S anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.

This thing is not good that thou hast done - Yea, it was very bad, a great fault, and very blameworthy, if he had neglected to set a watch over the king, whose business it was as a general;

Ye are worthy to die; ye are sons of death - ye deserve death for this neglect of your king. And had not Saul been so deeply affected with David’s generosity in preserving his life, he had doubtless put Abner and his chief officers to death; though they were not to blame, as their apparent neglect was the effect of a supernatural sleep.

see where the king's spear is - which he then held up as proofs and evidences of the truth of what be said, that one had been in the camp and had carried off these, and who could as easily have destroyed the king as to have taken these away; all which likewise plainly proved the negligence of Abner, in not setting a watch about his master, or the negligence of the watch that was set.

1Sa 26:17 And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.

Saul knew David's voice - Though Abner at first did not, as appears by his words, but Saul did, by being this time thoroughly awake through the discourse that passed between David and Abner:

is this thy voice, my son David - the same question he put before, when he followed him out of the cave; 1 Sam 24:16 And it happened when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.

it is my voice, my lord, O king - he not only owns him to be king, whom he sought not to depose, but his own liege lord and sovereign, whose commands he was ready to obey.

1Sa 26:18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?

wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant -Suggesting that it was both below him to do it, and against his interest; for David was his servant, and he would gladly have continued in his service, and done his business, but he drove him from it, and pursued him as a traitor, when he had not been guilty of any offence to his knowledge:

1Sa 26:19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.

if the Lord have stirred thee up against me - if he had put it into his heart to persecute him after this manner, for some sin he had committed against him, though not against Saul: did that appear to be the case:

If the Lord have stirred thee up - The meaning is clear from the preceding history. “An evil spirit from God troubling him” was the beginning of the persecution. And this evil spirit was sent in punishment of Saul’s sin 1Sa_16:1, 1Sa_16:14. If the continued persecution was merely the consequence of this evil spirit continuing to vex Saul, David advises Saul to seek God’s pardon, and, as a consequence, the removal of the evil spirit, by offering a sacrifice. But if the persecution was the consequence of the false accusations of slanderers, then “cursed” be his enemies who, by their actions, drove David out from the only land where Yahweh was worshipped, and forced him to take refuge in the country of pagan and idolaters.

Let him accept an offering - my offering; or my prayer; I would offer a sin offering according to the law, to make atonement for my offence, and might hope it would be accepted; or I would make my supplication to God, and entreat him to forgive mine iniquity, and so an issue be put to these troubles; or should it be a capital crime deserving of death he was guilty of, he was content to die, and satisfy for his fault in that way; or if both of them had sinned, in any respect, he proposed to join in an acceptable sacrifice to God, and so reconciliation be made, and matters adjusted in such a religious way; if it was the evil spirit from the Lord that had entered into Saul, or God had suffered a melancholy disorder to seize him, which had put him upon those measures, let an offering agreeable to the will of God be offered, or supplication made for the removal of it:

Go, serve other gods - His being obliged to leave the tabernacle, and the place where the true worship of God was performed, and take refuge among idolaters, said in effect, Go, serve other gods.

Go, serve other gods - for by being forced to go into an idolatrous country, he would be in the way of temptation, and be liable to be corrupted by ill examples, and to be persuaded and enticed into idolatrous practices;

if they be the children of men - that incited him to such violent methods, as Abner his general, or Doeg the Edomite, and others:

they have driven me out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord - meaning not from his own house nor from the palace of Saul, but from the land of Canaan the Lord had given to his people Israel for an inheritance, and from the worship of God in it, which made it dear and precious to him; he knew if Saul went on pursuing him in this manner, he mast be obliged to quit the land, and go into a foreign country; so the Targum renders it the inheritance of the people of the Lord: by being driven out of the land which was their inheritance, he should be deprived of their company and conversation, and of all social worship;

1Sa 26:20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

come out to seek a flea - which leaps from place to place and is not easily taken: or this may denote what a mean, poor, weak, insignificant person David was; and how much it was below Saul to come out with an army of chosen men in pursuit of him; so the Targum, "the king of Israel is come out to seek one that is weak or feeble:" David, by comparing himself to this insect, seems to import, that while it would cost Saul much pains to catch him, he would obtain but very little advantage from it. The king of Israel is pursuing something very trivial, and altogether unworthy of his pursuit, just as if one were hunting a partridge upon the mountains.

as when one doth hunt a partridge--People in the East, in hunting the partridge and other game birds, pursue them, till observing them becoming languid and fatigued after they have been put up two or three times, they rush upon the birds stealthily and knock them down with bludgeons. It was exactly in this manner that Saul was pursuing David. He drove him from time to time from his hiding-place, hoping to render him weary of his life, or obtain an opportunity of accomplishing his destruction.

1Sa 26:21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

Then said Saul, I have sinned - Which is more than he acknowledged before, and yet he had no true sense of his sin, and real repentance for it; but, like Pharaoh, his guilty conscience for the present forced this confession from him; Exo_9:27 And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, I have sinned this time. Jehovah is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Saul repeated his good words and good wishes. But he showed no evidence of true repentance towards God. David and Saul parted to meet no more.

return, my son David - meaning to his own house,

1Sa 26:22 And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.

let one of the young men come over and fetch it - for notwithstanding the acknowledgment Saul had made of his sin and folly, David did not choose to carry the spear to him; not caring to trust him, and put himself into his hands, lest the evil spirit should return and come upon him suddenly, and alter his disposition and carriage; nor would he send any of his men with it, whose lives were dear to him, lest they should be seized as traitors, but desires one of Saul's men might be sent for it.

1Sa 26:23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed.

The Lord render to every man his righteousness -Or recompense every man that deals justly and faithfully with others, as he had done with Saul; or the Lord, who is just and faithful to his promises, reward the men that act the good and upright part; and this was a prayer of faith; for David doubted not that, though Saul might fail, yet God could not:

1Sa 26:24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.

as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes - Or "magnified"; and made great account of, as being the life of the king of Israel, and the Lord's anointed, and so spared:

let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord - he does not say in the eyes of Saul, as it should have been by way of retaliation, and as it might have been expected he would have said; but he had no dependence on Saul, nor expected justice to be done him by him; but he prays that his life might be precious in the sight of Lord, and taken care of, and protected by him, as he believed it would:

let him deliver me out of all tribulation - for as yet he did not think himself quite out of it, notwithstanding all that Saul had said, but believed the Lord would deliver him in due time; from him alone he looked for it, and on him he depended.

There is a vast deal of dignity in this speech of David, arising from a consciousness of his own innocence. He neither begs his life from Saul, nor offers one argument to prevail upon him to desist from his felonious attempts, but refers the whole matter to God, as the judge and vindicator of oppressed innocence. Saul himself is speechless, except in the simple acknowledgment of his sin; and in the behalf of their king not one of his officers has one word to say! It is strange that none of them offered now to injure the person of David; but they saw that he was most evidently under the guardian care of God, and that their master was apparently abandoned by him. Saul invites David to return, but David knew the uncertainty of Saul’s character too well to trust himself in the power of this infatuated king.

1Sa 26:25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Saul said to David, blessed be thou, my son David - So strong was his conviction now, that he could not forbear blessing him, foretelling his success, applauding David, and condemning himself, even in the hearing of his own soldiers.

thou shall both do great things - he had done great things already, in slaying Goliath, obtaining victories over the Philistines, and escaping the hands of Saul, and keeping out of them with so small a force; and he should do greater things yet:

David went on his way--Notwithstanding this sudden relenting of Saul, David placed no confidence in his professions or promises, but wisely kept at a distance and awaited the course of Providence .

1 Samuel 25

1Sa 25:1 And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

And Samuel died - Samuel lived, as is supposed, about ninety-eight years; was in the government of Israel before Saul from sixteen to twenty years; and ceased to live, according to the Jews, about four months before the death of Saul; but according to Calmet and others, two years. But all this is very uncertain; how long he died before Saul, cannot be ascertained.

And Samuel died - In the interval, when Saul and David were parted, and before they saw each other again; according to the Jewish chronology, Samuel died four months before Saul; but other Jewish writers say he died seven months before; Abarbinel thinks it was a year or two before; which is most likely and indeed certain, since David was in the country of the Philistines after this a full year and four months, if the true sense of the phrase is expressed in 1Sa_27:7; and Saul was not then dead; and so another Jewish chronologer says, that Saul died two years after Samuel.

Buried him in his house - Probably this means, not his dwelling-house, but the house or tomb he had made for his sepulture. Perhaps they buried him in the place where his house was, in some field or garden belonging to it.

David went down to the wilderness of Paran - This was either on the confines of Judea, or between the mountains of Judah and Mount Sinai; it is evident from the history that it was not far from Carmel, on the south confines of Judah. 1 Samuel 25:1 And Samuel died, and all Israel assembled, and bewailed him, and they bury him in his house in Armathaim: and David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Maon. (Septuagint)

All the Israelites lamented him - The death of Samuel is inserted here, because it occurred at that time. The fact that all Israel assembled together to his burial, and lamented him, i.e., mourned for him, was a sign that his labors as a prophet were recognised by the whole nation as a blessing for Israel . Since the days of Moses and Joshua, no man had arisen to whom the covenant nation owed so much as to Samuel, who has been justly called the reformer and restorer of the theocracy.

All Israel lamented Samuel - He prayed daily for them.

1Sa 25:2 And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

Carmel - Not Mount Carmel on the west of the plain of Esdraelon, but the Carmel close to Maon

there was a man in Maon - A city of the tribe of Judah , from whence the wilderness had its name before mentioned;

the man was very great - in worldly substance, though not in natural wisdom and knowledge, and especially in true religion and piety: His property consisted in cattle, and he was considered wealthy, according to the ideas of that age.

1Sa 25:3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

The name of the man was Nabal - The word signifies to be foolish, base, or villainous. This was hardly his proper name, but was a surname by which he was popularly designated on account of his folly.

she was a woman of good understanding - she was not only of a good understanding in things natural, civil, and domestic, but in things spiritual, as her speech to David shows,

he was of the house of Caleb - This is added to aggravate his crime, that he was a degenerate branch of that noble stock of Caleb, and consequently of the tribe of Judah .

he was of the house of Caleb--of course, of the same tribe with David himself; but many versions consider Caleb ("dog") not as a proper, but a common noun, and render it, "he was snappish as a dog."

1Sa 25:4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

1Sa 25:5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:

1Sa 25:6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.

Peace be both to thee - This is the ancient form of sending greetings to a friend: Peace to Thee, peace to thy Household, and peace to all that Thou Hast. That is, May both thyself, thy family, and all that pertain unto thee, be in continual prosperity! Perhaps David, by this salutation, wished Nabal to understand that he had acted so towards him and his property that nothing had been destroyed, and that all had been protected;

That liveth in prosperity - By this expression David both congratulates Nabal's felicity, and tacitly minds him of the distress in which he and his men were.

1Sa 25:7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

Thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not - It is most evident that David had a claim upon Nabal, for very essential services performed to his herdmen at Carmel . He not only did them no hurt, and took none of their flocks for the supply of his necessities, but he protected them from the rapacity of others; they were a Wall unto us, said Nabal’s servants, both by night and day.

neither was there ought missing unto them - they did not steal a sheep or lamb from them, as was common for soldiers to do; nor did they suffer any of the thieves to rob them, or any of the wild beasts to hurt them, as much as in them lay; so careful were they of them, and were a wall unto them by night and day, as Nabal's servants owned, 1Sa_25:16; and this was the case:

I have heard that thou hast shearers - Men employed in shearing his sheep, which was a time of feasting and gladness, and therefore David sent his young men to him at this time with his compliments upon it; and in order to obtain what he intended by this message to him, he observes the favors he and his men had done to his servants, and the advantages which they had received from them:

1Sa 25:8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

Whatsoever cometh to thine hand - As thou art making a great feast for thy servants, and I and my men, as having essentially served thee, would naturally come in for a share were we present; send a portion by my ten young men, for me and my men, that we also may rejoice with you. Certainly this was a very reasonable and a very modest request.

for we are come in a good day - a day in which Nabal made a feast for his shearers, as was usual then, and at such times as persons are generally cheerful and merry, so free and liberal, and as there were plenty of provisions, not only enough for the guests and shearers, but to spare, and there was no need for an increase of expense, it might upon the whole be concluded it was a proper time for David to apply for accommodations for himself and his men:

to thy son David - David, who styled himself his son, being of the same tribe with Nabal, and Nabal his senior.

1Sa 25:9 And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.

and ceased - from speaking, waiting for Nabal's answer; or "they rested", from the fatigues of their journey; which they did not until they had delivered their message to Nabal, and then they took the liberty to sit down and rest themselves;

1Sa 25:10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

Who is David - Nabal’s answer shows the surliness of his disposition. In a very haughty manner, in great wrath, just as churlish covetous persons do, when they do not care to give what is asked of them: It was unjust to refuse so reasonable a request; and the manner of the refusal was highly insulting. It is true what his own servants said of him, He is such a son of Belial that one cannot speak to him, 1Sa_25:17.

who is the son of Jesse - his two questions plainly shows he did know him, though he speaks with contempt of him, calling him "the son of Jesse", as Saul often did.

there be many servants nowadays that break away every man from his master - which words seem plainly to strike at David himself, and suggest that he had revolted from and rebelled against Saul his master, as well as received and protected fugitives and renegades, such as fled from their masters and from their creditors; 1Sa_22:2.

1Sa 25:11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

Shall I then take my bread, and my water - Which include all food and liquors, everything eatable and drinkable; and "water" may be particularly mentioned, because very scarce in the wilderness, and so precious; though the Septuagint version has "wine" instead of "water": 1 Samuel 25:11 And shall I take my bread, and my wine, and my beasts that I have slain for my shearers, and shall I give them to men of whom I know not whence they are? (Septuagint)

1Sa 25:12 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.

David's young men turned their way - Their backs on him, without making any reply; and though they did not return railing for railing.

1Sa 25:13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.

However intelligible David's wrath may appear in the situation in which he was placed, it was not right before God, but a sudden burst of sinful passion, which was unseemly in a servant of God. By carrying out his intention, he would have sinned against the Lord and against His people. But the Lord preserved him from this sin by the fact that, just at the right time, Abigail, the intelligent and pious wife of Nabal, heard of the affair, and was able to appease the wrath of David by her immediate and kindly interposition.

1Sa 25:14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.

one of the young men told Abigail - Not one of David's young men, but one of Nabal's young men or servants, one of those David directs him to for the truth of what he said, 1Sa_25:8; this was one of those that had been employed in feeding sheep in the wilderness, where David was, and knew him, but was now at Carmel, and was present when David's messengers came to Nabal, and was privy to what passed:

and he railed on them - gave them very abusive language, or "he flew at them"; or "upon" them, in great wrath and fury, calling them hard names, bidding them begone about their business; the allusion is to a ravenous bird, which will fly at persons when it apprehends its young in any danger.

1Sa 25:15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:

neither missed we anything - of our flocks, or anything belonging to us; they neither robbed us themselves, nor suffered others to rob us:

1Sa 25:16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

They were a wall unto us both by night and day - They had been as safe with David’s men around them as if they had been dwelling in a walled town. Protecting and defending them against the Philistines, who, as they robbed the threshing floors of Keilah, would have plundered the flocks of Nabal; against others who lived by plunder, and against the wild beasts of the desert, who otherwise would have carried off many of their sheep and lambs, by night or by day:

1Sa 25:17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

know and consider what thou wilt do - For the preservation of her family:

for evil is determined against our master and all his household - which he concluded, either from something that dropped from David's messengers, as they turned away from Nabal; or from the martial spirit of David himself, who would never put up such an affront and indignity cast upon him; or from some intelligence he had of David's arming his men, and marching to take vengeance:

for he is such a son of Belial - meaning Nabal, who was such a worthless, passionate, and ill natured man, such a lawless and imperious one, that he would not allow a servant to speak to him about anything; and suggests, that it would change nothing should Abigail speak to Nabal about it, but it would be most advisable for her to consider herself what was to be done immediately, without consulting him:

1Sa 25:18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

Two bottles - Rather, “two skins,” each of which would contain many gallons. These leather vessels varied in size according to the skin they were made of, and the use they were to be put to. The smaller and more portable kind were made of the skin of a kid: larger ones of the skin of a he-goat. The hide is pulled off the animal without ripping up; the places where the legs, etc., were are sewed up, and then the skin appears one large bag. The provisions were all ready to Abigail’s hand, having been provided for the sheep-shearing feast.

Cakes of figs - Figs dried, then pressed together and made into lumps.

Then Abigail made haste - As the case required, her family being in imminent danger:

five sheep ready dressed - killed and made ready to cook;

five measures of parched corn - or five seahs, 1 Samuel 25:18 And Abigaia hasted, and took two hundred loaves, and two vessels of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five ephahs of fine flour, and one homer of dried grapes, and two hundred cakes of figs, and put them upon asses. (Septuagint)

1Sa 25:19 And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.

she said to her servants, go on before me - With the present, the sight of which she wisely considered would in a great measure pacify David, and prepare him to hear patiently what she had to say to him:

1Sa 25:20 And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them.

The covert of the hill - Probably a defile or glen, literally a “secret place,” as in 1Sa_19:2. She was riding down into this glen from one side, while David and his men were descending the opposite hill. It is perhaps mentioned that she came by this “secret place,” because she chose this path to escape the observation of her husband or of anyone else.

The covert of the hill - by the side of it, which was covered with bushes, and she rode among them, in a way that led through them, and so was not seen by David and his men; or by the shadow of the hill, toward the bottom of it, where by reason of that, and the opposite hill, it was darkish, and they could not see each other:

She came down and David came down - David was coming down Mount Paran ; Abigail was coming down from Carmel .

1Sa 25:21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.

he hath requited me evil for good - he had requited evil to him by denying to send him any of his provisions, and by abusing him and his men with opprobrious language; and this was done in return for the good deeds he had done in protecting his servants and his flocks in the wilderness, and for the good words and respectful message he had sent unto him.

1Sa 25:22 So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

Any that pisseth against the wall - The concluding phrase denotes the utter destruction of a family, and is rightly explained to mean “every male,” perhaps with the idea, “down to the very meanest member of the household.” This seems to have been a proverbial expression among the Israelites; and may with the utmost propriety be read “any male.”

So and more also do God - Nothing can justify this part of David’s conduct. Whatever his provocation might have been, he had suffered, properly speaking, no wrongs; and his resolution to cut off a whole innocent family, because Nabal had acted ungenerously towards him, was abominable and cruel. David himself condemns this most rash and unwarrantable conduct, and thanks God for having prevented him from doing this evil, 1Sa_25:32, etc.

So and more also do God unto the enemies of David - Give them as much health and prosperity, as much wealth and riches, as Nabal has, and much more:

So and more also do God unto the enemies of David - That is, unto David himself. But because it might seem ominous to curse himself, therefore instead of David, he mentions David's enemies.

1Sa 25:23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,

she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face--Dismounting in presence of a superior is the highest token of respect that can be given; and it is still an essential act of homage to the great. Accompanying this act of courtesy with the lowest form of prostration, she not only by her attitude, but her language, made the fullest amends for the disrespect shown by her husband, as well as paid the fullest tribute of respect to the character and claims of David.

1Sa 25:24 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.

upon me let this iniquity be - which her husband had been guilty of; she desires it might be transferred from him to her, and be reckoned as if done by her; she would have it imputed to herself, and all the blame lie upon her, and the punishment for it be inflicted on her; for iniquity may be put for the punishment of iniquity: this was very artfully said, as well as expressed great affection for her husband, and care of his life; for she knew, if she could get the fault removed from him to her, she would be able to vindicate herself, and her innocence would soon appear; nor would this strong affection for her husband fail of answering some good purpose, as she full well knew:

1Sa 25:25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

regard this man of Belial, even Nabal - He is a worthless man, it must be owned, a weak foolish man, rather to be despised than regarded by him; what either he says or does is unworthy of the notice of any, and much less of so great a person as David was: Nabal is his name, which signifies a fool:

1Sa 25:26 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.

Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth - Which is an oath, and respects either what goes before, that she never saw the young men that were sent to Nabal, or to what follows, the providence of God in preventing David from shedding blood, which she was sure of by an impulse on her own mind, and by observing a change in David's countenance:

now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal - meaning Saul and those with him, wishing they might be as inconsiderable as Nabal; as unable, as weak, and impotent as he to do him any hurt, and as short lived, and cut off by the hand God, as he would be; for, according to one scholar, she prophesied under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

1Sa 25:27 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.

And now this blessing - The present, consisting of the things mentioned in 1Sa_25:18; which came as a blessing from God, and with good will from her:

And now this blessing - So a gift or present is called here, and elsewhere; not only because the matter of it comes from God's blessing; but also because it is given with a blessing, or with a good will. It is only in the third line that she finally mentions the present, but in such a manner that she does not offer it directly to David, but describes it as a gift for the men.

1Sa 25:28 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.

For the Lord will make a sure house - Abigail’s firm persuasion of David’s kingdom stands upon the same footing as Rahab’s conviction of God’s gift of Canaan to the Israelites Jos_2:9 And she said to the men, I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that your terror has fallen on us, and that all those who live in the land faint because of you. Both testified to God’s revelation and their own faith. This is doubtless the reason why Abigail’s speech is recorded. Compare 1Sa_2:35 And I will raise up a faithful priest to Myself, one who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever. and 2Sa_7:16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever. 1Ki_11:38 And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as David My servant did, it shall happen that I will be with you and build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you.

for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house - or a firm kingdom, would raise him to the kingdom of Israel, and establish it in his posterity, that it should not be taken from him, as it would be from Saul:

forgive the trespass of thine handmaid - The trespasses, either the sin of her husband, she had taken upon herself, or her boldness in troubling him with her petitions and solicitations, and even with the present she had brought:

1Sa 25:29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.

In the bundle - Rather, “the bag,” in which anything precious, or important to be preserved, was put, and the bag was then tied up. Preserved in this life and the eternal life.

bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord - the Jews refer this to eternal life in the world to come, and the safety and security of his soul hereafter; so the Targum,"the soul of my lord shall be treasured up in the treasury of eternal life, before the Lord thy God:'' hence they speak of the souls of the righteous being laid up under the throne of glory, in proof of which they produce this text;

bound up in the bundle of life - The metaphors in this verse are derived from the consideration, that things of value are collected together, and often tied up in bundles, like sheaves of corn, to prevent their being scattered and lost, and that whatever is put into a sling is not intended to be preserved, but to be thrown away.

The souls of your enemies shall he sling out - Far from being bound and kept together in union with the Fountain of life, he will cast them off from himself as a stone is cast out from a sling. This betokens both force and violence. The comparison is especially appropriate as addressed to David, whose feat with his sling was so celebrated 1Sa_17:49.

The souls of your enemies shall he sling out - as out of the middle of a sling; that is, remove them swiftly and suddenly, and with force, out of the world, as a stone is slung out of the middle of a sling; Jer_10:18 For so says the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the people of the land at this time, and will distress them, so that they may find Me.

a man is risen to pursue thee - His life, to take it away, meaning Saul, whom she chose not to name, because he was king:

1Sa 25:30 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;

shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel - that is, actually raised him to be, and settled him as king upon the throne of Israel; for he was both appointed and anointed already; and this Abigail knew, and was perhaps now well known in Israel.

1Sa 25:31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.

then remember thine handmaid - the advice she gave not to shed blood, and take vengeance, for which he would then be thankful, and gratefully remember: her meaning is, that when he should be king, and she should apply to him on any account, to have justice done her, and to be assisted and relieved when oppressed, that he would then remember her, and show her favor.

There shall be no grief - The mind and conscience will be free from all the torment which such an action would cause. How comfortable it would be to him to remember, that he had for conscience to God, restrained his passions.

Causeless - Which she signifies would be done if he should go on. For though Nabal had been guilty of abominable rudeness, and ingratitude; yet he had done nothing worthy of death, by the laws of God or of man. And whatsoever he had done, the rest of his family were innocent.

Avenged - Which is directly contrary to God's law, Lev_19:18 You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Deu_32:35 Vengeance and retribution belong to Me. Their foot shall slide in time, for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come on them make haste.

1Sa 25:32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:

blessed be the Lord God of Israel - he saw plainly the hand of God in it, and in the first place acknowledges the goodness of divine Providence , in directing her to take the step she did.

1Sa 25:33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

From coming to shed blood - Hereby it plainly appears, that oaths whereby men bind themselves to any sin, are null and void: and as it was a sin to make them; so it is adding sin to sin to perform them.

1Sa 25:34 For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

For in very deed, as the Lord God of Israel liveth - An oath for the confirmation of what he was about to say:

1Sa 25:35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.

David received of her hand - Her present, 1Sa_25:18; and which he kindly took for his own use, as well as for his men; for it was a present for a prince:

have accepted thy person - done as she desired, forgave the offence

1Sa 25:36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.

he held a feast in his house like the feast of a king - both for the number of dishes on his table and of guests at it though only on the account of sheep shearing;

for he was very drunken - which was a very ill example for the master of the feast to set, and was one instance among others of his folly, and of his conduct answering to his name:

she told him nothing - As he was then incapable of admonition, his reason and conscience being both asleep.

1Sa 25:37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

He became as a stone - Probably his violent anger at hearing it brought on a fit of apoplexy to which he was disposed by the drunken revel of the night before. After lying senseless for ten days he died.

His heart died within him - He was thunderstruck, and was so terrified at the apprehension of what he had escaped, that the fear overcame his mind, he became insensible to all things around him, probably refused all kinds of nourishment, and died in ten days.

His heart died within him - He probably fainted from horror at the perilous situation in which he had unconsciously placed himself; and such a shock had been given him by the fright to his whole system, that he rapidly pined and died.

1Sa 25:38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.

1Sa 25:39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.

To take her to him to wife - It is likely that he had heard before this that Saul, to cut off all his pretensions to the throne, had married Michal to Phalti; and this justified David in taking Abigail or any other woman; and, according to the then custom, it was not unlawful for David to take several wives. By his marriage with Abigail, it is probable he became possessed of all Nabal’s property in Carmel and Maon.

for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head - and upon no other, none of his family suffered but himself, and which was another cause of thankfulness to David; had he been suffered to have done as he in his wrath determined, not only Nabal, but all the males in his house, had been cut off; but now, through the righteous judgment of God, only Nabal suffered, and not any of his family:

to take her to him to wife - for being both a beautiful and wise woman, he thought her a proper person to be his wife; which she might lawfully become, Nabal being dead, and Michal, David's wife, being taken from him, and given to another man, with whom she lived in adultery; or as divorced by David, David by the law of God was free from her.

to take her to him to wife - Abigail believed that David would be king over Israel , and greatly esteemed his pious and excellent character. She deemed his proposal of marriage honourable, and advantageous to her, notwithstanding his present difficulties. With great humility, and doubtless agreeably to the customs of those times, she consented, being willing to share his trails.

1Sa 25:40 And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.

1Sa 25:41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.

bowed herself on her face to the earth - As she did before David, 1Sa_25:23; and did as she would have done had he been present, considering his messengers as representing him and therefore showed the same respect and reverence and did the same honor, as if he had been there in person:

let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord - which she said through her great humility, this being one of the meanest services she could be put to; intimating, that she was so far from being worthy to be the wife of such a man that she was only fit and it would be honor enough to her to perform the meanest services to those that waited upon him; or her sense is that it would be enough for her to be the wife of one of David's servants, and not his; it being the business of a wife to wash the feet of her husband.

1Sa 25:42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

Abigail hasted and arose - She had no objection nor hesitation in her mind about marrying David but at once consented, and immediately prepared for her journey, she knew and believed he would be king of Israel, 1Sa_25:30; and though he could not support her, she had enough to support herself, and supply him, till he came to the throne: and

with five damsels of hers - whom she took with her, partly to wait upon her, and partly for her honor, and the honor of David, whom she was going to marry:

she went after the messengers of David - not following them directly, but some time after they were gone; partly for the sake of decency, and partly that they going before might acquaint David with the success of their message, and he might prepare to receive Abigail when she came:

1Sa 25:43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives.

David also took Ahinoam - In the list of David’s wives Ahinoam is mentioned first 2Sa_3:2; 1Ch_3:1. But this may be only because her son was the first-born. David’s now taking two wives was an indication of his growing power and importance as a chieftain. The number was increased to six when he reigned in Hebron 1Ch_3:1, and still further when he became king of all Israel 2Sa_5:12-13.

David also took Ahinoam - Many think that this was his wife before he took Abigail; she is always mentioned first in the list of his wives, and she was the mother of his eldest son Ammon.

Of Jezreel - Not the well-known city of Samaria , which gave its name to the plain of Esdraelon, but a town of Judah , near Carmel . There were two places of this name; one in the tribe of Issachar, the other in the tribe of Judah .

they were also both of them his wives - polygamy, though not agreeably to the law of nature, nor the law of God, was a custom which prevailed in those times, which good men gave into, though not to be commended for it. The first polygamous marriage took place in the line of Cain. Genesis 4: 19 And Lamech took two wives to himself. The name of the first one was Adah, and the name of the other was Zillah.

1Sa 25:44 But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.

Saul gave his daughter - Saul’s giving Michal to Phalti was intended to mark the final rupture of his own relations with David. After the death of Saul, however, David persuaded Ishbosheth to give him Michal back again. Phalti or Phaltiel was compelled by Abner to restore Michal to David at that time 2Sa_3

Gallim - A city of Benjamin, and in the neighborhood of another town called Laish. It is likely therefore that Saul chose this man because he was of his own tribe.

1 Samuel 24

1Sa 24:1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.

Saul was returned - It is very probable that it was only a small marauding party that had made an excursion in the Israelitish borders, and this invasion was soon suppressed.

1Sa 24:2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

The rocks of the wild goats - To signify the craggy precipitous character of the country. Those rocks were exceeding high and terrible to look at, full of precipices, and so prominent, that they seemed as if they would fall into the adjacent valleys, that it even struck terror into them to look at them; called the rocks of wild goats, because these creatures, called from hence rock goats, Job_39:1; delighted to be there; and are of such prodigious swiftness, that they will leap from mountain to mountain, and back again at pleasure; these mountains David and his men chose for safety, and the height and craggedness of them did not deter Saul and his men from seeking him there. Saul was so transported with rage, as to venture himself and his army here, that he might take David, who, as he thought, would judge himself safe, and therefore be secure in such inaccessible places. The large force he took with him seemed to give him every prospect of success. But the overruling providence of God frustrated all his vigilance.

1Sa 24:3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.

Remained in the sides - Rather, “were in the sides of the cave dwelling or abiding there.” Some of these caverns are very deep and spacious. Any one near the mouth of the cave would be visible, but those in the recesses would be quite in the dark and invisible, especially if the incident occurred at night.

The sheepcotes - Caves in the rocks, in which it is common for shepherds and their flocks to lodge. For the sheep to be led into at noon , to shelter them from the heat:

Saul went in to cover his feet – A euphemism for relieving himself as in a toilet. It is likely that, when he had performed this act of necessity, he lay down to repose himself, and it was while he was asleep that David cut off the skirt of his robe.

Saul went in to cover his feet - Jewish commentators generally understand it to be relieving himself; and as the eastern people used to wear long and loose garments, these, when they performed such an action, they used in modesty to gather them close about them, that no part of the body, their feet, and especially the parts of nature which should be concealed, might be seen; The only place besides this in which the phrase is used is Jdg 3:24 And when he had gone out, his servants came. And they looked, and, behold, the doors of the roof room were locked, they said, Surely he is covering his feet in his cool roof room.

To sleep there - Saul being a military man, used to sleep with his soldiers upon the ground. And it is not improbable, that being weary with his eager and almost incessant pursuit, first of David, then of the Philistines, and now of David again, he both needed and desired some sleep, God also disposing him thereto, that David might have this eminent occasion to demonstrate his integrity to Saul, and to all Israel .

1Sa 24:4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.

Then David arose - the circumstances of the case seem to indicate that he arose to take away the life of Saul, and that it was in reference to this that his heart smote him. It appears that he rose up immediately at the desire of his men to slay his inveterate enemy, and one whom he knew the Lord had rejected; but when about to do it he was prevented by the remonstrance of God in his conscience, and instead of cutting off his head, as he might have done, an act which the laws and usages of war would have justified, he contented himself with cutting off the skirt of his robe; and he did this only to show Saul how much he had been in his power.

behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand - such was Saul, as appeared by his seeking to take away his life; and now he was in the hand of David to take away his life, if he pleased: Although these words might refer to some divine oracle which David had received through a prophet, Gad for example, what follows clearly shows that David had received no such oracle;

1Sa 24:5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

David’s heart smote him - He thought the action inconsistent with the respect which he owed to the king. His conscience accused him because he regarded this as an injury done to the king himself, and he repented of what he had done:

1Sa 24:6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.

The Lord’s anointed - However unworthily Saul was now acting, he had been appointed to his high office by God himself, and he could only be removed by the authority which placed him on the throne. Even David, who knew he was appointed to reign in his stead, and whose life Saul had often sought to destroy, did not conceive that he had any right to take away his life; and he grounds the reasons of his forbearance on this - He is my master, I am his subject. He is the Lord’s anointed, and therefore sacred as to his person in the Lord’s sight. It is an awful thing to kill a king, even the most untoward, when he has once been constitutionally appointed to the throne. Had David taken away the life of Saul at this time, he would, in the sight of God, have been a murderer. Romans 13:1-5 Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but of God; the authorities that exist are ordained by God. So that the one resisting the authority resists the ordinance of God; and the ones who resist will receive judgment to themselves. For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the bad. And do you desire to be not afraid of the authority? Do the good, and you shall have praise from it. For it is a servant of God to you for good. For if you practice evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a servant of God, a revenger for wrath on him who does evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake.

1Sa 24:7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

David stayed his servants with these words - Or pacified them, and reconciled their minds to his conduct, and restrained them from laying hands on him, by observing to them, that he was the anointed of the Lord:

suffered them not to rise against Saul - he not only argued with them, but laid his commands on them that they should not slay him:

1Sa 24:8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.

David also arose afterward - After Saul was gone:

David bowed himself - giving reverence and honor to him as a king;

1Sa 24:9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?

wherefore hearest thou men's words - David was quite aware that there were flatterers at Saul’s court who were continually inflaming the King’s mind by their false accusations against him. This explains the language of many of the Psalms, e. g. Ps. 10; Psa_11:1-7; Psa_12:1-8; 35; and many more.

wherefore hearest thou men's words - The false charges and accusations, that some of Saul's courtiers brought against David, as Doeg the Edomite, and such like sycophants and flatterers, to whom Saul hearkened, and believed what they said, and acted upon it. David chose rather to lay the blame on Saul's courtiers than on himself; and he began with him in this way, the rather to reconcile him to him, and cause him to listen to what he had to say:

1Sa 24:10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed.

Behold, this day thine eyes have seen - there is full proof and evidence of it, and which will be presently shown:

mine eye spared thee - had pity on him, and notwithstanding the suggestions of friends yet he had mercy on him, and forbore slaying him: The eye is said to spare, because it affects the heart with pity, and moves a man to spare.

1Sa 24:11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.

My father - The respectful address of a junior and an inferior; he was in a natural sense, as having married his daughter; and in a civil sense, as he was a king, and was, or ought to have been, the father of his country, and to treat his subjects as his children, and David among the rest:

1Sa 24:12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

The Lord judge between me and thee - Appeals of this kind to God are the common refuge of the poor and oppressed people.

1Sa 24:13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

Wickedness proceeded from the wicked - The meaning is this: Only a wicked man could wish to avenge himself; I do not. He that does a wicked act, gives proof thereby that he is a wicked man. From him who is wicked, wickedness will proceed; he who is wicked will add one iniquity to another. Mat 12:34-35 Offspring of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings out good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings out evil things.

1Sa 24:14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.

After whom is the king of Israel come out - was it consistent with the dignity of the king of Israel to lead armies in pursuit of a weak and helpless individual like David?

After a dead dog - A term used among the Hebrews to signify the utmost contempt; 2Sa 16:9 And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head. One utterly incapable of making the least resistance against Saul, and the troops of Israel . The same idea is expressed in the term flea. The Targum properly expresses both thus: one who is weak, one who is contemptible. One whose name was made to stink through the calumnies cast upon him; and if a dead dog, then as he was an useless person, and could do no good, so neither could he do any hurt, not so much as bark, much less bite; and therefore it was unworthy of so great a prince, a lessening, a degrading of himself, as well as a vain and impertinent thing, to pursue after such an one, that was not worthy of his notice, and could do him neither good nor harm:

After a dead dog - By these similes David meant to describe himself as a perfectly harmless and insignificant man, of whom Saul had no occasion to be afraid, and whom the king of Israel ought to think it beneath his dignity to pursue. A dead dog cannot bite or hurt, and is an object about which a king ought not to trouble himself. The point of comparison with a flea is the insignificance of such an animal.

1Sa 24:15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.

The Lord therefore be judge - Let God determine who is guilty.

1Sa 24:16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

My son David - David had called Saul his master, lord, and king. Saul accosts him here as his son, to show that he felt perfectly reconciled to him, and wished to receive him as formerly into his family.

Saul lifted up his voice and wept - From the sense of his sin against God, and his base carriage to David. He speaks as one quite overcome with David's kindness, and as one that relents at the sight of his own folly and ingratitude. Many mourn for their sins, who do not truly repent of them; weep bitterly for them, yet continue in love and in league with them.

1Sa 24:17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

And he said to David, thou art more righteous than I - By which it appears he thought himself righteous, though David was more so; the righteousness of David was so glaring, that his enemy himself being judge acknowledges it, but will not confess his own wickedness, having no true sense of sin, nor real sorrow for it:

1Sa 24:18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.

thou hast showed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me - The cutting off of the skirt of his robe only, when his life was in his hand, was a clear proof and full demonstration of his dealing well with him, and might sufficiently convince him he had no ill design upon him:

1Sa 24:19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.

If a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away - Or "in a good way", in peace and safety, without doing him any hurt; this is not usual among men, and yet this was the present case; David had found his enemy Saul, which Saul tacitly owns, and yet had let him go well away from him, without hurting him:

1Sa 24:20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.

I know well that thou shalt surely be king - He knew this before; and yet he continued to pursue him with the most deadly hatred.

1Sa 24:21 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.

Swear now - The same request which Jonathan made 1Sa_20:15. The deep, genealogical feeling of the Israelites breaks out here as so often elsewhere. Saul knew that an oath would bind David, though it was insufficient to bind himself.

1Sa 24:22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

David and his men gat them up unto the hold - Saul does not appear to have invited David to return to Gibeah, or to have given him any security of doing so with safety. David, with his intuitive sagacity, perceived that the softening of Saul’s feelings was only momentary, and that the situation remained unchanged. David could not trust Saul with his life; the utmost he could expect from him was that he should cease from persecuting him; but even this was too much to expect from a man of such a character as Saul. He was no longer under the Divine guidance; an evil spirit had full dominion over his soul.

And David sware unto Saul - That he would not cut, off his posterity; which oath he religiously observed, in sparing Mephibosheth, 2Sa 21:7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Jehovah's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. and in punishing the murderers of Ishbosheth, 2Sa_4:12; and as for the seven sons of Saul, delivered up to the Gibeonites, 2Sa_21:6, it may be questioned whether they were his genuine legitimate offspring; and if they were, it was by the appointment and command of God, and according to his will and pleasure they were executed, who is not bound by the oaths of men, and to whom they must be submitted, 2Sa_21:1,

1 Samuel 23

1Sa 23:1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

The Philistines fight against Keilah - Keilah was a fortified town in the tribe of Judah . Keilah was in the Shephelah, probably close to the Philistine border, but its site is uncertain.

Rob the threshing floors - The “threshing floors” were the natural objects of plunder Jdg_6:11. This was an ancient custom of the Philistines, Midianites, and others. Jdg_6:4. When the grain was ripe and fit to be threshed, and they had collected it at the threshing-floors, which were always in the open field, then their enemies came upon them and spoiled them of the fruits of their harvest.

Then they told David - David’s growing importance, fugitive as he was, is marked by this appeal to him for deliverance from the Philistines. Either the men of Keilah sent to him, being near them, or some well wishers of theirs, and of their country, acquainted him with their case:

The Philistines fight against Keilah - had laid siege to it, being a fortified place, 1Sa_23:7; it was a city in the tribe of Judah , on the borders of the Philistines; Probably it was the departure of God and David from Saul, that encouraged the Philistines to make this inroad.

1Sa 23:2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

Therefore David inquired of the Lord - In what way David made this inquiry we are not told, but it was perhaps by means of the prophet Gad, for Abiathar had not yet come with the ephod, the Urim and Thummim, to inquire by them; Some scholars think Abiathar had already joined David before the inquiry of the Lord. The adventure mentioned here was truly noble. In most cases a man with David’s wrongs would have joined with the enemies of his country, and avenged himself on the author of his adversities; but he thinks of nothing but using his power and influence in behalf of his brethren! This is a rare instance of disinterested heroism.

The Lord said Go and smite - He might now go with confidence, being assured of success. When God promises success, who need be afraid of the face of any enemy?

Therefore David inquired of the Lord - For though David was well disposed to serve his country, and was desirous of freeing them from their enemies the Philistines, he might have some doubts in his mind whether it would be right for him to engage with them now; partly because he could not act under a commission from Saul the king; and partly because he had such a small number of forces with him, that it might be hazardous for him to attack the armies of the Philistines with them, and attempt to raise the siege of Keilah; and therefore he thought it advisable to inquire of the Lord what was his mind and will in this matter:

1Sa 23:3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

we be afraid here in Judah - Of Saul and his army falling upon them, and crushing them, though they were in the tribe of Judah , where they had many friends, and in the heart of that tribe:

how much more then if we come to Keilah - which, though in the same tribe, yet in the further parts of it, and on the borders of the Philistines.

against the armies of the Philistines - too numerous and powerful for them.

1Sa 23:4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

David inquired of the Lord yet again - Not for his own sake, who firmly believed it was the will of God he should go and succeed, but for the sake of his men, and to remove the doubts and fears that hung on their minds: This was to satisfy his men, who made the strong objections mentioned in the preceding verse.

I will deliver the Philistines into thine hands - which is still more explicit, and is a promise not only of delivering Keilah out of the hands of the Philistines, but of delivering them into David's hands, and so of an entire: victory; and therefore none of David's men had anything to fear after such a declaration of the will of God.

1Sa 23:5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

1Sa 23:6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

Abiathar fled to David to Keilah - Either when he was there, or near the place:

with an ephod in his hand - not with a linen ephod on his back, which the priests in common wore, but the ephod with the Urim and Thummim in his hand, which was peculiar to the high priest; and his father the high priest being dead, it belonged to him, and therefore he took care to bring it with him; It had, probably, been committed to his care, while Ahimelech and the other priests repaired to Gibeah, in obedience to the summons of Saul.

1Sa 23:7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

for he is shut in - by entering into a town that hath gates and bars; while before he betook himself to caves, and fields, and woods, Saul had no great hopes of finding David out, and coming up with him, and seizing him; but now he had got into a fortified place, enclosed with walls, and that had gates to it, kept bolted and barred; when he brought his army against it, and surrounded it, he imagined he would not be able to get out, and escape his hands. Saul imagined himself now certain of his victim, who would be hemmed within a fortified town.

1Sa 23:8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

Saul called all the people together - That is, all the people of that region or district, that they might scour the country, and hunt out David from all his haunts. This force was raised, probably, on the ostensible pretext of opposing the Philistines, while, in reality, it was secretly to arouse mischief against David.

1Sa 23:9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

David knew that Saul practiced mischief against him - That is, plotted and contrived it, formed schemes in order to do him mischief, giving out one thing, and designing another; so he pretended war against the Philistines, but his intention was to come against Keilah, and take David there:

Bring hither the ephod--not for David to put on, but for the priest himself, that being clothed with it, and the Urim and Thummim in it, he might inquire for him of the Lord.

1Sa 23:10 Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

O Lord God of Israel - the great Jehovah, the covenant God of his people, who always has a merciful regard unto them:

1Sa 23:11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.

Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hands -That is, if David continued there, which is the supposition all proceeds upon. The questions are not orderly put, as may easily be observed, the last should have been first; which shows some perturbation of mind David was in upon hearing the design of Saul against him: The answer is only made to that which it was proper to ask first; and that which is asked out of order had to be asked again

And the Lord said - In this short history we find an ample proof that there is such a thing as contingency in human affairs; that is, God has poised many things between a possibility of being and not being, leaving it to the will of the person to turn the scale. In the above answers of the Lord the following conditions were evidently implied: - If thou continue in Keilah, Saul will certainly come down; and If Saul come down, the men of Keilah will deliver thee into his hands. We may observe from this that, however positive a declaration of God may appear that refers to any thing in which man is to be employed, the prediction is not intended to suspend or destroy free agency, but always comprehends in it some particular condition.

1Sa 23:12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.

they will deliver thee up - the Lord knew the dispositions and affections of their minds, that the men of Keilah were inclined to do it, and would do it, if David continues among them till Saul came down; which showed the great ingratitude of this people to their deliverer.

1Sa 23:13 Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.

went whithersoever they could go - not knowing whither they should go, having no particular place in view; but went where they thought they could be safest, or that appeared the most proper place for them;

1Sa 23:14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

Wilderness of Ziph - Ziph was a city in the southern part of Judea , not far from Carmel . The wilderness of Ziph apparently had high and strong rocks

God delivered him not into his hand - which suggests, that it was only the providence of God that secured him.

Saul sought him all the days - This is a general remark, intended to introduce the accounts which follow, of the various attempts made by Saul to get David into his power.

1Sa 23:15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life - either he saw him with his bodily eyes from the top of the mountain where he was, 1Sa_23:14; or he perceived, he understood by information given him by his friends,

1Sa 23:16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

strengthened his hand in God - He comforted and supported him against all his fears, by minding him of God's infallible promises made to him, and his singular providence which hitherto had and still would be with him. It is probable that there was always a secret contact between David and Jonathan, and that by this most trusty friend he was apprised of the various designs of Saul to take away his life. As Jonathan well knew that God had appointed David to the kingdom, he came now to encourage him to trust in the Most High, and to assure him that the hand of Saul should not prevail against him; and at this interview they renewed their covenant of friendship. Now all this Jonathan could do, consistently with his duty to his father and his king. He knew that David had delivered the kingdom; he saw that his father was ruling unconstitutionally; and he knew that God had appointed David to succeed Saul. This he knew would come about in the order of Providence ; and neither he nor David took one step to hasten the time. Jonathan, by his several interferences, prevented his father from imbruing his hands in innocent blood: a more filial and a more loyal part he could not have acted; and therefore, in his attachment to David, he is wholly free of blame.

1Sa 23:17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

thou shalt be king over Israel - meaning after the death of his father; which he knew either by some special revelation made to him; or rather by being informed he had been anointed by Samuel, and which he had either from Samuel or from David himself; and this he most firmly believed, though David was now in so low a condition:

and I shall be next unto thee - not succeed him in the kingdom; but if living when he came to the throne, he should be the second man in civil affairs, as he now was, and that he should be content with:

1Sa 23:18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

they made a covenant before the Lord - Renewed the covenant they had before made in the name and fear of God, and before him as a witness of it. They then parted, and never came together again, that we find, in this world. The treachery of the Ziphites forms a striking contrast to Jonathan's treatment of David.

1Sa 23:19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah - Who though he had been out in quest of David, yet was now returned to Gibeah, and hither came the Ziphites with a proposal to deliver him to Saul; for though they were of the same tribe with David, yet being terrified with what Saul had done to Nob, they thought it best for their own security to inform Saul where he was, and make an offer to deliver him to him. at this time it was that David wrote the fifty fourth psalm, Psalms 54:1 To the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation. A Psalm of David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, Does not David hide himself among us? Save me, O God, by Your name, and judge me by Your strength.

in the hill of Hachilah – possibly where, according to Josephus, Jonathan the high priest (not Saul’s son) built a castle, and called it Masada , where Herod built a wall around it.

Jeshimon - or the wilderness.

1Sa 23:20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.

1Sa 23:21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

ye have compassion on me - pitied him on account of the troubles he met with from his son-in-law, were sorry for him, and sympathized with him, which others did not, of which he complained, 1Sa_22:8 But all of you have conspired against me, and none of you was revealing in my ear when my son cut a covenant with the son of Jesse? And not one of you is sorry for me, even to reveal in my ear that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as today.

1Sa 23:22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.

know and see his place where his haunt - That is, go home, return to their habitations, and get things in a greater readiness for him; inquire more diligently after David, get more intelligence of him, and inform themselves more exactly about him:

1Sa 23:23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.

I will go with you - upon such certain information relayed back to Saul: it is apparent that he did not seize this opportunity, and go directly with them; for by this delay, David being informed of the Ziphites coming to Saul to betray him, had time to depart elsewhere:

throughout all the thousands of Judah - through all the divisions of that tribe, which, as others, were divided into thousands.

1Sa 23:24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.

went to Ziph, before Saul - they went thither before he went, to prepare things more exactly before he came, and in order to return to him again and go with him:

in the plain on the south of Jeshimon - the same as in 1Sa_23:19; only David was now farther to the south of it, and in a plain, whereas before he was on an hill.

the wilderness of Maon - a city in the most southern parts of the tribe of Judah , and a neighboring town to Carmel . Hence Nabal (1Sa_25:2) is described as a man of Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel ; and though he might dwell generally in Maon, yet he is styled Nabal the Carmelite, from the place where his estate lay. Maon was a mountainous district in the most southern parts of Judah .

1Sa 23:25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

came down into a rock - That is, into a cave which was in the rock; where at first he might think to hide himself, but upon farther consideration he removed from there upon Saul's approach.

came down into a rock - “The rock” is probably the conical mountain of Main (Maon), the top of which is now surrounded with ruins, probably remains of a tower, as the rock from which David came down can only have been the mountain (1Sa_23:26), along one side of which David went with his men whilst Saul and his warriors went on the other, namely when Saul pursued him into the desert of Maon.

1Sa 23:26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

Saul went on this side of the mountain - Saul with his army came to the very mountain where David and his men were, the one was on one side of it, and the other on the other side; there was only one mountain between them: Evidently not knowing that David and his men were on the other side.

1Sa 23:27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.

There came a messenger - See the providence of God exerted for the salvation of David’s life. The wisdom of God is never at a loss for ways, and means to preserve his people. David and his men are almost surrounded by Saul and his army, and on the point of being taken, when a messenger arrives and informs Saul that the Philistines had invaded the land.

the Philistines have invaded the land - perhaps they had taken the advantage of Saul's departure in quest of David, to penetrate into the tribe of Benjamin, where his patrimony, residence, and court were, and which were liable to fall into their hands; and therefore his presence was immediately required, and haste was necessary.

1Sa 23:28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.

They called that place Selahammahlekoth - That is, the rock of divisions; because, says the Targum, the heart of the king was divided to go hither and thither. Here Saul was obliged to separate himself from David, in order to go and oppose the invading Philistines which deliverance of David was of such a nature as made the Divine interposition fully visible.

Saul returned from pursuing after David - Stopped short at once, as soon as ever he received the message:

1Sa 23:29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.

Strong holds at En-gedi - another place in the tribe of Judah, and which lay in the wilderness of Judah, En-gedi was situated near to the western coast of the Dead Sea, not far from Jeshimon: it literally signifies the kid’s well, and was celebrated for its vineyards, Son 1:14 My Beloved is to me like a cluster of henna in the vineyards of Engedi. It was also celebrated for its balm. It is reported to be a mountainous territory, filled with caverns; and consequently proper for David in his present circumstances.

1 Samuel 22

1Sa 22:1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.

To the cave Adullam - Adullam was the name of a town of Judah in the “Shephelah,” not far from Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah , and below it. Innumerable caverns, one nearly 100 feet long, are excavated in the soft limestone hills in the neighborhood of Beit-Jibrin. David’s brethren and kinsmen joined him partly from sympathy with him, and partly because their own lives were in jeopardy front Saul’s furious enmity. Here he penned his hundred forty second psalm, Psalms 142:1 An Instruction of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cried to the LORD with my voice; with my voice I prayed to the LORD.

To the cave Adullam - a number of pits or underground vaults, some nearly square, and all about fifteen or twenty feet deep, with perpendicular sides, in the soft limestone or chalky rocks. They are on the borders of the Philistine plain at the base of the Judea mountains, six miles southwest from Beth-lehem, and well adapted for concealing a number of refugees. The cave Adullam is not to be sought for in the neighborhood of Bethlehem , but near the town Adullam, which is classed in Jos_15:35 among the towns in the lowlands of Judah , and at the foot of the mountains;

1Sa 22:2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

Everyone that was discontented - The phrase here denotes those who were exasperated by Saul’s tyranny.

Everyone that was discontented - It is very possible that these several disaffected and exceptionable characters might at first have supposed that David, unjustly persecuted, would be glad to avail himself of their assistance that he might revenge himself upon Saul, and so they in the mean time might profit by plunder, etc. But if this were their design they were greatly disappointed, for David never made any improper use of them. They are never found plundering or murdering; on the contrary, they always appear under good discipline, and are only employed in services of a beneficent nature, and in defense of their country.

And everyone that was in distress - In straitened circumstances, through the oppression of men, through poverty, and afflictive providences in their families:

gathered themselves unto him - to help him, or rather to be helped by him; hoping in time things would take a favouable turn with him, and he should be advanced to the throne, and so their circumstances would be mended thereby:

he became a captain over them - he might not know the circumstances of those in debt, nor of any of them thoroughly, nor their views in joining him; however he meant not to shelter them from paying their just debts if able, nor to encourage them in disloyalty to their king, only to make use of them for his own preservation for the present. In this he was a type of Christ, who receives sinners distressed with a sense of sin, discontented in their present state, and in debt, and, unable to pay their debts; see Mat_11:28,

he became a captain over them - The number of those who went over to him soon amounted to six hundred men (1Sa_23:13), who were for the most part brave and reckless, and who ripened into heroic men under the command of David during his long flight. A list of the bravest of them is given in 1 Chron 12, with which compare 2Sa_23:13. and 1Ch_11:15.

1Sa 22:3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.

Mizpeh of Moab - It is probable that David’s descent from Ruth the Moabitess may have had something to do with his seeking an asylum for Jesse, Ruth’s grandson, in the land of her birth. It would be very easy to get to the Jordan from the neighborhood of Bethlehem , and cross over near its embouchure into the Dead Sea .

He said unto the king of Moab - David could not trust his parents within the reach of Saul, and he found it very inconvenient to them to be obliged to go through all the fatigues of a military life, and therefore begs the king of Moab to give them shelter. The king of Moab , being one of Saul’s enemies, would be the more ready to oblige a person from whom he might at least expect friendship, if not considerable services.

Till I know what God will do for me - He expresses his hopes very modestly, as one that had entirely cast himself upon God, and committed his way to him, trusting not in his own arts or arms, but in the wisdom, power and goodness of God.

Mizpeh of Moab - As David came to the king of Moab, the Moabites had probably taken possession of the most southerly portion of the eastern lands of the Israelites; we may also infer this from the fact that, according to 1Sa_14:47, Saul had also made war upon Moab.

1Sa 22:4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.

He brought them before – 1 Sam 22:4 And he persuaded the King of Moab, and they dwell with him continually, while David was in the hold. (Septuagint) What became of David's parents afterwards, we nowhere else read.

In the hold - Where David was after he left the cave of Adullam , probably in the land of Moab .

all the while - would indicate that David sojourned a considerable time in Moab .

1Sa 22:5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.

The prophet Gad - Mentioned here for the first time. One may conjecture that Samnel had sent him privately from Naioth to tell David not to abide in the hold. Whether he stayed with David or returned to the College of the prophets does not appear. In 1Ch_21:9 And the LORD spoke to Gad, David's seer, saying, he is called David's seer. In the last year of David's reign he announced to him the punishment which would fall upon him from God on account of his sin in numbering the people 2Sa_24:11-12 And David rose up in the morning. And the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, Go and say to David, So says the LORD, I offer you three things . Choose one of them, so that I may do it to you. and according to 1Ch_29:29 And the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer, he also wrote the acts of David.

The prophet Gad - Who either accompanied him in his exile, or was sent unto him on this account, being one of the company of the prophets, over whom Samuel was president, 1Sa_19:20,

get thee into the land of Judah - this seems to confirm it that the hold David was in was not the cave of Adullam, because that was in the tribe of Judah; but rather some hold in the land of Moab, which he is directed by the prophet to leave, and go into the country of Judah, his own tribe,

get thee into the land of Judah - Hereby also God would exercise David's faith, and wisdom, and courage; and so prepare him for the kingdom. It was right to appear publicly among the people of his own tribe, as one conscious of innocence and trusting in God; and it was expedient that, on the death of Saul, his friends might be encouraged to support his interest.

1Sa 22:6 When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)

Under a tree in Ramah - Rather, “under the tamarisk-tree on the high place,” where he always held such meetings. It was a kind of parliament in the open air, and all his tribesmen gathered round him. This was not Ramah where Samuel dwelt

Saul heard that David was discovered - That it was known where David was, and what number of men were gathered to him, and that they now openly appeared in the tribe of Judah; for some time Saul had heard nothing of him, but now a report had reached his ears that David was in arms, and at the head of a number of men; which now greatly alarmed Saul, and possessed him with fears and jealousies of his people, and all about him:

1Sa 22:7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

Ye Benjamites - Showing how isolated the tribes still were, and how for the most part Saul was surrounded by his own tribesmen only.

will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards - as Saul had done, or was capable of doing, and would do if they were faithful to him; whereas it was not in the power of David, whom in contempt he calls the son of Jesse, to do it; and even should he ever be king, and in his power to make such donations, it cannot be thought he would give them to them, but to the favorites of his own tribe:

Hear now, ye Benjamites--This was an appeal to stimulate the patriotism or jealousy of his own tribe, from which he insinuated it was the design of David to transfer the kingdom to another.

1Sa 22:8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

There is none that showeth me - He conjectured that Jonathan had made a league with David to dethrone him, and he accuses them of disloyalty for not making the discovery of this unnatural treason. Now it was impossible for any of them to show what did not exist, no such league having ever been made between David and Jonathan. Saul did not know this certainly, he only suspected it from the strict and close friendship between them, and imagined that some of his servants were acquainted with it, though they kept it from him; whereas none knew of it but Jonathan and David themselves:

That all of you have conspired against me - For though they had not revolted from him, and been guilty of overt acts of treason, yet since they did not discover to him what he supposed they knew, and showed no concern for the circumstances in which he was, he interpreted this a conspiracy against him:

none of you that is sorry for me - concerned, troubled, and grieved, that he should be in such circumstances, his own son and his son-in-law in league against him:

1Sa 22:9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

set over the servants of Saul - In 1Sa_21:7 he is said to be the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul, and the Septuagint implies that he was over the mules of Saul. Probably he was what we call the king’s groom.

I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob - in imitation of Saul, he calls David by way of contempt the son of Jesse; and signifies that what he had to say of him was not by report, but he himself was an eyewitness of his coming to Nob.

1Sa 22:10 And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

He inquired of the Lord – Ahimelech denies this occurred, but Ahimelech’s going to fetch the sword from behind the ephod might have given occasion to the belief on Doeg’s part that he had put on the ephod to inquire of the Lord for David.

he inquired of the Lord for him - This circumstance is not related in history; but it is probably true, as David would most naturally wish to know where to direct his steps in this very important crisis.

he inquired of the Lord for him - Which not being expressed before, some have taken it to be a lie of Doeg's, he being charged with lying by David, Psa_52:1-4 To the Chief Musician. A contemplation. A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said to him, David has come to the house of Ahimelech. Why do you boast yourself in evil, O mighty man? The mercy of God endures forever. Your tongue devises evil, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, and lying more than to speak righteousness. Selah. You love all devouring words, O deceitful tongue. According to the Jewish writers Doeg meant by this to prove a charge of treason both against David and Ahimelech; that the former made himself king, and the latter owned him to be so, since inquiry by Urim and Thummim was not made for a private person, but for a king.

And gave him food - All this was true, but then he acted the deceitful part, with which he is charged in the above psalms, in not declaring how David had imposed upon the priest, by pretending he was sent in haste on the king's business; which was the reason he was so ill provided with servants, food, and armor; which if Doeg had reported faithfully, as he ought to have done, would have saved the credit and life of the priest, and of his family.

1Sa 22:11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

all his father's house - the family of Eli, which God had threatened to destroy, and now the time was hastening on: 1Sa_2:31 Behold, the days come when I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father's house, so that no old man shall be in your house.

the priests that were in Nob - in which dwelt none but priests, at least these were the chief of the inhabitants, and therefore called the city of the priests, 1Sa_22:19,

1Sa 22:12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

hear now, thou son of Ahitub - The charge exhibited against him; in contempt of him, he does not so much as call him by his name, nor give him the title of his office, as high priest;

he answered, here I am, my lord - giving due honor to Saul, though he received none from him, and appearing with great boldness, as having a clear conscience, and so ready to hear what was to be said unto him.

1Sa 22:13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

why have ye conspired against me - No less than treason and rebellion is he charged with, in conjunction with David;

hast inquired of God for him - inquired of the Lord for him by Urim and Thummim, to know his mind in this affair, and thereby encouraged him to rise up in rebellion against him, and to lie in wait, as he did at the present time, watching for an opportunity to seize his crown and kingdom.

1Sa 22:14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

who is so faithful amongst thy servants as David - I considered him, as if he should say, as a servant of thine, upon an errand of thine, and doing thy business; and as a faithful one, none more so, and as such I valued and regarded him, not as a rebel to thee, having no such thought of him:

1Sa 22:15 Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.

Did I then begin - He probably means that his inquiring now for David was no new thing, having often done so before on the king’s business, and without ever being informed it was either wrong in itself, or displeasing to the king. Nor is it likely that Ahimelech knew of any disagreement between Saul and David. He knew him to be the king’s son-in-law, and he treated him as such.

thy servant knew nothing of all this - was entirely ignorant of this affair; which plain, honest, account of things, one might have thought, would have been satisfying to Saul; but it seems it was not.

1Sa 22:16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

And the king said, thou shalt surely die - He pronounces the sentence himself, without taking the opinion and advice of others, or further time; which was an act of arbitrary power, and upon an innocent person, which was an act of great injustice:

all thy father's house - more unrighteous still; but God suffered him to do this to fulfill his will, and execute his threatenings against the house of Eli, which was this priest's father's house, for former wickedness; but this is no excuse for, nor extenuation of the sin of, Saul. This sentence was so cruel, and so nearly bordering upon madness, that the footmen would not carry it out, but refused to lay hands upon “the priests of Jehovah.”

1Sa 22:17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

But the servants of the king would not - They dared to disobey the commands of the king in a case of such injustice, inhumanity, and irreligion. Their consciences would not suffer them to do it; they refused to obey the king's orders, and chose rather to expose themselves to his resentment, than to be guilty of such a crime.

slay the priests of the Lord - he owns them to be the priests of the Lord, and calls them so, and yet gave orders to put them to death, though innocent; one would have thought this their character would have flown in his face, and stung his conscience, and deterred him from so foul a deed:

1Sa 22:18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

Fourscore and five persons – 1 Sam 22:18 And the king said to Doec, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests: and Doec the Syrian turned, and slew the priests of the Lord in that day, three hundred and five men, all wearing an ephod. (Septuagint) Josephus has three hundred and eighty-five men. Possibly the eighty-five were priests; the three hundred, the families of the priests; three hundred and eighty-five being the whole population of Nob.

That did wear a linen ephod - That is, persons who did actually administer, or had a right to administer, in sacred things. The linen ephod was the ordinary clothing of the priests. Not the ephod of Urim and Thummim, which was only worn by the high priest, but a garment wholly linen, worn by common priests. The allusion to the priestly clothing, like the repetition of the expression “priests of Jehovah,” serves to bring out into its true light the crime of the bloodthirsty Saul and his executioner Doeg. The very dress which the priests wore, as the consecrated servants of Jehovah, ought to have made them shrink from the commission of such a murder.

And the king said to Doeg - For determined he was they should die; if one would not put them to death, another should, and who so fit for this bloody work as the false accuser of them, and false witness against them?

Doeg the Edomite - This is noted to wipe off the stain of this butchery from the Israelitish nation, and to show, why he was so ready to do it, because he was one of that nation which had an implacable hatred against all Israelites, and against the priests of the Lord.

1Sa 22:19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

Both men and women - The language employed in the case of the Amalekites 1Sa_15:3 and of Jericho Jos_6:21. Nothing could be more truculent than Saul’s revenge. Saul, who was so tender hearted and merciful in the case of the Amalekites, when his orders from the Lord were utterly to destroy them, 1Sa_15:2, that he spared their king, and the best of their cattle, 1Sa_15:7; yet now so cruel to a city of the priests, as to destroy all the inhabitants of it, and cattle in it; Now Saul was the more severe this city, to deter others from joining with David, who, if they did, must expect the same treatment.

smote he with the edge of the sword - Either Doeg or Saul. This is one of the worst acts in the life of Saul; his malice was implacable, and his wrath was cruel, and there is no motive of justice or policy by which such a barbarous act can be justified.

Both men and women - In all the life of Saul, there is no wickedness to be compared to this. He appears now to be wholly under the power of that evil spirit which had long tormented him. And this destruction could not but go to the heart of every pious Israelite, and make them wish a thousand times, they had been content with the government of Samuel.

smote he with the edge of the sword--The barbarous atrocities perpetrated against this city seem to have been designed to terrify all the subjects of Saul from affording either aid or an asylum to David. But they proved ruinous to Saul's own interest, as they alienated the priesthood and disgusted all good men in the kingdom.

1Sa 22:20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

Abiathar - He may have remained at Nob to take care of the sanctuary when the other priests went to Saul, and so escaped. He continued David’s faithful friend throughout his reign 1Sa_23:9; 1Sa_30:7; 2Sa_15:24, 2Sa_15:29, 2Sa_15:35, but gave offence by taking Adonijah’s part against Solomon 1Ki_1:7, 1Ki_1:19, 1Ki_1:42, and in consequence was deprived of the high priesthood 1Ki_2:26-27. In Mar_2:26, he is spoken of as the High Priest who gave the showbread to David. Perhaps he was the instigator of this act of kindness to David; and for this cause, as well as his constancy to David, is mentioned by our Lord instead of Ahimelech. It is also possible that, as sagan to his father, he may have performed most of the priestly functions, as Hophni and Phinehas did in the lifetime of Eli. Abiathar did not actually join David until he went to Keilah.

1Sa 22:21 And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests.

1Sa 22:22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.

that he would surely tell Saul - David knew he was a spiteful mischievous man; that he was a true Edomite, though a proselyte, and bore hatred and enmity in his mind against an Israelite, and especially an Israelite indeed, as David was:

I have occasioned the death - or have been the cause of all the evils that befell them, and the death they were put unto, not with design, but by accident; and it grieved him that he should be any ways an accessory thereunto, though without intention. David greatly lamented the calamity. It is great trouble to a good man to find himself any way the cause of evil to others. He must have been much pained, when he considered that his falsehood was one cause of this fatal event. David speaks with assurance of his own safety, and promises that Abiathar should have his protection.

1Sa 22:23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.

He that seeketh my life seeketh thy life - The characteristic generosity of David’s disposition breaks out in these words. He never forgot a friend. David acknowledges that Saul’s enmity against Abiathar is the consequence of his enmity against himself, and therefore David makes common cause with him. They have the same common enemy, and therefore it is best and safest to be together;

Abide thou with me, fear not - He appeared to be in a fright; which is not to be wondered at, as not knowing what to do, and where to go and provide for his safety; when, to allay his fears, and make him easy, David invites and encourages him to stay with him, and not be afraid of Saul, nor any other:

1 Samuel 21

1Sa 21:1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

Then came David to Nob - Nob was a city of the priests, the high priest resided there, and the tabernacle was pitched there 1Sa_21:4, 1Sa_21:6,1Sa_21:9; 1Sa_22:10. It was situated on the road from the north to Jerusalem , near Anathoth, and within sight of the holy city Isa_10:32 Yet he shall remain in Nob today; he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. Neh_11:32 at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah.

Then came David to Nob - There were two places of this name, one on this side, the second on the other side of Jordan; but it is generally supposed that Nob, near Gibeah of Benjamin, is the place here intended; it was about twelve miles from Jerusalem.

Why art thou alone - Ahimelech probably knew nothing of the difference between Saul and David; and as he knew him to be the king’s son-in-law, he wondered to see him come without any attendants.

Ahimelech was afraid - hearing that he was come or coming, he went out to meet him, but when he saw him alone he trembled; especially if he had heard of his having fallen under the displeasure of Saul, and that he now fled from him, therefore he might fear that he should fall into disgrace and danger should he entertain him:

Ahimelech the priest - The high priest; he was the brother of Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, who being dead he succeeded him; though some scholars say he was the same; 1 Sam 22:3 And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone. 1 Sam 22:9 And answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. Who was now at Nob, the tabernacle being there, whither probably it was removed by Saul, and where and at Gibeon, according to the Jews, it continued fifty seven years; as in the times of Joshua it was in Shiloh, in the tribe of Ephraim, of which tribe he was; and in the times of David it was placed in the tribe of Judah, to which he belonged; so in the times of Saul it was in Nob, a city of his tribe; for that it was in the tribe of Benjamin appears by its being mentioned along with Anathoth, Neh_11:32;

Then came David to Nob - David, before he departed further off, was willing to see the tabernacle once more, and there worship his God, and inquire of him by the high priest, as he did, 1Sa_22:10; to direct him what way he should take, and that he would prosper and succeed him in it, grant him his presence, and keep him in safety:

1Sa 21:2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

The king hath commanded me a business - All said here is an untruth, and could not be dictated by the Spirit of the Lord; but there is no reason to believe that David was under the influence of Divine inspiration at this time. A fresh instance of David’s unscrupulous readiness to lie. This falsehood brought he greatest calamities upon Ahimelech and the priests at Nob (1Sa_22:9-19), and David was afterwards obliged to confess that he had occasioned it all (1Sa_22:22).

let no man know anything of the business - he pretended he was upon a secret expedition, by the order of Saul, which none were to know of, no, not his own servants, and that was the reason why he came to him alone; which was a downright lie, and was aggravated by its being told only for the sake of getting a little food; and especially told to an high priest, and at the tabernacle of God, and when he was come to inquire of the Lord there; and was attended with a dreadful consequence, the slaughter of the Lord's priests there, which afterwards lay heavy on David's mind, 1Sa_22:22; and is the very sin he is thought to refer to in Psa_119:28. This shows the weakness of the best of men, when left to themselves; David who as much hated lying as any man did, fell into it himself: David afterwards declares his repentance for this sin of lying, Psa_119:29 Remove from me the way of lying; and grant me Your law graciously.

appointed my servants to such and such a place - to such a place, of such an one, not naming place nor person, that they might not be known; so the Targum calls it a place hidden and kept; and that David had some servants, though not now with him, who ate of the shewbread, appears from Mat_12:3-4 But He said to them, Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him, how he entered into the house of God and ate the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

Let no man know--This was a direct falsehood, extorted through fear. David probably supposed, like many other persons, that a lie is quite excusable which is told for the sole purpose of saving the speaker's life. But what is essentially sinful, can never, from circumstances, change its immoral character; and David had to repent of this vice of lying Psa_119:29

1Sa 21:3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.

Now therefore what is under thine hand - Meaning, what food had he in his house

give me five loaves - David asked for five loaves, because he had spoken of several attendants, and probably wanted to make provision for two or three days.

1Sa 21:4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.

there is no common bread - It gives an idea of the depressed and poor condition of the priesthood at that time, that Ahimelech should have had no bread at hand except the showbread.

there is no common bread - In the tabernacle, though he might have such in his own house; which was common for any man to eat of, even such as were not priests; but he had none there, and David was in haste to be gone because of Doeg, and could not stay till such was fetched:

There is hallowed bread - though it was not lawful for any but priests to eat of, yet in this case of necessity he seemed willing to give it to David and his men, on this condition: if the young men have kept themselves at least from women; from their wives or others, and from any pollution by them, in any way or manner;

There is hallowed bread - There was a double impediment to the giving this bread to them; Its sacredness in itself; which the priest implies, and David answers 1Sa_21:5, and the priest was satisfied therein by David's great necessities. The abstinence from all women, which he supposed should be in those that use it; concerning which he now enquires. And though he mentions this only concerning David's young men, and out of reverence forbears to name him; yet he is also included in the number, as David's answer shews.

There is hallowed bread - If they were clean at any rate in this respect, he would in such a case of necessity depart from the Levitical law concerning the eating of the shew-bread, for the sake of observing the higher commandment of love to a neighbor Lev_19:18 You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Mat_12:3-5 But He said to them, Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him, how he entered into the house of God and ate the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the Law that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath and are blameless?

there is hallowed bread-- Before entertaining the idea that this bread could be lawfully given to David and his men, the high priest seems to have consulted the oracle 1Sa_22:10 And he asked of the LORD for him and gave him food and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. as to the course to be followed in this emergency. A dispensation to use the hallowed bread was specially granted by God Himself.

1Sa 21:5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.

The vessels of the young men - their clothes or other articles which might be Levitically unclean and need cleansing as well as the person.

these three days - this was the time which according to the law was required for the sanctifying of persons in this way, Exo_19:15 And he said to the people, Be ready for the third day. Do not approach a woman.

the bread is in a manner common - inasmuch as it was taken off of the shewbread table, and was now common to the priest and his family, though not to others, yet in case of necessity through hunger might be allowed to strangers:

it were sanctified this day in the vessel - especially when this day there is other sanctified in the vessel. Lev_8:26. This was the sabbath day; for on that day the removal of the shewbread loaves was made, Lev_24:8 and Jesus spoke of this event in connection with the Sabbath.

1Sa 21:6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

So the priest gave him hallowed bread - To this history our Lord alludes, Mar_2:25, in order to show that in cases of absolute necessity a breach of the ritual law was no sin. It was lawful for the priests only to eat the shew-bread; but David and his companions were starving, no other bread could be had at the time, and therefore he and his companions ate of it without sin.

So the priest gave him hallowed bread - Being satisfied with the account he gave of himself, and his young men, and of the lawfulness of it in case of necessity, acts of mercy being to be preferred to ritual services.

the shewbread that was taken from before the Lord - it seems to have been just taken off the shewbread table, it being sabbath day, and not as yet carried to the house of the priest, and divided among the other priests as usual; and which was then removed, to put hot bread, in the day that it was taken away; that is, new bread, twelve fresh cakes; for when the twelve, that had stood a week on the shewbread table were removed, twelve more were immediately put in their room,

put hot bread in - there arises a difficulty, how they could be put hot there, when it was not lawful to bake on a sabbath day. About this the Jews are divided; some say they were baked on the sabbath day, but the greater part say that baking did not drive away the sabbath, or it was lawful on the sabbath day; but others say that they were baked on the evening of the sabbath, and kept in the oven until the time of their being set upon the table; and the mouth of the oven might be stopped up till that time to keep in the heat;

1Sa 21:7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.

Detained before the Lord - Either to fulfill a vow, as they did in Act_21:23-27, or on account of uncleanness, or under the law of lepers Lev_13:4, Lev_13:11, Lev_13:21, or as a proselyte or because it was sabbath day, and so he might not travel. It is not impossible that Doeg may have been in custody or in sanctuary for some crime.

And his name was Doeg - From 1Sa_22:9 we learn that this man betrayed David’s secret to Saul, which caused him to destroy the city, and slay eighty-five priests. We learn from its title that the fifty-second Psalm was made on this occasion. Psalms 52:1 To the Chief Musician. A contemplation. A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said to him, David has come to the house of Ahimelech. Why do you boast yourself in evil, O mighty man? The mercy of God endures forever.

Doeg an Edomite - being by birth an Idumean, but a proselyte to the Jewish religion; or he was of the seed of Israel , but because he had dwelt in Edom , he was called an Edomite.

the chiefest of the herdmen - Saul had his herds and men to look after them, and this man was set over them all, to see that they faithfully discharged their trust.

1Sa 21:8 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.

is there not here under thine hand spear or sword - he knew the sword of Goliath was there, and perhaps had a principal view to it, and put this question in order to get that in his possession:

1Sa 21:9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.

Wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod - Rather, “in the cloak,” Goliath’s military cloak, which was part of the dedicated trophy. The ephod was naturally hung up where the high priest alone could get at it.

behind the ephod - That is, behind that holy place allotted for the keeping of the sacred, or priestly garments; Here it was laid up as a sacred monument of God 's power and goodness in delivering Israel .

There is none like that--not only for its size and superior temper, but for its being a pledge of the divine favor to him, and a constant stimulus to his faith.

1Sa 21:10 And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

Achish king of Gath - It appears from the title that Ps. 34 was composed on this occasion. Psalms 34:1 A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise always shall be in my mouth. Achish, the king of it, is called Abimelech in the title of the thirty fourth psalm, that name being common to the kings of the Philistines, as Pharaoh was to the kings of Egypt . Nothing can give a more lively impression of the straits to which David was reduced than the fact of his going to the country of the Philistines.

Went to Achish the king of Gath - This was the worst place to which he could have gone: it was the very city of Goliath , whom he had slain, and whose sword he now wore; and he soon found, from the conversation of the servants of Achish, that his life was in the most imminent danger in this place.

Went to Achish the king of Gath - The king elect is here an exile: anointed to the crown, and yet forced to run his country. So do God's providences sometimes run counter to his promises, for the trial of our faith, and the glorifying his name in accomplishing his counsels, notwithstanding the difficulties that lie in the way.

1Sa 21:11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

The king of the land - The Philistines gave him the title which their own lords bore for his conquest of Goliath; for this was what was proposed by him, that whoever was the conqueror should possess the kingdom. Or they might mean the king of the land of Israel, having heard that he was anointed king by Samuel, and was to succeed Saul; or rather, they called him so because he led out the armies of Israel as their general, and being victorious was more respected than even Saul was; for they had heard what the women sung in their songs Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? which are the burden of their song, 1Sa_18:7; and from whence the servants of Achish concluded, that he was in greater authority or honor, and in greater esteem than Saul their king was.

1Sa 21:12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

1Sa 21:13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

Scrabbled - literally, made marks, as if he was writing something there, and making marks upon them.

On the doors of the gate - The gate of Achish’s palace-yard or court, in which the attendants waited. The house itself stood in this court.

And he changed his behavior - Behaved like a fool, or a madman: or changed his "taste"; which some understand of his reason, acted as if he was deprived of it; and others of his speech, his words and the accent of them, drawled them out, as such persons do:

feigned himself mad in their hands - for in their hands he was, being taken by them, as the title of the fifty sixth psalm shows, Psa_56:1 Psalms 56:1 To the Chief Musician. Concerning the silent dove-- those far off. Of David, a secret treasure--when the Philistines took him in Gath. Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; fighting daily, he presses me down. and this stratagem he used to get himself out of their hands, acting the part of a madman, delirious, and out of his senses:

1Sa 21:14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?

1Sa 21:15 Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?