1 Samuel 9

1Sa 9:1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.

Now there was a man of Benjamin - Of the tribe of Benjamin.

whose name was Kish - signifies "ensnared"; for what reason it was given him is not certain:

the son of Abiel - in 1 Chronicles 8:33 Ner begot Kish, Kish begot Saul, and Saul begot Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal, he is called Ner that begat Kish; and in 1 Samuel 14:50 The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 1 Chronicles 9:35-39 Jeiel the father of Gibeon, whose wife’s name was Maacah, dwelt at Gibeon. His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth. And Mikloth begot Shimeam. They also dwelt alongside their relatives in Jerusalem, with their brethren. Ner begot Kish, Kish begot Saul, and Saul begot Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal. It is a common practice to skip generations when posting genealogies. One commentator thinks the lineage works out to Abiel (also known as Jeiel) who is the father of Ner, who is the father of Kish and Abner. Kish is the father of Saul. Abner is Saul’s uncle. Another commentator thinks that Abiel/ Jeiel is also named Ner.

the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah - of these persons we nowhere else read:

a mighty man of power - not a man of riches, or of authority, neither a wealthy man, nor a magistrate, for his family was mean and contemptible, 1 Samuel 9:21 but a man of great strength, an able bodied man, and of great natural fortitude, and courage of mind. A mighty man of power - Literally, a strong man; this appears to be the only power he possessed; and the physical strength of the father may account for the extraordinary size of the son.

The genealogy of Saul is here given as far as Aphiah (“Abiah,” 1Ch_7:8), who was of the house of Becher the son of Benjamin Gen_46:21. “Kish” 1Ch_9:35-39 was the son of “Ner” the son of “Jehiel,” (or, “Abiel” here and 1Sa_14:51), the first settler (“father,” 1Ch_9:35) at Gibeon, or Gibeah of Saul, and who married “Maachah,” a daughter or granddaughter of Caleb. If so, it is obvious that the names of several generations are omitted between Kish and Abiel, and among them that from which the family of Matri 1Sa_10:21 was called.

1Sa 9:2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.

From his shoulders and upwards - where kings were elective, in all ancient times great respect was paid to personal appearance. A tall stature was much valued in a king in ancient times, and in the eastern countries.

a choice young man, and a goodly - tall and well shaped, in the prime of his age, a very agreeable person, one among a thousand, not necessarily a description of his moral character.

and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he - meaning not for the endowments of his mind, or his moral character and behavior. There might be as good, or better men than he, on such accounts, but for his outward appearance, his bodily shape, and the dignity of his person.

1Sa 9:3 And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.

Side note thought: As the first king of Israel was brought to Samuel because of donkeys, so was the true King of Israel (Jesus) brought to Jerusalem.

1Sa 9:4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.

he passed through mount Ephraim--This being situated on the north of Benjamin, indicates the direction of Saul's journey. The district explored means the whole of the mountainous region, with its valleys and defiles, which belonged to Ephraim. Turning apparently southwards--probably through the verdant hills between Shiloh and the vales of Jordan (Shalisha and Shalim)--he approached again the borders of Benjamin, scoured the land of Zuph, and was proposing to return, when his servant recollected that they were in the immediate neighborhood of the man of God, who would give them counsel.

and passed through the land of Shalisha - it probably was the place called Baalshalisha; 2 Kings 4:42 And a man came from Baal-shalisha and brought the man of God bread from the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and full ears of grain in his sack. And he said, Give to the people that they may eat.

1Sa 9:5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.

And when they were come to the land of Zuph - In which was Ramathaimzophim, the native place of Samuel, 1 Samuel 1:1

1Sa 9:6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.

Behold, in this city - The name of this town is not mentioned either here or in the further course of this history. Nearly all the commentators suppose it to have been Ramah, Samuel's home. But this assumption has no foundation at all in the text, and is irreconcilable with the statements respecting the return in 1Sa_10:2-5. The servant did not say there dwells in this city, but there is in this city. It is still more evident, from the answer given by the drawers of water, when Saul asked them, “Is the seer here?” (1Sa_9:11), - viz., “He came to-day to the city, for the people have a great sacrifice upon the high place” (1Sa_9:12), - that the seer (Samuel) did not live in the town, but had only come thither to a sacrificial festival.

1Sa 9:7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?

There is no present - According to Eastern notions, it would be considered a want of respect for any person to go into the presence of a superior man of rank or of official station without a present of some kind in his hand, however trifling in value. It being usual, when persons addressed great men for a favour, to carry a present with them; or a man of God, a prophet of the Lord, to inquire of the Lord by him concerning any thing, 1 Kings 14:2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Please arise, and disguise yourself, that they may not recognize you as the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Indeed, Ahijah the prophet is there, who told me that I would be king over this people. 3 Also take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him; he will tell you what will become of the child.”

the bread is spent in our vessels--Shepherds, going in quest of their cattle, put up in a bag as much flour for making bread as will last sometimes for thirty days. It appears that Saul thought of giving the man of God a cake from his traveling bag, and this would have been sufficient to render the indispensable act of civility--the customary tribute to official dignity.

1Sa 9:8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.

1Sa 9:9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)

for the prophet of today was called a seer - Apparently the same person/ office had 2 different names depending on the era of history. This is manifestly a gloss inserted in the older narrative by the later editor of the sacred text, to explain the use of the term in 1Sa_9:11, 1Sa_9:18-19. It is one among many instances which prove how the very letter of the contemporary narratives was preserved by those who in later times compiled the histories. We cannot say exactly when the term “seer” became obsolete.

Was beforetime called a seer - The word seer, roeh, occurs for the first time in this place; it literally signifies a person who Sees; particularly preternatural sights. A seer and a prophet were the same in most cases; only with this difference, the seer was always a prophet, but the prophet was not always a seer. A seer seems to imply one who frequently met with, and saw, some symbolical representation of God. The term prophet was used a long time before this; Abraham is called a prophet, Gen_20:7, and the term frequently occurs in the law. Besides, the word seer does not occur before this time; but often occurs afterwards down through the prophets, for more than three hundred years. See Amo_7:12; Mic_3:7.

1Sa 9:10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.

1Sa 9:11 And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?

they found young maidens going out to draw water - this was the usual business of maidens in those countries to fetch water for the service of the family.

1Sa 9:12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:

1Sa 9:13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.

because he doth bless the sacrifice - ask a blessing upon it, for this was usually done at every common meal, as well as a solemn festival as this. Jarchi gives us the form of blessing used on such an occasion, "blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, who hath sanctified us by his commandments, and hath commanded us to eat the sacrifice:" and "afterwards they eat that be bidden"; for when a man offered his peace offerings, he not only had his family with him, but invited his friends, and the poor, and the fatherless, the strangers, and the Levites, to partake with him, Deuteronomy 12:18 But you must eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God chooses, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all to which you put your hands.

1Sa 9:14 And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.

1Sa 9:15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,

Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before--The description of Saul, the time of his arrival, and the high office to which he was destined, had been secretly intimated to Samuel from heaven.

1Sa 9:16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

That he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines - These words are not very easily reconcilable with 1Samuel 7:13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. It is possible that the aggressive movements of the Philistines, after the long cessation indicated by 1Sa_7:13, coupled with Samuel’s old age and consequent inability to lead them to victory as before, were among the chief causes which led to the cry for a king. If this were so the Philistine oppression glanced at in this verse might be connected with Saul’s times than with Samuel’s.

Thou shalt anoint him to be captain - Not to be king, but to be nagid or captain of the Lord’s host.

1Sa 9:17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.

1Sa 9:18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.

1Sa 9:19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.

go up before me unto the high place - instead of returning home with him, he invited him to go to the place of feasting.

go up before me to the high place - Letting a person go in front was a sign of great esteem.

and will tell thee all that is in thine heart - answer all questions he had in his mind to ask him, for which he came into the city, and inquired for his house.

I am the seer - This declaration would prepare Saul for the communications afterwards made.

1Sa 9:20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?

and on whom is all the desire of Israel - which was to have a king.

is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house - the Israelites had their desire after him to be their king; but that as this desire of theirs was granted, it would issue and terminate in him and his family; he should be advanced to the throne, which would be attended with the promotion of his father's house, as Abner particularly, who was his uncle's son, and was made the general of the army. This was a covert and indirect premonition of the royal dignity that awaited him; and, though Saul's answer shows that he fully understood it, he affected to doubt that the prophet was in earnest.

1Sa 9:21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

Am I not a Benjamite - The tribe of Benjamin, originally the smallest of all the tribes Num_1:36, if Ephraim and Manasseh are reckoned as one tribe, had been nearly annihilated by the civil war recorded in Judg. 20. It had of course not recovered from that terrible calamity in the time of Saul, and was doubtless literally the smallest tribe at that time. Nothing could be more improbable, humanly speaking, than that this weak tribe should give a ruler to the mighty tribes of Joseph and Judah.

of the smallest of the tribes of Israel - having been greatly reduced, even to the number of six hundred men, by the fatal war between that tribe and the rest, on account of the Levite's concubine.

wherefore then speakest thou so to me - This speech of Saul is exceedingly modest; Saul presently understood Samuel's meaning, that he should be chosen king of Israel, the affair of a king being at this time in everyone's mind and mouth; but could not believe that one of so small a tribe, and which sprung from the youngest son of Jacob, and of so mean a family, would be raised to such dignity, but that a person of great figure and character would be settled upon; and, therefore he took Samuel to be in joke and not in earnest.

1Sa 9:22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.

and made them sit in the chiefest place among them - Thereby to raise their expectation, and to prepare them for giving that honor to Saul, which his approaching dignity required.

that were bidden - and who very probably were the principal persons in the city; and yet Saul was placed at the head of them by Samuel, to convince him that what he had said to him was in earnest, and to do him honor before all the people

1Sa 9:23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.

Bring that part which I gave you - the leg, as the largest and best portion, was to be a piece of honor for Saul (see Gen_43:34). It was Samuel's intention to distinguish and honour Saul above all his other guests, as is evident enough from what he said to Saul when the cook had brought the leg.

1Sa 9:24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.

The shoulder, and that which was upon it - The right shoulder was the priest’s portion in the Levitical sacrifices. Probably it was Samuel’s own portion in this case, and he gave it to Saul as a mark of the highest honor. Probably the shoulder was covered with a part of the caul, that it might be the better roasted. The Targum has it the shoulder and its thigh; not only the shoulder merely, but the fore-leg bone to the knee; perhaps the whole fore-quarter. Why was the shoulder set before Saul? Not because it was the best part, but because it was an emblem of the government to which he was now called. Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

and set it before Saul - as a token of honor and respect unto him; it being usual in other countries to commend the best dishes, or best pieces of flesh, to the more excellent and worthy persons at table; the foreleg or shoulder, especially the right foreleg, being a symbol of strength, may denote that strength which was necessary for him to bear the burden of government, to protect his people, and fight in defence of them; and the breast (which was likely still attached to it) being the seat of wisdom and prudence, of affection and love, may signify how necessary such qualities were for kingly government, to know how to go in and out before the people, and be heartily concerned for their good:

for unto this time hath it been kept for thee - by which he gave him to understand that he knew of his coming before hand, and therefore had made this provision for him; and which might serve to persuade him of the truth and certainty of what he had hinted to him:

since I said I have invited the people - not the thirty persons before mentioned, for it does not appear that they were invited by Samuel, but rather by those who brought the peace offerings, who had a right to invite any of their friends they thought fit; but by "the people" are meant Saul and his servant; for in the eastern languages two or three persons, and even one, are called a people.

1Sa 9:25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.

Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house--Saul was taken to lodge with the prophet for that night. Before retiring to rest, they communed on the flat roof of the house, the couch being laid there. All the houses in the East were flat-roofed; on these people walked, talked, and frequently slept, for the sake of fresh and cooling air.

1Sa 9:26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.

1Sa 9:27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.

Samuel said to Saul, bid the servant pass on before us - being another man's servant, he did not choose of himself to bid him go on, but desired his master to order him to go before them.

Shew thee the word of God - That is, a message delivered to me from God, which now I shall impart to thee.

1 Samuel 8

1Sa 8:1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

when Samuel was old - And so unfit for his former travels and labors. He is not supposed to have been now above sixty years of age.

He made his sons judges - He appointed them as his lieutenants to superintend certain affairs in Beer-sheba, which he could not conveniently attend to himself. But they were never judges in the proper sense of the word; Samuel was the last judge in Israel, and he judged it to the day of his death. See 1Sa_7:16. The reason assigned for the appointment of Samuel's sons as judges is his own advanced age. The inference which we might draw from this alone, namely, that they were simply to support their father in the administration of justice, and that Samuel had no intention of laying down his office, and still less of making the supreme office of judge hereditary in his family, is still more apparent from the fact that they were stationed as judges of the nation in Beersheba, which was on the southern border of Canaan. The sons are also mentioned again in 1Ch_6:13.

1Sa 8:2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

they were judges in Beer-sheba - In the southern border of the land of Canaan, as Ramah, where Samuel dwelt and judged, was more to the north; where they were placed by their father, for the greater convenience of the people of Israel that lived southward, to bring their causes to them, as those lived more northward might bring them to him:

Now the name of his firstborn was Joel - In 1 Chronicles 6:28 he is called Vashni; This was not Joel the prophet,

1Sa 8:3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

And his sons walked not in his ways - they did not walk in the fear of God, in the paths of religion and righteousness, truth and holiness; they neither served God, nor did justice to men, as Samuel had done:

His sons walked not in his ways - Their iniquity is pointed out in three words:
1. They turned aside after lucre; expressed here is the idea of avarice, of getting money by hook or by crook.
2. They took bribes; gifts or presents, to blind their eyes.
3. They perverted judgment - they turned judgment aside; they sold it to the highest bidder: thus the wicked rich man had his cause, and the poor man was oppressed and deprived of his right.

His sons walked not in his ways - The sons, however, did not walk in the ways of their father, but set their hearts upon gain, took bribes, and perverted justice, in opposition to the command of God Exodus 23:6 You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute, Exodus 23:8 And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous; Deuteronomy 16:19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

1Sa 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

1Sa 8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

Make us a king - Hitherto, from the time in which they were a people, the Israelites were under a theocracy, they had no other king but God. Now they desire to have a king like the other nations around them, who may be their general in battle; for this is the point at which they principally aim. Their desires exceed their reasons, which extended no farther than to the removal of Samuel's sons from their places, and the procuring some other just: and prudent assistance to Samuel's age. Nor was the grant of their desire a remedy for their disease, but rather an aggravation of it. For the sons of their king were likely to be as corrupt as Samuel's sons and, if they were, would not be so easily removed.

Like other nations - That is, as most of the nations about us have. But there was not the like reason; because God had separated them from all other nations, and cautioned them against the imitation of their examples, and had taken them into his own immediate care and government; which privilege other nations had not.

1Sa 8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

But the thing displeased Samuel - The answer of the Lord 1Sa_8:7 shows that Samuel’s personal feelings had been hurt. They were soothed by being reminded of the continued ingratitude of the people to God Himself, upon whom, in fact, a greater slight was put by this very request for a king “like all the nations,” than upon Samuel

Samuel prayed to the Lord - he laid the matter before the Lord in prayer, and the Lord answered (1Sa_8:7).

Give us a king - In the person of Samuel they rejected the Lord and His rule. They wanted a king, because they imagined that Jehovah their God-king was not able to secure their constant prosperity. Instead of seeking for the cause of the misfortunes which had hitherto befallen them in their own sin and want of fidelity towards Jehovah, they searched for it in the faulty constitution of the nation itself. In such a state of mind as this, their desire for a king was a contempt and rejection of the kingly government of Jehovah, and was nothing more than forsaking Jehovah to serve other gods. See where Samuel points out to the people still more fully the wrong that they have committed. 1Samuel 10:18-19 and said to the children of Israel, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.’ But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.”

1Sa 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

They have rejected me - They wish to put that government in the hands of a mortal, which was always in the hands of their God. Samuel later reproaches the Israelites about their rejection of the kingship of the Lord for an earthly king. 1Samuel 10:19 And you have this day rejected your God who Himself saved you out of all your calamities and your tribulations. And you have said to Him, But set a king over us. And now present yourselves before Jehovah by your tribes and by your thousands. 1Samuel 12:12 And when you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us, even though Jehovah your God was your King.

hearken unto the voice of the people - not as approving of what they said, but permitting and allowing what they asked, as a punishment of them for their disloyalty and ingratitude, and as resenting their ill behavior to him; for it was in anger he assented to their request. God grants their desire in anger and for their punishment.
Hosea 13:10-11
I will be your King;
Where is any other,
That he may save you in all your cities?
And your judges to whom you said,
‘ Give me a king and princes’?
I gave you a king in My anger,

1Sa 8:8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them out of Egypt - This was no new thing; all that they had done since they were wonderfully favoured of God, as to be brought out of Egyptian bondage, was all of a piece with this; one continued series of ingratitude, of rebellion against God, and against his servants, that he employed under him, as Moses, Aaron, &c.

so do they also unto thee - acted the like ungrateful part to him for all the service he had done them, from his childhood to that time.

1Sa 8:9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

Show them the manner of the king - The word mishpat, which we here render manner, signifies simply what the king would and might require, according to the manner in which kings in general ruled; all of whom, in those times, were absolute and despotic. The word signifies, not a divine law, according to which the king should govern, but a custom, or a custom he would introduce. In order to show them wherein they were wrong, Samuel was instructed to bear witness against them, by proclaiming the right of the king who would rule over them.

howbeit, yet protest solemnly unto them - not against the thing itself, which was permitted, but against the evil of their request, as to the unseasonable time, ill manner, and unjustifiable reason, in and for which it was made; the Lord would have Samuel lay before them their evil in requesting it, and the evils that would follow upon it to them, and faithfully represent them to them, that they might be left without excuse, and have none to blame but themselves.

1Sa 8:10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.

1Sa 8:11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

he will take your sons, and appoint them for himself - for his own use and service, to wait upon him, to be his pages, or grooms, or guards: sovereigns in that region claimed a right to the services of any of their subjects at pleasure.

for his chariots - to take care of them, and drive them, though not without paying them for it; yet this being but a mean and servile employment, and what they should be obliged to, whether they would or no, is observed to show the tyranny and bondage to which they would be subject, when their sons otherwise might be free men, and possessed of estates and carriages of their own:

and some shall run before his chariots - be his running footmen, being swift of foot, and trained up for that service; some are naturally swift, as Asahel was 2 Samuel 2:18 Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle. It seems as if it was usual to have fifty such men to run before them, 2 Samuel 15:1 After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. The royal equipages were, generally throughout the East, preceded and accompanied by a number of attendants who ran on foot.

1Sa 8:12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

This organization was as old as the time of Moses Numbers 31:14 But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle; Deuteronomy 1:15 So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes, and prevailed among the Philistines also 1Samuel 29:2 And the lords of the Philistines passed in review by hundreds and by thousands, but David and his men passed in review at the rear with Achish. The civil and military divisions were identical, and the civil officers were the same as the captains of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, in time of war.

To ear his ground - literally, “to plow his plowing.” “To ear” is an old English word, now obsolete, for to plow.

And to make himself chiefs over thousands and over fifties - the greatest and smallest military officers are mentioned.

he will appoint him captains--In the East, a person must accept any office to which he may be nominated by the king, however irksome it may be to his taste or ruinous to his interests.

1Sa 8:13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries – confectionaries, raqqāḥāh, a feminine noun referring to a perfume maker, confectioner. It refers to a female skilled in mixing and preparing various aromatic ointments and perfumes.

1Sa 8:14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

And he will take your fields - All their possessions he would also take to himself: the good (i.e., the best) fields, vineyards, and olive-gardens, he would take away, and give to his servants; By fraud or force, as Ahab did from Naboth.

Give them to his servants - He will not only take the fruits of your lands for his own use, but will take away your possessions to give to his servants.

1Sa 8:15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

and give to his officers, and to his servants - for the support and maintenance of them; and to pay this, besides the tithes of the priests and Levites, would make it very burdensome to them; and this was no other than what kings of other nations usually had, the like to whom they were desirous of having, and therefore must expect that they would insist upon the privileges and revenues that others had. For example, in Babylon, there was an ancient law which required the tenth of whatever was imported for the public revenue.

1Sa 8:16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

1Sa 8:17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

His servants - That is, he will use you like slaves, and deprive you of that liberty which now you enjoy.

1Sa 8:18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

And ye shall cry out in that day - His power and pride, his oppression and tyranny, his heavy exactions, and intolerable yoke, and yet not be able to free themselves from them; all that they could do would be only to cry out under them as grievously distressed.

which ye shall have chosen you - to have a king in general was at first their own choice. The choice of a king for them, at a proper time, God had reserved to himself, yet in later times, they would choose for themselves.
Hosea 8:4
“ They set up kings, but not by Me;
They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them.
From their silver and gold
They made idols for themselves—
That they might be cut off.

and the Lord will not hear you in that day - will not regard them, suffer them to remain under their oppressions, and not deliver them out of them; because they rejected him from being their King, and put themselves out of his protection, into the hands of another, and therefore it was just to leave them to their own choice.

1Sa 8:19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

Nevertheless, the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel - The advice he gave not to think of a king, but be content with the government under which they were; but to this they would not hearken, notwithstanding all the inconveniences that would attend such a change:

and they said, nay, but we will have a king over us - even though they were the words of the Lord he delivered to them; and though they knew Samuel was a prophet, and spoke by a spirit of prophecy, and none of his words had ever fallen to the ground, such was their stubbornness and obstinacy, so set upon having a king. With such a description of the “right of the king” as this, Samuel had pointed out to the elders the dangers connected with a monarchy in so alarming a manner, that they ought to have been brought to reflection, and to have desisted from their demand.

1Sa 8:20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

Fight our battles - It appears from 1Samuel 12:12 And when you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us, even though Jehovah your God was your King that the warlike movements of Nahash had already begun to excite alarm.

May judge us - This appears to be a rejection of Samuel.

That we also may be like all the nations - It was their greatest honor and glory, as well as happiness, not to be like other nations Numbers 23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him. Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be counted among the nations. Deuteronomy 33:28 And Israel shall dwell in safety alone; the fountain of Jacob in a land of grain and wine; and his heavens shall drop down dew; as in their religion, laws, and liberties, in their form of government; so especially in this, that the Lord was their immediate king and lawgiver, but with this they could not be content.

and go out before us, and fight our battles - which Samuel their present judge did not, but then he gained more for them by his prayers, than a king or general would by his military skill or prowess. What made them so pressing and importunate to have a king at, this time, and not defer it to another, it is very probable was, that they understood that Nahash, king of the children of Ammon, was preparing to attack them, and therefore they were desirous to have a king also to go out before them, and meet him, and give him battle, 1 Samuel 12:12.

1Sa 8:21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.

Rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord - He went to the altar, and in his secret devotion laid the whole business before God, for his own vindication and comfort: and as a foundation for his prayers to God, for direction and assistance, seeking for direction what he should further do, or what answer he should return to them..

1Sa 8:22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

Hearken unto their voice - Let them have what they desire, and let them abide the consequences. A repetition for the third time 1Sa_8:7, 1Sa_8:9 of the expression of God’s will in the matter, marks Samuel’s great unwillingness to comply with the people’s request. Besides the natural aversion which he felt to being thrust aside after so many years of faithful and laborious service, and the natural prejudice which he would feel at his age against a new form of government, he doubtless saw how much of the evil heart of unbelief there was in the desire to have a visible king for their leader, instead of trusting to the invisible Lord who had hitherto led them. But God had His own purpose in setting up the kingdom which was to be typical of the kingdom of His only begotten Son.

On this account we may observe:
1. That God did not change the government of Israel; it was the people themselves who changed it.
2. That though God permitted them to have a king, yet he did not approve of him.
3. That he did not suffer them to choose the man, he ordered his servant Samuel to choose him by lot, he disposing of that lot.

1 Samuel 7

1Sa 7:1 And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.

This verse belongs more properly to 1 Sam. 6. Abinadab and his sons were probably of the house of Levi. The catastrophe at Bethshemesh must inevitably have made the Israelites very careful to pay due honor to the ark in accordance with the Law: but to give the care of the ark to those who were not of the house of Levi would be a gross violation of the Law.

Sanctified Eleazar - Perhaps this sanctifying signifies no more than setting this man apart, simply to take care of the ark. Not that they made him either Levite or Priest; for in Israel persons were not made but born such; but they devoted, or set him apart wholly to attend upon this work. It is not stated that Abinadab was a Levites; but this is very probable, because otherwise they would hardly have consecrated his son to be the keeper of the ark, but would have chosen a Levite for the office.

and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill - to remark the propriety of the place, and the reason of the choice of it for the ark to be placed in; hills and high places being in those times accounted fittest for sacred services to be performed in.

and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord - not only to watch it that it might not be taken away, but to keep persons from it, from touching it, or using it irreverently; and such as were not allowed to come nigh it; as well as to keep the place clean where it was put; and for this he was appointed by the priests, or the elders of the city; and was set apart for this service, and prepared for it by washings and sacrifices; and the rather he and not his father was invested with this office, because he was a young man, and his father might be old and decrepit; and this his son also a holy goodman, wise and prudent, and active and zealous for God, and true religion; and on all accounts a fit person for this post.

To keep the ark - To keep the place where it was, clean, and to guard it that none might touch it, but such as God allowed to do so.

1Sa 7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

Kirjath-jearim - Where it continued, and was not carried to Shiloh its former place, either because that place was destroyed by the Philistines when the ark was taken, or because God would hereby punish the wickedness of the people of Israel, by keeping it in a private place near the Philistines, whether the generality of the people durst not come.

Twenty years - not that this twenty years was all the time of the ark's abode there, for it continued there from Eli's time 'till David's reign, 2Samuel 6:2 And David arose and went with all the people with him from beyond Baale of Judah, to bring up the ark of God from there, which is called by the Name, the Name of Jehovah of Hosts who dwells above the cherubs which was forty years: but that it was so long there before the Israelites were sensible of their sin and misery. It appears, in the subsequent history, that a much longer period elapsed before its final removal from Kirjath-jearim (2Sa 6:1-19; 1Ch 13:1-14). But that length of time had passed when the Israelites began to revive from their sad state of religious decline. It was so long there before it was much taken notice of, and sought unto, and the Lord by it; there was a great neglect of God, and his worship, which through the means of Samuel began to revive about this time.

all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord--They were then brought, doubtless by the influence of Samuel's exhortations, to renounce idolatry, and to return to the national worship of the true God.

And all the house of Israel lamented - The occupation of the country about Shiloh by the Philistines 1Sa_7:3 was partly the reason for the ark being kept so long at Kirjath-jearim. But another reason seems to have been the fall of the Israelites into idolatry, which made them neglect the ark, and brought upon them this Philistine servitude; probably the last 20 years of the Philistine oppression described in Judges 13:1 And the sons of Israel did evil again in the sight of Jehovah. And Jehovah delivered them into the hands of the Philistines forty years, which is there expressly connected with Israelite idolatry. Now, probably, through the exhortations of Samuel, coupled with the chastening of the Philistine yoke, the Israelites repented and turned again to the God of their fathers.

1Sa 7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

And Samuel spake - We have heard nothing of this judge since he served in the tabernacle. He was now grown up, and established for a prophet in the land of Israel. Twenty years of Samuel’s life had passed away since the last mention of him 1Sa_4:1. Now he appears in the threefold character of prophet, Judge, and the acknowledged leader of the whole people. His words were an answer to a profession of repentance on the part of Israel, the practical proof of which would be the putting away all their false gods.

And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel - exhorting them to repentance and reformation; and perceiving they began to be awakened to a sense of their sins, and seemed desirous of returning to God, and restoring his worship:

Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel--A great national reformation was effected through the influence of Samuel. Disgusted with their foreign servitude, and panting for the restoration of liberty and independence, they were open to salutary impressions; and convinced of their errors, they renounced idolatry. The re-establishment of the faith of their fathers was inaugurated at a great public meeting, held at Mizpeh in Judah, and hallowed by the observance of impressive religious solemnities. The drawing water, and pouring it out before the Lord, seems to have been a symbolical act by which, in the people's name, Samuel testified their sense of national corruption, their need of that moral purification of which water is the emblem, and their sincere desire to pour out their hearts in repentance before God.

If ye do return - From your backsliding and idolatry.

With all your hearts - For outward services and professions will avail nothing. Direct your hearts to him while in his service; let it proceed from the heart, and let it be done to him only.

Put away the strange gods - Destroy their images, altars, and groves

and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines - under whose dominion they had been for many years; for though their power over them was weakened by Samson, yet they were not completely delivered by him; so all the time of Eli they were not wholly free from them; and especially since their last defeat by them; when the ark was taken, they had been under oppression by them; now Samuel promises them deliverance from it, if they relinquish their idols, and served the Lord solely and heartily.

Prepare your hearts - By purging them from all sin, and particularly from all inclinations to other gods.

1Sa 7:4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth - Both the male and female deities, Judges 2:13 And they forsook Jehovah, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt. And they followed other gods of the gods of the people who were around them, and bowed themselves to them, and provoked Jehovah to anger.

Put away Baalim and Ashtaroth - These were not two particular deities, but two genera of idols; the one masculine, Baalim; the other feminine, Ashtaroth; both the words are in the plural number, and signify all their gods and goddesses.

1Sa 7:5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

Will pray for you - So Moses prayed for the people at Rephidim Exo_17:11-12; and for Miriam Num_12:13; so Elijah prayed at Carmel 1Ki_18:36, 1Ki_18:42; so Ezra prayed at the evening sacrifice Ezr_9:5; so the High Priest prayed for the house of Israel on the Day of Atonement; and so did Jesus pray for us before His death on the cross.

Gather all Israel to Mizpeh - This appears to have been an armed assembly, though probably collected principally for religious and political purposes; but Samuel knew that an unarmed multitude could not safely be convened in the vicinity of the Philistines. When Israel had turned to the Lord with all its heart, and had put away all its idols, Samuel gathered together all the people at Mizpeh, to prepare them for fighting against the Philistines by a solemn day for penitence and prayer. For it is very evident that the object of calling all the people to Mizpeh was that the religious act performed there might serve as a consecration for battle, not only from the circumstance that, according to 1Sa_7:7, when the Philistines heard of the meeting, they drew near to make war upon Israel, but also from the contents of 1Sa_7:5 : “Samuel said (sc., to the heads or representatives of the nation), Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord.” His intention could not possibly have been any other than to put the people into the right relation to their God, and thus to prepare the way for their deliverance out of the bondage of the Philistines. Samuel appointed Mizpeh on the western boundary of the tribe of Benjamin (see at Jos_18:26), as the place of meeting, partly no doubt on historical grounds because it was there that the tribes had formerly held their consultations respecting the wickedness of the inhabitants of Gibeah, and had resolved to make war upon Benjamin Judges 20:1 Then all the sons of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, to Jehovah in Mizpeh but still more no doubt, because Mizpeh, on the western border of the mountains, was the most suitable place for commencing the conflict with the Philistines.

gather all Israel to Mizpeh - Not Mizpeh in Gilead, on the other side Jordan, but a city which lay on the borders of Judah and Benjamin, where the tribes met on the account of the Levite's concubine, Judges 20:1. This order Samuel gave by messengers sent to the several tribes, or the heads of them, to meet him at this place:

1Sa 7:6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord – It is not easy to know what is meant by this; it is true that pouring out water, in the way of libation, was a religious ordinance among the Hebrews, Isaiah 12:3 And with joy you shall draw water out of the wells of salvation. Our Lord seems to allude to this ceremony, John 7:37-38 And in the last day of the great feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, "Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."

and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord – As an external sign, of the atonement and expiation of their sins, which passed away as water to be remembered no more, signifying hereby that they thoroughly renounced idolatry, that nothing of it should remain; as water entirely poured out, there remains not so much as any smell of it in the cask, as does of honey or oil, or such kind of liquor;

and Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh - This seems to denote the “commencement” of Samuel’s Judgeship civil and military, as having taken place at Mizpeh on this occasion. As civil Judge he did exactly what Moses did Exodus 18:13-16 And on the next day it happened that Moses sat to judge the people. And the people stood by Moses from the morning to the evening. And when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing which you do to the people? Why do you sit alone by yourself, and all the people stand by you from morning to evening? And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a matter, they come to me. And I judge between one and another, and I make known the statutes of God and His Laws; as military Judge he did what Othniel, Ehud, Barak, and Gideon had done before him, organized and marshalled the people for effectual resistance to their oppressors, and led them out to victory.

and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord - whereby they testified, both their own filthiness and need of washing by the grace and Spirit of God, and blood of the covenant, and their sincere desire to pour out their hearts before the Lord, in true repentance, and to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit.

Two rites are brought together here which belong especially to the Feast of Tabernacles and the Day of Atonement, respectively, namely, drawing and pouring out water, and fasting. Hence, some think that Samuel chose the Feast of tabernacles, and the fast which preceded it, as the occasion for assembling the people. Others explain the pouring out water as the pouring out the heart in penitence as it were water; or, as a symbolic act expressing their ruin and helplessness 2Samuel 14:14 For we must all die, and we are as water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. And God does not take a life, but has devised plans so that the outcast is not cast out from Him; or as typifying their desire that their sins might be forgotten “as waters that pass away” Job 11:16 for you shall forget your misery, and you shall remember it as waters that pass away.

and poured it out before the Lord – One bible manuscript version translates: “And they poured out their hearts in penitence, as Waters, before the Lord.” That deep penitential sorrow was represented under the notion of pouring out water, we have a direct proof in the case of David, who says, Psalms 22:14 I am poured out like water, and all My bones are spread apart; My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of My bowels. And to repentance, under this very similitude, the prophet exhorts fallen Jerusalem: Lamentations 2:19 Arise, cry out in the night. At the beginning of the watches, pour out your heart like water before the face of Jehovah. Lift up your hands toward Him for the life of your children who are faint for hunger in the head of every street. David uses the same image, Psalms 62:8 Trust in Him at all times; you people, pour out your heart before Him; God is a hiding-place for us. Selah. The same figure is used by Hannah in 1Samuel 1:15 And Hannah answered, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have neither drunk wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before Jehovah. Perhaps the drawing and pouring out of water mentioned in the text was done emblematically, to represent the contrition of their hearts. The pouring out of water before God was a symbolical representation of the temporal and spiritual distress in which they were at the time, - a practical confession before God, “Behold, we are before Thee like water that has been poured out;” and as it was their own sin and rebellion against God that had brought this distress upon them, it was at the same time a confession of their misery, and an act of the deepest humiliation before the Lord.

1Sa 7:7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

when the Philistines heard -The character and importance of the national convention at Mizpeh were fully appreciated by the Philistines. They discerned in it the rising spirit among the Israelites that was prepared to throw off the yoke of their domination. Anxious to crush it at the first, they made a sudden incursion while the Israelites were in the midst of their solemn celebration. Unprepared for resistance, they besought Samuel to supplicate the divine interposition to save them from their enemies. The prophet's prayers and sacrifice were answered by such a tremendous storm of thunder and lightning that the assailants, panic-struck, were disordered and fled. The Israelites, recognizing the hand of God, rushed courageously on the foe they had so much dreaded and committed such immense havoc, that the Philistines did not for long recover from this disastrous blow. This brilliant victory secured peace and independence to Israel for twenty years, as well as the restitution of the usurped territory.

And when the Philistines heard - Not knowing it was upon a religious account; but supposing they met to form schemes and measures to cast off their yoke, and deliver themselves out of their hands; and were preparing to take up arms, and fall upon them:

1Sa 7:8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us - he had been praying for them that day, and they desired he would continue praying for them, well knowing that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much; they knew their salvation was of the Lord, and that he only could save them, and that he must be sought unto for it; and as Samuel had an interest in him, they beg he would continue to make use of it on their behalf; in which they expressed their trust in God, their regard to means, the duty of prayer, and the high esteem they had of the prophet of the Lord, whom they entreat to pray for them:

1Sa 7:9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.

Samuel took a sucking lamb - Samuel’s preparation for intercessory prayer, namely, the offering up an atoning sacrifice, is most significant. The term here used for a “lamb” does not occur in the Pentateuch; indeed it is only found besides this place in Isaiah 65:25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the food of the snake. They will not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, says Jehovah. The offering is in accordance with Leviticus 22:27 When a bull or a lamb or a goat is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam. And from the eighth day and from then on, it shall be accepted for a fire offering to Jehovah. This sucking lamb must have been eight days under its mother before it could be offered, as the law says.

The Lord heard him - The “answer” was not simply the granting the asked-for deliverance, but the great thunder 1Sa_7:10, which was “the voice of the Lord,” the same voice with which the Lord answered Moses Exodus 19:19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and became very strong, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.

and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord - the whole of it was burnt, skin and all, whereas the skin was the priest's in other burnt offerings;

1Sa 7:10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

but the Lord thundered with a great thunder - which fulfilled Hannah's prophecy, 1 Samuel 2:10 The foes of Jehovah shall be broken to pieces. He thunders in the heavens upon them. Jehovah shall judge the ends of the earth. And He shall give strength to His king, and exalts the horn of His anointed. Literally, The Lord thundered with a great voice - he confounded them with a mighty tempest of thunder and lightning, and no doubt slew many by the lightning.

and they were smitten before Israel - the meaning of which is not that they fled before them, and were killed by them; but that before Israel could come out against them, and fight with them, they were smitten and destroyed, many of them by the thunder and lightning, and by the earth opening upon them, and devouring them; for this phrase, "before Israel," denotes time, and not place.

1Sa 7:11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.

Beth-car - This place is nowhere else mentioned. It seems to have stood on a hill overhanging the road from the Philistine territory to Mizpeh, and close to Ebenezer, 1Sa_4:1. Bethcar; a place so called; "car" signifies a lamb.

and pursued the Philistines - who, when they came out, were fleeing from the opening earth, and frightened with thunder and lightning, and many were killed, and all put in disorder; so that they stayed not to engage in battle with Israel, and who had nothing to do but to pursue their enemy:

1Sa 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

And Samuel took a stone, and set it - Not for worship, but as a monument of the victory obtained by the help of God. A rude unpolished stone, which was not prohibited by that law, Lev. 26:1, there being no danger of worshipping such a stone, and this being set up only as a monument of the victory.

and called the name of it Ebenezer - which signifies "the stone of help"; and is the same place which by anticipation has this name, 1 Samuel 4:1, so that in the selfsame place where the Israelites were twice beaten by the Philistines, and the ark taken, was this salvation wrought for them:

Shen - was a tooth-pointed or sharp-pointed rock (see 1Sa_14:4), nowhere else mentioned and not identified.

1Sa 7:13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

All the days of Samuel - Not (as in 1Sa_7:15), all the days of his life, but all the days of his “government”, when as Judge he ruled over Israel, before they asked for a king.

They came no more into the coast of Israel - That is, with a great host, but only with straggling parties, or garrisons. Perhaps a more signal victory was never gained by Israel; the Lord had brought them low, almost to extermination; and now, by his miraculous interference, he lifts them completely up, and humbles to the dust their proud oppressors. God often suffers nations and individuals to be brought to the lowest extremity, that he may show his mercy and goodness by suddenly rescuing them from destruction, when all human help has most evidently failed.

the Philistines were subdued - Not that their country was conquered, or they made subject and become tributaries to Israel; but they were so humbled, as not to attempt to give the people of Israel any further trouble and distress, who were now delivered from their oppression and tyranny:

1Sa 7:14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

Amorites - That is, the Canaanites, often called Amorites, because these were formerly the most valiant of all those nations, and the first Enemies which the Israelites met with, when they went to take possession of their land. All the remaining Canaanites kept quiet, and did not attempt to molest the Israelites, when they found the Philistines, the most powerful of the ancient inhabitants of the land, broken and subdued before them.

The cities which the Philistines had taken - We are not informed of the particulars of these reprisals. In consequence of the defeat at Ebenezer, the Philistines were obliged to restore to the Israelites the cities which they had taken from them, “from Ekron to Gath.” This definition of the limits is possibly to be understood as exclusive, as signifying that the Israelites received back their cities up to the very borders of the Philistines, measuring these borders from Ekron to Gath, and not that the Israelites received Ekron and Gath also. For although these chief cities of the Philistines had been allotted to the tribes of Judah and Dan in the time of Joshua (Jos_13:3-4; Jos_15:45-46), yet, notwithstanding the fact that Judah and Simeon conquered Ekron, together with Gaza and Askelon, after the death of Joshua (Jdg_1:18), the Israelites did not obtain any permanent possession.

1Sa 7:15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life - Samuel is supposed to have lived one hundred years; he did not begin to judge Israel till he was about forty years of age; and if he was one hundred years of age when he died, he must have been a judge sixty years, and consequently filled that office during the whole of Saul’s reign. But that he had been dead before Saul’s last battle, is evident from the transactions of that king with the witch of En-dor, and probably not long before. Samuel was the prophet of that time; declared the will of the Lord, and frequently directed both the civil and military transactions of the kingdom. Samuel seems, in many respects, to have been considered the governor of the people, while Saul was only looked on as the general of the armies.

Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life - With the calling of the people to Mizpeh, and the victory at Ebenezer that had been obtained through his prayer, Samuel had assumed the government of the whole nation; so that his office as judge dates from his period, although he had labored as prophet among the people from the death of Eli, and had thereby prepared the way for the conversion of Israel to the Lord.

Samuel judged - For though Saul was king in Samuel's last days, yet Samuel did not cease to be a judge, being so made by God's extraordinary call, which Saul could not destroy. Not only before Saul was made king, but afterwards; for though he had not the exercise of the supreme government of the nation, yet he might act as a judge under Saul, and hear and try causes brought before him, and execute justice and judgment; and as a prophet he taught and instructed the people, and reformed abuses among them; and besides, he held and exercised his extraordinary office, to which he was raised up of God, and even took upon him to reprove Saul himself, and to kill Agag.

1Sa 7:16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

And he went from year to year in circuit - so Josephus says, that he went twice a year in circuit:

Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh - by Bethel is not meant Shiloh, for that was now destroyed; nor Kirjathjearim, where the ark was, for it would have been called by its name; but the same Bethel that was near to Ai, and not far from Shiloh, and was in the tribe of Benjamin, as all those places were. Gilgal was where the tabernacle, ark, and camp of Israel were first pitched, when they came over Jordan, and Mizpeh where the people used to be assembled on occasion.

and judged Israel in all those places - who came from all parts hither with their causes, and for advice and counsel in all cases, at the returning periods.

He went from year to year in circuit - When he was at Beth-el, the tribe of Ephraim, and all the northern parts of the country, could attend him; when at Gilgal, the tribe of Benjamin, and those beyond Jordan, might have easy access to him; and when at Mizpeh, he was within reach of Judah, Simeon, and Gad; but Ramah was the place of his ordinary abode; and there he held his court, for there he judged Israel; and, as it is probable that Shiloh was destroyed, it is said, 1Sa_7:17, that there (viz., at Ramah) he built an altar unto the Lord. This altar, being duly consecrated, the worship performed at it was strictly legal. Ramah, which is said to be about six miles from Jerusalem, was the seat of prophecy during the life of Samuel.

1Sa 7:17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

And there he built an altar - Whether this altar was in connection with the tabernacle or not we have no means of deciding, since we are in complete ignorance as to where the tabernacle was at this time, or who was High Priest, or where he resided. It is quite possible that Samuel may have removed the tabernacle from Shiloh to some place near to Ramah; and indeed it is in itself improbable that, brought up as he was from infancy in the service of the tabernacle, he should have left it. At the beginning of Solomon’s reign we know it was at Gibeon, close to Raimah 1Kings 3:4 Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 2Chronicles 1:3 Then Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for the tabernacle of meeting with God was there, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness. If the tabernacle had been at Shiloh at this time, it is likely that Shiloh would have been one of the places at which Samuel judged lsrael. But Shiloh was probably waste, and perhaps unsafe on account of the Philistines.

and there he built an altar unto the Lord - Shiloh being destroyed, and no place appointed for the tabernacle and altar, the Jews say, high places for a private altar were lawful, and even for one that was not a priest to offer; these things, though settled by law, yet were for a time dispensed with, until things could be fixed in their proper place and order. Therefore, as the patriarchs did, he built an altar where he lived.

1 Samuel 6

1Sa 6:1 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months - Or "in the field" of the Philistines; none of the cities daring to receive the ark, they left it without under the open air, so thinking they should be delivered from their calamity. But the word is often used for country, and is generally so understood here;

was in the country of the Philistines seven months--Notwithstanding the calamities which its presence had brought on the country and the people, the Philistine lords were unwilling to relinquish such a prize, and tried every means to retain it with peace and safety, but in vain.

1Sa 6:2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.

the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners-- The one were skilled in the rites and ceremonies of religion, not only of their own, but of other nations, particularly of Israel; and that they were not strangers to the history and affairs of that people is plain from 1 Samuel 6:6 and the other were skilled in judicial astrology, and knowledge of future events, at least as they pretended to; and therefore were both thought fit persons to advise with on the occasion of the ark, and the circumstances they were in through that:

tell us wherewith we shall send it to its place - whether on men's shoulders, or on horses or on a cart; and whether just as it was taken, or with some presents with it.

The word for “priest” here is the same as that used for the priests of the true God; that for diviners is everywhere used of idolatrous or superstitious divining. Three modes of divination are described Eze_21:21-22, by arrows, by teraphim, and by the entrails of beasts

1Sa 6:3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.

Send it not empty - As it appears ye have trespassed against him, send him an offering for this trespass. Perhaps they might have some notion of, or respect unto a law in Israel, Exodus 23:15 You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. You shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, in the time appointed of the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And no one shall appear before Me empty or might say this from a common principle received among pagans, that deities were to be appeased by gifts.

Why his hand is not removed - The sense is, If you send him a trespass-offering, and ye be cured, then ye shall know why his judgments have not been taken away from you previously to this offering.

It shall be known - You shall understand, what is hitherto doubtful, whether he was the author of these calamities, and why they continued so long upon you.

1Sa 6:4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.

five golden mice - images of these made of gold, the reason of the emerods is easy, from the above account of the disease they were afflicted with; but of the mice no hint is given before: indeed in the Septuagint versions of 1 Samuel 6:5 is inserted a clause, that "mice sprung up in the midst of their country;" 1 Samuel 5:6 And the hand of the Lord was heavy upon Azotus, and he brought evil upon them, and it burst out upon them into the ships, and mice sprang up in the midst of their country, and there was a great and indiscriminate mortality in the city. (Septuagint) 1 Samuel 6:5 According to the number of the lords of the Philistines, five golden emerods, for the plague was on you, and on your rulers, and on the people; and golden mice, the likeness of the mice that destroy your land: and ye shall give glory to the Lord, that he may lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. (Septuagint) It appears to be a fact from the following verse, that at the same time their bodies were smitten with emerods, their fields were overrun with mice, which destroyed the increase of them; wherefore five golden mice were also ordered as a part of the trespass offering, and five of each were pitched upon:

five golden mice--This animal is supposed by some to be the jerboa or jumping mouse of Syria and Egypt; by others, to be the short-tailed field mouse, which often swarms in prodigious numbers and commits great ravages in the cultivated fields of Palestine.

five golden mice--It was a prevalent custom in pagan antiquity to make offerings to the gods expressive of the particular mercy received. Thus, those saved from shipwreck offered pictures of the shipwreck, etc.

according to the number of the lords of the Philistines - who were five, and so the principalities under them; Joshua 13:3 from Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite, five lords of the Philistines: of Gaza, of Ashdod, of Ashkelon, of Gath, and of Ekron; also the Avim.

for one plague was on you all, and on your lords - the lords and common people were equally smitten with the emerods, and the several principalities were alike distressed and destroyed with the mice; and therefore the trespass offering, which was a vicarious one for them, was to be according to the number of their princes and their principalities; five emerods for the five princes and their people smitten with emerods, and five mice on account of the five cities and fields adjacent being marred by mice.

1Sa 6:5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

give glory unto the God of Israel--By these propitiatory presents, the Philistines would acknowledge His power and make reparation for the injury done to His ark. By sending these images as monuments of their shameful and painful disease, and of the ruin of their fields; owning that it was the hand of the Lord that smote their bodies with emerods, and filled their fields with mice which devoured them; seeking and asking pardoning of him by the trespass offering they sent him:

Give glory - The glory of his power in conquering the Philistines, who seemed to have conquered him; of his justice in punishing them, and of his goodness if he relieve them.

1Sa 6:6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?

Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts - it seems by this, that though it was proposed by some to send back the ark, and which the priests and diviners approved of; yet there were some that were against it, who, notwithstanding the plagues inflicted on them, like Pharaoh and the Egyptians hardened their hearts; The memory of the appalling judgments that had been inflicted on Egypt was not yet obliterated. Whether preserved in written records, or in floating tradition, they were still fresh in the minds of men, and being extensively spread, were doubtless the means of diffusing the knowledge and fear of the true God.

when he had wrought wonderfully among them - that is, the God of Israel, though they mention not his name, who had wrought wonders in the land of Egypt; the ten plagues he inflicted on them are referred to:

1Sa 6:7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:

1Sa 6:7 And now make a new cart, and take two milk cows on which there has come no yoke, and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them. (MKJV)

make a new cart--Their object in making a new one for the purpose seems to have been not only for cleanliness and neatness, but from an impression that there would have been an impropriety in using one that had been applied to meaner or more common services. It appears to have been a covered wagon. For there were no Levites, nor priests of the Lord to carry it upon their shoulders, as it was wont to be when carried, and therefore they ordered a cart to be made; and they might know the Levites were allowed wagons to carry some of their sacred things on, Numbers 7:3-5 And they brought their offerings before Jehovah: six covered wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for two of the rulers, an ox for each one. And they brought them before the tabernacle. And Jehovah spoke to Moses saying, Take it from them so that they may be used in doing the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. And you shall give them to the Levites, to every man according to his service and a new one for the honor of the ark, as David afterwards did, 2 Samuel 6:3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab in Gibeah. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart

two milch kine - milk cows. In respect to the ark; and for the better discovery, because such untamed heifers are apt to wander, and keep no certain and constant paths, as oxen accustomed to the yoke do, and therefore were most unlikely to keep the direct road to Israel's land. Such untrained heifers, wanton and vagrant, would pursue no certain and regular path, like those accustomed to the yoke, and therefore were most unlikely of their own spontaneous motion to prosecute the direct road to the land of Israel.

bring their calves home from them-- So it appears that their calves had been with them in the fields. This was a complete trial: unless they were supernaturally influenced, they would not leave their calves; unless supernaturally directed, they would not leave their home, and take a way unguided, which they had never gone before.

The reason for selecting cows, however, instead of male oxen, was no doubt to be found in the further object which they hoped to attain. It was certainly to be expected, that if suckling cows, whose calves had been kept back from them, followed their own instincts, without any drivers, they would not go away, but would come back to their young ones in the stall. And if the very opposite should take place, this would be a sure sign that they were driven and guided by a divine power, and in fact by the God whose ark they were to draw into His own land. From this they would be able to draw the conclusion, that the plagues which had fallen upon the Philistines were also sent by this God. There was no special sagacity in this advice of the priests; it was nothing more than a cleverly devised attempt to put the power of the God of the Israelites to the test, though they thereby unconsciously and against their will furnished the occasion for the living God to display His divine glory before those who did not know Him.

1Sa 6:8 And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.

and send it away, that it may go - that is, set it a going, without any driver or guide; but leave it to take its course of itself to the land of Israel. Josephus says they were set near a place where the road divided into two--the one leading back to Ekron, where were their calves, and the other to Beth-shemesh. The taking of the right way must be a strong evidence of its being under the direction of God.

The jewels of gold - The word keley, which our translators so often render jewels, signifies vessels, implements, ornaments, etc. A jewel of gold has an odd sound to those who always attach the idea of a precious stone to the term.

1Sa 6:9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.

And see if it goeth up by the way of its own coast to Bethshemesh -- "house of the sun," a city of priests in Judah, in the southeast border of Dan, lying in a beautiful and extensive valley. The nearest city to the land of the Philistines, which lay on their borders, and the borders of the tribe of Judah,

And watch - Now the lords of the Philistines are directed by their priests to observe, whether these kine, that drew the cart on which the ark was, took the direct road to the borders of the land of Israel, and to Bethshemesh, the nearest city that lay on that coast: if so, they might conclude then,

1Sa 6:10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:

1Sa 6:11 And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods. 1Sa 6:12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.

1Sa 6:12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.

Lowing as they went - Milking cows had been chosen on purpose to make the sign more significant. Nature would obviously dispose the cows to go toward their calves; their going in an opposite direction was therefore plainly a divine impulse overruling their natural inclination. And this is brought out more distinctly by the mention of their lowing, which was caused by their remembering their calves.

lowing as they went - on account of their calves, which showed their sense of them, and their natural affection for them; and yet went on, did not attempt to go back to them; by which it was plain they were under a supernatural influence:

the lords of the Philistines went after them - This circumstance of the five satraps of the Philistines accompanying the ark in person both made it impossible for the Israelites to practice any deceit, and is also a striking testimony to the agitation caused among the Philistines by the plagues inflicted on them since the ark had been in their country.

and the lords of the Philistines went after them - not before them to guide them, or on the side of the ark to take care of it, but behind: and not at all out of respect and reverence to it, but to see what would be the issue of things, whether it would turn out an imposture or not; and that they might be able to make a true judgment of what had befallen them, as their priests and diviners had directed them to;

And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh - Though they had none to drive, lead, or guide them, yet they steered their course to the road that led to Bethshemesh, though there were other ways they might have taken; which shows they were under the direction of God himself:

and went along the highway - though they had never been used to a yoke, they drew together in one path; and did not draw one way, and another another, as oxen unaccustomed to a yoke do:

and turned not aside to the right or to the left - when other ways presented, on the right hand or on the left; they kept going straight on in the road that led to the place they were destined for; all which can be reckoned nothing less than a miracle:

1Sa 6:13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

1Sa 6:14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.

offered the kine--Though contrary to the requirements of the law, first that they offered females for a burnt-offering, contrary to Leviticus 1:3 If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish. He shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before Jehovah; Leviticus 22:19 you shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the cattle, of the sheep, or of the goats, secondly that they did it in a forbidden place, Deuteronomy 12:5-6 But you shall seek to the place which Jehovah your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put His name there, even to His dwelling place you shall seek, and there you shall come. And there you shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offering of your hand, and your vows, and your free-will offerings, and the first-born of your herds and of your flocks, these animals might properly be offered, as consecrated by God Himself; and though not beside the tabernacle, there were many instances of sacrifices offered by prophets and holy men on extraordinary occasions in other places.

Offered the kine - The offering of these sacrifices at Bethshemesh was no offence against the commandment, to sacrifice to the Lord at the place of His sanctuary alone. The ark of the covenant was the throne of the gracious presence of God, before which the sacrifices were really offered at the tabernacle. The Lord had sanctified the ark afresh as the throne of His presence, by the miracle which He had wrought in bringing it back again.

and stood there where there was a great stone - afterwards called the great stone of Abel, 1 Samuel 6:18. By the providence of God it was so ordered, that the kine made a stop just at this place; and proceeded no further, as if sensible they were come to their journey's end, and had brought the ark into the hands of its friends, and to a proper place for them to express their thankfulness for it; for this stone seemed designed to be, as it was, the altar on which the burnt offering, by way of thanksgiving for the return of the ark, was to be offered;

And they clave the wood of the cart – Cut the wood. A similar expedient was resorted to by Araunah 2Samuel 24:22 And Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments, and instruments of the oxen for wood, and by Elisha 1Kings 19:21 And he turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and killed them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave it to the people, and they ate. And he arose and went after Elijah, and ministered to him. Both the cart and the cattle having been thus employed, could no longer be devoted to any secular services; therefore the cattle were sacrificed, and the cart was broken up for fuel to consume the sacrifice.

1Sa 6:15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the LORD.

And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord - though the persons that took it down are called Levites, they were priests, who were of the tribe of Levi; for it was the work of the priests to take it down, though the Levites then might carry it; and it is remarkable that Bethshemesh was given to the Kohathite Levites, whose business it was to carry the ark on their shoulders;

offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed sacrifices - besides the burnt offering of the two cows, they offered others sacrifices. The burnt offering of the kine was not in any sense the offering of the men of Bethshemesh, but rather of the Philistine lords to whom the cart and the kine belonged. But the Bethshemites themselves, in token of their gratitude for such a signal mercy, now offered both burnt offerings and sacrifices, probably peace offerings, and doubtless feasted together with great joy and gladness. There is nothing whatever in the text to indicate that these sacrifices were offered otherwise than in the appointed way by the priests.

1Sa 6:16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

1Sa 6:17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

1Sa 6:18 And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.

1Sa 6:18 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages. The large stone on which they set the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite. (NASB)

And the golden mice - it appears from the text, that all the cities of the Philistines, as well fended as without walls, sent a golden mouse as a trespass-offering. Some commentators think that the country villages sent each of them a golden mouse, fearing the presents of the five cities would not serve for them; and therefore, though the priests and diviners only ordered five, according to the number of the principal cities, yet they of themselves sent more.

Remaineth unto this day - the stone of Abel is here intended; and so our translators have understood the place, and have used supplementary words to express this sentiment: “Which stone remaineth unto this day.” The KJV inserts the phrase “which stone remaineth” since the text it uses does not have those words. The NASB translation uses a text that contains the words “the large stone on which they set the ark of the Lord” and inserts the words “is a witness.” The NASB text again goes on with “to this day in the field.”

the great stone of Abel-- the Targum is, "unto the great stone"; Abel, or Aben, means "stone," so that without resorting to italics, the reading should be, "the great stone." So is it translated in the NASB.

1Sa 6:19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men - The Targum of Jonathan says: - “And he smote of the elders of the people Seventy men; and of the congregation Fifty Thousand men.” Josephus is different from all the rest, and has fifty thousand less, for he renders the place thus, “But the displeasure and wrath of God pursued them so, that Seventy men of the village of Beth-shemesh, approaching the ark, which they were not worthy to touch, (not being priests), were struck with lightning.” Here we find the whole fifty thousand is omitted.

he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men -one commentator thinks this translation should be, "he smote fifty out of a thousand," being only fourteen hundred in all who indulged this curiosity. God, instead of decimating, according to an ancient usage, slew only a twentieth part; that is, according to Josephus, seventy out of fourteen hundred. Read “three” score and “ten”, omitting “fifty thousand”, which appears to have crept into the text from the margin. One commentator is of opinion that only seventy men of Bethshemesh were slain, and that the other 50,000 were the Philistines that died on account of the ark while it was among them; and reads the words, "with the men of Bethshemesh he smote--even he smote of the people seventy"; that is, of the men of Bethshemesh; 50,000, that is, of the Philistines, and so this gives the sum of all that died on account of the ark, both while it was in the hands of the Philistines, and when returned to Bethshemesh. Another thinks this should be read, either seventy men out of fifty thousand; that out of the 50,000 that flocked on this occasion from various parts, seventy were smitten for the reason before given; or rather seventy men, fifty out of 1000 men; that is, a twentieth part of the number of them, so that, out of 1400, seventy men were struck with death for their curiosity. Regardless of the numbers, it is apparent that the Lord struck them for their sin.

And he smote the men of Bethshemesh - That is, God smote them, though they had received the ark with such expressions of joy, and had offered sacrifices on account of it; yet sinning, they were smitten by him. Josephus says with a thunderbolt.

because they had looked into the ark of the Lord - which was forbidden the Levites, Numbers 4:18-20 Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites. But do this to them, and they shall live and not die when they approach the Holy of Holies. Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint each one of them to his service and to his burden. But they shall not go in to watch when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

With a great slaughter – Even if only seventy men were slain, out of a village in a harvest day, was certainly a great slaughter.

1Sa 6:20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

And the men of Bethshemesh said - which is said either by way of complaint of the severity of God, and the strictness of his justice; or in reverence of his holiness, acknowledging their imperfection, sin, and guilt, by reason of which they could not stand before him; nor can any, but on account of the mercy seat over the ark, or through Christ, his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice:

and to whom shall he go up from us? - that is, the ark, the symbol of God's presence, which they seem to be desirous of parting with; being unworthy of it, and conscious of their impurity in comparison of God that dwelt in it.

Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? - That is, to minister before the ark where the Lord is present. Since God is so severe to mark what is amiss in his servants, who is sufficient to serve him? It seems to be a complaint, or expostulation with God, concerning this great instance of his severity. They knew that God had forbidden any to touch his ark but the priests and Levites; but they endeavored to throw that blame on God, as a Being hard to be pleased, which belonged solely to themselves. Thus when the word of God works with terror on men's consciences, instead of taking the blame to themselves, they frequently quarrel with the word, and endeavour to put it from them.

1Sa 6:21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.

And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim - Which was a city further on in the tribe of Judah, and lay among some woods, from whence it had its name, and was formerly called Kirjathbaal, from Baal's being worshipped there; they might choose to send hither to fetch the ark from them, because it was at a greater distance from the Philistines, their city Bethshemesh being on the borders of them; and because it might be a place of greater eminence and strength, and besides lay in the way to Shiloh, whereby they might suppose it was intended to be had; unless Shiloh was before this time destroyed:

come ye down, and fetch it up to you - but say not one word of the reason of this request, lest it should discourage them; but rather represent it as a favor to them, and an honor done them, as indeed it was. Beth-shemesh being in a low plain, and Kirjath-jearim on a hill, explains the message, "Come ye down, and fetch it up to you."

Kirjath-jearim--"the city of woods," also called Kirjath-baal (Jos 15:60; 18:14; 1Ch 13:6, 7). This was the nearest town to Beth-shemesh; and being a place of strength, it was a more fitting place for the residence of the ark.

To the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim - They wished the ark away out of their village, but why they sent to this city instead of sending to Shiloh, does not appear: probably Shiloh had been destroyed by the Philistines, after the late defeat of Israel. This is most likely, as the ark was never more taken back to that place.