And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Ver. 1. _When he had made an end of speaking unto Saul._] No doubt but David spake much more than is here expressed, abasing himself... [ Continue Reading ]
And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. Ver. 2. _Saul took him that day._] According as Samuel had foretold, 1Sa 8:11-12 and for a step to the kingdom, whereunto he was anointed, and no less assured. See Psalms 63:11 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. Ver. 3. _Then Jonathan and David made a covenant._] Heb., Cut a covenant; for the covenanters first sware, and then cut a beast in two, passing between the parts thereof, and wishing so to be cut in pieces if ever they f... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that [was] upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. Ver. 4. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe … and gave it to David, &c.] As a pledge of his dear love, and for a symbol, that now all th... [ Continue Reading ]
And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, [and] behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. Ver. 5. _And behaved himself wisely._] Or, Prospered, _Virtute duce, comite fortuna._ God... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. Ver. 6. _Women came ont._] Women share deeply in a common... [ Continue Reading ]
And the women answered [one another] as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. Ver. 7. _Saul hath slain his thousands, &c., _] _q.d., _ Saul is to be commended, but David ten times more. This praise of the women given to David flew far and near, 1 Samuel... [ Continue Reading ]
And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed [but] thousands: and [what] can he have more but the kingdom? Ver. 8. _And Saul was very wroth._] But without cause: for, as Chrysostom observeth, _a_ the w... [ Continue Reading ]
And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. Ver. 9. _And Saul eyed David._] _Limis intuebatur,_ he looked upon him with an evil eye: prying into all his actions, and making the worst of everything. _ From that day and forward._] Discovering that _lernam vitiorum,_ world of wickedness, that was... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and [there was] a javelin in Saul's hand. Ver. 10. _The evil spirit from God came upon Saul._] By discontent and envy the... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall [with it]. And David avoided out of his presence twice._ Ver. 11. _And Saul cast the javelin._] At David to kill him, whom he could not have sufficiently honoured, saith Chrysostom, if he had taken the crown from off his o... [ Continue Reading ]
And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul. Ver. 12. _And Saul was afraid of David._] His heart ached and quaked within him, when he saw how God preserved and prospered David, whom he attempted to destroy, but could not effect it; himself forsaken of God... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. Ver. 13. _Therefore Saul removed him from him._] As the great Turk doth always his eldest son, whom he sendeth away into some remote provinces, lest he should practise treas... [ Continue Reading ]
_And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD [was] with him._ Ver. 14. _And David behaved himself wisely._] Or, Prospered, as 1 Samuel 18:5, having no more deadly enemies - as was said once of Germanicus - than his own ornaments: neither had his enemies anything to complain of hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. Ver. 15. _He was afraid of him,_] viz., Lest the people should make him king. He had sent him from court as an eye sore, and yet he ceaseth not to malign him. He could not come at David's heart; he will therefore nee... [ Continue Reading ]
But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them. Ver. 16. _But all Israel and Judah loved David._] Of David and Saul it might be said, as once it was of Germanicus and Tiberius, that the former reigned in the hearts, and the latter but in the provinces only.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD'S battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him. Ver. 17. _Behold mine elder daughter Merab._] She was due t... [ Continue Reading ]
And David said unto Saul, Who [am] I? and what [is] my life, [or] my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king? Ver. 18. _And David said unto Saul, Who am I?_] Time was, when Saul, being of a better spirit, could say as much as David here doth, viz., when he was first anoin... [ Continue Reading ]
But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife. Ver. 19. _At the time when Merab, &c._] This affront and disgrace was done to David purposely to provoke him (as is probable) to do or say something th... [ Continue Reading ]
And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. Ver. 20. And Michal Saul's daughter loved David.] Some Latin copies have it, And David loved Michal, Saul's other daughter. Both may be true; there was mutual liking.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in [the one of] the twain. Ver. 21. _Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law._] Here is a fair glove drawn upo... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Saul commanded his servants, [saying], Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law._ Ver. 22. _Commune with David secretly,_] _i.e., _ _Tanquam ex vobis, ne intelligat consilium ex me profec... [ Continue Reading ]
And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you [a] light [thing] to be a king's son in law, seeing that I [am] a poor man, and lightly esteemed? Ver. 23. _Seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed._] Poverty is vilified and slighted: _Pauper ub... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David._ Ver. 24. _On this manner._] Heb., According to these words; they truly related the substance of David's answer to the motion; for he was generally well beloved, he was an _Omnes omnia bona dicere._... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines._ Ver. 25. _!!An hundred foreskins of the Philistines._] Not a hundred he... [ Continue Reading ]
And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired. Ver. 26. _It pleased David well._] Saul's envy serveth but to enhance David's zeal, and valour, and glory. Difficulty doth but whet on heroic spirits. When Alexander under... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife._ Ver. 27. _Two hundred men._] He doubl... [ Continue Reading ]
And Saul saw and knew that the LORD [was] with David, and [that] Michal Saul's daughter loved him. Ver. 28. _And Saul saw and knew._] The greater was his sin in persecuting David, whom he knew God favoured; and that without remorse unto the death. Was not this the unpardonable sin?... [ Continue Reading ]
And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually. Ver. 29. _And Saul was yet the more afraid._] As considering that this marriage with his daughter would be a fair step to the kingdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, [that] David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by. Ver. 30. _So that his name was much set by._] Heb., Was precious. Glory fled from Saul who followed i... [ Continue Reading ]