1 Samuel 15:12

to Carmel Carmel ("park" or "garden") was a city in the mountainous country of Judah, about seven miles S.S.E. of Hebron. Saul would naturally pass through it in returning from the war. The site is marked by the ruins of a large town bearing the name Kurmul(Robinson, Bibl. Res. I. 495 ff). Here dwelt Nabal (ch. 25), and in its neighbourhood much of David's outlaw life was spent.

he set him up a place He erected for himself a monument, or trophy of his victory. The Vulg. has "fornicem triumphalem;" and according to Jerome it was an arch of myrtles, palms, and olives. The Heb. word, literally meaning "hand," is applied to Absalom's pillar, which was called "Absalom's place" or "monument" (2 Samuel 18:18).

The Sept. has some doubtful additions, which partly appear in the ordinary text of the Vulgate. "And Samuel rose early and went to meet Israel in the morning. And it was told [Samuel] saying, [Saul] came to Carmel, and hath set him up a monument, and he turned his chariot and went down to Gilgal. [And Samuel came to Saul], and behold he was offering a burnt-offering to the Lord, the first-fruits of the spoil, which he brought from Amalek." The names Saul and Samuel have been confused in the text of B, and the clause "And Samuel came to Saul" must be transposed to make sense.

to Gilgal In the same place where Saul's kingdom had been confirmed it was to be taken from him: and where the warning of the consequences of disobedience had been uttered (1 Samuel 13:13-14), the sentence on disobedience was to be pronounced.