_A.M. 2942. B.C. 1062._
David saves Keilah from the Philistines, 1 Samuel 23:1. His danger
there, and deliverance from it, 1 Samuel 23:7. He remains in the
wilderness of Ziph, and is visited by Jonathan, 1 Samuel 23:14. Saul
pursues him, 1 Samuel 23:19. His narrow escape, 1 Samuel 23:26.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then they told_ Or rather, _Now they had told David._ For it is
evident from 1 Samuel 23:6, that David had received the information
here referred to, and had even delivered the inhabitants of Keilah
before Abiathar came to tell him of the slaughter of the priests. _The
Philistines fight against Kei... [ Continue Reading ]
_David inquired of the Lord_ In what way he made inquiry is not
certain, as it seems from 1Sa 23:6 that Abiathar had not yet brought
to David the sacred ephod, with all things belonging to it that were
made use of in consulting God. _Shall I go and smite these
Philistines?_ We have here a remarkable... [ Continue Reading ]
_David's men said, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah_ “They had
more than difficulty enough to defend themselves against Saul where
they were; and could it be less than madness to provoke more and
greater enemies? Doubtless Saul would send forces to beat off the
Philistines, and then they should b... [ Continue Reading ]
_So David and his men went to Keilah_, &c. “His success on this
occasion was very extraordinary; he saved the city and the
inhabitants; he delivered the country all around from the ravages of
the enemy; he smote the Philistines with great slaughter, and brought
away their cattle, by which means he w... [ Continue Reading ]
_He came down with an ephod_ Rather, _with the ephod_, namely, the
high-priest's ephod, wherein were the _Urim_ and _Thummim._ For
Abiathar, being left, it is probable, to keep the sanctuary, while his
father Ahimelech and the rest of the priests went to wait upon Saul,
as soon as he heard of their... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saul said, God hath delivered him into my hand_ David, who judged of
other men's generosity by his own, hoped he should be protected in
Keilah; and Saul, who judged in the same manner of their baseness,
believed he should not; and therefore he rejoiced upon receiving the
news of David's being shut... [ Continue Reading ]
_Bring hither the ephod_ Which, doubtless, Abiathar put on; otherwise
he could not have inquired of the Lord by it. _The Lord said, He will
come down_ He purposeth to come if thou continue here. For still both
David's question and God's answer are conditional, upon supposition.
As David's being ther... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord said, They will deliver thee up_ God saw the base and
cowardly disposition of the inhabitants of Keilah, who, though they
had been so lately delivered by David, yet would have given him up,
had he stayed among them, at the first appearance of Saul's army
coming against them. “And here, met... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which were about six hundred_ His forces were increased two hundred
since his famous victory over the Philistines at Keilah.
_Whithersoever they could go_ To the first convenient place of safety
to which a way lay open. _In the wilderness of Ziph_ A mountainous
wilderness, within the precincts of t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jonathan went and strengthened his hand in God_ He comforted and
supported him against all his fears, by considerations on the divine
goodness and power, and by reminding him of God's faithful promises
made to him, and of his singular providence, which hitherto had been,
and still would be with him... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt be king, and I shall be next unto thee_ Or, hold the
second place in the kingdom; which words import thus much: I do not
look to be king myself, as by my birth I might expect, but that thou
shalt be king, God having so appointed, and I but in a secondary
place, inferior to thee. The firs... [ Continue Reading ]
_They two made a covenant before the Lord_ We have reason here to
admire the sincere friendship of Jonathan, which remained so unshaken
to David in all events, as well in his adversity and dangers, as in
his prosperity and successes. It is to be observed, that, after making
this covenant, they never... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then came the Ziphites to Saul_ They were of David's own tribe,
though for this unnatural carriage to him he calls them strangers.
_Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord_ Saul, notwithstanding all his
injustice and cruelty to David, still supposes himself to be the
injured person, and his cause the... [ Continue Reading ]
_But David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon_ Having heard
what the Ziphites had undertaken, David disappointed their design by
going into another place, with which, it is likely, they were not so
well acquainted. For Maon was a distant wilderness from Ziph, though
both were in the tribe of... [ Continue Reading ]
_There came a messenger unto Saul_ See the providence of God! His
wisdom is never at a loss for ways and means to preserve his people.
Nothing could be more distressful, nothing more hopeless than the
situation of David at this time. He was surrounded on all sides, and
there seemed no way left for e... [ Continue Reading ]