_SAMUEL, BY GOD'S COMMAND, ORDERS SAUL TO DESTROY THE AMALEKITES; SAUL SPARES AGAG, AND THE BEST OF THE SPOIL: SAMUEL BLAMES SAUL SEVERELY, AND INFORMS HIM THAT THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL SHALL BE GIVEN TO ANOTHER; AFTER WHICH HE PUTS AGAG TO DEATH._ _Before Christ 1064._... [ Continue Reading ]
I REMEMBER— Literally, _I visit,_ or _have my eyes upon;_ God hereby signifying, that he observed with attentive eyes what Israel had suffered by means of the Amalekites. Houb. See Exodus 17:14. Deuteronomy 25:19 and the Reflections at the end of the 20th chapter of Deuteronomy.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, HE SET HIM UP A PLACE— Where he erected a monument or trophy of victory to himself. That the word יד, _iad,_ signifies a monument, we learn from 2 Samuel 18:18 where Absalom is said to have _erected a pillar,_ and to have called it אבשׁלום יד _iad Abshalom,_ the _monument of Absalom:_ by whi... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT MEANETH THEN THIS BLEATING, &C.— There can be no excuse for swerving from the precise rule which God has prescribed to us: _to obey, is better than sacrifice; and to hearken, than the fat of rams:_ 1 Samuel 15:22 nor must we compound a religion out of the good purposes and intentions of piety a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAMUEL SAID, HATH THE LORD, &C.— The excision of the Amalekites, and the rejection of Saul for omitting to fulfil the commission given to him, have been objected to by free-thinkers. I. With respect to the first, there was God's express order for it: and what can we desire more than an order fro... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALSO THE STRENGTH OF ISRAEL— According to the original, and the Margin of our Bibles, it is, _he who gives victory,_ and disposes of kingdoms, or, _the triumphant king of Israel._ Houbigant renders it, _he who is the leader of, or who presides over, Israel._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AGAG CAME UNTO HIM DELICATELY, &C.— Houbigant renders this, _Agag came to him from his bonds, and said, How bitter is death!_ for his justification of which version we refer to his note. It is uncertain whether Samuel himself put Agag to death, or commanded it to be done by the public executione... [ Continue Reading ]