_DAVID COMPLAINS TO JONATHAN OF SAUL'S MALEVOLENCE TOWARDS HIM: THEY RENEW THEIR COVENANT: JONATHAN, DESPAIRING OF SAUL, GOES TO DAVID IN THE FIELD, WHERE HE LAY HID: THEIR AFFECTIONATE PARTING._ _Before Christ 1062._... [ Continue Reading ]
TO-MORROW IS THE NEW MOON— Every _new moon_ they offered sacrifices, which were accompanied with a solemn feast. Numbers 10:10; Numbers 28:11. David being one of the king's family, by marrying his daughter, used to eat with him at these festival times. He thought that, notwithstanding what had passe... [ Continue Reading ]
JONATHAN SAID UNTO DAVID, O LORD GOD, &C.— Houbigant, after the Syriac, renders these verses thus: _Then Jonathan said unto David, The Lord God of Israel is witness, that I will sound my father to-morrow, and until the evening of the third day; and that if there be good towards David, I will send un... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT NOT ONLY WHILE YET I LIVE— _"But thou, if I shall then survive,_ [i.e. when the Lord is with thee, and thou art made king,] _shalt perform towards me the same kindness—which the Lord hath shewn thee;_ 1 Samuel 20:15. _But if I die, thou shalt not withdraw thy kindness from my house fo... [ Continue Reading ]
JONATHAN MADE A COVENANT, &C.— _Jonathan, therefore, made a covenant with the house of David, and said, May the Lord grant that the enemies of David may not go unpunished!_ 1 Samuel 20:17. _Moreover, Jonathan required an oath from David, for his great love to him, because he loved him as his own sou... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THOU HAST STAYED THREE DAYS, &C.— _But on the third day thou shalt come quickly to that place, in which thou shalt hide thyself on the feast day; and thou shalt sit by the stone Ezel:_ Houbigant. _Ezel_ is supposed to have been a stone erected to shew men the road, for the word signifies _g... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BEHOLD, I WILL SEND A LAD, &C.— _Moreover, I will send a lad, commanding him to go, and find out the arrows. If, therefore, I shall say to the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee; take thou them, and come; for there is peace to thee,_ &c. Houb.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KING SAT UPON HIS SEAT— The Hebrews, as well as the Egyptians, the ancient Greeks, and the first people of Italy, sat at table. See Genesis 37:25; Genesis 43:33.Proverbs 23:1. It appears however, that, after Saul's time, they began to eat seated upon beds at low tables. Since that epocha, we... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IS NOT CLEAN; SURELY HE IS NOT CLEAN— See Leviticus 15:16. Houbigant renders this; _because, possibly, being unclean, he hath not purified himself:_ following the LXX. The other versions vary greatly.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS LONG AS THE SON OF JESSE LIVETH, &C.— But how did Saul know, that, as long as the son of Jesse lived, Jonathan _should not be established, nor his kingdom?_ If it was all jealousy and surmise, his ordering him to be brought to be put to death was unreasonable and wicked, and can be justified upon... [ Continue Reading ]
DAVID AROSE OUT OF A PLACE, &C.— _David, coming from the south, fell on his face._ Houbigant. From the south of the stone Ezel. David fell on his face, in reverence to his friend, as the king's son. _They kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. So that there was great la... [ Continue Reading ]