_DAVID, IN A CAVE AT EN-GEDI, HAVING CUT OFF THE SKIRT OF SAUL'S ROBE, SPARETH HIS LIFE: SAUL CONFESSES DAVID TO BE MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN HE: DAVID SWEARS THAT HE WILL SPARE SAUL'S POSTERITY WHEN HE IS KING._ _Before Christ 1059._... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE WILDERNESS OF EN-GEDI— The word גדי עין _En-gedi_ signifies in the Hebrew, _the kid's fountain;_ from whence the neighbouring region took its name, probably because there they watered their flocks. Eusebius places it on the confines of the Dead Sea, to the west. With him, it is famous for exc... [ Continue Reading ]
SAUL WENT IN TO COVER HIS FEET— See Joshua 3:24 and Ruth 3:4. Several commentators suppose, that this expression imports one of the necessities of nature; but one can hardly believe that in this case there would have been sufficient time either for the conversation between David and his men, or for... [ Continue Reading ]
DAVID'S HEART SMOTE HIM, BECAUSE HE HAD CUT OFF SAUL'S SKIRT— The reasons which restrained David from killing Saul, were worthy a brave and generous man, a man of piety and virtue. He durst not stretch forth his hand _against the Lord's anointed._ Under this sacred character he forgot that Saul was... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS NEITHER EVIL NOR TRANSGRESSION IN MINE HAND— Instead of taking away Saul's life, David only privately cut off the skirt of his robe. His protestation of his innocence, and having no intention to deprive Saul of his crown and life, was founded in truth, and verified by the most authentic fac... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD JUDGE, &C.— These words, spoken by David to Saul, when it was in his power to have taken his life, most men will admit, did not imply that _David_ wished or desired that God would _revenge_ him upon Saul, but was a declaration, from the spirit of prophesy, that GOD would do it. But these ex... [ Continue Reading ]
WICKEDNESS PROCEEDETH FROM THE WICKED— i.e. "Guilt is the consequence and fruit of guilt. If I had been guilty of conspiring against thee, I should have crowned my guilt by killing thee when it was in my power.... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER A DEAD DOG? AFTER A FLEA?— A _dog_ was an object of the greatest contempt. The reason why this secondary idea was always associated with the name of this animal in the mind of a Jew, may be deduced from the Mosaic law, which was intended not only to preserve the idea of the unity of thy Deity,... [ Continue Reading ]
SAUL LIFTED UP HIS VOICE, AND WEPT— Saul himself, with all his malice, could not withstand this instance of David's generosity. He melted, and sunk under it; and instead of defaming it, or lessening the merit of it with an unrelenting heart, _he lift up his voice and wept,_ and with tears acknowledg... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF A MAN FIND HIS ENEMY— _For if a man, finding his enemy, lets him go well away, the Lord will reward him: wherefore the Lord reward thee for that which thou hast done unto me this day._ Houb.... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW WELL THAT THOU SHALT SURELY BE KING— He knew this, says St. Chrysostom, from David's manners, from his kingly virtues, as well as his uncommon success; but, above all, he knew his divine designation to the throne. Saul, says Dr. Trapp, being melted by those coals of kindness which David had h... [ Continue Reading ]