CHAPTER XXX _While David is absent with the army of Achish, the Amalekites_ _invade Ziklag, and burn it with fire, and carry away captive_ _David's wives, and those of his men_, 1, 2. _David and his men return; and, finding the desolate state of_ _their city, are greatly affected_, 3-5. _The m... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:4. _WEPT, UNTIL THEY HAD NO MORE POWER TO WEEP._] This marks great distress; they wept, as says the Vulgate, till their tears failed them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:6. _THE PEOPLE SPAKE OF STONING HIM_] David had done much to civilize those men; but we find by this of what an unruly and ferocious spirit they were; and yet they strongly felt the ties of natural affection, they "grieved every man for his sons and for his daughters." _DAVID ENCO... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:7. _BRING ME HITHER THE EPHOD._] It seems as if David had put on the ephod, and inquired of the Lord for himself; but it is more likely that he caused Abiathar to do it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:9. _THE BROOK BESOR_] This had its source in the mountain of Idumea, and fell into the Mediterranean Sea beyond Gaza. Some suppose it to have been the same with the river of the wilderness, or the river of Egypt. The sense of this and the following verse is, that when they came to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:12. _A CAKE OF FIGS_] See on 1 Samuel 25:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:13. _MY MASTER LEFT ME, BECAUSE THREE DAYS AGONE I FELL_ _SICK._] This was very inhuman: though they had booty enough, and no doubt asses sufficient to carry the invalids, yet they left this poor man to perish; and God visited it upon them, as he made this very person the means of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:14. _UPON THE SOUTH OF THE CHERETHITES_] Calmet and others maintain, that the כרתי _kerethi_, which, without the points, might be read _Creti_, were not only at this time _Philistines_, but that they were aborigines of _Crete_, from which they had their name _Cherethites_ or _Cret... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:15. _SWEAR UNTO ME_] At the conclusion of this verse, the _Vulgate, Syriac_, and _Arabic_ add, that _David swore to him_. This is not expressed in the _Hebrew_, but is necessarily implied.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:16. _OUT OF THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES_] That _these_ Amalekites were enemies to the Philistines is evident, but it certainly does not follow from this that _those_ whom David destroyed were enemies also. This, I think, has been too hastily assumed by Dr. Chandler and others, in o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:17. _THERE ESCAPED NOT A MAN OF THEM_] It is well known to every careful reader of the Bible, that the _Amalekites_ were a proscribed people, even by God himself, and that in extirpating them it has been supposed David fulfilled the express will of God. But all this depends on whet... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:20. _AND DAVID TOOK ALL THE FLOCKS_] He and his men not only recovered all their own property, but they recovered all the spoil which these Amalekites had taken from the south of Judah, the Cherethites, and the south of Caleb. When this was separated from the rest, it was given to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:22. MEN _OF BELIAL_] This is a common expression to denote the _sour_, the _rugged_, the _severe_, the _idle_, and the _profane_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:23. _THAT WHICH THE LORD HATH GIVEN US_] He very properly attributes this victory to God; the numbers of the Amalekites being so much greater than his own. Indeed, as many fled away on camels as were in the whole host of David.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:25. _HE MADE IT A STATUTE AND AN ORDINANCE FOR ISRAEL_] Nothing could be more just and proper than this law: he who stays at home to defend house and property, has an equal right to the booty taken by those who go out to the war. There was a _practice_ of this kind among the Israel... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:26. _UNTO THE ELDERS OF JUDAH_] These were the persons among whom he sojourned during his exile, and who had given him shelter and protection. Gratitude required these presents.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:27. _TO_ THEM _WHICH_ WERE _IN BETH-EL_] This was in the tribe of Ephraim. _SOUTH RAMOTH_] So called to distinguish it from _Ramoth Gilead_, beyond Jordan. This _Ramoth_ belonged to the tribe of _Simeon_, Joshua 19:8. _IN JATTIR_] Supposed by Calmet to be the same as _Ether_, Jos... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:28. _IN AROER_] Situated beyond Jordan, on the banks of the river Arnon, in the tribe of _God_. _SIPHMOTH_] Supposed to be the same with _Shepham_, Numbers 34:10, on the eastern border of the promised land. _ESHTEMOA_] Another city in the tribe of _Judah_. See Joshua 15:50.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:29. THEM _WHICH_ WERE _IN RACHAL_] We know not where this place was; it is mentioned nowhere else in the Bible. Calmet conjectures that _Hachilah_, 1 Samuel 23:19, may be the same place; here we know David did conceal himself for some time, till the Ziphites endeavoured to betray h... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:30. _HORMAH_] The general name of those cities which belonged to _Arad_, king of Canaan; and were devoted to destruction by the Hebrews, and thence called _Hormah_. See Numbers 21:1. _IN CHOR-ASHAN_] Probably the same as _Ashan_ in the tribe of _Judah_: see Joshua 15:42. It was af... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 30:31. _TO_ THEM _WHICH_ WERE _IN HEBRON_] This was a place strongly attached to David, and David to it, and the place where he was proclaimed king, and where he reigned more than seven years previously to the death of Ishbosheth, Saul's son, who was, for that time, his competitor in... [ Continue Reading ]