— and fight the Lord’s battles.] Maintain the cause of the Lord in defending His people against their enemies. The wars of the Hebrews, as long as they were undertaken and conducted by the orders of God, truly deserved the name of “the Lord’s battles.” But, when they were carried on from a love of conquest and a spirit of domination, they ceased to deserve this name, and became mere wars of profane ambition. Calmet.

Chap. XIX. ver. 4. — Let not the king sin] Jonathan, on this occasion, shewed himself an admirable son, thus solicitous to preserve his father’s honour; and an incomparable friend, thus to plead for his innocent injured friend, even in opposition to the tyrant who was bent on his destruction. Dr. Chandler. Jonathan’s friendship now set itself at work, and shewed that true management which real friendship as naturally deserves on one side, as it suggests on the other. His courage led him to undertake David’s defence before his father. His good sense directed him to ground his defence on such topics as placed the merit of his friend in its proper light, and at the same time disposed Saul to see and acknowledge it. Friendship is never more amiably engaged than when it is defending a good cause. Whoever steps forth in the defence of virtue, secures commendation by the choice he makes of his party; and whoever succeeds in his defence, reaps a double reward from the thanks of the publick and the thanks of his friend. Dr. H. Stebbing.

Jonathan gave noble proofs indeed of his friendship for David, and of his virtue, when he used his utmost endeavours to pacify his father, and spake with so much respect and resolution in behalf of his friend, to reconcile his father to him. By this means, he discharged his duty to his friend, and at the same time to his father, by inspiring him with more just sentiments. Thus ought we ever to take part with the innocent when persecuted unjustly, never to be backward in our good offices towards others, and to use all means of appeasing those that are enraged. Ostervald.

1 Samuel 18:3

3. — made a covenant.] Entered into a solemn league of mutual friendship.

1 Samuel 18:4

4. — stripped himself of the robe &c.] He did this, that his singular affection to David might be known to all, and that they might appear the more closely united into one. This was a customary method of testifying affection. We read in Tavernier of a Nazar, whose virtue and behaviour so pleased a king of Persia, after being put to the test, that he caused himself to be disappointed, and gave his habit to the Nazar; which is the greatest honour that a king of Persia can bestow on a subject. The giving a girdle in particular, was deemed a token of the greatest confidence and affection: in some cases it was considered an act of adoption. In regard to the sword and the bow, it has been customary in all countries to make such military presents as these to brave adventurers: of which instances occur in Greek and Roman writers. Fragments to Calmet.

1 Samuel 18:6

6. — the women came out] It appeared before, from Exod. xv. 20, that it was customary for women to sing the praises of God in publick on remarkable occasions; and, as is there related, Miriam and the women then answered one another as they played, as they do in the present instance. Bp. Patrick.

1 Samuel 18:9

9. — eyed David] Looked upon him, as one whom he envied, hated, and feared. Bp. Patrick.

1 Samuel 18:10

10. — the evil spirit from God] The evil spirit which had formerly haunted him, and now, by his discontent, anger, and melancholy, was brought upon him again. Bp. Patrick.

— and he prophesied] He used in his fits of distraction such expressions and gestures, as if he had been possessed with a prophetick impulse, above the power of his own mind to direct and restrain. Pyle, Or

He offereth him his daughters for a snare.

played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.

1 Samuel 18:12

12. — Saul was afraid of David,] Saul’s envy of David now began to be mixed with terror; for that he, so skilful at his weapons, should twice miss his aim, and at so near a distance, had surely something very extraordinary. It was natural for him to think this could not be without a Divine interposition, and for some extraordinary end; and what end could this be, but David’s designation to royalty? Dr. Delaney.

1 Samuel 18:13

13 — went out and came in before the people.] “Went out” on the expeditions to which Saul commanded him, and “came in” from them, with success, “before the people;” who took great notice of his prudent and successful conduct. Dr. Wells.

1 Samuel 18:17

17. — her will I give thee to wife:] He now bethinks himself of his promise publicly made (chap. xvii. 25.)

father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?

1 Samuel 18:21

21. — that she may be a snare to him,] That he might perish in some of the dangers, to which he was to be exposed, as the condition of having her to wife. Bp. Patrick.

— in the one of the twain.] By marrying one of his two daughters: for though David was disappointed in one of them, yet Saul’s promise was fulfilled if he married the other. Bp. Patrick. The Hebrew expression means literally, “in the twain,” and so some translations render it; but it is doubted whether it refers to his two daughters, Merab and Michal, one of whom was betrothed to David, and the other should actually be given to him; or to David’s two claims of merit, in having killed Goliath, and in slaughtering the required number of the Philistines. Poole’s Syn. Crit.

David marrieth Michal. Jonathan reconcileth Saul to David. Before CHRIST about 1063. fulfilled. præcious.

say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

1 Samuel 18:25

25. — not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines.] This condition was imposed by Saul with an insidious design; but the custom hath prevailed in many countries, to give their daughters in marriage to the most valiant men, or to those who might bring so many heads of their enemies. Particularly, it was the custom among a people in Carmania, that, if any were desirous of marrying, it was necessary he should first bring to the king the head of an enemy. As to dowries, it was customary among the Hebrews for the husband to endow the wife, and to receive nothing at all with her. Bp. Patrick. Saul seems to have mentioned the foreskins and not the heads of the Philistines, by way of reproach upon them, as an uncircumcised and infidel people. Pyle. Or rather, to prevent any chest or collusion in the matter, and to enable him to be sure that they were Philistines only whom he killed; for the Philistines were the only neighbouring people who were uncircumcised. Calmet.

1 Samuel 18:27

27. — And Saul gave him Michal — to wife.] This whole history shews, that, notwithstanding all which was done by Saul for the destruction of David, he was forced to give him his daughter Michal; that God blessed David every day with some new success; and that the snares laid by Saul turned to his own confusion, and to David’s glory, and served to endear him more and more to the people. Thus we see, that nothing can hurt those whom God loves; that He always watches over them for good; and turns all that the wicked undertake against them to their real welfare and advantage. Ostervald.

1 Samuel 18:29

29. — Saul became David’s enemy] Such strange infatuation did Saul’s anger, hatred, and other bad passions, bring upon him, that he set himself against the

CHAP. XIX. Before CHRIST about 1063.