1 Samuel 23
DOYLY1 Samuel 23:5
- — So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.] This was a noble proof, as Grotius justly observes, of David’s love for his country, that, though he was proscribed as a rebel by the king, he was so far from injuring his country, that he zealously served it at the cost of his enemies. Dr. Chandler.
This is one of the noblest adventures of David’s life. Another man in his place would have rejoiced at this invasion, and perhaps encouraged it, and this both from self-preservation and policy; because he had nothing to fear for himself while Saul had such an enemy on his hands, and because the distress of the country was most likely to bring Saul to reason. But David was governed by no such narrow views; and neither safety nor honour was desirable to him, when purchased by the distress of his country and his friends. Dr. Delaney.
5.—David’s heart smote him,] He was inwardly troubled at having done an evil thing, it being deemed an indignity to a prince to have his royal robe so disfigured. Bp. Patrick. This one example of David’s, under all the provocations he received from Saul, abundantly shews us that the persons of kings are sacred and inviolable. Stackhouse.
1 Samuel 23:6
- — with an ephod] Rather, with the ephod; namely, that of the high priest. It seems that, when Ahimelech and the rest of the priests were slain, Abiathar, who had been left to keep the sanctuary, took the principal vestment of the high priest, the ephod, with the breastplate, and Urim and Thummim annexed, and carried them to David. Bp. Patrick. Thus one consequence of Saul’s slaughter of the priests was, that he deprived himself for ever of the protection and counsel of God, the ephod and oracle being now transferred to David. Dr. Chandler.
1 Samuel 23:16
- — strengthened his hand in God.] Encouraged him to trust in God, notwithstanding his present afflic-
tions; for that God would certainly make good His promises at last, and enable him to prevail over his enemies. Dr. Wells.
The conduct of Jonathan in this remarkable transaction is truly disinterested, generous, and great. He could not now be ignorant of David’s destination to the throne of Israel by the will of God, and knew that nothing could prevent his succession to it, as God had appointed it. In such a situation, how does he act? He scorns by fraud and violence to attempt the life of a man whom God had fixed on to be king, even in preference to himself; but seeks him out in the wilderness, where his father was hunting him to destruction, and “strengthened his hand in God,” not by money, forces, or any military aid; not by promising to assist in disturbing his father’s government, nor by any plot or conspiracy against his father’s interest and honour; but by comforting him under his cruel persecution, and assuring him of God’s protection, of his future advancement to the throne, and of his own confidence in his David’s future friendship. Dr. Chandler.
1 Samuel 23:17
- — Fear not:] It were hard to determine which we ought most to admire on this occasion, the moderation, the friendship, the piety, or the unexampled generosity of Jonathan. To be able to resign a kingdom with that calmness, that frankness, that tender love and inviolable fidelity to his rival, and that steady submission to the will of God, seems to have something in it infinitely beyond all the other praises of heroism. Dr. Delaney.
The Ziphites discover David to Saul. David cutteth off Saul’s skirt. Before CHRIST about 1061. right hand. wilderness? shall be.
1 Samuel 23:27
27.—there came a messenger] By the singular providence of God, which stirred the Philistines up at this very time to make an irruption into the land of Israel, for the preservation of David, when he was in extreme danger. Bp. Patrick.
1 Samuel 23:29
29.—En-gedi.] A place in the tribe of Judah, not far from the Dead sea. As the country around it abounded with mountains, and those mountains had plenty of vast caves in them, it was a very commodious place, where David might retire and conceal himself. Stackhouse. En-gedi is taken notice of, Cant. i. 14, for its camphire, or (as others render it) cypress. St. Jerome tells us, that it was remarkable for opobaisamum, (supposed to be what we now call balm of Gilead;) also that it was a great town in his days. Dr. Wells. The name En-gedi signifies in Hebrew “the kid’s fountain;” and the place was probably so called, because the inhabitants of the country used to water their flocks there. It is now called Anguedi. Dr. Delaney. Chap. XXIV. ver. 3.—where was a cave:] Many of the caves in Palestine are extremely large. We visited one, in which David and his men might have been hid, and not seen by Saul. Bp. Pococks. —went in to cover his feet:] Went in to take some sleep. See note on Judg. iii. 24.