1 Samuel 2

1 Samuel 2:1

JilND Hannah prayed, attdsmd. Hymns are wont to be comprehended under the name of prayers, (Psal. lxxi. 20.) to the composition of which holy souls were sometimes raised by Divine inspiration, in their devout meditations upon the extraordinary goodness of God to them. And, indeed, it was the most ancient way, as I have observed heretofore, of preserving the memory of things to posterity: poets being fnore ancient than historians, or orators, as Lactantius observes, lib. vii. Div. Instit. cap. 23. Nor were the western people less famous for this than the eastern: the Germans, for instance, having their most ancient annals in verse; as Hermannus Conringius hath shewn out of a great many authors, in his preface to Corn. Tacitus, de Germanorum Moribus. r My heart rejoiceth in the Lord.] She was acted by the same spirit which moved St. James to give this direction, chap. v. ver. 13. “Is any afflicted, let him pray, (as she did, i. 10.) is any merry, let him sing psalms,” as she now doth: for she was lately extremely sad and sorrowful, and could not eat: but now, by the goodness of God, is filled.with joy; which made her burst out into this thanksgiving. My horn is exalted in the Lord.] She who was bowed down and dejected, now lifts up her head and triumphs: for exalting the horn signifies the height of glory.. My mouth is enlarged over my enemy.] She was now furnished with a full answer to Peninnah, who upbraided her with her sterility. Because I rejoice in thy salvation.] All this joy and triumph arose from the goodness of God to her; who had delivered her from the reproach of barrenness: which raised her, as appears by the sequel, to the expectation of far greater things.

1 Samuel 2:2

There is none holy as the Lord. The holiness of God signifies* his peerless perfections; as Mr. Mede hath shewn in many parts of his works. (See p. 11.) Forjhereisnone besides thee.] Which perfections are peculiar to himself: for though the Scripture vouchsafeth sometimes unto the gentile demons the name of gods, yet it never calls them holy ones. Neither is there any rock like our Rock.] See upon Deut. xxxii. 31.

1 Samuel 2:3

Talk no more so exceeding proudly. This was good advice to Peninnah, and such-like persons; not to insult over others who are not so happy as themselves. Let not arrogance come out of your mouth.] Or, as the Targum interprets it, forbear reproaches. For so the Hebrew word atat signifies, hard words. For the Lord is a God of knowledge.] None knows what he intends, who perhaps will exalt those who are now abased. Or, he knows how to bring to pass such things as men think to be impossible. • And by him acts are weighed.] Or, by him works are prepared: oven when there is no disposition in nature to them.

1 Samuel 2:4

Hie bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girt with strength.’) Now the great sense she had of God’s power branches out itself into an humble acknowledgment of this glorious attribute, in divers instances. And, first, in vanquishing the most victorious: for bows were a principal part of warriors’ weapons, (Psal. [ vol. II. xliv. 6.) and their girdles being a principal part of the military habit, is elegantly translated to signify strength, and warlike prowess. Whence Virgil calls feeble persons unmeet for war, discinctos, ungirt, as Servius observes. (See Bochart, in Canaan, lib. ii. cap. 13.) Whence the apostle, among the spiritual armour, exhorts the Ephesians to be girt about ivith truth, (Ephes. vi.) For to gird and to arm, to be girt and to be armed, are the same thing in Greek and Latin authors. (See also Psal. xviii. 39. lxv. 6.) Ver.’ 5. TJiey that were full have hired themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased.] To complain of hunger. This vicissitude of human affairs, especially the sudden turns there are sometimes, from a great height of prosperity to a very low condition, and on the contrary, are very wonderful, and seriously to be pondered; that no man may be proud, nor any man despair. The instances of these in history are to be found in a great many authors, besides what our own experience may furnish us withal., So that the barren hath born seven*] That is, many children. She reflects upon the great change which God had made in her own condition. And Procopius Gazzeus notes, that here, “Hymno prophetiam admiscet;” she mingles prophecy withherhymn of praise, and foretells the fecundity of the church: for the number seven denotes a multitude. And she that hath many children is waxen feeble,] Thq Jews fancy, that every time Hannah bare a child, two of Peninnah’s children died. But this seems ratherto have a general respect to those that have been fertile, and grow barren when God pleaseth.

1 Samuel 2:6

The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The same thing is repeated in different words; and the sense is, the power of life and death is in the hands of God: whom he pleases he takes out of the world, and whom he pleases he continues in it; raising men up even from the grave, when they were dropping into it. (See Deut. xxxii. 39. Psal. xxx. 3.)

1 Samuel 2:7

The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich’; he bringeth low, and raiseth tip. She acknowledgeth the power and wisdom of God, inmakingmen of different eruditions; some poor, and others rich; yea, in making the same men who were very poor to become very rich; and they who were mean and contemptible become great and eminent, Theodoret treats excellently of the wise providence of God, in not making men all alike; but some of a lower, some of a higher rank: Oration vi. against the heathens.

1 Samuel 2:8

He raiseth the poor out of the dust, andliftethup the beggar from the dunghill; to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory. Instances: of this kind in the Holy Scriptures arc Joseph and Daniel; the’ one a prisoner, the other a captive: but preferred, to the highest dignity, by the kings of Egypt and Babylon. And in these later ages, Victorinus Strigelius observes a memorable instance of the truth of these words, in Matthias Corvinus, king of.Hungary; who was brought, out of prison, and set on the throne, not by sedition, nor by civil war; but by the unanimous consent of all the. estates, of the realm, in grateful memory of the benefits they had received by his father, the great Hunniades. • For the pillars of the earth (ire the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them.] These words contain the reason of all that precedes in the five foregoing verses: for tho very earth being founded, upheld, and supported by the 2 II Microsoft® A COMMENTARY UPON [chap. II. Lord, no wonder that all the inhabitants of it are in his power, to dispose of thern as he thinks good.

1 Samuel 2:9

He wilt keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness.) Pious affections in those days rose up, many times, to the height of prophecy: whereby Go’d continued in that nation his true religion, in the midst of their idolatrous inclinations. Accordingly, here Hannah begins to predict the deliverances of the Israelites (who were God’s holy ones, or saints, by being peculiarly separated to him and his service) from the hand of the Philistines, and other enemies: who she prophesies should stumble and fall, as men do in the dark, when the Israelites, by God’s direction, succeeded in their enterprises. • For by strength shall no man prevail.] As appeared afterward in Goliath.

1 Samuel 2:10

The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them. As he did literally when Samuel fought with the Philistines, (vii. 10.) and when David also vanquished them, (Psal. xviii. 13.) Procopius Gazaeus applies this to the assumption of Christ, with the mission of the Holy Ghost, and the happy success of the apostles’ preaching, and to Christ’s second coming. The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth.’] As he did when he subdned the Philistines, who lived in the extremity of the country of Judea westward: and now sorely oppressed the Israelites. And he shall give strength unto his King.] That is, to David* Of whom she prophesies; who was most properly God’s king, whom he appointed in the room of Saul; who by his disobedience forfeited his kingdom and was rejected by God. And exalt the horn of his Anointed.] God commanded Saul to be anointed by Samuel, x. 1. but it was upon condition, which he not fulfilling, the same person was commanded to anoint David, xv. 29. xvi. 1. Upon which the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and rested on David, xvi. 13, 14. Whom God so wonderfully protected, that all the subtlety.and power of Saul could not destroy him: and when he came to the throne, God wonderfully exalted him, as she here speaks: by enlarging his dominion very far, and making him such a glorious prince (higher than the kings of the earth)) that he was the most eminent type of the great King of all, our Lord Christ, to whom these words in the fullest sense belong. " For who doth not see, (saith St. Austin, in his seventeenth book, de Civitate Dei, cap. 4.) that the spirit of this woman (whose name was Anna, which signifies grace) prophesied of the Christian religion, the city of God, whose king and founder is Christ; and of the grace of God, from which the proud are estranged, that they may fall; but the humble are filled with it, that they may rise:" which is the chief import of this hymn. And, indeed, this is the first time that the name of Messiah (or Anointedjis found in Scripture: there being no such word in all the foregoing books of Moses, Joshua, the Judges, or Ruth. And therefore it is the more to be remarked: this prophetess being the first that mentions the Messiah, in this song:: with which the song of the blessed Virgin hath such a perfect resemblance, that one cannot but think Hannah had a respect to something higher than the quarrel between her and Pcninnah, and the son which God had given her, or the great actsof David: for the words are too magnificent to be confined to so low a sense. And therefore Kimchi upon these words ingenuously acknowledges the King here mentioned is the Messiah, of whom Hannah spake cither by prophecy or tradition. For there was a tradition among them, that there should a great King arise in Israel: and she seals up this song, with the mention of that King, who should save them from all their enemies. It may be thus paraphrased: 1. Great is the goodness of God to me, which makes my heart leap for joy;’ great is the honour he hath done me: so that ray mouth, which had nothing to answer when my enemy upbraided me, now boasts of the favour of God to me, who to my exceeding great joy hath bestowed a son upon me. 2. For the Lord is incomparable in all perfections, which none have but himself alone: whose excellences are so transcendent, that there is none in whom we can find so secure a sanctuary in all our troubles as we have in him. 3. Do not vaunt and brag therefore any more on this fashion, nor speak contemptuously of others: for as nothing can be hid from him, so he knows bow to bring to pass the strangest things: nor can any man hinder it (let their pride, and confidence, and power, be ever so great), but his counsel shall stand. 4. The strength of armed forces is good for nothing, if not prospered by him: who brings down those who were mighty conquerors; and advances those who were their miserable slaves. 5. The rich have been seen to fall into such decay, as to want their necessary food: and poor starved wretches have come to great plenty. As likewise barren women, as I, have had a numerous offspring, and they that had many children lost them all. 6. No man can keep himself alive when God calls him away from hence: and he unexpectedly restores men to life, when they were in the very jaws of death. 7. It is according as he orders, that some men are rich, others poor: and the very same men who now are in a low condition, he raises up to greatness and splendour; and, on the contrary, abaseth those that walk in pride. 8. They that are in the most sordid plight he advances, when he pleases, to the most glorious state: for what can hinder him from shaking the very foundations of the earth, and overturning all things, which are upheld and supported only by his almighty power? 9. The best way therefore is, by piety, to secure the favour of God; who, by preserving all his faithful servants from falling, will fill their mouths with his praises: but confound the wicked, who now boast themselves, when with amazement they are thrown down into a miserable condition. For let not any man be so vain as to imagine, that by his strength he can maintain himself in his high station; or keep down good men from rising up to glory. 10. They that oppose God shall be broken in pieces; he will strike a terror into them, and make them fall flat before him. For it is he that is the Judge of the world; and there is no corner of it where men can hide themselves from his sentence. He will advance the king whom he shall choose, even the Lord Christ; and make him great in spite of all opposers: who shall not tje able to hinder his exaltation; or the growth and increase of his kingdom. — f»ffwi Vwvf I CHAP. II.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL.

1 Samuel 2:11

And Elkanah ivent to Ramah to his house. When the festival was ended. And ike child did minister unto the Lord.] As soon as he was capable. Btfore Eli the priest.] According as he appointed him.

1 Samuel 2:12

Noiv the sons of Eli tbere sons of Belial. Very wicked men, (see Dent. xiii. 13.) being impious, covetous, guilty of violence, and filthy lusts. Tliey knew not the Lord.].They were not professed atheists; but they minded not the Divine service, nor took any care to do God honour; being ignorant (as Kimchi expounds it) of his law.

1 Samuel 2:13

And the priest’s custom was, when any man offered sacrifice. Brought his peace-offerings to be offered at the altar. Thai the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was seething, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand.] The person who brought the peace-offerings having the largest share in these sacrifices, there were certain rooms, when the temple was Luilt, both in the court of the women, and of the men, wherein they had liberty to boil the flesh, in order to feast with God at his own house: which Christians afterward imitated in their feasts of charity. The like rooms there were at the tabernacle, in the outward court of it. (See L’Empereur, in his Annot. upon Codex Middoth, cap. 2. sect. 6. p. 80, 81.)

1 Samuel 2:14

And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. ’ There were several sorts of vessels for this use; according as the flesh to be boiled was little or much. All that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took for himself] This was a new custom, which they profanely introduced: for, not content with the right shoulder and the breast, which were theirs by the law, (Lev. vii. 32.) they would take what they pleased of the rest, that belonged to the people; at least, so much as a fork with three teeth brought up, when they struck it into the pot where the flesh was boiling. So they did in Shiloh, unto all the Israelites that came thither.] This aggravated their crime, that they made a constant practice of it: and did not only on some occasions commit suth wickedness.

1 Samuel 2:15

-And before they burnt thefat. Which entirely belonged unto God, (Lev. ii. 16. vii. 23. 2>.) Tlxe priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest.] Tins was a high contempt of God, to demand their part before God had his. For the noblest guests at feasts were always served first. For he ivill not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.] The flesh-hook did not always bring up the best; therefore, as soon as the sacrifice was cut up, they came and took the choicest pieces.

1 Samuel 2:16

And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn thefat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth: then he would answer, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: if not,’ I will take it by force.] This argues the very height of imperious impiety, that such submissive language should not prevail with them to have so much respect to God, as to let him have his portion in the first place: though they offered the priest more than his share, after God was served. None knows to what pitch of wickedness a man may arrive, when once the sense of God is extinguished, and gone out of his mind.

1 Samuel 2:17

Wherefore the sm of the young men was verygreat before the Lord. Having many grievous aggravations. For men abhorred the offering of the Lord.] Nothing brings religion so much into the contempt of the people, as the open profaneness of those who are the ministers of it.

1 Samuel 2:18

But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child. Though very young, yet he carefully performed, such offices at the tabernacle as he was capable to discharge: and did not follow the bad example of his familiars and domestics, as we may suppose Hophni and Phinehas were. Girded with a linen ephod.] We do not read any where of any peculiar garments appointed for the Levites in their ministration, but only for the priests; and this was none of them, as appears from Exod. xxviii. 40, 41. And therefore the ephod which the priests are said to wear in chap, xxii. of this book, ver. 18. were quite different from the ephod ordered in Exod. xxviii. for Aaron the high-priest alone: which had a curious girdle belonging to it, and the breast-plate with precious stones inseparable from it; and was wrought with gold, and blue, and purple; and scarlet, (Exod. xxviii. 6.) But the ephod which the priests, or any other persons are said to wear, is (for distinction’s sake) always called ephod bad, an ephod made of fine linen: which was not a sacred but an honorary vestment (as I may call it), being a short garment hanging upon the shoulders down to the middle of the back, but without any girdle or curious work in it; which having some likeness to that of the high-priest’s, was used by the inferior priests to make them more respected as special ministers of God; and by other great persons upon some solemn occasion, as David did, (2 Sam. vi.24.) and Eli (seeing such a great appear* ance of God in him) ordered Samuel to do; though it was not a habit appertaining to the Levites, much less to him who was not of age, according to the exact rules of the law, to serve in the tabernacle. Thus Kimchi and Ralbag understand it. And the LXX. in 2 Sam. vi. 15. translate it trroXrjv i£aX\ov, an cximious garment. (See Jo. Braunius de Vest. Sacerd. lib. ii. cap.6. p. 602.) * It seems no improbable conjecture of Fortunatus Scacchus, that from hence was derived the latus claims among the Romans, which was a vestment proper to their senators and presidents. It was first brought from the Etruscans, by Tullus Hostilius, when he conquered them: whose an cient language agrees sd much with the Hebrew, that ono may. well think they had many things from them. (See Myrothec. cap. iii. 43.)

1 Samuel 2:19

Moreover, his motftermade him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. The ephod being used, I suppose, only in the service of God, it was provided at the public charge. But for his ordinary wearing, Hannah took care, at her charge, to provide him a coat, and other things, it is likely, suitable to it, that she might still express her piety in contributing to his maintenance at the house of God.- And it is very probable, that this little coat was woven with her own hands; as the ancient tradition is, that Christ’s seamless coat was woven by the blessed Virgin. And so in Joma the doctors say, (cap. 3.) that a priest might use a garment in his ministry, which was made by his mother. (Sec Braunius, lib. i. cap. 17.)

1 Samuel 2:20

And Eli blessed Elkanah and Hannah his wife, 2H2 A COMMENTARY UPON [chap. II. and said, The Lord give thee seed of this woman, for the loan which is lent unto the Lord. He gave them this benediction by a Divine suggestion; and thereby verified what she uttered in her prophetical song, (ver. 5.) -And they went to their own home.’] Their affection to their son did not make them stay there, and neglect their domestic affairs.

1 Samuel 2:21

And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters.". None are losers by what they lend unto the Lord. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.] Not only in stature, but in wisdom also and virtue, (see ver. 26.) Of so great moment it is to season the minds of children early with a sense of God and of religion: which is likely to continue with them, and improve, as they grow in years.

1 Samuel 2:22

Now Eli was very old. Which made him listless and unactive. And heard all that his sons did unto all Israel.] Tet wanted not information of all the forementioned’enormous practices of his sons. And how they lay with the women that assembled.] Whose impiety and luxury proceeded so far, as to move them to debauch those women who came to worship God. Of the word assembled, see Exod. xxviii. 8. Unto which may be added, that the Hebrew word tzaba signifies not only a great many gathered together, but also a station: that is, stated times of attendance, which devout women* observed for fasting and prayer. For that was their business at the temple; unto which they resorted at certain times for these ends. * At thedoorofthe tabernacle of the congregation.] These words sound as if they committed this lewdness in the presence of all the people. But such beastiality would not have been suffered: and therefore this refers to their assembling at the door of the tabernacle: from whence they led them to some private room about the tabernacle (as there were many afterward about the temple), where they defiled them.

1 Samuel 2:23

And he said unto them, Why do you these things?. Beforementioned, ver. 14 — 16. 22. «. For I hear of your evil doings by all this people.] Their wickedness was so notorious, that there was a general complaint of it; which should have moved him to greater severity, than merely to reprove and chide them with such gentleness and lenity, as these and the following words import. Which proceeded partly from the coldness of old age; partly from his too great indulgence to his children; and partly (as Corn. Bonavent. Bertram conjectures) from his being more intent upon the defence of their civil liberties, than the restoring ecclesiastical discipline.

1 Samuel 2:24

Nay, my sons; it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress. By making them neglect and despise the service of God, (ver. 17.) arid tempting them to lewdness, (ver. 22.) This is the language of a tender father, not of a zealous judge; who ought to have passed a public censure upon them, for their public crimes, by turning them out of their office, or some sharp punishment; which his office gave him authority and power to inflict upon such infamous offenders.

1 Samuel 2:25

If a man sin against another, the judge shall judge him; but if a man sin against the Lord,.who shall entreat for Mm?. If one neighbour do an injury to another, the business may be composed by the judge; who, interposing his authority, either takes up the difference, or sees* the person satisfied who was offended. But if one injure the judge himself (which was the present case), who shall take the confidence to speak in his behalf? Was it evor heard that any one interceded for a man to his prince, when he intended to kill the prince himself? Eli argued well; but he should not have referred their punishment unto God, when it was in his power to punish them himself. Notwithstanding, they hearkened not unto the voice of their father; because the Lord would slay them.] The words may be rendered out of the Hebrew, But they would not hearken to the voice of their father; therefore the Lord resolved to slay them. But, according to our translation, the sense is right enough: for when men have long sinned grievously against many admonitions (which it may be supposed their father had given them), whereby they become incurable; God deprives them of that prudent consideration and discretion, which would save them from destruction. So Rasi upon these words, The sentence of judgment was already sealed against them.

1 Samuel 2:26

And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord and with men. The words in the Hebrew are, he went on, or grew great and tall, and was good, that is acceptable, both to God and men. The meaning is, he made a great progress in wisdom and goodness, as well as increased in stature: so that God was well pleased with him, and he was well esteemed by the people. The same is said of our Saviour, Luke ii. 52. where Theophylact thus glosses, TovtIoti, koi r<£ 0£i£ zvaptara iirgarrt, koi to7c avOpibnoig liraivtra; i. e. Hedid those things that were wellpleasing to God, and were praised by men.

1 Samuel 2:27

And there came a man of God unto Eli. That is, a prophet, who was divinely inspired to deliver the following message to him. Some say this was Phinehas, others Elkanah; without any ground. And said unto him, Thus saith the Lord.] This is the constant language of prophets. Did I plainly appear.] In the Hebrew, manifestly reveal myself. >.. Unto the house of thy fathers.] Unto Aaron, who was the head of the family of priests. (See Exod. iv. 27.) When they ware in Egypt, in Pharaoh’s house?] In miserable bondage. As much as to say, Have I conferred such favours upon you, and do you thus requite me? It is the way of the prophets, when they call men to repentance, to aggravate their sins by an enumeration of God’s great benefits unto them. (See Isaiah i. 2, Stc.and Micah vi. *

1 Samuel 2:28

And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest. The highest dignity in the nation. To offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me?] These were the several parts of the priest’s office: and the last contains the greatest of them all, which belonged only to the high-priest; who alone appeared before God to consult him by urim and thummim, when he wore the golden ephod, with the breast-plate annexed to it; for they were inseparable, (Exod. xxviii. 6. And did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?] There were none of the sacrifices offered at the altar of which the r§ ^bSw Wf & CHAP. II.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. priest had not some share, (see Numb, xviii. 8—10, &c.) For even of the burnt-offerings, which were wholly consumed on the altar, the. skin was, by an express law, given to the priest, (Lev. vii. 8.)

1 Samuel 2:29

Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice, and at my offerings, which I have commanded. in my habitation. As refractory oxen were wont to do, when they were pricked with a goad, to stir them up to work at the plough: which signifies the. highest irreverence and. contempt of God’s authority. (Sec Bochart, in his Hierozoicon, par. i. lib. ii. cap. 29. latter end.). And honourest thy sons above me, &c] By suffering them. to continue in the priest’s office, and profanely to feast themselves with the best of the sacrifices, before God was served.

1 Samuel 2:30

Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said, indeed, that thy house, and the house of thy father, should, walk before me for ever: but now saith the Lord, Be it far from me. God revokes the decree he had made in* favour of him and his family, of being high-priests throughout all generations. Which office was first settled upon Eleazar, the eldest son of Aaron, and upon his posterity; for the very same promise is madetoPhinehas the son of Eleazar, (Numb. xxv. 15.) which is here said to be made to Eli, who was descended from Ithainar, the youngest son of Aaron: unto whom the high-priesthood was translated from the family of Eleazar, for some sin or other: as now it was resolved it should be translated back again from the family of Ithamar, to that of Eleazar; because of the horrid sins of the sons of Eli. For what cause Phinehas, or his posterity (for there are various opinions about the time), lost the priesthood, and how they recovered it in the time of David, sec Mr. Selden, lib. i. de Success, ad Pontificat. cap. 2, 3. and Constant- L’Empereur,.in his annot. on Bertram de Repub. Jud. p. 411. Some think, that after Phinehas, those three persons mentioned in 1 Chron. vi.50, 51. Abishua, Bukki, and Uzzi, succeeded in the priesthood;, and then came in Eli: but of this there is no certainty. Procopius Gazaeus here observes, that this verse, " Latenter totius Judaici sacerdotii finem innuit;" doth secretly intimate the abolishing of the whole Jewish priesthood. For this promise, saith he, Thy house, and the house of thy father, shall walk before me for ever, was not made to Ithamar, but to Aaron; and, therefore, he shews here what should befal the whole tribe. Such conditional decrees are frequent in Scripture; particularly in Jer. xviii. 7 — 10. For tie that honoureth me I will honour, and he that despiseth me shall be lightly esteemed.] A remarkable instance of which we have in the records of the Christian church: for Eusebius tells us, in the time of that persecntion which he mentions in the eighth book of his Ecclesiastical History, some of the pastors of the church, who had not governed the flock of Christ as they ought to have done, were condemned to be keepers of camels, and of the Emperor’s horses (a punisliment among the Romans in those days, as Valesius observes), r\ Sua KaraKptvaaa S007, &c. Hie Divine justice judging them worthy of no better employment. (Cap. 12. de Martyribus Palestine.)

1 Samuel 2:31

Behold, the days come, that I will cut off the arm of thy fathers house. Our arm being the instrument whereby we perform all things; this threatening signifies, that not long hence God would utterly take away all power and authority from him, and from his family; both as he was a priest, and as he was a judge. That there shall not be an oldman in thy house.] But his posterity should die, as it follows, (ver. 33.) in the flower of their age, which was accounted a great judgment in that nation. So Manasseh ben Israel, who observes, in his book de Termino Vitae, p. 87. that the Gemara upon Jebamoth mentions a certain family in Jerusalem, none of which commonly lived above eighteen years. Of which they inquiring the reason of R. Johanan ben Zachaei, he bade them search, if they were not of the family of Eli, upon which God had passed this sentence, that they should die in the./tower of their age: and it was discovered that they sprang from him.

1 Samuel 2:32

And thou shalt see an enemy in my sanctuary. The marginal translation seems most literal, Thou shalt see the affliction of the tabernacle. As he did, for he saw the tabernacle. deprived of the ark, which was the glory of it; and lived to hear the ark was taken by the Philistines, (iv. 4. 11.) But his family was not thrown out of the priesthood till the days of Solomon. In all the wealth which God shall give Israel.] The Hebrew words may be translated, After all the good God hath done to Israel. And there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever.] He repeats the foregoing threatening, to shew the certainty of it. But some by an old man understand an elder. So the Talmudists in the Gemara of the Sanhedrin, cap. 1. where they make the meaning to be, that if any of his family did livelong, they should never come to honour. For so they tell the story; that It. Johanan missing of some preferment that was designed and endeavoured for him, and taking it very heavily, the doctors that were his relations prayed him not to be troubled; For we are (said they) of the family of Eli, of whom it is said, there shall be no oldman of thy house for ever; that is, none be promoted to any dignity.

1 Samuel 2:33

And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from my altar, shall be to consume thy eyes, and to grieve thy heart. It was not a favour to let any of them live, but a punishment to those who were grieved to see the highpriesthood taken from their family, and those that belonged to it reduced to great poverty. It is usual in Scripture, to say that of the parents, which properly belongs to their posterity. And all the increase of thy house shall die in the flower of their age.] This doth not belong to all the posterity of Ithamar, but only to the family of Eli.

1 Samuel 2:34

And this shall be a sign to thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, Hophni and Phinehas; that in one day they shall die both of them. See iv. 11. 17.

1 Samuel 2:35

And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do all that is in my heart, and in my mind. This seems to be meant of Zadok, who was anointed in the room of Abiathar, (1 Chron. xxix. 22.) And I toill build him a sure house.] The high-priesthood continued in his line till the captivity of Babylon, as appears from Ezek. xl. 1G. and a long time after it, as Josephus shews, lib. x. cap. 4. and our famous. Selden, lib; i. de Success, in Pontif. cap. 5, G. where he shews their perpetual succession till the time of Antioehus Epi r phanes. But Procopius Gazaeus here notes, that though Microsoft® A COMMENTARY UPON [chap. III. this, according to the history, is meant of Zadok, who was put into the priesthood by Solomon, and in whose line it continued; yet it belongs to none, in the highest sense, but to our Lord Jesus Christ, who offered himself to the Father for us, and is our great high-priest for ever. And he shall walk before mine anointed for ever. 1 By the anointed of God here is meant the king; for whom the high-priest consulted God on great occasions: and therefore is said to walk before him; because he directed him in his proceedings, and shewed him what he ought to do, in all difficult cases. Ver. 3(>. And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thy house.’] The remainder of his family, who were not cut off. Shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver, and for a morsel of bread.] The Hebrew word which we translate crouch, signifying to bow and t6 worship, the Vulgar understands these w r ords, as if they were spoken not of their coming to beg of the high-priest, but to pray to God in so poor a condition, as not to be able to bring more than a farthing, or mite, to the treasury, and nothing but a bit of bread (not so much as a bird, much less a sheep or bullock) for a sin-offering. But the Chaldee takes the words as we do, for humbling himself to the priest beforementioned, begging a small relief of his great poverty, to which he wasreduced. The Hebrew word for a piece of silver is agorah, which signifies a minute piece of silver, in the very derivation of the word, as many think. So the meaning is, he should humbly beg, though ever so small a relief. Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests* offices, that I may eat apiece of bread.] Begging of the high-priest that he might enjoy the meanest pension that was allowed to those priests who were prohibited to officiate. For so the words may be translated, Somewhat belonging to the priesthood. (See 2 Kings xxiii. 9; Ezek; xliv. 13.) This seems to have been fulfilled in the days of Abiathar, who, for treason^ was not only put out of his office, but sent to live upon Ms own farm in the country; and not suffered to live upon the portion given to priests at the temple, (1 Kings ii. 26, 27.) By this means his posterity fell into extreme want; in which the just judgment of God may be observed; that the children of those who were so wanton, that they would not be content unless they had the choicest parts of the sacrifice for their portion, should fall into so low a condition, as to beg their bread.