1 Samuel 24

where David was, but only in general that he was in that wilderness.

1 Samuel 24:1

AND it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines. Who either retreated npou Saul’s march towards them, or he drove them out of tho land. Tliat it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.] The veiy place was not told him

1 Samuel 24:2

Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel. Men of valour, and whom ho thought he might trust. And went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.] In craggy and bushy places, where none but wild goats lived; but he imagined David might there skulk: and, therefore, resolved to be at the pains of searching for him there. Ver. jj. And he came to the sheep-cotes by the way, where there was a cave.] In which tho sheep rested in the heat of the day. Unto which place David was directed by God’s guidance: for Saul would not suspect that he would abide in the highway unto those rocks, where he w r as going to look for him. And Saul went in to cover his feet.] See upon Judg. iii. 24. And David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.] Where they could see him by the light at the entrance of it: but he could not see them, because it was dark in the remote parts of it. Some of these caves were exceeding large: Strabo in his sixteenth book mentions one that would contain four thousand men.

1 Samuel 24:4

And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee.] We do not read any where that God made a promise to deliver Saul into David’s hand: but so they interpreted what Samuel had said, that God would take the kingdom from Saul and give it to David. And they, having a desire to return to their own habitations, and likewise to have preferment under David, desired him to make use of the opportunity which now presented itself of destroying his enemy, and advancing himself. Then David arose,- and cut off the skirt of Saul $ robe privately.] Which he might easily do, if he were asleep: as that phrase may be. interpreted, he went in to cover his feet. * This robe was long, coming down to the feet: as the Hebrew word meil signifies.

1 Samuel 24:5

And it came to pass, that afterward David’s heart smote him. He was inwardly troubled. Because he had cut off SauFs skirt,] For it looked like an indignity unto a prince to have his royal robe disfigured:. " Tantara intelligcbat personam illius sanctitudinem’J (as Grotius speaks), such he understood was the sacredness of his person. And that very deservedly; for the supreme powers being obnoxious to many men’s hatred, ought to be secured in the discharge of their office. Of which the Romans took care in the very tribunes of the people, that they should be aavXoi, inviolable, (lib. i. de Jure Belli ct Pads/ cap. 4. sect. 7.)

1 Samuel 24:6

And he said unto his men. When he returned unto them, and they grew angry, bo had only cut off the skirt of his robe, and not killed him. Tlie Lord forbid that J should do this thing.] Which they desired. Unto my master.’] For I must own him, as long as he is alive, to be my lord and master; unto whom I am bound to be faithful. Tlie Lord’s anointed.] Whom God hatb appointed to be king as long as he lives. • To stretch forth my hand aguinst him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.] Set up by God, who alone could throw him down. For he was as much constituted king by God while he lived, as David was after his death. And his anointing made his person sacred: for the very heathens looked upon their kings as holding the place of God. So Artabanus the Persian (as Plutarch relates in the life of Thcmistoclcs), This is the very best of our many excellent laiVS, To Tt/jLyv fidaikta teal wpovKvvtiv, mq iiKova 0tov ra 7ravra <t(1jZovtoq, that we should honour and adore our king, as the image of God, who preserves all things.

1 Samuel 24:7

So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. Who still had a desire to kill him," though David would not: which he hindered by his wise and pious persuasions. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went his way.] To his camp: which he had left to take some repose in the cave, having a guard to attend him, who stood without while he covered his feet within.

1 Samuel 24:8

David also arose afterward. When Saul was gone. And went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king.~] A bold attempt, to adventure to come into the presence of such an enraged enemy. But his innocence and confidence in God emboldened him, especially having % so strong an evidence to give him of his integrity. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself] See xx. 41.] -

1 Samuel 24:9

And David said unto Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s tvords/saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt. He wisely endeavours, at the entrance,of his speech, to mollify Saul, by transferring all the blame of his persecution, from him/ unto the sycophants and false accusers that were about him..

1 Samuel 24:10

Behold, this day thy eyes have seen that the Lord had delivered thee into my hand in the cave. Out of which he followed Saul.. And some bade me kill thee, but my eye spared thee.] A* phrase for taking pity and compassion upon those whom we have in our pow T er to hurt. And I said, I will not put forth my hand’against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.] He acknowledged him both to be his king, and appointed by God so to be.

1 Samuel 24:11

Moreover, my father. So he. was by the marriage of his daughter; and as he was supreme governor, the father of his country. Or if he had not been so, yet this* word was proper to be used, that he might soften and sweeten him into more tender usage to him. See; yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand.] He offers him a demonstration of the truth of what he declared: and* prays him to observe it. For in’ that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see.] Let it convince thee. That there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand.] That he had no bad designagainsthim, nor ever attempted to do him any harm. For if he Had, it had been as easy to cut his throat, as to cut off the skirt of his robe. And Thave not mined against thee; yet thou huntest tny soul to. take it.] This was a great aggravation of Saul’s, guilt (which makes David repeat it), that he’sought the life of one who had no way offended him, and when it was in his power would not hurt him.

1 Samuel 24:12

The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee. If he still persisted to persecute him. But he doth not, by these words, avenge me of thee, pray God to punish hiui for the injuries he had done him; but only to vindicate and deliver him from his violent and unjust persecution. So the Hebrew word nakam often signifies. But my hand shall not be upon thee.] He persisted in his resolution not to avenge himself; but leave it to God to do him right.

1 Samuel 24:13

As smth the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedethfrom the wicked; but my hand shall not be upon thee. Men may be known by their actions. And this is as if Darid had said, Were I so bad as I am represented, I should now have shewn it: but I will never have.my hand in such crimes. Or thus, It is for wicked men to do this: but I am none of them.

1 Samuel 24:14

After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue?. He turns every stone, as we speak, to appease Saul’s rage; and tells him in conclusion, that it was below him, and a disparagement to him to raise annies against such a mean person as he was. After a dead dog, after a flea?] He represents himself as contemptible as it was possible, that he might convince Saul it was not for his honour to take so much pains to kill him if he could: for what an inglorious thing was it for a king^ with so many armed men, to triumph over a dead dog? As if a lion should hunt after a flea. " Which (as Bocbartus glosses) if it be sought, is not easily found; and if it be found, is not easily caught; and if it be caught, is a poor prey, especially for a prince."

1 Samuel 24:15

The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand. He thought he could not repeat this too often, that as hitherto, so he resolved hereafter to leave it to God to judge which of them was in the right, and not avenge himself. It may seem strange that Saul, who came with such an enraged mind to seek for David, should hear him make so long a speech to him with patience, and not furiously, fall upon him as soon as he saw him. But we may well think, that at the first he was surprised to see him follow after him out of the cave; and more astonished to find, after a few words, that it was in David s power to kill him, if he had pleased: which he knew he had, byalongpersecution of him, provoked him to do.

1 Samuel 24:16

And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David?. Though he stood at such a distance, that it is likely he could not know him by his face, yet he very well knew his voice. And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.] His heart being mollified atpresent, by this unparalleled kindness of David, in sparing his life, when he could have taken it away.

1 Samuel 24:17

And he said unto David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. Most men have their good moods. And Saul now could scarce avoid being touched with a deep, sense, how very unjust and unkind he had been to one who truly loved him.

1 Samuel 24:18

And thou hast shewed this day, how that thou hast dealt with me: forasmuch as, when the Lord had delivered me into thy hand, thoukilledstmenot. The demonstration of his kindness was so clear, that he could not but acknowledge it, and be affected with it.

1 Samuel 24:19

For if a man find his enemy, will he let Mm go well away?. i. e. He will certainly destroy him to save himself. The kindness of David therefore was unusual, and without example. Wherefore the Lord reward thee good, for that thou hast done’unto me this day.] Herein David had imitated God; w T ho doth good to the evil: from whom Saul prays David’ might receive his reward for the good done to him.

1 Samuel 24:20

And now I know well that thou shalt surely be king j and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established hi thy hand. These wonderful providences of God over David,, and David’s no less wonderful virtue, at last convinced Saul that God designed him to be the king of his people, and that none could hinder his establishment.*; it;.

1 Samuel 24:21

Swear now therefore. unto me by the Lord,’that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father s house. As he had endeavoured to destroy David; and as kings frequently destroyed the family of those into whose thrones they were advanced.

1 Samuel 24:22

And David stvare unto Saui. Who should rather have sworn unto David, he would suffer him to live quietly; yea,havq invited him to return home, and assured him of his protection.. But David did not require this: resolvingto trustto God, and notto him. Some question how David kept this oath, when he hanged up seven of Saul’s sons, (2 Sam. xxi.) But they should consider, that he did not this of himself, but at the desire of the Gibeonites, unto whom God required satisfaction should be given for Saul’s bloody endeavours to destroy them. And $aul went home; but David and his men gat them upanto the hold.] viz. OfEn-gedi. For he durst not stay in such an open place as he now was in, knowing Saul’s inconstancy, and the hatred he had to him/ and the fury ho was in when the evil spirit came upon him. “It is dangerous to trust a reconciled enemy: and the old saying is very wise, utfivriao qitkjtuv, remember not to be, too credulous. And so the son of Sirach, (Ecclus. xii. 10, 11.) " Never, trust thine enemy: though he humble himself, yet take good heed, and beware of him.”