Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. XI.

Vers. 1. THen Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-Gilead.] A city without Jordan nigh unto the Ammonites. This inva∣sion was brewing against the Israelites before they desired a king, and was in part the occasion of that their desire, chap. 12.12. And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reigne over us, when the Lord your God was your king. But now happely it was the more hastened by Nahash the Ammonite, because of the report which might be brought to him of the Israelites shaking off the government of Samuel, and desi∣ring a king to reigne over them, and the division newly begun amongst them by rea∣son of the discontent of some, who would not acknowledge their new chosen king. What they made the ground of their quarrell it is not expressed: Like enough it was that old pretence which they stood upon, Judg. 11.13. when Jephtha foyled them, to wit, a claim which they laid to the land of Gilead, where Jabesh stood; which now to recover, and withall to revenge that shamefull overthrow which Jephtha had gi∣ven them, they might be the rather emboldened, because the Philistines on the other side of the countrey, had exceedingly weakned and oppressed the Israelites.

Vers. 2. On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproch upon all Israel.] To wit, to disable them for the warre (for with their shields they covered their left eyes, and therefore having lost their right eyes, what service of warre could they be fit for?) and con∣sequently that the accepting of such dishonourable conditions, might be a perpetuall reproch to all the people, because it would be said hereupon, what a base people the Israelites were, that would buy off death upon any terms; yea to the God of Israel, on whom his people durst not rely for help: and thus Sathan labours to put out the right eye of faith, and to leave us onely the left eye of reason.

Vers. 4. Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, &c.] That is, as to other towns so also to this: or rather, knowing that Saul their Prince elect was at Gibe∣ah, and Samuel with him, these messengers of Jabesh-gilead went directly thither, that they might acquaint them with the extremity of streights they were in, that so they might speedily send into all the coasts of Israel for help. Had Nahash the king of the Ammonites yielded to the submission of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, he might not only have had that town delivered up to him, but in all probability many more would have yielded themselves to him after their example. Yea, and when they desired seven dayes respite, that they might send messengers into all the coasts of Israel, promising that if in that time they had not help, they would yield up the town, had not he yielded to this, he might happely in that time have taken the town by force. But first he proudly and scornfully refused the tender of their service, and sent them word that nothing should satisfie him, unlesse he might thrust out all their right eyes; and when they desired a truce of seven dayes, to try if they could call in their brethren to their aid, ere they yielded to so hard a condition, he granted them their request, and (as we see here) suffered them to send their messengers, as being puft up with such an opinion of his own strength, that he thought it impossible that in that time their brethren either could or durst come to relieve them; and so by this

means, through his arrogancy and cruelty he was carried headlong to his own de∣struction, whereas by granting them fair quarter, he might have brought them un∣der his yoke, and have spread his victories much further.

Vers. 5. And behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field.] Being onely yet elected king. and finding many to repine against it, returning home he betook himself, as most Interpreters hold, to his wonted countrey imployments. But this agreeing not with the state of his being conducted home, chap. 10.26 may rather be understood of casuall coming after the herd, and that it is here expressed onely because of that which followeth his taking a yoke of the oxen, and hewing them, &c.

Vers. 6. And the spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.] Herein we see how fairly Saul carried himself as long as those gifts of Gods spirit were continued to him, wherewith the Lord had fitted him for the government of his people. He that was so patient in his own cause, that when certain children of Belial scorned and despised him, he passed it by as if he had taken no notice of it, chap. 10.27. was now impatient of the wrong that was done to the Lord and his people by the Ammonites, that had propounded such intollerable conditions to the men of Jabesh-gilead; now his anger was kindled greatly, and it never abated till he had rescued his poore oppressed brethren out of the danger they were in. As for that expression, And the spirit of God came upon Saul, see the note Judg. 3.10.

Vers. 7. Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen.] It may well be that Saul took this course of hewing a yoke of oxen in pieces, and sending the pieces to the severall tribes of Israel, in imitation of the Levite Judg. 19.29. who did thus cut his concubine in pieces, and sent them to the severall tribes, the better to stirre up their indignation. And in the message he sent to the tribes, because he was not yet generally approved and received as king of all the people, he useth not his own name onely, but Samuels also (who it seems ac∣companied him home from Mizpeh as others did, chap. 10.26. and so was now with him) that by this means he might make sure that all should come; if not for respect of him their king, yet out of regard had to Samuel, Gods Prophet, and formerly their Judge.

And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.] That is, though Saul did what he could to make the people afraid to disobey his com∣mand, yet it was of God that they were so generally stricken with fear, and there∣upon ready to come forth at the command of their new chosen king: as it is said of the Canaanites that were restrained from pursuing Jacob and his family, when his sonnes had made that massacre in Schechem; Gen. 35.5. And they journeyed; and the terrour of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sonnes of Jacob.

Vers. 8. The children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.] The men of Judah are reckoned apart from the children of Israel; and these reasons may be given for it: 1. Because they usually had the privi∣ledge of going first against the enemy, in any common danger: 2. To let us see that the tribe of Judah, though the chief, and the tribe wherein God had said the throne should be established, Gen. 49.10. yielded to obey Saul chosen out of the

least of the tribes: or thirdly, because this would intimate how willingly the people flocked together, when out of Judah alone there came thirty thousand, though by the continuall incursions of the Philistines, they were forced to look to the defence of their own coasts against these their neighbours.

Vers. 9. And they said unto the messengers that came, &c.] That is, Saul and Samuel.

Vers. 10. Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, &c.] They repeat the main head of the covenant they had made with the king of Ammon, to wit, that they would come forth and yield themselves, concealing the condition, that is, if help came not in the mean time; by concealing whereof they both provide for their own safetie, that nothing might be presently attempted against them, and make their enemies the more secure, that Saul might come upon them unawares.

Vers. 11. Saul put the people in three companies, and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, &c.] It seems Saul marched all night, that by the morning watch he might come upon them, and surprise them unawares. And thus he raised the siege of Jabesh-gilead, and freed them from that horrid cruelty which the enemy entended against them; and how thankfull the inhabitants of this citie were to Saul for this great benefit they enjoyed by his means, we may see chap. 31.11, 12, 13. And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the Philistins had done to Saul; All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sonnes from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. And they took their bones and buried them under a tree, and fasted seven dayes.

Vers. 13. And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for to day the Lord hath wrought salvation for Israel.] In this reason that Saul gave why he would not suffer any man to be put to death that day, for to day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel, two things may be implyed: first, that he would not have a day of so much joy and triumph, stained with the least sorrow and mourning amongst any of the people: and secondly, that when God had shewn himself so good and gracious to his people, he could not think it fit to be so rigid & se∣vere against those that had at first slighted him in his sovereignty. However here again we see what a difference there was betwixt that which Saul was in his first govern∣ment, and that he was afterwards when the Spirit of the Lord was departed from him. Now none more humble and gentle then he, not a man should be put to death for him; but afterwards in his dealing with David, and the Priests of the Lord, he was another man, even bloud-thirsty, cruell, and implacable beyond measure.

Vers. 14. Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdome there.] A city this was near hand, adjoyning upon Jordan; there Joshua renewed the covenant betwixt the Lord and his people, Josh. 5.9. and there Samuel now renewed the covenant concerning the kingdome betwixt Saul and the people. Before he was chosen, but this was as it were the solemnity of his inauguration and coronation: and now it seems he was anointed in publick as be∣fore in private; and therefore in the next chapter, Samuel speaking to the people, calls Saul severall times, the Lords Anointed.

Vers. 15. And there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed, &c.] It is evident therefore, that here now Saul and Samuel sacrifi∣ced together in Gilgal; whence we may certainly conclude, that the charge which Samuel gave to Saul, chap. 10.8. that he should stay for Samuel at Gilgal seven dayes▪ till he came to offer sacrifice for him, was not meant of Sauls immediate going to Gilgal, but of his going thither when he should be in a strait, and had not Samu∣el with him, as is before noted in the exposition of that place.