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. XV.

Vers. 1. SAmuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel.] That is, the Lord gave me commission to anoint thee king (for Samuel went not to Saul, but Saul came to Samuel) and this Samuel premised, before he gave him the following charge from the Lord, that he should go and destroy the Amalekites, that the remembrance of this honour, where∣to God had exalted him, might make him the more carefull exactly to do what God had enjoyned him.

Now therefore hearken thou unto the voyce of the words of the Lord.] In this word (now) Samuel covertly puts him in mind of his former transgression, chap. 13.8.9. As if he had said, though thou didst formerly neglect to do what the Lord enjoyned thee, yet now remember what God hath done for thee, and be sure strictly to observe this which God hath given thee in charge.

Vers. 2. I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt.] Three severall times God had fore∣told that he would destroy the Amalekites, and that for the violence which they of∣fered to the Israelites▪ to wit, Exod. 17.14. Numb. 24.20. and Deut. 25.19. And now Saul is sent to execute that vengeance upon them, which the Lord had so long time since at severall times threatned: for though the present king and people of Amalek had been cruell and bloudy adversaries to the people of God, as Samuels speech to Agag seems to imply, vers. 33. As thy sword hath made women childlesse, so shall thy mother be childlesse among women; and so had deserved to be destroyed for their own sinnes; yet because the Lord would have his people know that he had not forgot that former injurie of their Ancestours towards his people, though it were now above foure hundred years since; but intended now principally to be a∣venged on them for that, in the commission that he sent now to Saul for the de∣stroying of the Amalekites, he mentions no other cause but that wrong which of old their fathers had done to his people, expressing one circumstance as a great aggrava∣tion of their crueltie; namely, that when his poore people had been so long under a miserable bondage in Egypt, and were now newly escaped thence, then they came presently out against them, and sought to destroy them. I remember, saith the Lord, that which Amalek did to Israel when he came up from Egypt. Nor need it seem strange that the present Amalekites should be utterly destroyed, for that which their Ancestours had done so many years ago; for though God destroyes none everlast∣ingly, but for their own sinnes, yet with temporall punishments he doth usually punish the children for the sinnes of their Ancestours; especially when the children go in their fathers steps, as by that which is said of Agag vers. 33. it seems these did.

Vers. 3. Now go, and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have.]

That is, not the men and cattell onely, as is afterward expressed, but their cities also, and all the wealth therein, &c.

Vers 4. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbred them in Telaim.] Which most Expositours conceive to be the city of Judah called Telem, Josh. 15.24. As for the following clause wherein those of Judah are numbred apart by them∣selves, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah, see the note upon chap. 11.8.

Vers. 5. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.] The inserting of this here seems to imply, that either it was the first city he came to, or that it was the city where their king was.

Vers. 6. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get ye down from among the Amalekites, &c.] This must be meant either of the posterity of Jethro the Ke∣nite, who though they had planted themselves in the tribe of Judah, Judg. 1.16. yet now happely they were removed further, because of the Israelites warres, into the land of the Amalekites (for they dwelt in Tents, Judg. 4.17. and therefore might easily remove from one place to another:) or else it is meant of a people so called of whom Jethro was, Numb. 24.21. who are now spared for Jethro's sake. Yet his redoubling the charge that they should get them away, in those severall terms, Go, depart, was to imply, that if they loved their lives they should make haste away.

For ye shewed kindnesse to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt.] This is questionlesse meant of the kindnesse which Jethro the Kenite and his family shewed to the Israelites. He came out with much joy to meet Moses, and to congratulate all the goodnesse which God had shewn to the Israelites: he gave him counsell for the well-ordering of the government of Israel; and doubtlesse, he and his were eyes unto the Israelites in their going through the wildernesse, accord∣ing to Moses desire, Numb. 10.31. And therefore now Saul gave them warning to remove away, that they might not suffer together with the Amalekites. As the Lord punished the Amalekites for the wrong their Progenitours did to his people, so he spared the Kenites for the kindnesse their Ancestours had shown them.

Vers. 7. And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Havilah, untill thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.] That Saul destroyed not all the whole nation of the Amalekites, is evident, chap. 27.8. And David and his men went up, and in∣vaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites. And chap. 30.1. And it came to passe, when David was come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded Ziklag, &c. Either therefore this must be meant of some one part of their countrey; or that Saul slew throughout the land all that he could get into his power; for Shur is the furthest border of their land towards Egypt.

Vers. 8. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly de∣stroyed all the people, &c.] Agag was the common name of the kings of that land, Numb. 24.7. And his king shall be higher then Agag, &c. Now this Agag whom above the rest he should have slain, Saul spared, either to make his triumph more glorious, which he might think would be most for Gods glory; or out of covetous∣nesse, to get a great ransome for him: or rather out of a foolish pitty, because he was a king: and indeed the confidence of Saul in his answer to Samuel, vers. 20.

Yea, I have obeyed the voyce of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me. And have brought Agag the king of Amalek, &c. makes it not very im∣probable, that in sparing Agag, he thought he had done well.

Vers. 9. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, &c.] In sparing these cattell, they pretended a respect they had to the glo∣ry of God; namely, that they spared them for sacrifice, as Saul told Samuel after∣wards, vers. 15. The people spared the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord. Whereas indeed it is most probable, that secretly they had a pur∣pose to retain many of them for their own use; as those words of Samuel seem to imply, vers. 19. Wherefore didst thou not obey the voyce of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoyl? However, when God had injoyned them to destroy all the cattell, and not to spare any, for them to spare all that was good, and to destroy those onely that were vile and refuse, as it follows in this verse, was all one in effect as if they had resolved, that in those that were worth nothing God should have his desire, but that those that were fat and good, they knew how to reserve for a better use.

Vers. 11. It repenteth me, that I have set up Saul to be king.] See the note up∣on Gen. 6.6.

Vers. 12. Saul came to Carmel, and Behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, &c.] That is, he pitched their Tents in Carmell, and so stayed there a while to refresh his army, and divide the spoil, and then went away to Gilgal: or else the meaning may be this, he set him up a place in Carmel, that is, some Pillar or Piramides, as a triumphant monument of his victory, and so went thence away to Gilgal.

Vers. 13. And Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord; I have perfor∣med the commandment of the Lord.] This confident boasting of Saul may seem to imply, that he did think indeed that he had performed what God injoyned him, as not thinking that his sparing of Agag, and some of the cattell for sacrifices, would have been judged a transgression of Gods command; but yet others conceive, that his own conscience told him that he had not done well; and that thence it was, that now at his meeting with Samuel, he saluted him in such a fawning manner, as by way of colloging with him; Blessed be thou of the Lord, &c.

Vers. 15. For the people spared the best of the sheep, and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord thy God.] It is evident that he consented at least, to the sparing of those cattell they had brought from the Amalekites; for so it is expressely said before, vers. 9. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, &c. And yet now to excuse himself, he would make Samuel believe, that if this were a fault, it was not he but the people that had herein transgressed; onely withall he alledgeth in the de∣fence of the people, that they had spared them onely for sacrifices, which he hoped Samuel could not but approve; and to make this take the better with Samuel, he saith not onely that they were to be sacrificed to the Lord, but to the Lord thy God.

Vers. 16. Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. And he said, Say on.] As happely expecting some good message: so farre doth hypocrisie blind men, even when they have done that which is notoriously evil.

Vers. 18. Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites.] That is, those

wicked wretches the Amalekites sinners, above others; so the word sinners is else∣where used, Gen. 13.13. and Matth. 19.10.

Vers. 23. For rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft, and stubbornnesse is as ini∣quity and idolatry.] All unrighteousnesse and sinne is in the Scripture termed ini∣quity, as Gen. 15.16. For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. And Rom. 4.7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, &c. But in this sense how stub∣bornnesse may be said to be as iniquity, is not easie to conceive. And therefore here by iniquity many Expositours understand the aberration of men from the right rule of Gods worship (and therefore it is joyned here with idolatry) and is by many translated superstition, stubbornnesse is as superstition and idolatry. But why doth Samuel say (and that doubtlesse in relation to Sauls sinne) that Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft, and stubbornnesse is as iniquity and idolatry? I answer, First, some take it to be spoken onely comparatively, that rebellion and stubbornnesse are as great sinnes, and as hatefull to God as witchcraft and idolatry. And second∣ly, others say, that the drift of these words is to shew, that rebellion and stubborn∣nesse are sinnes much of the same nature as are witchcraft and Idolatry. Because as witches and idolatours do give away the glory of God to a poore creature, and ad∣vance the creature above God; so they that have an expresse command from God for doing of any thing, & will then consult with their own reason, whether they shall do it or no, and will stubbornly and rebelliously do contrary to what God hath com∣manded, merely out of a conceit that they judge it better to do otherwise; then they do as manifestly give away the glory of God to a base creature, exalt the creature above God, as witches and idolatours do. But thirdly, others (and I think upon the best grounds) do conceive the intention of these words to be onely this, That an act of rebellion against any command of God (though had it not been for that command of God, it would not have been otherwise unlawfull,) is as manifestly a sinne, and may be in its degree as hatefull to God, as those sinnes are that are against the law and light of nature, and contrary to the truth and glory of Gods nature and essence, such as witchcraft and idolatry are: Such was this act of Sauls in spa∣ring Agag, and the best of the cattell. There would have been no evil in it, had not God commanded them to be destroyed: But being done so expressely against the command of God, it was no lesse then rebellion, and in that regard hatefull to God as well as witchcraft and idolatry.

Vers. 24. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned, &c.] Thus Saul at last confessed his sinne, but hypocritically, not sincerely; not because he was at all hum∣bled for what he had done, but onely because he desired by this means to pacifie Samuel, and to see if he might revoke the sentence pronounced against him con∣cerning the losse of his kingdome: All which is evident in the following clause, wherein he seeks to excuse, or at least to extenuate his offence, by pretending that he did it for fear of the people, which true penitents are not wont to do, I have transgressed, saith he, the commandment of the Lord, and thy words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

Vers. 25. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sinne, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.] Pardon my sinne, that is, do thou forgive the sinne I have committed, and effect my reconciliation with God, And turn again with me,

that I may worship the Lord, to wit, both by way of thankfulnesse for the Lords fighting for them against the Amalekites, and also to seek to God for the pardon of this sinne they had runne into.

Vers. 26. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee.] To wit, for fear he should seem any way to allow or approve of that which he had done.

Vers. 27. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.] He catched hold of the skirt of his mantle, as being wondrous loth to have the people take any notice of Samuels and consequent∣ly of the Lords displeasure against him. But the rending of the skirt of his mantle, was of God as a signe that the kingdome should be rent away from him▪ vers. 28. And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdome from thee this day. And the Hebrews adde, that it was also to shew, that the man that should hereafter tear off the skirt of his garment, should be the man that should succeed him in the throne, and that hence was that which Saul said then, chap. 24.20. And now behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the king∣dome of Israel shall be established in thine hand.

Vers. 29. And also the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent, for he is not a man that he should repent.] This last clause is added, because men are so prone naturally to measure God by themselves. The greatest difficulty in these words is, why Samuel affirming this of God, terms him the strength of Israel; of which these reasons may be given, to wit, first, That it was to imply the immutabilitie of God; for as the mutabilitie of man proceeds from mans weaknesse, whence it is that the weaker men are, the more irresolute and changeable they are; so the immutability of God argues Gods strength. Secondly, It was to imply how unresistably able God was to effect what he had said concerning the removing of the kingdome from Saul to David: Saul might hope to settle the kingdome upon his posterity, but the strength of Israel had decreed otherwise, and he would not lie nor repent, as being almighty and therefore able to do whatever he pleased: in despite of all that Saul should do against David, the kingdome should be taken from him and given to David. And thirdly, It might be to answer an objection that might arise in Sauls mind: Saul might think that surely the Lord would not indeed take away the kingdome from him, because the Lord himself had said, that he should save Is∣rael out of the hands of the Philistines, chap. 9.16. To beat him from this refuge, Samuel puts him in mind that God was the strength of his people, and so could save and deliver them, and yet make good his word in removing him from being king.

Vers. 30. Then he said, I have sinned.] See the note, vers. 24.

Vers. 31. So Samuel turned again after Saul, &c.] Though he had formerly refused to go with Saul, to wit, at that time, and that upon this ground, that he might not seem to allow of Sauls sinne; yet now upon another ground he yields to go, to wit, that the people might not take any occasion of not yielding to Saul that honour which was yet due to him as the anointed of the Lord; the rather be∣cause he intended to take away the offence of seeming to allow Sauls sinne, by executing Gods sentence upon Agag whom Saul had spared.

Vers. 32. And Agag came unto him delicately.] That is, in the attire, and

with the gesture and gate of a king, as one that thought not of death, but onely took care that both his apparell and every thing else about him, yea his deport∣ment and carriage of himself should be Prince-like, and such as beseemed the dignity of his person though now a captive. Because he was brought not to Saul the king that had taken him prisoner, but to Samuel an aged prophet, this it may be made him so confident, that now the danger of death was over; now (thinks he with himself) Surely the bitternesse of death is past.

Vers. 33. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.] Whether Samuel did this by himself or by others, he did it doubtlesse by the speciall instinct of Gods spirit.

Vers. 35. And Samuel came to see Saul no more untill the day of his death.] That is, he never went after this to visit him, as formerly to give him instruction and direction in his affairs. For that Samuel did before his death see Saul after this, is evident chap. 19.24. And he stript off his clothes also, and prophesied before Sa∣muel in like manner, &c.