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. XXVI.

Vers. 1. ANd the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself, &c.] Though David had been once before in great dan∣ger in these parts, the Ziphites discovering him to Saul, and seeking to intrap him; yet hither he was come again from the wildernesse of Paran, chap. 25.1. and good reason might be given for it: For it might be occasioned by his marriage with A∣bigail, whose estate lay in these parts; and again, his hope that Saul would keep his covenant and oath, chap. 24. might encourage him, the rather, because since that for a time he had now been quiet, but he found his enemies as violent as ever: Indeed if David should come to the crown, the Ziphites might well fear the•• former treachery would be remembred, and therefore it stood them upon, to seek Davids ruine, if by any means they could.

Vers. 3. David abode in the wildernesse, and he saw that Saul came after him, &c.] But why is it said in the very next words▪ vers. 4. That he sent forth spies, and so understood that Saul was come in very deed: I answer, that these first words are meant onely of some notice that David had of Sauls coming: of the certainty whereof, he was not at first fully satisfied, and so sending out scouts to see if it were true, was by them fully informed that it was so indeed.

Vers. 6. Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to A∣bishai the sonne of Zeruiah brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me, &c.] The two Captains whom he desired to go with him to Sauls camp, were A∣himelech called the Hittite (either because he was so by birth, though in Religion he was an Israelite, or else, because though he was an Israelite by birth, yet he lived among the Hittites,) and Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah Davids sister, 1. Chron. 2.15.16. (and therefore it is, that she the mother is still mentioned, and not the father, who was perhaps of meaner descent, at least not of so great a family.) David ha∣ving before closely approached Sauls camp (alone by himself as is before noted, vers. 5.) and finding them all fast asleep, being carried no doubt also, by a speciall instinct of the spirit of God, he resolved once more to manifest his fidelity to Saul, and therefore demanded of these his followers, which of them would venture to go with him into the camp to Saul, where he had found all the Army securely sleep∣ing.

Vers. 8. Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thine hand this day &c.] Davids sparing Saul in the like case formerly, ha•• done no good upon him; and besides, the Lords proffering him the like opportunitie 〈◊〉〈◊〉 second time, seemed to Abishai a manifest declaration of Gods will, that he wou•• have him cut off Saul; and therefore, though he rejected this motion before 〈◊〉〈◊〉 A∣bishai hoped he would hearken to it now; and therefore again pressed him 〈…〉〈…〉 might be done.

Vers. 10. The Lord shall smite him, or his day shall come, &c.] That 〈…〉〈…〉 God should strike him with sudden death, or he should die his naturall 〈…〉〈…〉

other men die by sicknesse, or old age; or he should come to his end by some casualty, as by being slain in battel, &c.

Vers. 11. Take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, &c.] Which stood happely by him, for the quenching of his thirst, or else to wash with: for some conceive, that in those hot countreys they used to wash sometimes in the night, especially if any pollution had befallen them.

Vers. 14. Then Abner answered, and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?] That is, say some, to the disturbance of the king in his rest? But I rather think, that though it be onely expressed in the foregoing words, that David cried to the people, and to Abner, yet he mentioned also the king, at least, so farre as to ask, Who is there about the king? whereupon Abner answered thus, Who art thou that criest to the king?

Vers. 19. If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offer∣ing.] Some understand this as if David had said, that in case it were manifest that it were of the Lord onely that Saul was stirred up against him, he for his part would most willingly yield himself to the triall of justice, that he might if he had offended undergo deserved punishment, and so this might be accepted of the Lord as a sacri∣fice well-pleasing in his sight. But there is another exposition given by others, which is plainer, and seems more clearly to be gathered from the text, to wit, that David desires that the Lord might be appeased by sacrifices, if really it were of him that Saul was stirred up against David, and of no body else: David considered that per∣haps no enemy urged Saul to these courses, but that it was of God (to wit, by let∣ting loose the evil spirit upon him, 2. Sam. 24.1.) and that herein the Lord might have respect both to the sinne of David, and Saul: why then saith David, if the case be so, let us both labour to make our peace with God, let us offer up sacrifices that may be acceptable in his sight, humbly acknowledging our offences, and calling to him for pardon; and that because there is mercy with him, and power to withdraw these turmoils, if he be once appeased toward us.

They have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord; saying, Go serve other gods.] That is, by causing me to be thus continually persecu∣ted, not giving me any resting place in the land of Canaan, they have done what in them lay to drive me from amongst the people of God, to go and live amongst ido∣laters, that so I might be entangled by them, and corrupted in their idolatrous pra∣ctises.

Vers. 20. Now therefore let not my bloud fall to the earth, before the face of the Lord.] As if he had said, Do not cause my bloud to be shed and spilt like water up∣on the ground causelessely, the Lord seeing and beholding it. For in those last words before the face of the Lord, David implies a reason to move Saul to take heed of she••ding innocent bloud, to wit, because the Lord would see it, and not suffer it to go unpunished.

For the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, &c.] See the note chap. 24.14.

Vers. 21. Behold, I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.] Thus Saul did not onely confesse his fault, but did also with much detestation judge and condemne himself for his grosse folly therein, and that also to his great shame openly, in the ••aring of all his captains and souldiers that were about him.

Vers. 23. The Lord render to every man his righteousnesse, &c,] For all Sauls fair promises, David having had frequent experience of his ficklenesse this way, sly∣eth from him to Gods goodnesse, and puts all his trust and confidence in him, as is evident in these two verses.