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. IX.

Vers. 1. NOw there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the sonne of Abiel.] Who is also called Ner, 1. Chron. 8.33. and 9.39. Out of what tribe the Lord chose their first king, is a circumstance very observable, and therefore here expressed; to wit, first, because the tribe of Benjamin, through the de∣solation they brought upon themselves, Judges 20.46. was become the least and most obscure tribe, and yet yields Israel her first king: secondly, because in the victories of this king of Benjamins tribe, Jacobs prophecie was in part accomplished, Gen. 49.27. Benjamin shall ravine as a woolf: in the morning he shall devoure the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil: and thirdly, because this shews that the king∣dome was not to be settled upon the posterity of this their first king: for it was to be settled in the tribe of Judah, Gen. 49.10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a law-giver from between his feet, untill Shiloh come: and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Vers. 2. And there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person the•• he, &c.] Because goodlinesse and comelinesse of person in princes, breeds a kind of

reverence in the hearts of the people, and makes men judge them the fitter for high places and great employments, therefore is this so expressely noted of Saul, whom God had designed to be the King of Israel; that there was scarce so proper and good∣ly a person in all the land as he was.

Vers. 3. And Kish said to Saul his sonne, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.] It seems that in those times asses were highly esteemed in the land of Israel; as appears also by this, that their princes and great men used to ride upon asses, Judg. 10.4. and 12.14. and hence it was perhaps, that Kish though a great and rich man, was yet so desirous to recover the asses that he had lost, that he sent his sonne Saul together with one of his servants to seek them out: but withall, there was a secret hand of Gods all-ruling providence in this, that by this means led Saul to Samuel, that by him he might be anointed King of Israel.

Vers. 4. And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha.] This Shalisha is taken to be a plain countrey in the tribe of Benjamin, called Baal-shalisha, 2. Kings 4.42. and so also the land of Shalim afterwards mentioned, is thought to be the same that is called Salim, Joh. 3.23.

Vers. 5. And when they were come to the land of Zuph, &c.] To wit, the coun∣trey where Ramah Samuels citie was situate, which thereupon was called Rama∣thaim-zophim, chap. 1.1.

Vers. 6. Behold now, there is in this citie a man of God, and he is an honourable man.] That is, highly esteemed for his supernaturall knowledge of things secret.

Now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.] God gave the gift of prophecie to his servants, to be employed in directing the peo∣ple in weightier matters then such as this, concerning the finding of asses that were lost; which makes the best interpreters blame this course, as a dishonourable abasing of the gift of prophecie: yet it seems to have been the usuall practice of those times, as we see by Jeroboams sending his wife to the Prophet, to know whether his sick child should recover or no, 1. Kings 14.2. and perhaps the Lord did herein sa∣tisfie them oftentimes, that he might keep them from seeking to witches, or to the oracles of the heathens: 2. Kings 1.3. But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah theTishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the King of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baal∣zebub the god of Ekron?

Vers: 7. Then said Saul to his servant, But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man?] This question proceeded either from an opinion, that it was not fit they should go to the Prophet without some present, as a testimonie of the reverend esteem they had of his person, (and then this care was commendable); or else, out of a base conceit of hiring Gods Prophet, as they would have done a soothsayer, to tell them tidings of their asses, which had been inexcusable. But this last agreeth not with the servants speaking before so honourably of him, though otherwise his following words might seem to implie so much, vers. 8. And the servant answered Saul a∣gain, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver; that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way: and besides, we see that it was a constant custome in those dayes, to go with a present to the Prophets, 1. Kings. 14.2, 3. And Jeroboam said unto his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thy self,

that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam, and get thee to Shiloh: Behold, there is Ahijah the Prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people: And take with thee ten loves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him; he shall tell thee what shall become of the child: 2. Kings, 4.42. And there came a man from Baal-shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the first-fruits, twen∣tie loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof, &c.

Vers. 12. Behold, he is before you; make haste now, for he came to day to the ci∣tie.] The citie they speak of was Ramah, where Samuel dwelt, as is evident by the servants words, vers. 6. And he said unto him, Behold now there is in this citie a man of God, and he is an honourable man, &c. how then do these young maidens say, He came to day to the citie? I answer: either they intend onely his going forth out of his house into the citie; or else, that he was come out of that Ramah, where his dwelling was, into this where the feast was to be kept (for here were two towns joyned in one; whence it is called in the duall number Ramathaim, chap. 1.1.) or else, that having been abroad about some employments, he was this day returned to Ramah.

For there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place.] To wit, a sacrifice of peace-offerings, wherewith the offerers were wont to feast together with their friends: and it may be Samuel had purposely appointed this sacrifice for the enter∣tainment of the man that was to be anointed king; and for the procuring of Gods favour in that great and weightie businesse: for it is evident, vers. 15, 16. that God had the day before told Samuel, that he would this day send him a man out of the land of Benjamin, whom he should anoint Captain over his people Israel. But what was this high place where they offered their sacrifices? were not the Isra∣elites bound by the law onely to offer up sacrifices on the altar that was in the Ta∣bernacle? Deut. 12.4, 5. Ʋnto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come; And thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices, &c. I answer, Many Expositours hold, that this was meant onely of the Temple; and that till the Temple was built, the people might lawfully offer their sacrifices in any other places: but yet, first, because Jer. 7.12. Shiloh is called the place where God set his name at the first: and secondly, because it was to no end to have an altar in the Tabernacle, if the people might set up altars and offer sacrifices where they listed themselves: and thirdly, because in the beginning of Solomons reigne before the Temple was built, it is mentioned as the onely blemish of the Isra∣elites in those flourishing times, 1. Kings, 3.2. Onely the people sacrificed in high places; therefore many other Expositours hold, that even before the Temple was built, the people used to bring their sacrifices to the Tabernacle, as afterwards to the Temple till the Ark was taken by the Philistines in the dayes of Eli; but that after∣wards the Tabernacle and Ark being still kept in severall places, the people began to question whether they were then tied to bring their sacrifices to any of those places; and so by degrees did at length offer their sacrifices in such places as they judged meetest for such services, to wit, upon hills and clifts, which were therefore called high places.

Vers. 15. Now the Lord had told Samuel in his eare, a day before Saul came,

&c.] Before the story relates the meeting of Samuel and Saul, this is here inserted, that the day before Saul came, the Lord had told Samuel in his eare, that is, by the secret instinct of his spirit, that the next day he would send him a man out of the land of Benjamin, whom he should anoint to be king of Israel; first, to intimate that this was the occasion of the sacrifice and feast which Samuel had appointed, know∣ing that the man chosen of God to be their king was to come thither this day, he had appointed this feast for his entertainment; and secondly, to shew that it was no wonder that Samuel should presently entertain Saul as the elect king of Israel, because the Lord having told Samuel the day before, that he would send him a man out of Benjamin the next day, when this came to passe as God had told him, this must needs be a notable means to strengthen Samuels faith.

Vers. 16. And thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines.] It seems the Philistines, who had been quiet all Samuels time, chap. 7.13. So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was a∣gainst the Philistines all the dayes of Samuel; began now again to raise warre a∣gainst the Israelites, having happely made an agreement to that purpose with the king of Ammon, that the one should invade the land on one hand, and the other on the other side: for that the Ammonites did also invade the land at this time, is evi∣dent chap. 12.12. And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Am∣mon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reigne over us; when the Lord your God was your king. This made the people cry, and their cry the Lord heard, and taking pitty on them, promised now to save them from the Phili∣stines, (of whom it seems they were most afraid) and that by the hand of Saul. And indeed, though the warre betwixt Saul and the Philistines continued all his dayes, and at his death they prevailed much, yet oftentimes he prevailed against them, and so saved them from much of that oppression which otherwise the Philistines would have laid upon them: wherein also observable it is, that God intended mercy to them in that, which they notwithstanding had sinned in desiring, to wit, the raising up of a king amongst them.

Vers. 19. Go up before me unto the high place, for ye shall eat with me to day; and to morrow I will let thee go, and tell thee all that is in thine heart.] Though Samuel knew that Sauls soveraignty would deprive him of that supreme dignity he had formerly enjoyed, yet knowing it was Gods will that Saul should be king, we see that instead of looking with an envious and malignant eye upon him, he entertained him with all possible courtesie, and did what he could to honour him amongst the people. As for that clause, And will tell thee all that is in thine heart, thereby is meant, either that he would tell him all that he had a purpose to enquire of him, or else he would tell him many secret things which no body knew but himself onely; and indeed, though for the present he told him of the asses onely, as it follows in the next verse, And as for thine asses that were lost three dayes ago, set not thy mind on them, for they are found, (which doubtlesse he did, to free him from that care, and that he might be the more willing to stay with him) yet it may well be that af∣terward when they were together alone, he told him many other secret things, for the greater confirmation of his faith, concerning the promise of the kingdome, as

Christ did to the woman of Samaria, to make her know he was the Messiah. Joh. 4.29. where we have an expression much like this of Samuel, Come see a man, saith she, that hath told me all that ever I did.

Vers. 20. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? is it not on thee, and on all thy fathers house?] That is, on whom must the kingdome and royall dignity, which all Israel desire may be reared up amongst them, be conferred but on thee and on thy fathers house?

Vers. 21. And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, &c.] Though Samuel had in the foregoing words spoken very covertly, concerning Sauls being king, And on whom is all the desire of Israel, &c. yet the peoples eagernesse at this time to have a king being so famously known, Saul might well hereby guesse at Samuels meaning, and the strangenesse of such ty∣dings makes him therefore as one astonished, so debase himself, Am not I a Benja∣mite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, &c. Nor need we wonder that he calls the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest of the tribes, if we remember that this tribe was almost wholly destroyed not many years before, in that warre that was between this tribe and their brethren of the other tribes, Judg. 20. Long it was, it seems, ere this tribe recovered the desolation that was then made amongst them, if ever they re∣covered it; for even in regard that there were so few of this tribe, it may well be, that when this tribe kept faithfull to the house of David in the dayes of Jeroboam, as well as the tribe of Judah, yet still the Scripture speaks but of one tribe that did cleave to the house of David, to wit, the tribe of Judah, as we may see, 1. kings 11.32. and so in many other places; Benjamin not being mentioned because of their pau∣city, but comprehended under the men of Judah.

Vers. 22. And Samuel took Saul, and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the cheifest place among them that were bidden.] Doubtlesse those invited were of the Elders and cheif of the city: by placing Saul therefore above them, he began to give a signe of the dignity he should be raised too; and withall, shewed how farre he was from envying him, because he should be ob∣scured by his advancement.

Vers. 23. And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.] Samuel it seems had given order to the cook, for one speciall extraordinary messe that should be set by & reserved, as for some extraordinary guest, and not sent up till Samuel sent for it: and hereupon therefore he now called upon him to bring him that messe, that it might be set before Saul. As for the custome of those times in allotting a severall messe to every guest, see the note upon Gen. 43.34.

Vers. 24. And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul.] To wit, the left shoulder; for the right shoulder of all peace-offer∣ings was the priests portion, Levit. 7.32, 33. The shoulder was it seems in these times accounted the cheif peice, and therefore doubtlesse was it alloted for the priests portion, and here at this time appointed for Sauls messe. It is hard to say what is meant by those words, and that which was upon it, to wit, whether it be meant of any thing that was poured or laid upon it as sauce, or onely for garnishing the meat, or of any other joynt that was here brought in, together with the shoulder, as

the neck or breast which before they are severed are upon the shoulder; but be∣cause the shoulder is the onely joynt mentioned, the first I conceive is most pro∣bable.

Behold, that which is left, set it before thee, and eat; for unto this time hath it been kept for thee, since I said, I have invited the people.] That is, since I first gave order to the cook that he should prepare this provision for those that were invited. Now this is expressed, that hereby Saul might see that God had beforehand revealed his coming thither to Samuel; for how else could Samuel have purposely set apart this portion for him?

Vers. 25. Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.] Where they might be most private; for thence also is that, Acts 10.9. Peter went up upon the house to pray, about the sixth houre. Both this, and his choosing the spring of the day to anoint Saul in, vers. 26. before any bodie was stirring; and his going forth to the end of the citie, and sending his servant away, vers. 27. they all shew how carefull Samuel was, that it should not yet be known that Saul was anointed king, to wit, that when he was afterward chosen by lot, no body as yet thinking of any such thing, it might be the more manifest that he was chosen of God, and that no body else had any hand in it: and secondly, that Saul might hereby be taught to wait upon God, to content himself with the promise for a time, and to stay Gods leisure for the performance of what was promised.

Vers. 26. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.] The calling up Saul therefore to the top of the house mentioned in the fore∣going words, Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, &c. was onely that Sa∣muel might will him to make ready presently to be gone; which Saul accordingly did; and so then Samuel went along with him out of the citie, intending at their parting to anoint him king.