1 SAMUEL XVIII. VER. 10, TO THE END. 10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil A.C. 1062. spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house and David played with his hand, as at other times and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. 11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. 12¶ And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David * behaved himself wisely in all his ways; Or, prosand the LORD was with him. 15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them. 17 And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daugh pered. of valour. ter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou + va- + Heb. a son liant for me, and fight the LORD's battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him. 18 And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king? 19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife. 20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. + Heb. was right in his 21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be eyes, a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain. 22 ¶ And Šaul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law. 23 And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, § On this Heb. Acmanner spake David. cording to these words. A.C. 1062. 25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: and the * Heb. ful- days were not * expired. filled. + Heb. precious. 27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. 28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved him. 29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually. 30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much † set by. 1 SAMUEL XIX. VER. 1-4. 1 Jonathan discloseth his father's purpose to kill David. 1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. 2 But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself: 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee. 1 David encourageth himself in God against his enemies. 4 The providence and justice of God. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 1 In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? 2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready 29 This Psalm seems to have been composed by David, when, in order to avoid the evil designs of Saul, his friends advised him to flee to the mountainous parts of Judea. Edwards; Green; Calmet. * their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot A.C. 1062. at the upright in heart. * Heb. in 3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righ- darkness. teous do? 4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD's throne is 1 Hab. ii. 20. in heaven his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. 5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. 6 Upon the wicked he shall rain + snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright. 1 SAMUEL XIX. VER. 4-18. 4¶ And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good: Or, quick burning coals. Or, a burn ing tempest. 17. & xii. 3. 5 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the m Judg. ix. Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all ch. xxviii. 21. Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? 6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain. 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as § in times past. 8¶ And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from || him. 9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand. 10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 11 Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife 30 told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain. 30 The date of David's marriage with Michal is uncertain. Dr. Hales supposes that five years elapsed between his conquest of Goliath and his marriage; Ps. cxix. 109. & Heb. yesterday third day. || Heb. his face. A. C. 1061. * Heb. teraphim 12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 13 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. 14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. 15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him. 16 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster. 17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee? because that time appears to him requisite for the intervening events, and for the establishment of the popularity and character of David. The marriage and the victory over Goliath are supposed in the Bible Chronology to have occurred in the same year. It is probable, however, that it took place some time after the overthrow of the champion of Gath; as David, according to Bishop Horsley's supposition, returned home to his father, and was again invited to court, and made the armour-bearer of Saul. This was a post of confidence and affection; and while David continued in it, he greatly distinguished himself in war, and ingratiated himself with the people. The affections of Saul, however, soon changed; but the son of Jesse still continued firmly established in the hearts of the people. It was attempted therefore to remove him by stratagem. The king's daughter was offered him in marriage, on condition that he killed a certain number of the enemy. But this exposure to danger, instead of the desired effect, only served to increase his fame; and he became the son in law of Saul. It is not probable that all these events could have happened in one year; but still five are not required; for if so long a space was given to his residence at the court of Saul, we should too much abridge the time assigned to his wandering in the wilderness, in the hill country, &c. I have on these grounds therefore rejected the date given in the Bible Chronology, as well as that of Dr. Hales; and allowed three years from the victory over Goliath till the marriage, and flight, by means of Michal, from the court of Saul. Vide Hales's Anal. vol. ii. P. 351. PSALM LIX 31. 1 David prayeth to be delivered from his enemies. 6 He complaineth of their cruelty. 8 He trusteth in God. 11 He prayeth against them. 16 He praiseth God. A.C. 1061. To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David; † when Saul sent, *Or, Destroy and they watched the house to kill him. 1 Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: me from them that rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and from bloody men. not, A golden Psalm of David. defend ! Sam. xix. save me 3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD. 4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault : awake to help me, and behold. 5 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. 6 They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for " who, say they, doth hear? n 11. Heb. to meet me. n Ps. x. 11. & 1xxiii. 11. & 8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt xciv. 7. have all the heathen in derision. 9 Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence." 10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies. 11 Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O LORD our shield. 12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. 13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah. 14 And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 15 Let them wander up and down † for meat, grudge if they be not satisfied. and 16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. 31 Psalm lix. is inserted here on the authority of Bishop Horne and Dr. Gray. || Heb. my high place. * Heb. mine observers. to cat. Or, if they be not satisfied, then they will stay all night. |