Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 2:10 — So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. So David slept with his fathers. — When he had served out his time, Acts 13:25 when he had done his work, God sent him to bed. Isaiah 57:2 In 1 Chronicles 29:28 , it is said that "he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour." He was regum omnium idea et exemplar, a notable pattern for princes, and

Joshua 24:16 — Christians; in Constantius’s, Arians; in Julian’s, Apostates; in Jovinian’s, Christians again; and all this within less than the age of a man. It is therefore "a good thing that the heart be established with grace," Hebrews 13:9 that men may "cleave to God with full purpose," Acts 11:23 being "steadfast and unmovable." 1 Corinthians 15:58

Joshua 3:15 — bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) For Jordan overfloweth his banks. — Ordinarily every year; either ex fiuminis natura, Tremell. by the nature of this river, see 1 Chronicles 12:15 as it is also of the Nile, Perinde at Nilus messis tempore alveos excedens et exundans maltum terrae irrigat . - Aristeas. or else by the melting of the snow from the mountains: the like whereunto befalleth Tigris and Euphrates. At

Judges 19:29 — for God’s glory, and for the promoting of justice, that such a horrible villany might be punished, and God’s heavy judgments prevented. And sent her into all the coasts of Israel. — Into Benjamin also. See a like practice of Saul in 1 Samuel 11:7

Judges 4:11 — the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which [is] by Kedesh. Had severed himself from the Kenites. — Who dwelt in the wilderness of Judah. Judges 1:16 Why he severed himself is not expressed; perhaps for better pasture’s sake, or it may be for conveniency of contemplation; for it is said in the next words, that he pitched his tent into the plain - or oak, or grove, as the Septuagint and others

Judges 8:11 — had their scouts abroad, doubtless; but he fetched a compass about and came upon the east side, where they never feared any enemy. For the host was secure. — Security ushereth in destruction; as it did at Tyre, at Babylon, those Amalakites in 1 Samuel 30:16-17 , the Pompeians at the Pharsalian field, Caes. Comment. the French at the battle of Agincourt, Speed’s Chron. …

1 Samuel 14:34 — people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew [them] there. And sin not against the Lord. — When himself cared not to sin in going about to pursue the Philistines without asking counsel of God, if the high priest had not interposed. 1 Samuel 14:36 And all the people brought every man his ox. — Or, What other cattle soever they had. But this was a good while a-doing, if they were to bring all to that one great stone; which would be very troublesome to such as were so hasty and

1 Samuel 16:17 — And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring [him] to me. Provide me now a man. — Not a wise man, as they call wizards, or a white witch, - Saul, as bad as he was, was yet an utter enemy to such, 1 Samuel 28:9 - but a man that can play well. Musica maestae medicina mentis, Movit Amphion lapides canendo. Pythagoras cured a frantic young man by music, saith Seneca. Lib. iii. De Ira., cap. 9. And Xenocrates lymphatos carminum modulis a dementia liberavit,

1 Samuel 17:49 — justly marvellous in our eyes. That the stone sunk into his forehead. — And, through that, into his brain, whereby he, being presently deprived of sense and motion, fell to the ground in the fulness of his stature, as it is afterwards said of Saul. 1 Samuel 28:20 “ Dουπησεν δε πεσων , ” - Hom. There lay the greatness af Goliath.

1 Samuel 18:27 — 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. Two hundred men. — He doubled the number of foreskins required: (1.) To cut off all cavils; (2.) To show to Saul his liberality and generosity. Strabo saith Geog., lib. xv. that among the old Germans none might marry a wife, who had not first presented to their king the head of an enemy cut off. In the year 959 our

1 Samuel 2:36 — say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a piece of bread. Shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver. — As Abiathar did, that officiperda, when banished to Anathoth, where he had not a maintenance. 1 Kings 2:26 Let those that would shun poverty, and prevent it in posterity, take heed of snatching from others, and of pampering their paunches. That I may eat. — We preach the gospel, saith an ingenuous Papist, tantum ut nos pascat et vestiat,

1 Samuel 20:19 — thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was [in hand], and shalt remain by the stone Ezel. When the business was in hand. — When I advertised thee of my father’s intent to kill thee, 1 Samuel 19:2 and when I made intercession for thee to my father, being hard wrought about it. By the stone Ezel. — That is, By the stone of walking, saith Lyra; because Jonathan and David used there to walk and talk of private businesses: as a

1 Samuel 20:2 — me? it [is] not [so]. God forbid; thou shalt not die. — Jonathan could not think his father so perfidious and bloody minded; having so lately sworn to the contrary. "Love thinketh not evil, but believeth all things, hopeth all things." 1 Corinthians 13:5 He knew not that Machiavellian maxim, Mercatorum est, non regum, stare iuramentis: It is for tradesmen, and not for kings to keep their oaths. Behold, my father will do nothing. — Either Jonathan knew not of Saul’s recent

1 Samuel 22:3 — And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, [and be] with you, till I know what God will do for me. To Mizpeh of Moab. — Called also Malle, /APC 1 Maccabees 5:26 as Junius after Josephus thinketh - that is, a fort. And he said unto the king of Moab. — Who might therefore favour him, because Saul, their common enemy, hated and persecuted him: like as Queen Elizabeth respected and aided the

1 Samuel 28:5 — fearfulness surpriseth the hypocrites": and they run away, if they could tell whither, with these words in their mouths, "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" Isaiah 33:14 God himself answereth in the next word. Isaiah 33:15 "He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly," … But Saul was none such; and therefore in his extreme fear he runneth from God to the witch, and from the witch to the sword’s

1 Samuel 6:19 — numine casus habet. The Israelites were charged on pain of death not to look upon the ark bare or uncovered; Numbers 4:20 the Philistines might, and not die, because not alike obliged. Peter giveth charge against curiosity, as against theft or murder. 1 Peter 4:15 “ Tu fuge ceu pestem την πολυπραγμοσυνην .” - Funccius.

1 Samuel 8:3 — And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. And his sons walked not in his ways. — Heroum filii noxae. Grace is by gift, not inheritance. See Trapp on " 1 Samuel 3:12 " This was no fault of Samuel’s, as hath been said. Plato worthily blameth Darius for so ill breeding his son Xerxes, whereas he had seen the evil consequence in Cyrus’s breeding Cambyses, whom Darius succeeded in the empire. But

2 Samuel 13:23 — - the older, the stronger: and so long Amnon had gone unpunished by the patience of God, and the fondness of his father. Now, therefore, subito tollitur qui diu toleratur, God taketh the sword in hand which David - as to Amnon - bore in vain, Romans 13:4 and executed justice upon him by such an executioner as afflicted his soul with double grief. That Absalom had sheepshearers. — At which times there used to be feasting, - see 1 Samuel 25:7 , - as there is still in many places.

2 Samuel 17:24 — him. Then David came to Mahanaim. — Where Jacob sometime had met with a double camp of angels, that made a lane for him, as it were. Genesis 32:2 The remembrance of this was some relief doubtless to distressed David; for there God spoke with us, Hosea 12:4 as he did likewise when he said to Joshua, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5 And Absalom passed over Jordan. — In pursuit of his father, like an impious parricide: but not till he had got all the men of Israel

2 Samuel 2:22 — following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother? Wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? — As I shall be forced to do, if thou desist not. If a man must kill or be killed, (1.) He must flee; (2.) Defend himself by all means possible, dissuading the party, as here, and otherwise as he may. That tenet of Navarrus is most false, that a man may lawfully kill another, for the avoiding of a box on the ear, and to recover his honour.