m This Preſent, though in our Times it would ſeem contempri- ble, yet was very agreeable to the utige of thoſe Times, and to the condition of Jef, which was bur mean in the World. And it ſzems to have been the Cuſtom of thoſe Times, as it 1s yet 1n the Eaſtern Countries ( when they made rheir appearance before Prin ces, or great Perſons, to bring a Preſent ; See Gen. 32.20. Gente 43: 26, 26. and elſewheres) To whica civil Cuſtom, that Religious Precept ſeems conſonant, Exod. 23. 15. Deut. 16+ 16+ Non? Jhall ap- pear before me empty. And he might ſend it; partly; as a Teſtimor ;1y of his r-ſpett ro his Sovereign; and partly, to gain David favour and acceptance with him ; being ſenſible, that he was going to a placeand tate of hazard ; but kaowing Saul's furious Femper, he durſt not refuſe to ſend him; and he ſent him the more willingly, becauſe this ſeemed a molt likely means to accompliſh GOD'S Pro- miſe cf rhe Kingdom, and to prepare him for it. .
21 And David came to Saul, and ſtood before him zz: and he loved him great!y,and he became his armour- bearer 0- |
1 i.e, Miniſtred unto him or, (as weuſe to ſpeak) waited up- on him, as that Phraſe oft tignifies; as Deut. 1+ 38 and 10+ 8, o He had thit Place conferred upon him, rhough we do not read that he ever exerciſed it ; for it ſeems he was gone back to his Fa- ther upon ſome occaſion nor related; and had abode with him ſome conliderable time before the War deſcribed, Chap. 17. hap-
ened.
"22 And Saul ſent to Jeſſe, faying, Let David, I pray thee, ſtand before me : for he hach tound favour in my fight.
23 And it came to paſs, when the evil ſpiric F from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand : ſo Saul was refreſhed, and was well, and the evil ſpiric departed from him p.
p To wit, for a ſeaſon. - And the reaſon of this Succeſs, may be, partly natural and common ; of which, ſee on v. 16. and partly, {upernatural and ſpecial, reſpetting David; whom God deſigned by this means, to bring into favour with the King and his Court, and ſo to ſmooth the way for his Advancement.
CHAP. XVIL
The Armies of the Iſraelites and Philiſtines ready for Battel : Goliah terrifieth the Iſraelites with his Stature, Armour and Challenge, 1 11, David ſent by his Father to viſit hs Brethren ; is willing to Encounter with him,
12———27. For which Eliab chideth him : He is brought :0 Saul, and ſheweth the reaſon of h1s Confidence, 2.8 37. He taketh a Staff : And Sling, with feos Stones, 3® 40. Goliah curſeth and threatneth him, 41——44. Davids Faith : He ſlayeth him, 45 50. The Phili-
flines fly: Are ſmitten and plunder'd, 51 54+ Saul taketh notice of David, 5 5———=58.
Wo the Philiſtines gathered together their armies to. battel a, and were gathered together at * Sho- cho, which bel9ygeth to Judah, and pitched between
a To revenge their former great and ſhameful Defeat, Chap. 14. 2 And Saul and the men of 1ſrael were gathered to-
gether, and pitched by-the valley of Elah, and Þ ſet the
3 And the Philiſtines ſtood on a mountain on the one ſide, and [iſrael ſtood on a mountain on the other ſide b: and there was a valley between them.
b Where they had diſpoled and fortified their Camps, thar if the one ſhould Aſſault the other, the Afailant ſhould have the diſadvan- tage, and be obliged te fight from a lower place. |
4 4 And there went out + a champion « cut of the camp of che Philiſtines, named Goliah, of Gath, whole height was fix cubits and a ſpan &. | |
c Heb. a man between two ; either becauſe he uſed tocome forth, and ſtand between the two Armies ; or, becauſe he moved thar the | Buſineſs ſhould be decided between two, whereof he would be one. a Which is nor ſtrange, for beſides the Giants mentioned,in Scrip= ture, Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, and Pliny, and others, make men-
tion of Perſons ſeven Cubirs high ; which is near double to an or- dinary mans height.
i $4 v
his fathers ſheep at Bethlehem.”
them, or to expoſe them ro urmoſt hazards. 0 ze. Bring me ſome
Þ TIT: = Chap. KVIEM Arhanatus did manage; of whom P{/ny relates, That he faw him : 1 come inro the Theatre with Arms weighing 12000 Ounces.
8 And he ſtood and cryed unto the armies of Iſrael, and ſaid unto them, Why are ye come out to ſet your battel in aray ? am norl a Philiſtine, and ye ſervants to Saul ? chooſe ve a man for you, and let him come down to me g, . | pF
gs That the Battel may be decided by us Two alone. Such ofFers were frequent in thoſe Times. And poſſibly he thought the Valiai.t Jonathan, who had Afſaulted an whole Army, would never have re- fuſed rhis Challenge. Bur God fo ordered the matter, that none ſhou!d accepr it, becauſe he would reſerve this Honour tor Daw:4, as a ſtep ro his Kingdom. _ | Cn I Der i OS
9 It he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then wiil we be your ſervants: but if I prevail againſt him, and kill him, chen (ball ye be our ſervants, and {eive us.
10 And the Philiſtine ſaid, Irael this day gether.
11 When Saul and all Ifrael heard thoſe words of the Philiftize, they were diſmayed, and greatly a- fraid þ h
þ Which may ſeem ſtrange, conſidering the glorious Promiſes, and th:ir late Experiences of Divine Aſſiſtance. Bur the truth is, all Men do ſo iacirely depend upon God in all things; that when he withdraws his kelp, the moſt Valiant and Reſolute Perſons cannor find their Hearts nor Hands, as daily Experience ſhews. WED 12 4 Now David was * the fon of that * Ephrathite *cpa 16.17 ; of Bethlehem-Judah, whoſe name as Jeſle, and he *Gen. 35, had eight ſons &: and the man went among men for an '9- = old man in the days of Saul. — |
; i.e, Oftche Man of Ephrathah, or Bethlehem, Gm. 35. 19. k See on Chap. 16. 10. .
13 And the three eldeſt ſons of Jefſle went, and followed Saul to the battel : and the names of his three ſons that went to the battel, were Eliab the firſt= born,and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Sham= mah. |
14 And David was the youngeſt, and the three eldeſt followed Saul. |
15 But David went and returned from Saul / to feed
I defie the armies of give me a man that we may fight to-
=
[ Either, 1. From Saul's Court : where having been entertained by Saul, to relieve him in his Melancholy Fits, he was permitted to go to his Father's Houſe, to be ſent for again upon occaſion. Or, 2. From Sau!'s Camp, whither he uſed to come to viſit his Brethren; as appears from v. 17.
7 |
16 And the Philiſtine drew near morning and eve-