k Or, with the Ephod, to wit, the High-prieſts Ephod, in which werethe Urim and the Thummim, Exod. 28. 30. which, when Ahimees lech and the reſt of the Prieſts went to Saul, were probably left in his hand, and to his care ; which gave him the opportunity both of eſcaping, whilſt Doeg the Butcher was killing his Brethren, and of bringing away the Ephod, which Saul had oft groſly negleQed, and now was juſtly deprived of it.
7 CE And it was told Saul that David was come to
chat bath gates and bars mr.
perience had oft ſhewed him how ſtrangely God had delivered him out of his hands, and whar aſfingular Care God had over him. nz So that which he choſe for his Safety, will be his certain Ruine.
8 And Saul called all the people together, to war, to go down to Keilah, to beſfiege David and his men. 9 T And David knew that Saul ſecretly practifed »,
prieſt, Bring hither the ephod 0.
miſchief againſt him, and * he faid to Abiathar the +
- Affiftance to David.
- 6f Ahitub, named Abiathar m, Davids: ; :
Va Who by his Fathers death was now High-prieſt. cb7þ-,2Z-, 6, |
the LORDS prieſts.
- he hath promiſed :
* David enquiring
poſe us:
04. 28. 4o, &c. I Sam. 2. 18. . j: bs And Nob the city of the prieſts ſmote he / with
- the edge ofthe ſword, both men and women, children ' and ſucklings, and oxen, edge of the ſword,
and aſſes, and ſheep, with the
1 Either Sul, or Doeg, with the help of ſome others whom Saul
. -appommted to that work. By this barbarous and bloody Fatt Saul
theught to affright all his SubjeQs from giving any Countenance or
| of the ſons of Abimelech, the ſon OE nN Abinchar, eſcaped and fled after
a To Keilab, ed Abiachar-ſhewed David, that Saul had ſlain
faid unto Abiathar, IT knew it o that
+ And David On was there, that he would
day, 'when Doeg the Edomite
* ſurely tell Saul : I have occaſioned rhe death of all the
erſons of thy fathers houſe. : E o His Malice fr Ambition made me ſuſpe& that he would do it.
- 24 'Abide thou wich me, fear not : for he that ſeck- eth-my life, ſeeketh thy life : but with me'thou ſhalt be
in ſafeguard p+ | | Ty; Beczuſe Ga will certainly preſerve meto the Kingdom which and I by his help will prote& thee.
C H A P. XXIIL
f the Lord by Abiathar, reſcueth Kcilah, and goeth into it, 1,,——6. God ſbewing him the coming of Saul, and treachery of the Keilites, 5,—12. He flicth thence to the wilderneſs of Ziph wih his 600 men, 13,—15. Here Jonathan cometh to him and reneweth the covenant of friendſhip with him, 16,——18. The Ziphites diſcover him #0 Saul, 19,——23. Who purſuerh him into the wilderneſs of Maon, 24,—-26, He is called away by a meſſage that the Philiſlines had in-« waded the land, 27, 28. David awclleth at En-geat, 29. : "Hen they told David a, faying, Behold, the Phi-
liſtines fight againſt Keilah 6b, and they rob the
threſhing-floors c.
s Or, A they had told David, to wit, before he heard of the ſlaugh- ter of the Prieſts. b A City in the Tribe of Judah, Joſb. I5. 44. not far from the Forreſt of Hareth, where David now was, chap. 22. 5. c Which uſvally nes eps wap in places open to the Wind. See Judg. 6. 11+ Ruth 2- 3, &C.
2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD 4, ſay- ing, Shall I go and {mite theſe Philiſtines e? And the
LORD faid unto David, Go, and ſmite the Philiſtines,
andſaveKeilah. d Either by Abiathar; or rather, by Gad, who was a Propher,
| 2 Sam. 24. 11, and Davids Seer, 1 Chron. 21. 9. and was now with ' David, chap. 22. 5. for Abiathar was not yet come to him, v. 6.
e For the caſe was both deubtful and new, he having nor yer made any Attempt upon the Philiſtines, but by Sauls Commiſſion ; and dangerous, becauſe of the ſmall] number of his Forces.
And Davids men faid unto him, Behold, we be a- fraid here in Judah f 3 how much more thenif we come to Keilah againſtthe armies of che Philiſtines g ?
F i. e. In this part of Judah, whereas yer we have no Army to op- for elſe Keilah alſo was in Judah. g When we ſhall have a potent Enemy before us, the Philiflines, and, it may be, another behind, us, even Saul, who probably will come forth, either tore- ſiſt the Philiflines, or to intercept us.
4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again 4: And the LORD anſwered him, and faid, Ariſe, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philiſtines into thine hand. : : =0 8
b Not for his own, but for his Souldiers ſatisfa&tion and Encou- ragement ; as Gideon did, Judg. 7.
So David and his men went to Keilah, and foughe with the Philiſtines, and brought away their cartel z, and ſmore them with a grear ſlaughter : ſo David ſaved
»habitants of Keilab. heck the Philiffines had either brought out of their Land, or had taken from the Iraclires in their march, for the Suſtenance of
q
do in that caſe.
the top of the mountain where he was.
» Whereby it may ſeem he pretended that he raiſed this Army
to defend Keilah and his Country from the Phil: Fines, and kept his
Intention againſt David in his own Breaſt. Or, deſigned, or deviſed: for ſo the word ſignifies ; and fo it is here trapſlated by mary, and
it ſeems both from wv, 8.and trom His publickly avowed jealouſie of
and rage againſt David, that he declared his deſign to be againſt him, as a Traitor to his Crown and Dignity. © And put it upon
thee, that thou maiſt ask Counſel of Ged for me.
10 Then faid David p, O Lord GOD of Iſrael, thy ſervant hath certainly heard that Saul ſeeketh to come
to Keilah, to deſtroy the city for my ſake.
p To wir, by the Prieſt, for he was to make the enquiry of Ged, Numb, 27. 21, and David puts the words into his Mouth.
11 Wil! the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand q ? Will Saul comedownas thy ſervant hath heard? O Lord GOD of Iſrael, I beſeech thee tell thy ſervant. And the LORD faid 7, He will come down /. |
q To wir, if I continue in their City: and if Saul come downe r From this place it may appear thar Gods anſwer by Urim and Thummim, was not by any change in the colour or ſituation cf the precious Stones in the Breaſt plate ofthe Ephod, but by a Voice or Suggeſtion from God to the High-prieſt.. ſi. e. He purpoteth to come, if thou continueſt here, Fof! ſt1]Il as Davids queſtion, ſo Gods anſwer, is upon ſuppeſition, as is bere ſufficiently implied.
12 Then ſaid David, Will the men of Keilah + de-
Chap. XX '
Keilah : and Saul ſaid, God hath F delivered him into + Heb:
mine hand /: for he is ſhut in, by entring into a town alienated him, Gr,
{ He eaſily believed what he greedily deſired, though his own Ex- fold kim,
Nutnb!
27. 2h,
+ Heb,