27 ©{ Butthere came a meſſenger unto Saul, ſaying, Haſte thee, and come : for the Philiſtines have Þ| in- vaded the land q-
q God ſtirring them up by his all-diſpoſing Providence to do it &t this time for Davids reſcue. Compare 2 Kings 19. 9.
28 Wherefore Saul returned from purſuing after Da-
{ible places»
2 And he came to the ſheep-coats b by the way,
and * David and his men remained in the ſides of the cave d:
bþ Which ſome think to have been Caves into which they uſed to drive their Sheep for fhelter in tempeſtuous Weather. c i. e. To eaſe his Belly, as this Phraſe is thought to be uſed, Zudg, 3. 24, The reaſon whereof is, becauſe the Eaſtern and ſome other Nations of o1d wore no Breeckes, bur looſe and long Coats or Gowns, like choſe which Women with us wear ; but ſhorter, whence their Feet and Legs were in a great.part uncovered; and ſometimes other parts, which alſo in Scripture are deſigned by the name of the Fees, ( of which ſee cn Gene. 49. Ios Deut. 28. 57. 2 King. 18. 29. Iſa, 7+ 20. ) were expoſed to view. But when they went to perform this office of Nature, which oblidged them firſt ro life up their Garments, they afterwards diſpoſed rhem ſo decently, that all rhoſe parts might be covered and kept out of the ſight of others. Bur poflibly the words may have 2nother meaning, and it is not to bedeſpifed, that thoſe ancient and venerable Interpreters, the $yriack and 4rabick, interpret this place and Phraſe quite otherwite, that Saul went :n to ſleep there : which was no unquoth thing to Saul, who being a Mi- litary Man, uſed to ſleep with his Souldiers upon the bare Ground, 25 he did chap. 26. 7. And it is not improbable that Saul being ex- ceeding weary with hiseager and almoſt inceſſant purſuit, firſt of Dxvid, then of the Phil:Fines, an! now of David again, both need- ed and deſired ſome ſle:p, God alſo diſpoſing him rhereunto, that David might have this eminent occaſion ro demonſtrate his integri- ty to Saul, and to all 1rael; and, the ſeaſon poſſibly being hor, he might chuſeto ſleep in the Cave, for the benefit ot the ſhade. But all the queſtion is, how it may appear that this is the meaning of this Phraſe, and whar is the reaſon and ground ofit? Te which many things may be ſaid. Firſt, -That this Phraſe is buttwiceuſed in Scripture, as far as I remember, here, and Judg. 3. 24. and this ſenſe may conveniently enough agree to both of rhem;nay, this ſenſe may ſcem betrer to agree with that place, Judg, 3. for that Suwmer Parlour, or Summer Chamber ( for both ſeem to be the ſame place, and were apparently for the ſame uſe. v. 24. 25. ) ſeems to be a place far more convenient for ſleeping, than for eaſing of Nature. And the Servants long ſtay and waiting for their lord, ſeems toim= ply that they judged him gone to ſleep, ( which might rake up a conſiderable tire ) rather than to that other work which requires but a little time, See my Notes on Judg. 3. 24 Secondly, That there are many Hebrew Phraſes, which do confeſſedly ſignifie ſeveral things, albeit, the reaſon of ſuch ſignifications be now utterly ug-= known tous theugh it was doubtleſs known to the ancient Hebrews, Nor need I inſtance in particulars, ſeing it is ſo in all Languages,
of many Proverbs and Phraſes is well underſtood, though the reaſon of them be now loſt. Which if our modern fidels, who ſcoff at ſome paſſages of Scripture, which they either do not, or will not underſtand, would conſider, they would loſs much of their ſporr. Thirdly, Although there be not chat clear and full proof of this ſenſe which ſome may require ( though indeed it cannor be reaſo- nably expeRed in a thing ſo ancient, and in a Phraſe of fo conciſe and narrow a Language as the Hebrew is, and inan expreſſion fo rare- ly uſed in Scripture, ) yer there are ſome intimations in Scripture which may ſcem to favour this Interpretation. For perſons com= poſing themſelves toſleep in this manner, are not oniy notedin the general to have been covered with 3 Mantle, as is ſaid of Siſers, Judge 4+ 18, 19» but particularly they are ſaid to have their Feet covered,as is expreſly obſerved concerning Boaz when he lay down toſleep in the threſh-1ng floor,R#th 3. 4, 7+The reaſon whereof may poſlibly be this, That when they lay down to ſleep in their Garments, they were ſe. cured as tothe other partsof their Body, only their Feet were open and viſible; and therefore it was convenient to Cover their Feer ; part!y, to prevent the inconveniencies of Cold, ( for which reaſon we here take ſpecia] care to coverour Feer in ſuch caſes; ) and partly, for decency ſake, leſt their Garments being looſe and large below, ſhould be diſordered, and ſo their Nakedneſs ſhould appear, as it happened to Noah, Gen. g. 21, Compare Exod. 20. 26. And there- fore it cannot ſeem ſtrange or forced, if in this place Sauls covering of his Feet, deſign his compoſing himſelf to his reſt. And if this be ſo, then the following 9ifficulries of this Hiſtory will appear to be plain and eaſie. For if Sal. were faſt aſſeep, which mighr eaſily be perceived by David and his Men within; then it is nor ſtrange thar Saul neither heard David and his men talking of him, nor felt Da-
vid, and went againſt the Philiſtines : therefore they
{That is, called that place || Sela-hammahlekoth 7.
# 1. @. The Rock of diviſions, becauſe there Saul was ſeparated, and in a manner pulled aſunder from David, who was now almoſt with- in his reach
29 T And David went up from thence,and dwelt in ſtrong holds at En-gedi. XXIV.
GC H A Þ.
Saul purſueth David to En-gedi ; Cometh into a Cave in which was David with his men : who cutteth off the 5kirt of Sauls Mantle, but will net kill bim, 1, 7. He communeth with San!, and hereby evidenceth his In- nocency towards him, $, I5. Saul acknowledgeth his fault, taketh
| an Oath of David, and. departeth, 16, 23. | AY it came to paſs when Saul was returned from + - following the Philiſtines, that it was told him,
ſaying, Behold, David is in the wilderneſs of En«/
]edi. 2. Then Saul took three thouſand choſen men out of
All Iſrael, and went to ſeek David and his men upon 7 the rocks of the wild goats #,
vid when he came to cut off his lap. &d For that there were vaſt ; Caves in thoſe parts is ffirmed nor enly by Joſephus but alſo by
| Heathen Authors; and Serabo in his 16:h Book writes of one which
could receive four thouſand Men.