The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 451

,might, and the keenest ere cannot sec five bade me kill thee. He brow, "ho bade to kill ·paces inwai·d; but one who has been long thee." The literal rendering is "Jchov&b within, and is looking outwai·d toward the delivered theo to-day into my' hand and <'ll!rance, can observe with perfect distinct- bade kill thee." 'l'ho A. V. sup~lies ~ome, ncss all that takes pince in that direction. or, more exactly, "one said." 'I his is sup- DaYid, therefore, could watch Saul as he ported by the Syriac and Chaldee, but the came in, and not.ice the exact place where literal rendering is probably the right one. l1t' "co,·ered his feet," while Saul could see Had David killed Saul, it would have seemed nothing but impenetrable darkness." To as if it were ordered by Providence so to be, -cover his feet. The Syriac understands this and as if by putting Saul into his powe1 of sleeping ; more correctly the Yulgate and God had intended his death, But what Chaldce take it as in Judges iii. 24, margin. seem to us to be the leadings of Providence Y crs. 4, 5. -l3ehold the d&y or which are not to be blindly followed. Possibly Jehov&h s&id unto thee, &:c. David's men David's first thought was that God intended regard this deliverance of Saul into their Saul to die, aud so tl1e Vulgate, "I thought h;ncl as prondential, and the fulfilment of to kill thee." But immediately a truer feel- the promises made in David's favour, with ing came over his mind, and he recognised wl,ich, no doubt, they were well acquainted. that opportunities, such as that just given But with a noble self-control he refuses to him, may be temptations to be overcome. take the matter into his own hand, and The highest principles of religion and leaves unto God in trusting faith the exe- morality do not bend to external circum- cution of his purposes. To prove, neverthe- stances, but override them. less, to Saul his innocence, to soften his Vera. 11-13.-]ll[y father. Davie! thu3 bitterness, and refute the suspicion that he salutes Saul not because he was actually his ,was lying in wait to murder him, he cuts off father-in-law, but as a title indicative of the the corner-Hebrew, wing-of his m,dl (see respect due from an inferior to his superior eh. ii. 19). Even for this his he&rt smote (2 Kings v. 13). So David ce.lls himself him. So tender was his conscience that he Nalial's son (eh. xxv. 8). In the rest of the condemned himself for even deviating so verse he contrasts bis refusal to slay Saul, slightly from the reEpect due to the anointed when it might have seemed as if it were king. Providence that had put him into his power, Vers. 6, 7.-Seeing he is the anointed of with Saul's determined pursuit of him. Thou lehoTah.. David bases his allegiance to Saul h11ntest my soul to te.ke it. Thou perpetually on religious grounds. He was Jehovah's usest every artifice and stratagem against me lllcssiab, and as such bis person was sacred. for the confessed purpose of killing me, and To this principle David steadfastly adhered pursuest me as eagerly as the hllllter pursues !see eh. xxvi. 9; 2 Sam. i. 16). The Lord his game. Hence David commits his cause forbid. Hebrew, "Far be it from me from to J ehQvah, in the sure confidence that he Jehovah," i. e. for Jehovah's sake. So will avenge him, and with tho fil'm d~ter- De.vid ste.yed his sernnts. The verb is mination never himself to raise his hand a strong one, and means to crush down. It against one who, though bis enemy, was also shows that David had to use all his authority the king. In proof of the impossibility of to keep his men, vexed by Saul's pursuit, his ever seeking the king's hurt, he quotes an from killing him. ancient proverb, "From the wicked gocth TEMPORAJlY RECONCILIATION OF SAUL A!<'D out wickedness." Had David harboured evil DAVID (vers. 8-22). Yer. 8. -Saul ap- intentions he would have executeu. them parently had withdrawn from his men, alltl when so fair an opportunity offered, but as Da\'id seizes the opportunity of proving to he has no such purposes " his hand will never kim his innocence, and quieting the king's be" upon Saul. fears. He goes out, therefore, and calls a~ter Vers. 14, 15.-Finally, David makes 11, him, saying, ]ll[y lord the king, addressmg pathetic appeal to Saul, contrasting him in hiru thus as his master, to whom his obedi- his grandeur as the king of Isre.el with the ence was due. He also pays him the utmost fugitive whom he so relentlessly persecuted. reverence, bowing his face to the earth and In calling himself a de&d dog he implies the.t making obeisance. By this lowly bearillg he was at once despicable and powerless. Even David showed that, so far from being a rebel, more insignificant is e. fie&, Hebrew, "one he still acknowledged Saul's lawful authority, flea," "a single flea." The point is l'lst by and was true to his allegiance. omitting the nnmeral. David means that it Vers. 9, 10.-In his address David com- is unworthy of a king to go forth with 3000 plained of Saul's listening to m~n•s wor_ds, men to hunt a single flea. As the king's which slanderously represented him as lymg conduct is thus both unjust e.nd foolish, David in ,,~it to kill the king (comp. eh. xxii. 8). therefore appeals to Jehovah to be judge e.nd In answer to th~ir calumnies he now pleads plead his ea.use, i. e. be his advoco.te, and Sa.ul'R own experience of his deeds. Some state the proofs of his innocence. For d.. OJJ. XXIV, 1- 22.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 46'1