1 Samuel · Chapter 15

V. 1. Hearken-Thou hast committed error already, now regain God’s favour by thy exact obedience to what he commands.

Verse 1. The Lord sent me to anoint thee] This gave him a right to say what immediately follows.

Verses 1, 2. Hearken thou unto the voice of the Lord — Thou hast erred already; now regain God’s favour by thy exact obedience to what he commands. Thus saith the Lord, I remember, &c. — Now I will avenge those old injuries of the Amalekites on their children, who continue in their parents’ practices. God here refers to that most notorious instance of cruelty, inhumanity, and impiety, their invading and destroying, as far as in them lay, by treachery and surprise, and that uninjured and unprovoked, the people of Israel, when they were coming out of Egypt, and were manifestly under the immediate and miraculous protection of Almighty God. “This was a sin,” says Dr. Delaney, “at once so inhuman and so atheistical, as perhaps cannot be paralleled in any one instance from the foundation of the world, and therefore it is no wonder if this flagrant act of villany and impiety produced that dreadful decree against them, recorded Exodus 17:14, I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven: and again, verse 16, The Lord hath sworn that he will have war with Amalek, from generation to generation. To reconcile this severe decree with the principles of justice, and God’s own declaration, (Ezekiel 18.,) of his limiting the vengeance of guilt to the person of the offender, we need only to reflect upon one plain observation, with which every day’s experience sufficiently furnishes us, that nothing is more common than for children to be unrepentant, and, it may be, improved and inveterate in the sins of their ancestors: and that nothing is more easy to the divine prescience than to foresee this, and to pronounce upon it. And that this was the case of the Amalekites, sufficiently appears from their history. For, as their fathers attempted upon the Israelites, when under the manifest protection of God, their sons continued to do the same upon every occasion, though the same protection became every day more and more conspicuous by many and repeated instances.” When he came out of Egypt — When he was newly come out of cruel and long bondage, and was now weak, and weary, and faint, and hungry, Deuteronomy 25:18; and therefore it was barbarous, instead of that pity which even nature prompted them to afford, to add affliction to the afflicted; it was also horrid impiety to fight against God himself, and to lift up their hand in a manner, against the Lord’s throne, while they struck at that people which God had brought forth in so stupendous a way.

SAUL’S WAR WITH AMALEK, 1-9.

Jehovah deigns to give Saul’s obedience one more test. He has already warned him that, because of disobedience, his kingdom shall not be established in his posterity, (1 Samuel 13:14;) but ere he utters the final oracle of rejection he affords him one more trial. Occasion for this is found in the war with the Amalekites, those ancient enemies whose wanton hostility to the chosen people had, even in the days of Moses, drawn down upon them the curse of God. See Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19.

1. The Lord sent me to anoint thee — The same Divine authority that made him king now commissions him to destroy the fierce, wicked Amalekites. 1 Samuel 14:48, suggests that this war on Amalek was not without fresh provocation. Those spoilers had probably made a predatory incursion into the southern borders, like that mentioned 1 Samuel 30:1.

V. 2. I remember-Now I will revenge those old injuries of the Amalekites on their children: who continue in their parents practices. Came from Egypt-When he was newly come out of cruel and long bondage, and was now weak, and weary, and faint, and hungry, Deuteronomy 25:18, and therefore it was barbarous instead of that pity which even Nature prompted them to afford, to add affliction to the afflicted; it was also horrid impiety to fight against God himself and to lift up their hand in a manner against the Lord’s throne, whilst they struck at that people which God had brought forth in so stupendous a way.

Verse 2. I remember that which Amalek did] The Amalekites were a people of Arabia Petræa, who had occupied a tract of country on the frontiers of Egypt and Palestine. They had acted with great cruelty towards the Israelites on their coming out of Egypt. (See Exodus 17:8, and the notes there.) They came upon them when they were faint and weary, and smote the hindermost of the people-those who were too weak to keep up with the rest. (See Deuteronomy 25:18.) And God then purposed that Amalek, as a nation, should be blotted out from under heaven; which purpose was now fulfilled by Saul upwards of four hundred years afterwards!

Verses 1, 2. Hearken thou unto the voice of the Lord — Thou hast erred already; now regain God’s favour by thy exact obedience to what he commands. Thus saith the Lord, I remember, &c. — Now I will avenge those old injuries of the Amalekites on their children, who continue in their parents’ practices. God here refers to that most notorious instance of cruelty, inhumanity, and impiety, their invading and destroying, as far as in them lay, by treachery and surprise, and that uninjured and unprovoked, the people of Israel, when they were coming out of Egypt, and were manifestly under the immediate and miraculous protection of Almighty God. “This was a sin,” says Dr. Delaney, “at once so inhuman and so atheistical, as perhaps cannot be paralleled in any one instance from the foundation of the world, and therefore it is no wonder if this flagrant act of villany and impiety produced that dreadful decree against them, recorded Exodus 17:14, I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven: and again, verse 16, The Lord hath sworn that he will have war with Amalek, from generation to generation. To reconcile this severe decree with the principles of justice, and God’s own declaration, (Ezekiel 18.,) of his limiting the vengeance of guilt to the person of the offender, we need only to reflect upon one plain observation, with which every day’s experience sufficiently furnishes us, that nothing is more common than for children to be unrepentant, and, it may be, improved and inveterate in the sins of their ancestors: and that nothing is more easy to the divine prescience than to foresee this, and to pronounce upon it. And that this was the case of the Amalekites, sufficiently appears from their history. For, as their fathers attempted upon the Israelites, when under the manifest protection of God, their sons continued to do the same upon every occasion, though the same protection became every day more and more conspicuous by many and repeated instances.” When he came out of Egypt — When he was newly come out of cruel and long bondage, and was now weak, and weary, and faint, and hungry, Deuteronomy 25:18; and therefore it was barbarous, instead of that pity which even nature prompted them to afford, to add affliction to the afflicted; it was also horrid impiety to fight against God himself, and to lift up their hand in a manner, against the Lord’s throne, while they struck at that people which God had brought forth in so stupendous a way.

Verse 2. I remember what Amalek did; Numbers 17:8; and what he has often repeated, in the effusion of innocent blood. He joined Midian, and the children of the east, in a bloody and unprovoked invasion of Israel. Judges 6:3.

2. I remember — The bitter wars and ancient wrongs against the people of Jehovah are not forgotten by him. And shall he not avenge his own elect? Luke 18:7.

V. 3. Destroy-Both persons and goods, kill all that live, and consume all things without life, for I will have no name nor remnant of that people left, whom long since I have devoted to utter destruction. Spare not-Shew no compassion or favour to any of them. The same thing repeated to prevent mistake, and oblige Saul to the exact performance hereof. Slay, &c.-Which was not unjust, because God is the supreme Lord of life, and can require his own when he pleaseth; infants likewise are born in sin, and therefore liable to God’s wrath. Their death also was rather a mercy than a curse, as being the occasion of preventing their sin and punishment. Ox, &c.-Which being all made for man’s benefit, it is not strange if they suffer with him, for the instruction of mankind.

Verse 3. Slay both man and woman] Nothing could justify such an exterminating decree but the absolute authority of God. This was given: all the reasons of it we do not know; but this we know well, The Judge of all the earth doth right. This war was not for plunder, for God commanded that all the property as well as all the people should be destroyed.

Verse 3. Go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, &c. — This heavy sentence was pronounced against them long before, (Exodus 17:14,) and renewed at the Israelites’ entrance into Canaan, with a charge not to forget it, (Deuteronomy 25:19,) and now ordered to be put in execution. Slay both man and woman, infant and suckling — We are to consider these orders of God, given in Scripture, for the slaying the innocent with the guilty, even children and sucklings, who could have done no harm, in the same light as we do a plague or earthquake, or any other of God’s judgments in the earth, whereby the guiltless are cut off with the guilty; the reason of which, perhaps, may be, that the guilty, in such calamities, are more grievously afflicted and punished, by the cutting off their harmless children, than they would be by any thing that could befall themselves. And God can, and certainly does, crown elsewhere the innocent with happiness, great enough to reward them amply for the evils that fall upon them here. And, without doubt, every infant, however much its death may be lamented by its parents, receives a great favour and blessing from God by having death bestowed upon it in its infancy; as it is taken away from all the miseries of this life, in order to be made perfectly and eternally happy.

The reason, perhaps, of God’s ordering the beasts to be all killed, upon this and some other occasions of this sort, was, that the neighbouring nations might know that these terrible executions of the Israelites upon some particular nations, did not proceed from any views of profit or interest to themselves, but were done in obedience to the commands of the Lord of all, to punish those whose iniquity was full. For, had the Israelites been allowed to spare the cattle (which were then the chief riches of the nations) on these occasions, they would have appeared rather as the murderers of these people, for the sake of their riches, than the ministers of God’s wrath, to punish nations whose abominations made them ripe for destruction.

Ver. 3. Utterly destroy all. God himself passed the sentence. The Kenites, (ver. 6, and Judges 1:4.) live for their kindness, while the Amalekites die for their cruelties. But many saved themselves by flight, for David found them still occupying their country. 1 Samuel 27:8.

3. Man and woman, infant and suckling — Who dares question the right of God to inflict such judgments upon a wicked and idolatrous nation? Jehovah is governor among the nations, and in order to chastise and destroy a wicked people he may with equal justice use the wasting pestilence or the armies of Israel. See note on Joshua 6:21. Ox and sheep, camel and ass — Such utter destruction of all the spoil would show that the Israelites fought not to enrich themselves with the possessions of their enemies, but simply as the ministers of God’s wrath to execute his judgments. Saul’s sparing of the best of the spoils was, therefore, a rash and offensive meddling with the Divine judgments. Like Achan’s offence, it was appropriating a part of the accursed thing to private use.

Verse 4. Two hundred thousand-and ten thousand] The Septuagint, in the London Polyglot, have FOUR HUNDRED thousand companies of Israel, and THIRTY thousand companies of Judah. The Codex Alexandrinus has TEN thousand of each. The Complutensian Polyglot has TWO HUNDRED thousand companies of Israel, and TEN thousand of Judah. And Josephus has FOUR HUNDRED thousand of Israel, and THIRTY thousand of Judah. All the other versions are the same with the Hebrew text; and there is no difference in the MSS.

4. Telaim — Probably the same as Telem, mentioned, Joshua 15:24, among the cities in the extreme south of Judah. Its site has not been identified. The Targum and Vulgate translate the word, and read lambs. The Septuagint and Josephus strangely read Gilgal. Two hundred thousand footmen — A very large army was necessary in order to fight successfully the powerful Amalekites, for they were spread over a large district, and were chief of the hostile nations. Numbers 24:20.

Verse 5. Saul came to a city of Amalek] I believe the original should be translated, and Saul came to the city Amalek; their capital being called by the name of their tribe.

Verse 5. Saul came to a city of Amalek — Or, to the city of Amalek. For the metropolis of the kingdom seems to be here meant, the name of which some have thought was Amalek. And laid wait in the valley — Or fought them in the valley; for they came out to give him battle.

5. Laid wait in the valley — That is, set an ambush (from bra) in one of the great wadies of the Negeb, or south country. Strategic warfare was likely to be most successful with those wild sons of the desert.

V. 6. Kenites-A people descending from, or nearly related to Jethro, who anciently dwelt in rocks near the Amalekites, Numbers 24:21, and afterwards some of them dwelt in Judah, Judges 1:16, whence it is probable they removed, (which, dwelling in tents, they could easily do) and retired to their old habitation, because of the wars and troubles wherewith Judah was annoyed. Shewed kindness-Some of your progenitors did so, and for their sakes all of you shall fare the better. You were not guilty of that sin for which Amalek is now to be destroyed. When destroying judgments are abroad God takes care to separate the precious from the vile. It is then especially dangerous to be found in the company of God’s enemies. The Jews have a saying, Wo to a wicked man, and to his neighbour.

Verse 6. Said unto the Kenites] The Kenites were an ancient people. Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, was a Kenite. Hobab his son (if the same person be not meant) was guide to the Hebrews through the wilderness. They had a portion of the promised land, near to the city Arad. See Judges 1:16; and for more particulars concerning them and the Amalekites, see the notes on Numbers 26:20, 21.

Verse 6. Saul said unto the Kenites — A people descended from, or nearly related to, Jethro, who anciently dwelt in rocks near the Amalekites, (Numbers 24:21,) and afterward some of them dwelt in Judah, (Judges 1:16,) whence it is probable they removed (which, dwelling in tents, they could easily do) and retired to their old habitation, because of the wars and troubles wherewith Judah was annoyed. Ye showed kindness — Some of your progenitors did so, and, for their sakes, all of you shall be spared and kindly treated. You were not guilty of that sin for which Amalek is now to be destroyed. When destroying judgments are abroad, God takes care to separate the precious from the vile. It is then especially dangerous to be found in the company of God’s enemies. The Jews have a saying, Wo to a wicked man and to his neighbour.

6. The Kenites — The descendants of Jethro, Moses’ father in law, who is called a Kenite in Judges 1:16. For the kindness shown to the Israelites by this ancestor of the Kenites, see Exodus 18.

V. 7. To Shur-That is, from one end of their country to the other; he smote all that he met with: but a great number of them fled away upon the noise of his coming, and secured themselves in other places, ‘till the storm was over.

Verse 7. From Havilah-to Shur] From Pelusium in Egypt, unto the Red Sea.-Josephus. But Havilah lay eastward from the Red Sea; the Amalekites lay between this and the way to Egypt towards Shur.

Verses 7, 8. To Shur — That is, from one end of their country to the other; he smote all that he met with: but a great number of them fled away upon the noise of his coming, and secured themselves in other places, till the storm was over. Destroyed all — Whom he found. Now they paid dear for the sins of their ancestors. They were themselves guilty of idolatry and numberless sins, for which they deserved to be cut off. Yet, when God would reckon with them, he fixes upon this as the ground of his quarrel.

7. From Havilah until thou comest to Shur — From the eastern to the western boundaries of the desert south of Palestine. This territory was formerly occupied by the sons of Ishmael. See Genesis 25:18.

V. 8. All-Whom he found. Now they paid dear for the sin of their ancestors. They were themselves guilty of idolatry and numberless sins, for which they deserved to be cut off. Yet when God would reckon with them, he fixes upon this as the ground of his quarrel.

Verses 7, 8. To Shur — That is, from one end of their country to the other; he smote all that he met with: but a great number of them fled away upon the noise of his coming, and secured themselves in other places, till the storm was over. Destroyed all — Whom he found. Now they paid dear for the sins of their ancestors. They were themselves guilty of idolatry and numberless sins, for which they deserved to be cut off. Yet, when God would reckon with them, he fixes upon this as the ground of his quarrel.

8. Agag — This was the common title of the Amalekite, as Pharaoh was of the Egyptian, and Abimelech of the Philistine kings. Utterly destroyed all the people — “That is, all that fell into the hands of the Israelites; for it follows from the very nature of the case that many escaped, and consequently there is nothing striking in the fact that Amalekites are mentioned again at a later period. 1 Samuel 27:8; 30:1; 2 Samuel 8:12.” — Keil.

V. 9. Vile-Thus they obeyed God only so far as they could without inconvenience to themselves.

Verse 9. Would not utterly destroy them — As they had been commanded of God, but took them as a prey to themselves. Every thing that was vile, they destroyed — All that was not worth the keeping. Thus they obeyed God as far as they could, without inconvenience and loss to themselves, which is a striking instance of the baseness of human nature, when governed by covetousness, or any such like grovelling affection or appetite.

Ver. 9. Spared Agag. Sesostris, on making his triumphant entrance into Memphis, metropolis of Egypt, had his chariot drawn by four kings.

9. Spared Agag, and the best of the sheep — The one for the purpose of gratifying his vainglory by leading captive so illustrious a slave; the other to gratify his covetousness. Thus he repeated the sin of Achan. Joshua 7:21. Of the fatlings — µynvm, of the second sort, as margin correctly reads. The reference is, probably, to the age of the animals: those of the second birth, or later born, and therefore tender and particularly desirable, either for food or sacrifice.

SAMUEL’S LAST WORDS TO SAUL, 10-35.

10. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel — Either by a dream or a vision of the night. See Numbers 12:6.

V. 11. Repenteth-Repentance implies grief of heart, and change of counsels, and therefore cannot be in God: but it is ascribed to God when God alters his method of dealing, and treats a person as if be did indeed repent of the kindness he had shewed him. All night-To implore his pardoning mercy for Saul, and for the people. Is turned back-Therefore he did once follow God. Otherwise it would have been impossible, he should turn back from following him.

Verse 11. It repenteth me that I have set up Saul] That is, I placed him on the throne; I intended, if he had been obedient, to have established his kingdom. He has been disobedient; I change my purpose, and the kingdom shall not be established in his family. This is what is meant by God’s repenting-changing a purpose according to conditions already laid down or mentally determined.

Verse 11. It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king — Repentance, properly speaking, implies grief of heart, and a change of counsels. Understood in which sense, it can have no place in God. But it is often ascribed to him in the Scriptures when he alters his method of dealing with persons, and treats them as if he did indeed repent of the kindness he had shown them. He is turned back from following me — Therefore he did once follow God, otherwise it would have been impossible he should turn back from following him. He cried unto the Lord all night — To implore his pardoning mercy for Saul and for the people.

11. It repenteth me — Repentance in God does not imply changeableness in the Divine nature, like the changes oft involved in human life and action; for such a supposition is forbidden by such passages as verse 29, where see note, and Numbers 23:19. But the Divine nature is emotional. Indignation and grief over the sins of men are passions as true and pure as love. The emotionality of anger, grief, or pity no more implies imperfection in God than does the emotionality of love. Can we for a moment think of a personal God destitute of feeling? And when his creatures suffer and fall through sin, what feelings but indignation and grief might be expected to move his holy nature? By repentance in God we are, therefore, to understand the change of feeling which must needs occur in the Divine nature towards any of the children of his grace when they turn from his truth, and presumptuously sin against him. Compare Genesis 6:6, and note on Judges 2:18. It grieved Samuel — Literally, It burned him. It thrilled his great soul to its profoundest depths, for he saw that this rejection of Saul must result in great calamity to Israel. So Jehovah and his holy prophet both were grieved. He cried unto the Lord all night — He probably prayed that this cup might pass from him, and that Saul might be forgiven and established in the kingdom.

V. 12. A place-That is, a monument or trophy of his victory.

Verse 12. He set him up a place] Literally, a hand, dy yad. Some say it was a monument; others, a triumphal arch: probably it was no more than a hand, pointing out the place where Saul had gained the victory. Absalom’s pillar is called the hand of Absalom, 2 Samuel 18:18.

Verses 12, 13. Behold, he set him up a place — That is, a monument or trophy of his victory; perhaps a column, or barely a large heap of stones, as was the custom of those early ages. I have performed the commandment of the Lord — He makes so little account of the fault he had committed, that he even boasts of his performance.

Ver. 12. A place. Hebrews dy Yad, a hand. A monument of the victory, suddenly raised by the hands of the army. This custom was universal among all the gentile nations. Joshua 22:10.

12. Carmel — This was one of the cities of Judah, (see on Joshua 15:55,) and has been identified with the modern Kurmul, six miles south of Hebron. Set him up a place — That is, say some, for the purpose of giving his army rest and dividing the spoils. The Vulgate translates, He erected for himself a triumphal arch. But the word translated place means a hand, (dy,) and is used of Absalom’s pillar. 2 Samuel 18:18. Such is its meaning here. Saul erected at Carmel a monument as a memorial of his victory over the Amalekites. It may have been an elevated hand, serving as an index to attract the attention of the passing traveller. Gilgal — Here Samuel had before solemnly announced to the disobedient king his fall. 1 Samuel 13:14.

V. 13. They-That is, the people. Thus, he lays the blame upon the people; whereas they could not do it without his consent; and he should have used his power to over-rule them.

Verses 12, 13. Behold, he set him up a place — That is, a monument or trophy of his victory; perhaps a column, or barely a large heap of stones, as was the custom of those early ages. I have performed the commandment of the Lord — He makes so little account of the fault he had committed, that he even boasts of his performance.

13. I have performed the commandment of the Lord — This is the language of hypocrisy, by which the disobedient warrior presumes to hide his guilt.

SAMUEL’S LAST WORDS TO SAUL, 10-35.

10. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel — Either by a dream or a vision of the night. See Numbers 12:6.

Verse 15. The people spared the best of the sheep] It is very likely that the people did spare the best of the prey; and it is as likely that Saul might have restrained them if he would. That they might not love war, God had interdicted spoil and plunder, so the war was undertaken merely from a sense of duty, without any hope of enriching themselves by it.

Verse 15. They — That is, the people; have brought them from the Amalekites — Thus he lays the blame upon the people, whereas they could not do it without his consent, and he should have used his power to overrule them. To sacrifice unto the Lord thy God — This was a plausible pretence; but as the Lord had given express command that nothing should be saved, no more for himself than for them, this excuse could be no more than an instance of mean hypocrisy.

15. The people spared the best of the sheep — He lays the fault upon the people, and thereby criminally insinuates that the thing was done against his will. The Lord thy God — These words, in this connexion, are full of significance. They seem to have flowed from a desire to compliment Samuel on the honour and sanctity of his personal intercourse with Jehovah, and also from a feeling that Jehovah was not his own God. “Every word,” says Hervey, “uttered by Saul seems to indicate the breaking down of his moral character. One feels that after the scene so forcibly described in this chapter Saul must have forfeited his own self-respect, and that his downward career was henceforth almost inevitable.”

16. Stay — Leave off these false pretences, desist from such hypocritical apologies, whilst, by the revelation of Him whom thou callest my God, I lay open the iniquities of thy heart and the disobedience of thy life.

Verse 17. Little in thine own sight] Who can bear prosperity? Is it not of the Lord’s great goodness that the majority of the inhabitants of the earth are in comparative poverty?

17. Little in thine own sight — As was manifested in his modest response to Samuel’s first salutation. 1 Samuel 9:21.

V. 18. A journey-So easy was the service, and so certain the success, that it was rather to be called a journey than a war.

Verses 18, 19. The Lord sent thee on a journey — So easy was the service, and so certain the success, that it was rather to be called a journey than a war. Wherefore didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord? — The command was as plain as words could make it; and there was no reason but his own base covetousness why it was not obeyed.

SAMUEL’S LAST WORDS TO SAUL, 10-35.

10. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel — Either by a dream or a vision of the night. See Numbers 12:6.

Verses 18, 19. The Lord sent thee on a journey — So easy was the service, and so certain the success, that it was rather to be called a journey than a war. Wherefore didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord? — The command was as plain as words could make it; and there was no reason but his own base covetousness why it was not obeyed.

SAMUEL’S LAST WORDS TO SAUL, 10-35.

10. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel — Either by a dream or a vision of the night. See Numbers 12:6.

V. 20. The king-To be dealt with as God pleaseth.

Verses 20, 21. Have brought Agag the king — To be dealt with as God pleaseth. Strange stupidity! to imagine such a partial obedience could be pleasing unto God. But the people took of the spoil — It was a mean thing to throw all the blame on the people, whom he ought to have governed better; and it was worst of all to pretend religion for his disobedience. The things which should have been utterly destroyed — Here he shows that he was conscious he had not done as he was commanded.

20. Yea, I have obeyed — Still the guilty spirit seeks to justify itself. Strange stupidity! Sullen perversity! How prone are sinners to throw their guilt on others, or else to plead for it a religious motive! Saul did both.

V. 21. But the people, &c.-Here the conscience of Saul begins to awake, tho’ but a little: for he still lays the blame on the people.

Verse 21. To sacrifice unto the Lord] Thus he endeavours to excuse the people. They did not take the spoil in order to enrich themselves by it, but to sacrifice unto the Lord; and did not this motive justify their conduct?

Verses 20, 21. Have brought Agag the king — To be dealt with as God pleaseth. Strange stupidity! to imagine such a partial obedience could be pleasing unto God. But the people took of the spoil — It was a mean thing to throw all the blame on the people, whom he ought to have governed better; and it was worst of all to pretend religion for his disobedience. The things which should have been utterly destroyed — Here he shows that he was conscious he had not done as he was commanded.

SAMUEL’S LAST WORDS TO SAUL, 10-35.

10. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel — Either by a dream or a vision of the night. See Numbers 12:6.

V. 22. Sacrifice-Because obedience to God is a moral duty, constantly and indispensably necessary; but sacrifice is but a ceremonial institution, sometimes unnecessary, as it was in the wilderness: and sometimes sinful, when it is offered by a polluted hand, or in an irregular manner. Therefore thy gross disobedience to God’s express command, is not to be compensated with sacrifice. Hearken-That is, to obey. Fat-Then the choicest part of all the sacrifice.

Verse 22. Hath the Lord as great delight, &c.] This was a very proper answer to, and refutation of Saul’s excuse. Is not obedience to the will of God the end of all religion, of its rites, ceremonies, and sacrifices?

Verse 22. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice — A most divine admonition this, and inculcated by all the following inspired writers, by David, Solomon, and the prophets; as the reader may see by consulting the margin. Obedience to God is a moral duty, constantly and indispensably necessary; but sacrifice is but a ceremonial institution, sometimes unnecessary, as it was in the wilderness; and sometimes sinful, when it is offered by a polluted hand, or in an irregular manner. Therefore thy gross disobedience to God’s express command is not to be compensated with sacrifice. To hearken — That is, to obey. The fat of rams — Then the choicest part of all the sacrifice.

22. To obey is better than sacrifice — For all the sacrifices and ceremonies of religion are to aid and promote obedience, not to be made a substitute for it. Disobedience can never be made a virtue even though attended by thousands of sacrifices. Samuel’s words here “rise far above the special occasion, and contain the key-note of the long remonstrance of the prophets in all subsequent times against an exaggerated estimate of ceremonial above obedience. The very flow of the words recalls to us the form, as well as the spirit, of Amos and Isaiah.” — Stanley.

V. 23. Rebellion-Disobedience to God’s command.

Stubbornness-Contumacy in sin, justifying it, and pleading for it. Iniquity-Or, the iniquity of idolatry. Rejected-Hath pronounced the sentence of rejection: for that he was not actually deposed by God before, plainly appears, because not only the people, but even David, after this, owned him as king. Those are unworthy to rule over men, who are not willing that God should rule over them.

Verse 23. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.] This is no translation of those difficult words, ותרפים ואונ מרי µsq tacj yk rxph ki chattath kesem meri veaven utheraphim haphtsar. It appears to me that the three nouns which occur first in the text refer each to the three last in order. Thus, tacj chattath, TRANSGRESSION, refers to אונ aven, INIQUITY, which is the principle whence transgression springs. µsq kesem, DIVINATION, refers to תרפים teraphim, consecrated images or telesms, vulgarly talismans, used in incantations. And yrm meri, REBELLION, refers evidently to rxph haphstar, STUBBORNNESS, whence rebellion springs. The meaning therefore of this difficult place may be the following: As transgression comes from iniquity, divination from teraphim, and rebellion from stubbornness, so, because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. All the versions are different.

Verse 23. For rebellion — Disobedience to God’s command; is as the sin of witchcraft — Or the using divinations, and consulting familiar spirits, is as plainly condemned, and as certainly damnable and destructive. Stubbornness — Contumacy, persisting in sin, justifying it, and pleading for it; is as iniquity and idolatry — Or, rather, the iniquity of idolatry, the highest degree of wickedness. The meaning is, that as Saul had wilfully disobeyed the command of God, he was guilty of rebellion against him; and that wilful, peremptory disobedience to any command of God is, for the nature of it, a most heinous sin, though the matter in which it is manifested be ever so small. The Lord hath rejected thee from being king — That is, hath pronounced the sentence of rejection; for that he was not now actually deposed by God, plainly appears in that not only the people, but even David, after this, owned him as king. Indeed, he continued to be king till the day of his death. He was only actually rejected and deposed when he was slain in battle. But the expression may chiefly respect his posterity, to whom God would not suffer the kingdom to descend.

Ver. 23. Rebellion is displeasing to the Lord, as the sin of µsq chesem, divination. He who sets up his own will against the will of God offends, as he who sets up an idol and a teraphim.

23. For rebellion… the sin of witchcraft — This gives the sense, but it would be as well to transpose these words and follow the order of the Hebrew, thus: For the sin of witchcraft is rebellion, and iniquity and idolatry are stubbornness. That is, Saul’s rebellious and stubborn opposition to the word of God is as bad as the sins of witchcraft and idolatry; for these sins, in their inmost nature and essence, are refractoriness against the Divine law.

V. 24. I have sinned-It does by no means appear, that Saul acts the hypocrite herein, in assigning a false cause of his disobedience. Rather, he nakedly declares the thing as it was.

Verse 24. I have sinned-because I feared the people] This was the best excuse he could make for himself; but had he feared GOD more, he need have feared the PEOPLE less.

Verses 24, 25. I have sinned — It does by no means appear that Saul acts the hypocrite herein, in assigning a false cause of his disobedience. Rather, he nakedly declares the thing as it was. Pardon my sin — Neither can it be proved that there was any hypocrisy in this. Rather, charity requires us to believe, that he sincerely desired pardon, both from God and man, as he now knew he had sinned against both.

24. I have sinned — The announcement of his rejection suddenly subdues his haughty spirit, and brings him to the acknowledgment of his disobedience; but his palliating words, I feared the people, and obeyed their voice, show that his penitence was more the result of alarm over the thought of being rejected than of any deep consciousness of sin.

V. 25. Pardon my sin-Neither can it be proved that there was any hypocrisy in this. Rather charity requires us to believe, that he sincerely desired pardon, both from God and man, as he now knew, he had sinned against both.

Verse 25. Pardon my sin] Literally, bear my sin; take it away; forgive what I have done against thee, and be my intercessor with God, that he may forgive my offense against him; turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.

Verses 24, 25. I have sinned — It does by no means appear that Saul acts the hypocrite herein, in assigning a false cause of his disobedience. Rather, he nakedly declares the thing as it was. Pardon my sin — Neither can it be proved that there was any hypocrisy in this. Rather, charity requires us to believe, that he sincerely desired pardon, both from God and man, as he now knew he had sinned against both.

SAMUEL’S LAST WORDS TO SAUL, 10-35.

10. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel — Either by a dream or a vision of the night. See Numbers 12:6.

V. 26. I will not-This was no lie, though he afterwards returned, because he spoke what he meant; his words and his intentions agreed together, though afterwards he saw reason to change his intentions. Compare Genesis 19:2,3. This may relieve many perplexed consciences, who think themselves obliged to do what they have said they would do, though they see just cause to change their minds. Hath rejected thee, &c.-But he does not say, he “hath rejected thee from salvation.” And who besides hath authority to say so?

Verse 26. I will not return with thee] I cannot acknowledge thee as king, seeing the Lord hath rejected thee.

Verse 26. I will not — This was no lie, though he afterward returned, because he spoke what he meant; his words and his intentions agreed together, though afterward he saw reason to change his intentions. Compare Genesis 19:2, 3. This may relieve many perplexed consciences, who think themselves obliged to do what they have said they would do, though they see just cause to change their minds. Hath rejected thee, &c. — But he does not say, he “hath rejected thee from salvation.” And who besides hath authority to say so?

SAMUEL’S LAST WORDS TO SAUL, 10-35.

10. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel — Either by a dream or a vision of the night. See Numbers 12:6.

27. He laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle — The solemn words and manner of the seer, and his turning to depart, thrilled Saul with sudden emotions of fear; and that stern image of the mantled Samuel seemed ever after to haunt the monarch’s soul. Compare 1 Samuel 28:14.

Verses 28, 29. The Lord hath rent the kingdom from thee — Hath declared his firm resolution of laying aside thy family, and will soon actually take away thy life and thy kingly power. Also the Strength of Israel — Who is perfectly able to bring to pass all his purposes, and to make good all his declarations; will not lie — He gives God his title, to show the reason why he neither can nor will lie. For lying generally proceeds from a man’s weakness and inability to accomplish his designs, as he thinks, without it. But God needs no such artifices: he can do whatsoever he pleaseth by his absolute power. Nor repent — Change his counsel and purpose, which is also an effect of weakness and imperfection, either of wisdom or power. So that this word is not here used in the sense it is verse 11, and in several other passages, as Genesis 6:6; Exodus 32:14; 2 Samuel 24:16; Jeremiah 26:19; in all which, and many others, it signifies a change of God’s proceedings, and of his method of dealing with persons.

SAMUEL’S LAST WORDS TO SAUL, 10-35.

10. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel — Either by a dream or a vision of the night. See Numbers 12:6.

V. 29. Strength of Israel-So he calls God here, to shew the reason why God neither will nor can lie; because lying proceeds from the sense of a man’s weakness, who cannot many times accomplish his design without lying and dissimulation; therefore many princes have used it for this very reason. But God needs no such artifices; he can do whatsoever he pleaseth by his absolute power. Repent-That is, nor change his counsel; which also is an effect of weakness and imperfection, either of wisdom or power. So that this word is not here used in the sense it commonly is when applied to God, as in Jeremiah 11:1-23, and elsewhere.

Verse 29. The Strength of Israel will not lie] What God has purposed he will bring to pass, for he has all power in the heavens and in the earth; and he will not repent-change his purpose-concerning thee.

We may say it was some extenuation of Saul’s fault that the people insisted on preserving the best of the prey; for who could resist the demands of a victorious mob? But his crime was in consenting; had he not, the crime would have been theirs alone.

Verses 28, 29. The Lord hath rent the kingdom from thee — Hath declared his firm resolution of laying aside thy family, and will soon actually take away thy life and thy kingly power. Also the Strength of Israel — Who is perfectly able to bring to pass all his purposes, and to make good all his declarations; will not lie — He gives God his title, to show the reason why he neither can nor will lie. For lying generally proceeds from a man’s weakness and inability to accomplish his designs, as he thinks, without it. But God needs no such artifices: he can do whatsoever he pleaseth by his absolute power. Nor repent — Change his counsel and purpose, which is also an effect of weakness and imperfection, either of wisdom or power. So that this word is not here used in the sense it is verse 11, and in several other passages, as Genesis 6:6; Exodus 32:14; 2 Samuel 24:16; Jeremiah 26:19; in all which, and many others, it signifies a change of God’s proceedings, and of his method of dealing with persons.

29. Strength of Israel — Jehovah, thus called not only because of his omnipotence, but also because of his constancy and truth — the glorious object of Israel’s confidence. Will not lie nor repent — Compare verse 11 and note there. Jehovah has feelings of love and anger: love for the righteous and anger towards the wicked. If the righteous man turn from his righteousness, or the wicked from his wickedness, towards him correspondingly Jehovah’s feelings change. This is often called repentance in God. But beyond this the divine Nature is not subject to change. In man, however, repentance implies sinfulness and fallibility, and involves a moral and religious change, so that it is never after the manner of man that God repents.

SAMUEL’S LAST WORDS TO SAUL, 10-35.

10. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel — Either by a dream or a vision of the night. See Numbers 12:6.

V. 31. Turned-First, that the people might not upon pretence of this sentence of rejection, withdraw their obedience to their sovereign; whereby they would both have sinned against God, and have been as sheep without a shepherd. Secondly, that he might rectify Saul’s error, and execute God’s judgment upon Agag.

Verse 31. So Samuel turned again — 1st, That the people might not, upon pretence of this sentence of rejection, withdraw their obedience from their sovereign; whereby they would both have sinned against God, and have been as sheep without a shepherd. 2d, That he might rectify Saul’s error, and execute God’s judgment upon Agag.

31. Samuel turned again after Saul — He finally yielded to Saul’s pleading, but not until he had, by his stern and solemn acts and words, made on his mind deep and lasting impressions of God’s anger against him. It was also one object of his turning with Saul to execute the judgment of God upon the king of the Amalekites.

Verse 32. Agag came unto him delicately.] The Septuagint have tremwn, trembling; the original, מעדנת maadannoth, delicacies; probably vya ish, man, understood; a man of delights, a pleasure-taker: the Vulgate, pinguissimus et tremens, “very fat and trembling.” Surely the bitterness of death is past.] Almost all the versions render this differently from ours. Surely death is bitter, is their general sense; and this seems to be the true meaning.

Verses 32, 33. Agag came unto him delicately — Hebrew, tnd[m, magnadannoth, in delights, or ornaments; that is, he came not like an offender, expecting the sentence of death, but in the garb, and gesture, and majesty of a king. And Agag said — Or, For Agag said; this being mentioned as the reason why he came so. Surely the bitterness of death is past — I, who have escaped death from a warlike prince and his soldiers in the fury of battle, shall certainly not suffer it from a prophet in time of peace. As thy sword hath made women childless — By this it appears that he had been a tyrant; and guilty of many bloody actions; and was now cut off, not merely for the sins of his ancestors four hundred years ago, but also for his own merciless cruelty. Samuel hewed Agag in pieces — This he doubtless did by a divine instinct, and in pursuance of God’s express command, which had been sinfully neglected and disobeyed by Saul, but is now executed by Samuel. It is not said that Samuel cut Agag in pieces with his own hand; perhaps he only commanded him to be slain by proper officers. In those days, however, it was no unusual thing for the greatest persons to perform these executions. But no private persons are authorized to make such instances as these precedents for taking the sword of justice into their own hands. For we must be governed in our own conduct by the laws of God, and not by extraordinary examples. Before the Lord in Gilgal — That is, before the altar of the Lord, where they had been praying and offering sacrifices.

32. Delicately — We render the passage thus: Agag came unto him in fetters. And Agag said, Terrible and bitter is the death. The majority of interpreters, ancient and modern, have understood by the word delicately that Agag came to Samuel cheerfully and with delight, and supposed that he was not to be put to death. But it is difficult to conceive how or why such a part should be acted by this captive king. The only other place where this plural form, twnd[m, occurs is in Job 38:31, and it is there translated sweet influences. But this translation makes no sense, and both Gesenius and Furst render it bands, in accordance with the Septuagint and Chaldee. According to this etymology the word is to be derived from dn[, to bind; and tnd[m is formed by transposition of the letters n and d, and is to be regarded as an adverbial accusative — in fetters. We render then — Agag came unto him in fetters. Surely the bitterness of death is past — Thus rendered, this passage also is difficult to explain satisfactorily. Accordingly we prefer, with Furst, to render rs is terrible, rather than is past; deriving it from rws, to be bad, corrupt. The passage then becomes literally an exclamation — Surely loathsome and bitter the death!

V. 33. As, &c.-Whereby it appears, that he was a tyrant, and guilty of many bloody actions. And this seems to be added for the fuller vindication of God’s justice, and to shew, that although God did at this time revenge a crime committed by this man’s ancestors 400 years ago, yet he did not punish an innocent son for his father’s crimes, but one that persisted in the same evil courses. Hewed-This he did by divine instinct, and in pursuance of God’s express command, which being sinfully neglected by Saul, is now executed by Samuel. But these are no precedents for private persons to take the sword of justice into their hands. For we must live by the laws of God, and not by extraordinary examples.

Verse 33. As thy sword hath made women childless] It appears that Agag had forfeited his life by his own personal transgressions, and that his death now was the retribution of his cruelties.

And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces] 1. What Samuel did here he did in his magisterial capacity; and, 2. It is not likely he did it by his own sword, but by that of an executioner. What kings, magistrates, and generals do, in an official way, by their subjects, servants, or soldiers, they are said to do themselves; qui facit per alterum, facit per se.

Verses 32, 33. Agag came unto him delicately — Hebrew, tnd[m, magnadannoth, in delights, or ornaments; that is, he came not like an offender, expecting the sentence of death, but in the garb, and gesture, and majesty of a king. And Agag said — Or, For Agag said; this being mentioned as the reason why he came so. Surely the bitterness of death is past — I, who have escaped death from a warlike prince and his soldiers in the fury of battle, shall certainly not suffer it from a prophet in time of peace. As thy sword hath made women childless — By this it appears that he had been a tyrant; and guilty of many bloody actions; and was now cut off, not merely for the sins of his ancestors four hundred years ago, but also for his own merciless cruelty. Samuel hewed Agag in pieces — This he doubtless did by a divine instinct, and in pursuance of God’s express command, which had been sinfully neglected and disobeyed by Saul, but is now executed by Samuel. It is not said that Samuel cut Agag in pieces with his own hand; perhaps he only commanded him to be slain by proper officers. In those days, however, it was no unusual thing for the greatest persons to perform these executions. But no private persons are authorized to make such instances as these precedents for taking the sword of justice into their own hands. For we must be governed in our own conduct by the laws of God, and not by extraordinary examples. Before the Lord in Gilgal — That is, before the altar of the Lord, where they had been praying and offering sacrifices.

Ver. 33. As thy sword, &c. Samuel passed the sentence, being a judge, of blood for blood, leaving the soldiers to execute his commands.

33. As thy sword hath made women childless — These words indicate that Agag had been given to cruelties, and that both he and his people had kept up the old practice of destroying the weak and feeble that might fall in their way. Deuteronomy 25:19. His punishment was retributive, like that of Adoni-bezek. Judges 1:7.

SAMUEL’S LAST WORDS TO SAUL, 10-35.

10. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel — Either by a dream or a vision of the night. See Numbers 12:6.

V. 35. To see Saul-That is, to visit him, in token of respect or friendship: or, to seek counsel from God for him. Otherwise he did see him 1 Samuel 19:24. Though indeed it was not Samuel that came thither with design to see Saul, but Saul went thither to see Samuel, and that accidentally.

Verse 35. And Samuel came no more to see Saul] But we read, 1 Samuel 19:22-24, that Saul went to see Samuel at Naioth, but this does not affect what is said here. From this time Samuel had no connection with Saul; he never more acknowledged him as king; he mourned and prayed for him, and continued to perform his prophetic functions at Ramah, and at Naioth, superintending the school of the prophets in that place. I SAMUEL

Verse 35. Samuel came no more to see Saul — That is, to visit him, in token of respect or friendship; or, to seek counsel from God for him. Otherwise he did see him afterward, 1 Samuel 19:24. Though indeed it was not Samuel that came thither with a design to see Saul, but Saul went thither to see Samuel, and that accidentally. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul — For his impenitence and rejection. He still had so much love to him, or to his country, as to lament the sad condition into which he was fallen.

35. Samuel came no more to see Saul — At a later time, when in pursuit of David, Saul came before Samuel, (1 Samuel 19:24,) but we do not find that Samuel had any intercourse with him. So this interview at Gilgal was the last the prophet had with the disobedient king.