mh_parser/scraps/2Sam_1_1-2Sam_1_10.html

<p>Here is, I. David settling again in Ziklag, his own city, after he had rescued his family and friends out of the hands of the Amalekites (<a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.1" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.1.1">2 Sam. 1:1</a>): He <i>abode in Ziklag</i>. Thence he was now sending presents to his friends (<a class="bibleref" title="1Sam.30.26" href="/passage/?search=1Sam.30.26">1 Sam. 30:26</a>), and there he was ready to receive those that came into his interests; not men in distress and debt, as his first followers were, but persons of quality in their country, <i>mighty men, men of war</i>, and <i>captains of thousands</i> (as we find, <a class="bibleref" title="1Chr.12.1,1Chr.12.8,1Chr.12.20" href="/passage/?search=1Chr.12.1,1Chr.12.8,1Chr.12.20"><span class="bibleref" title="1Chr.12.1">1 Chron. 12:1</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="1Chr.12.8">8</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="1Chr.12.20">20</span></a>); such came day by day to him, God stirring up their hearts to do so, till he had a <i>great host, like the host of God</i>, as it is said, <a class="bibleref" title="1Chr.12.22" href="/passage/?search=1Chr.12.22">1 Chron. 12:22</a>. The secret springs of revolutions are unaccountable, and must be resolved into that Providence which turns all hearts as the rivers of water.</p>
<p class="tab-1">II. Intelligence brought him thither of the death of Saul. It was strange that he did not leave some spies about the camp, to bring him early notice of the issue of the engagement, a sign that he desired not Saul’s woeful day, nor was impatient to come to the throne, but willing to wait till those tidings were brought to him which many a one would have sent more than half-way to meet. He that believes does not make haste, takes good news when it comes and is not uneasy while it is in the coming. 1. The messenger presents himself to David as an express, in the posture of a mourner for the deceased prince and a subject to the succeeding one. He came with his clothes rent, and made obeisance to David (<a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.2" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.1.2">2 Sam. 1:2</a>), pleasing himself with the fancy that he had the honour to be the first that did him homage as his sovereign, but it proved he was the first that received from him sentence of death as his judge. He told David he came from the camp of Israel, and intimated the bad posture it was in when he said he had escaped out of it, having much ado to get away with his life, <a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.3" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.1.3">2 Sam. 1:3</a>. 2. He gives him a general account of the issue of the battle. David was very desirous to know how the matter went, as one that had more reason than any to be concerned for the public; and he told him very distinctly that the army of Israel was routed, many slain, and, among the rest, Saul and Jonathan, <a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.4" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.1.4">2 Sam. 1:4</a>. He named only Saul and Jonathan, because he knew David would be most solicitous to know their fate; for Saul was the man whom he most feared and Jonathan the man whom he most loved. 3. He gives him a more particular account of the death of Saul. It is probable that David had heard, by the report of others, what the issue of the war was, for multitudes resorted to him, it should seem, in consequence; but he was desirous to know the certainty of the report concerning Saul and Jonathan, either because he was not forward to believe it or because he would not proceed upon it to make his own claims till he was fully assured of it. He therefore asks, <i>How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan are dead</i>? in answer to which the young man tells him a very ready story, putting it past doubt that Saul was dead, for he himself had been not only an eye-witness of his death, but an instrument of it, and therefore David might rely upon his testimony. He says nothing, in his narrative, of the death of Jonathan, knowing how ungrateful that would be to David, but accounts only for Saul, thinking (as David understood it well enough, <a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.4.10" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.4.10">2 Sam. 4:10</a>) that he should be welcome for that, and rewarded as one that brought good tidings. The account he gives of this matter is, (1.) Very particular. That he happened to go to the place where Saul was (<a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.6" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.1.6">2 Sam. 1:6</a>) as a passenger, not as a soldier, and therefore an indifferent person, that he found Saul endeavouring to run himself through with his own spear, none of his attendants being willing to do it for him; and, it seems, he could not do it dexterously for himself: his hand and heart failed him. The miserable man had not courage enough either to live or die; he therefore called this stranger to him (<a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.7" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.1.7">2 Sam. 1:7</a>), enquired what countryman he was, for, provided he was not a Philistine, he would gladly receive from his hand the <i>coup de grace</i> (as the French call it concerning those that are broken on the wheel)--<i>the merciful stroke</i>, that might dispatch him out of his pain. Understanding that he was an Amalekite (neither one of his subjects nor one of his enemies), he begs this favour from him (<a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.9" href="/passage/?
init 2023-12-17 20:08:46 +00:00				<p>Here is, I. David settling again in Ziklag, his own city, after he had rescued his family and friends out of the hands of the Amalekites (<a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.1" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.1.1">2 Sam. 1:1</a>): He <i>abode in Ziklag</i>. Thence he was now sending presents to his friends (<a class="bibleref" title="1Sam.30.26" href="/passage/?search=1Sam.30.26">1 Sam. 30:26</a>), and there he was ready to receive those that came into his interests; not men in distress and debt, as his first followers were, but persons of quality in their country, <i>mighty men, men of war</i>, and <i>captains of thousands</i> (as we find, <a class="bibleref" title="1Chr.12.1,1Chr.12.8,1Chr.12.20" href="/passage/?search=1Chr.12.1,1Chr.12.8,1Chr.12.20"><span class="bibleref" title="1Chr.12.1">1 Chron. 12:1</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="1Chr.12.8">8</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="1Chr.12.20">20</span></a>); such came day by day to him, God stirring up their hearts to do so, till he had a <i>great host, like the host of God</i>, as it is said, <a class="bibleref" title="1Chr.12.22" href="/passage/?search=1Chr.12.22">1 Chron. 12:22</a>. The secret springs of revolutions are unaccountable, and must be resolved into that Providence which turns all hearts as the rivers of water.</p>
				<p class="tab-1">II. Intelligence brought him thither of the death of Saul. It was strange that he did not leave some spies about the camp, to bring him early notice of the issue of the engagement, a sign that he desired not Saul’s woeful day, nor was impatient to come to the throne, but willing to wait till those tidings were brought to him which many a one would have sent more than half-way to meet. He that believes does not make haste, takes good news when it comes and is not uneasy while it is in the coming. 1. The messenger presents himself to David as an express, in the posture of a mourner for the deceased prince and a subject to the succeeding one. He came with his clothes rent, and made obeisance to David (<a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.2" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.1.2">2 Sam. 1:2</a>), pleasing himself with the fancy that he had the honour to be the first that did him homage as his sovereign, but it proved he was the first that received from him sentence of death as his judge. He told David he came from the camp of Israel, and intimated the bad posture it was in when he said he had escaped out of it, having much ado to get away with his life, <a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.3" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.1.3">2 Sam. 1:3</a>. 2. He gives him a general account of the issue of the battle. David was very desirous to know how the matter went, as one that had more reason than any to be concerned for the public; and he told him very distinctly that the army of Israel was routed, many slain, and, among the rest, Saul and Jonathan, <a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.4" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.1.4">2 Sam. 1:4</a>. He named only Saul and Jonathan, because he knew David would be most solicitous to know their fate; for Saul was the man whom he most feared and Jonathan the man whom he most loved. 3. He gives him a more particular account of the death of Saul. It is probable that David had heard, by the report of others, what the issue of the war was, for multitudes resorted to him, it should seem, in consequence; but he was desirous to know the certainty of the report concerning Saul and Jonathan, either because he was not forward to believe it or because he would not proceed upon it to make his own claims till he was fully assured of it. He therefore asks, <i>How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan are dead</i>? in answer to which the young man tells him a very ready story, putting it past doubt that Saul was dead, for he himself had been not only an eye-witness of his death, but an instrument of it, and therefore David might rely upon his testimony. He says nothing, in his narrative, of the death of Jonathan, knowing how ungrateful that would be to David, but accounts only for Saul, thinking (as David understood it well enough, <a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.4.10" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.4.10">2 Sam. 4:10</a>) that he should be welcome for that, and rewarded as one that brought good tidings. The account he gives of this matter is, (1.) Very particular. That he happened to go to the place where Saul was (<a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.6" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.1.6">2 Sam. 1:6</a>) as a passenger, not as a soldier, and therefore an indifferent person, that he found Saul endeavouring to run himself through with his own spear, none of his attendants being willing to do it for him; and, it seems, he could not do it dexterously for himself: his hand and heart failed him. The miserable man had not courage enough either to live or die; he therefore called this stranger to him (<a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.7" href="/passage/?search=2Sam.1.7">2 Sam. 1:7</a>), enquired what countryman he was, for, provided he was not a Philistine, he would gladly receive from his hand the <i>coup de grace</i> (as the French call it concerning those that are broken on the wheel)--<i>the merciful stroke</i>, that might dispatch him out of his pain. Understanding that he was an Amalekite (neither one of his subjects nor one of his enemies), he begs this favour from him (<a class="bibleref" title="2Sam.1.9" href="/passage/?