Thy Lord. He may allude to Saul, (ver. 3,) or to himself, (chap. v. 8,) or to God, as David was under obligations to all three. (Haydock) --- Light, that none might know or be dejected, in the rest of the army. (Menochius) CHAPTER XXIX. Day. It was distant from Aphec about 90 miles. --- Smitten, yet without killing any. (Calmet) --- We may adore a merciful Providence, which prevented these barbarians from treating David's men as he had treated theirs, chap. xxvii. 11. (Salien, the year before Christ 1074.) --- He would allow them to burn the city, &c., that David might be roused to execute the divine vengeance upon them. (Theodoret) Tears. Hebrew, "till they had no more power to weep." (Menochius) --- See Lamentations ii. 11. Cicero exclaims, Hei mihi! consumptis enim lachrymis, infixus tamen h\'e6ret in corde dolor. (Phil. ii.) Stone him, as the author of all their losses, because he had not left a sufficient garrison at Siceleg, and had irritated the Amalecites. Inconstant people! they thought that he we indebted to them for all that he possessed! (Calmet) --- David, without being too much dejected, sought out for an immediate remedy, and led them on to battle. Their ancestors had once threatened to stone Moses, Exodus xvii., &c. (Tirinus) To David. Some think that David put on the ephod; but this was the function of the high priest, who, according to Grotius, turned towards David, that he might see the brightness of the precious stones. See Exodus xxviii. 30. By means of the priest David was enlightened. (Worthington) Besor is formed by the water falling from the mountains of Idumea, and discharges itself into the Mediterranean, below Gaza. (Calmet) --- Some take it to be the torrent of the desert, or the river of Egypt. Adrichomius makes it run from the mountains of Juda, so as to form the southern boundary of the tribe of Simeon. (Haydock) CHAPTER XXX. Weary. Hebrew pigru, denotes those who are "lazy and dead." Septuagint, "some sat down on the other side of the torrent." Syriac and Arabic insinuate, to defend the passage. But why then do the rest complain? (Calmet) --- They acted irrationally, as David shewed afterwards. Some of the 600 might well be more exhausted than others, and these were selected to guard the baggage, ver. 24. This was only the third day since they left Aphec, ver. 1. (Haydock) Raisins. Hebrew tsimmukim. See chap. xxv. 18. (Calmet) --- The soldiers very prudently took some provisions with them, as they were going into a desert country. (Menochius) Ago. His master's inhumanity was justly punished, and God provided for the safety of his poor slave, while he sent a guide for David. (Haydock) Cerethi, denotes the Philistines, (R. David. See ver. 16.; Haydock) who came originally from Crete, 2 Kings xv. 18., and Ezechiel xxv. 16. (Calmet) --- They might be natives of some province of the Philistines, (Vatable) belonging to Gaza, (Menochius) or Geth. (Haydock) --- Caleb. Hebron and Cariath-sepher fell to his share. The enemy had a good opportunity to ravage all those places, as most of the soldiers were absent (Calmet) at Jezrahel. (Haydock) Him. David did not require this slave to betray his master, for the latter had lost all his claim, and David had acquired it by relieving the distressed. Si herus negaverit servo suo alimenta, &alius suppeditet, sit occupantis. See Martyr. and the Roman laws. The Amalecites dwelt in tents, and the slave knew where they commonly lodged. (Calmet) --- Perhaps his master had told him where to meet him, in case he recovered. Drinking. Hebrew adds, "and dancing," (Salien) in honour of their gods. (Menochius) Evening. Hebrew, "twilight," in the morning (Calmet) or evening. (Haydock) --- Some think that the pursuit lasted three days; others only from three till five in the evening. But David more probably slaughtered the intoxicated people, during the space of a whole day, from morning till evening. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "from the morning or evening star rising, Greek: aro eosphorou, till the afternoon, and on the following day," (Haydock) which commenced at sun-set. (Calmet) --- It was no battle, but flight and carnage. (Menochius) All, excepting what had been eaten, or consumed with fire. (Menochius) And made. Hebrew, " which they drove before those things ( or cattle," taken from the Amalecites. Haydock) "which were separated from those which David had recovered." Each one reclaimed what he had lost. Perhaps David's portion was placed by itself. (Calmet) --- Grotius thinks that, as the things taken in war cannot be reclaimed by the former proprietors, all was equally divided. See Selden, Jur. vi. 16. Unjust. Hebrew Belial. See Deuteronomy xiii. 13. (Calmet) --- David saluted those who had remained at Besor, to shew that he approved of their conduct, unless we may attribute it to his great clemency. (Menochius) Alike. Nothing could be more just and prudent; as this decision prevents continual murmurs and inconveniences. Those who are left behind, are bound to defend the baggage at the hazard of their lives, and each man must obey the orders of the general. Hence all nations seem to have adopted similar regulations, though Achilles declaims against it. (Homer, Iliad i.) --- Coriolanus observes, that formerly the Romans brought all the spoil into the public treasury. (Halicar. vii.) --- The soldiers promised on oath to bring all they should take, and an equal division was made to the whole army. (Polybius x.) --- The sick and absent also partook of the plunder. (Calmet) --- The same was observed by the Machabees, 2 Machabees viii. 28. (Haydock) A law. Custom, (Calmet) and a particular injunction, had long before made way for it, Numbers xxxi. 27, (Haydock) and Josue xxii. 8. --- We might translate the Hebrew, "And this law had been observed in Israel from that day and before." David restored to its full vigour this ancient regulation. The Hebrews have no compound verbs, such as re-establish, re-build, &c., instead of which, they say, to establish, (Calmet) and build again. Thus, by the addition of adverbs, they can explain the same things. Protestants, "from that day forward he made it a statute," &c. (Haydock) --- It is not, therefore, unlawful to make new laws, provided they be conformable to those of God, Deuteronomy iv., and xii. (Worthington) Neighbours. Hebrew, "friends;" some were at a distance, ver. 28. (Haydock) --- The number of presents shews the quantity of the spoil, and the generosity of David towards those who had formerly assisted him. (Calmet) Bethel, "the house of God," as the priests had afforded him protection. (Haydock) --- It is not certain whether he speaks of a town of Ephraim, or of the cities where the ark and the tabernacle were now fixed. --- Ramoth, in the tribe of Simeon: (Calmet) there was another in the tribe of Gad. (Menochius) --- Jether, or "Jethira," (Eusebius) a priests' town, called Ether, Josue xv. 42. Aroer, on the Arnon. David had sojourned among the Moabites. --- Sephamoth: perhaps Sephama, (Numbers xxxiv. 10,) though it was a great way beyond the Jordan. (Calmet) --- Abulensis assigns Sephamoth to Juda. (Menochius) --- Esthamo was in the same tribe, belonging to the priests, Josue xxi. 14. Rachel; perhaps the same with Hachila, chap. xxiii. 19., and xxvi. 1. --- Jerameel. See chap. xxvii. 10. --- Ceni, a canton to the south of the Dead Sea. Arama, or Horma. Numbers xxi. 3. --- Lake. Hebrew, "at Chor Aschan." It is called Asan, Josue xv. 42., and xix. 7. --- Athach, or Athar, Josue xix. 7. Hebron, twenty miles south of Jerusalem. --- Rest. David remunerated all his old friends, which was the sure way to procure more. (Haydock) --- He was still uncertain what would be the event of the war between Saul and the Philistines; and desirous to make friends, who might smooth his way to the throne, according to God's appointment. (Salien) Fled. They make but a feeble resistance, as God was not with them. (Haydock) --- The first onset was made by the archers, and Saul's three sons fell, while the king himself was dangerously wounded. (Calmet) --- The death of his sons would increase his anguish. (Menochius) --- He seems not to have told them of the divine decree, as he might deem it irrevocable and unavoidable, so that flight would have been of no service to them. (Haydock) Jonathan. Ven. Bede, &c., doubt not of his salvation. (Salien) Overtook. Hebrew, "attacked, found, or hit him." He was running away. (Haydock) --- Wounded. Some translate Hebrew, "terrified," as they believe the words of the Amalecite, "my whole life is in me." But that wretch deserves no credit; and Saul would probably not take the desperate resolution of killing himself, till he saw there was no possibility of escaping. Septuagint, "the archers find him, and they wounded him in the lower belly." Theodotion, "in the part near the liver." Bearer. The Rabbins say he was Doeg. They were not yet come to a close engagement. --- Mock at me, as was then customary. See Josue viii. 29., and Judges i. 7. He might recollect the treatment of Samson. (Calmet) --- Fear. "To spill the royal blood's a direful thing." (Homer) With him. Thus to avoid a little shame and temporal punishment, they rushed into those which are inconceivably geat and eternal. (Haydock) --- The Jews in vain attempt to excuse Saul, as they deem suicide in such cases lawful, though in others they deprive those of burial, who have been guilty of it. (Josephus, Antiquities vi. 14.) --- This author applauds the behaviour of Saul; and indeed, his courage called forth the praises of David. But even the pagans have deemed those no better than cowards, who have killed themselves to avoid misery.Rebus in adversis facile est contemnere mortem: Fortiter ille facit, qui miser esse potest. (Martial) The civil laws deny suicides the rites of burial, as they are also guilty of a crime against the state, which they deprive of their labours. They unjustly abandon what God has only committed to their care. Saul seems to have been afraid of receiving any insult himself, rather than to have been desirous of preventing the blasphemies of the infidels against God, as the Jews pretend. He gave no signs of repentance, and the spirit of God pronounces his condemnation. So Saul died for his iniquities, because he transgressed; (Calmet; Hebrew and Septuagint, in his iniquities, by which he prevaricated. Tirinus)... and moreover consulted also a witch, and trusted not in the Lord: therefore he slew him, 1 Paralipomenon x. 13, 14. Saul prefigured those, who having yielded to temptations, persist and die in their evil ways. (St. Gregory) (Worthington) His men. 1 Paralipomenon x. 6., his house fell together. The hopes of his family were at an end, (Haydock) though Isboseth, Abner, and some few survived him, (Menochius) who had fled, (Calmet) or had not been in the engagement. (Haydock) Beyond, or about "the passage" or fords of the Jordan, as the Hebrew means. (Menochius) --- The Philistines did not pursue after them, as God set bounds to their ambition. It might otherwise have proved very fatal to his people, who were now so much divided and terrified. In the parallel passage, in Chronicles, it is only said, When the men....that dwelt in the plains (of Jezrahel) saw this, they fled, 1 Paralipomenon x. 7. The Philistines seized the abandoned cities, particularly Bethsan, (ver. 10.; Haydock) which had been retained by the Chanaanites in the days of the judges, and which David took back, Judges i. 27., and 3 Kings iv. 12. Head, as David had treated that of Goliath, chap. xvii. 54. Astaroth. The like custom was observed by the Hebrew, (chap. xxi. 9,) and by the Greeks and Romans, (Calmet) to acknowledge that victory was granted by God. The Philistines insulted Saul's body, and blasphemed the true God, as much as if they had taken the king alive. He only avoided the mortification of hearing them while he was forced to attend to the furies below. --- Body, with those of his three sons, ver. 12. (Haydock) --- Saul's head was hung up in the temple of Dagon, at Azotus; (1 Paralipomenon x. 10,) his body was suspended on the wall or street of Bethsan; (2 Kings xxi. 12,) or in the most public place, near the gate of the city. Jabes, in gratitude for the deliverance which he had procured for them, chap. xi. 11. (Calmet) --- They are also deserving of praise for shewing mercy to the dead, as well as for their bravery. (Worthington) Burnt them, or the flesh, reserving the ashes and bones to be buried, as was customary among the Greeks and Romans:----- Sed c\'e6nam funeris h\'9cres Negliget iratus quod rem curtaveris; urn\'e6 Ossa inodora dabit. (Persius. vi.) See Amos vi. 10. Jonathan insinuates, that they burnt over the bodies aromatic spices. Wood. 1 Paralipomenon x. 12., under the oak. --- Days, at their own option. David fasted one day, (Calmet) as he did for Abner. (Salien) --- There was no obligation of mourning for the kings, though it is probable that those near the royal city, would shew this mark of attention to the deceased monarch. See Jeremias xxxiv. 5., and 2 Paralipomenon xxxv. 25. The usual term of mourning was seven days, Ecclesiasticus xxii. 13. (Calmet) --- It is very difficult to ascertain the length of Saul's reign. Sanctius and Tirinus allow him only 2 years; Petau 12; Calvisius 15; Salien 18; Bucholeer, and probably Josephus, 20, though most copies of the latter have 38; St. Augustine, Serarius, Usher, &c., 40, which is the term mentioned [in] Acts xiii. 20. But most chronologers suppose that the time of Samuel's administration is there also included. (Haydock) --- Sulpitius thinks that Saul only "reigned a very short time," as "the ark was brought to Cariathiarim before the appeared on the throne, and was removed by David, after it had been there twenty years."