Richard Challoner

An ephod: Or the ephod. That is, the vestment of the high priest, with the urim and thummim, by which the Lord gave his oracle.

Heart struck him: Viz., with remorse, as fearing he had done amiss.

A thought to kill thee: That is, a suggestion, to which I did not consent.

Revenge me of thee: Or, as it is in the Hebrew, will revenge me. The meaning is, that he refers his whole cause to God, to judge and punish according to his justice: yet so as to keep himself in the mean time, from all personal hatred to Saul, or desire of gratifying his own passion, by seeking revenge. So far from it, that when Saul was afterwards slain, we find, that instead of rejoicing at his death, he mourned most bitterly for him.

If I leave: David certainly sinned in his designs against Nabal and his family, as he himself was afterwards sensible, when he blessed God for hindering him from executing the revenge he had proposed.

His name: Nabal, in Hebrew, signifies a fool.

Blessed be: David praiseth God, on this occasion, not out of joy for the death of Nabal (which would have argued a rancour of heart), but because he saw that God had so visibly taken his cause in hand, in punishing the injury done to him; whilst, by a merciful providence he kept him from revenging himself.

Pillaged Gessuri: These probably were enemies of the people of God: and some, if not all of them, were of the number of those whom God had ordered to be destroyed: which justifies David's proceedings in their regard. Though it is to be observed here, that we are not under an obligation of justifying every thing that he did: for the scripture, in relating what was done, does not say that it was well done. And even such as are true servants of God, are not to be imitated in all they do.

Understood that it was Samuel: It is the more common opinion of the holy fathers, and interpreters, that the soul of Samuel appeared indeed: and not, as some have imagined, an evil spirit in his shape. Not that the power of her magic could bring him thither, but that God was pleased for the punishment of Saul, that Samuel himself should denounce unto him the evils that were falling upon him. See Eccli. 46. 23.

With me: That is, in the state of the dead, and in another world, though not in the same place.

Michaia: Alias Maacha. Her father had also two names, viz., Absalom, or Abessalom, and Uriel.

A covenant of salt: That is, a firm and perpetual covenant. See Num. 18. 19.

Six and thirtieth year of his kingdom: That is, of the kingdom of Juda, taking the date of it from the beginning of the reign of Reboam.

Joachaz: Alias Ochozias.

Forty-two: Divers Greek Bibles read thirty-two, agreeably to 4 Kings 8. 26.

To the sabbath: That is, to perform in your weeks the functions of your office, or the weekly watches.

For he had stripped it of help: That is, Achaz stripped the kingdom of Juda of the divine assistance by his wickedness, and by his introducing idolatry.

The host of heaven: The sun, moon, and stars.

Eight years old: He was associated by his father to the kingdom, when he was but eight years old; but after his father's death, when he reigned alone, he was eighteen years old. 4 Kings 24. 8.

To the lady Elect: Some conjecture that Elect might be the name of a family, or of a particular church; but the general opinion is, that it is the proper name of a lady, so eminent for her piety and great charity, as to merit this Epistle from St. John.