English · KJV

Richard Challoner

Reformation and later · AD 1500 onward · d. AD 1781 · 798 passages across 38 books

Commentary

261–280 of 798
1 Samuel 9:12 · 2 passages

And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:

A sacrifice: The law did not allow of sacrifices in any other place, but at the tabernacle, or temple, in which the ark of the covenant was kept; but Samuel, by divine dispensation, offered sacrifices in other places. For which dispensation this reason may be alleged, that the house of God in Silo, having lost the ark, was now cast off; as a figure of the reprobation of the Jews, Ps. 77. 60, 67. And in Cariathiarim where the ark was, there was neither tabernacle, nor altar.-- Ibid.

The high place: Excelsum. The excelsa, or high places, so often mentioned in scripture, were places of worship, in which were altars for sacrifice. These were sometimes employed in the service of the true God, as in the present case: but more frequently in the service of idols; and were called excelsa, which is commonly (though perhaps not so accurately) rendered high places; not because they were always upon hills, for the very worst of all, which was that of Topheth, or Geennom, (Jer. 19.) was in a valley; but because of the high altars, and pillars, or monuments, erected there, on which were set up the idols, or images of their deities.

1 Samuel 10:3

Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

Bethel: Where there was at that time an altar of God; it being one of the places where Samuel judged Israel.

1 Samuel 10:5 · 2 passages

After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:

The hill of God: Gabaa, in which there was also at that time, a high place or altar.

Prophets: These were men whose office it was to sing hymns and praises to God; for such in holy writ are called prophets, and their singing praises to God is called prophesying. See 1 Par. alias 1 Chr. 15. 22, and 25. 1. Now there were in those days colleges, or schools for training up these prophets; and it seems there was one of these schools at this hill of God; and another at Najoth in Ramatha. See 1 Kings 19. 20, 21, etc.

1 Samuel 10:8

And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.

Galgal: Here also by dispensation was an altar of God.

1 Samuel 10:12

And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

Their father: That is, their teacher, or superior. As much as to say, Who could bring about such a wonderful change as to make Saul a prophet?

1 Samuel 12:11

And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

Jerobaal and Badan: That is, Gedeon and Samson called here Badan or Bedan, because he was of Dan.

1 Samuel 12:17

Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.

Wheat harvest: At which time of the year, it never thunders or rains in those countries.

1 Samuel 13:1

Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

Of one year: That is, he was good and like an innocent child, and for two years continued in that innocency.

1 Samuel 14:10

But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.

This shall be a sign: It is likely Jonathan was instructed by divine inspiration to make a choice of this sign: otherwise the observation of omens is superstitious and sinful.

1 Samuel 14:42

And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

Jonathan was taken: Though Jonathan was excused from sin, through ignorance of the prohibition, yet God was pleased on this occasion to let the lot fall upon him, to show unto all the great obligation of obedience to princes and parents.

1 Samuel 15:3

Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

Child: The great Master of life and death (who cuts off one half of all mankind whilst they are children) has been pleased sometimes to ordain that children should be put to the sword, in detestation of the crimes of their parents, and that they might not live to follow the same wicked ways. But without such ordinance of God it is not allowable, in any wars, how just soever, to kill children.

1 Samuel 15:35

And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Saw Saul no more till the day of his death: That is, he went no more to see him: he visited him no more.

1 Samuel 16:14

But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

From the Lord: An evil spirit, by divine permission, and for his punishment, either possessed or obsessed him.

1 Samuel 16:23

And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Departed from him: Chased away by David's devotion.

1 Samuel 18:10

And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.

Prophesied: Acted the prophet in a mad manner.

1 Samuel 19:18

So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

Najoth: It was probably a school or college of prophets, in or near Ramath under the direction of Samuel.

1 Samuel 19:20

And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

Prophesying: That is, singing praises to God by a divine impulse. God was pleased on this occasion that both Samuel's messengers and himself should experience the like impulse, that he might understand, by this instance of the divine power, how vain are the designs of man against him whom God protects.

1 Samuel 20:5

And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.

Tomorrow is the new moon: The neomenia, or first day of the moon, kept according to the law, as a festival; and therefore Saul feasted on that day: and expected the attendance of his family.

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