The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  1 Samuel 24

  24:2 three thousand chosen men. See 26:2. These were the most skilled soldiers. Rocks of the Wild Goats. The location of this cave is unknown, although “wild goats” stresses the inaccessibility of the cave (cf. Job 39:1). See the titles of Pss. 57, 142, which could also possibly refer to 1 Sam. 22:1.

  24:3 attend to his needs. Lit. “to cover his feet.” This is a euphemism for having a bowel movement, as the person would crouch with his inner garment dropped to his feet.

  24:4 the day of which the LORD said to you. David’s men perhaps believed that God had providentially placed Saul in the same cave where they were hiding so David could kill the king. However, nothing revelatory had previously been said by the Lord that indicated He wanted David to lift a hand against Saul.

  24:5 David’s heart troubled him. David was able to cut off a piece of Saul’s robe undetected. However, touching Saul’s clothing was tantamount to touching his person, and David’s conscience troubled him on this account.

  24:6 LORD’s anointed. David recognized that the Lord Himself had placed Saul into the kingship. Thus the judgment and removal of Saul had to be left to the Lord.

  24:11 neither evil nor rebellion. If David were a wicked rebel against the rule of Saul, as Saul had said (22:8, 13), he would have killed Saul when given this opportunity. The corner of the robe was proof to Saul that David was not his enemy.

  24:12 Let the LORD judge. David called for the Lord Himself, the only fair and impartial Judge (cf. Judg. 11:27), to decide the fate of David and Saul (also v. 15).

  24:13 proverb. A traditional pithy statement that evil deeds are perpetrated only by evil men. A similar point is made by Jesus in Matt. 7:16, 20.

  24:14 A dead dog? A flea? David hereby expresses his lowliness and entire committal of his cause to God, who alone is the Judge and to whom alone belongs vengeance.

  24:17 You are more righteous than I. Upon hearing David’s testimony, Saul was moved with emotion and acknowledged that David was more righteous than he was. His testimony to David’s righteousness recognized David’s right to the kingship.

  24:20 you shall surely be king. Saul emphatically acknowledged that David would be the ruler over the kingdom of Israel. Saul had already been told by Samuel that God would take the kingdom away from him and give it to a man after his own heart (13:14; 15:28). Jonathan had testified that Saul already knew that David would be king (23:17). However, this recognition did not mean that Saul was ready to give up the kingdom.

  24:22 David swore to Saul. By solemn oath, David agreed to preserve Saul’s family and family name. While most of Saul’s family was later slain (2 Sam. 21:8, 9), this pledge was fulfilled in the life of Mephibosheth (see note on 2 Sam. 21:7).

  1 Samuel 25

  25:1 the Israelites…lamented for him. The death of Samuel, the last of the judges, brought Israel to the end of an era. So widespread was Samuel’s influence among the people that all Israel gathered to lament his death. Wilderness of Paran. A desert area in the NE region of the Sinai Peninsula.

  25:2 Carmel. “Vineyard land,” “garden spot.” About 7 mi. S of Hebron and one mi. N of Maon. This was the same spot where Saul erected a monument in his own honor (15:12).

  25:3 Nabal. “Fool.” An appropriate name in view of his foolish behavior (v. 25). Abigail. “My father is joy.” The wife of Nabal who was intelligent and beautiful in contrast to her evil husband. the house of Caleb. Nabal was a descendant of Caleb and lived in Caleb’s tribal holdings (Josh. 14:13; 15:13), but did not possess the spiritual qualities of his illustrious forefather.

  25:4, 5 shearing his sheep. While hiding out in the wilderness, David and his men took the job of protecting the flocks of Nabal (vv. 7, 15, 16). Upon hearing that Nabal was shearing his sheep, David sent 10 of his men to collect their rightful compensation for the good they had done (v. 8).

  25:8 a feast day. A special day of rejoicing over the abundance of sheared wool from the sheep (cf. v. 11).

  25:10, 11 This pretended ignorance of David was surely a sham. The knowledge of the young king-elect was widespread. Nabal pretended not to know to excuse his unwillingness to do what was right.

  25:14 reviled. David sent his messengers to “greet” (lit. “bless”) Nabal, but David’s men were viciously rebuffed by Nabal. This term emphasized the wickedness of Nabal’s action.

  25:15, 16 The testimony of one of Nabal’s men affirmed the value of David’s protection. It was like a fortress “wall” enclosing a city, providing total security.

  25:17 one cannot speak to him. Nabal was a “son of Belial,” a worthless fellow (see note on 2:12). Nabal’s situation was the product of his own wickedness. His unwillingness to seek the counsel of others ultimately led to his demise.

  25:18 five seahs. Slightly more than one bu.

  25:19 did not tell her husband. Abigail knew that Nabal would disagree with her actions, but knowing the Lord’s choice of David (v. 28), she recognized the consequences involved in Nabal’s cursing of David. By her actions, she chose to obey God rather than man (see Acts 5:29), as a wife may sometimes need to do.

  25:22 May God do so. A strong oath of self-imprecation. David swore that he would kill every male in Nabal’s household by daybreak.

  25:25 this scoundrel. I.e., “troublemaker.” as his name is, so is he. A name was not simply a label of distinguishing one thing from another, but a profound insight into the character of the one named. “Fool” has the connotation of one who is “morally deficient.”

  25:28 an enduring house. Abigail’s perceptive insight fit an essential feature of the Davidic Covenant (see 2 Sam. 7:11–16). fights the battles of the LORD. Unlike the king previously desired by the people (8:20), David was a man who fought the Lord’s battles. He was truly God’s king.

  25:29 bound in the bundle of the living. A metaphor that reflects the custom of binding valuables in a bundle to protect them from injury. The point here was that God cared for His own as a man would his valuable treasure. David, she said, enjoyed the protection of divine providence which destined him for great things. On the other hand, God would fling his enemies away like a stone in a sling-shot.

  25:30 ruler over Israel. Abigail was certain that David would exercise effective rule over Israel after Saul’s death. In the meantime, however, she did not want him to do anything to jeopardize his future, endanger his throne, or violate God’s will by seeking personal vengeance in anger (vv. 33, 34).

  25:37, 38 heart died…became like a stone. Intoxicated, Nabal apparently suffered a stroke and became paralyzed until he died.

  25:43 Ahinoam of Jezreel. David’s third wife, joining Michal and Abigail. For Jezreel, see note on 29:1.

  25:44 Palti…from Gallim. Palti means “my deliverance.” The location of Gallim is unknown, but was probably a few mi. N of Jerusalem. See 2 Sam. 3:13–16 for Michal’s return to David.

  1 Samuel 26

  26:1 hill of Hachilah…Jeshimon. See notes on 23:19.

  26:2 three thousand chosen men. See 24:2.

  26:5 Saul lay. Saul was sleeping in an apparently invulnerable place. He had his commander beside him, inside the camp, surrounded by his entire army. Abner. See note on 14:50.

  26:6 Ahimelech the Hittite. Mentioned only here, he was one of the many mercenaries who formed a part of David’s army. Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab. See note on 2 Sam. 2:18. He joined with Ahimelech in going down with David into the camp of Saul.

  26:9 the LORD’s anointed. See note on 24:6.

  26:10 As the LORD lives. An oath usually associated with life-or-death matters. The sovereign God would decide when, where, and how Saul would perish, not David.

  26:12 spear and the jug. Like the corner of Saul’s robe (24:4), these were taken as proof that David had Saul’s life in his hand (cf. v. 16). a deep sleep from the LORD. As with Adam in Gen. 2:21 and Abraham in Gen. 15:12, the Lord caused Saul to be unaware of what was taking place around him.

  26:19 If the LORD…the children
of men. David set forth two possibilities for why Saul was pursuing him. First, David had sinned against the Lord. If that was the case, he was willing to offer a sacrifice for atonement. Second, evil men had caused Saul’s hostility toward David. If that were the case, these men should be judged. the inheritance of the LORD. I.e., the land of Israel (cf. 2 Sam. 20:19; 21:3). Go, serve other gods. David’s exile from the land was virtually equivalent to forcing him to abandon the worship of the Lord, for there were no sanctuaries to the Lord outside of Israelite territory.

  26:20 flea…partridge. The flea represents something that was worthless and the partridge something that was impossible to catch. Saul was wasting his time with his pursuit of David.

  26:21 I have sinned. As in 24:17, Saul confessed his sin and wrongdoing. Although Saul may have been sincere, he could not be trusted and David wisely did not accept his invitation to return with him. I have played the fool. Saul had been foolish in his actions toward David, as had Nabal.

  26:25 still prevail. Saul recognized the certain success of David’s future as Israel’s king (cf. 24:20).

  1 Samuel 27

  27:1 by the hand of Saul. In direct contrast to Saul’s word that David would prevail (26:25), David thought that Saul would ultimately kill him. This anxious thinking and the fear that fell upon him explain David’s actions in this chapter. God had told him to stay in Judah (22:5), but he was afraid and sought protection again among the Philistine enemies of Israel (cf. 21:10–15).

  27:3 two wives. His third wife, Michal, had been temporarily given to another man by Saul (cf. 25:44).

  27:4 sought him no more. Saul was no longer able to pursue David since he was out of the land of Israel.

  27:5 the royal city. I.e., Gath. David requested a city of his own in the country so that he could be free from the constant surveillance to which he was exposed in Gath, and so that he could avoid the pagan influence of that Philistine city.

  27:6 Ziklag. This was a city located about 13 mi. NW of Beersheba that had been an Israelite possession (Josh. 15:31; 19:5), but was then under Philistine control. to this day. Ziklag became a part of Judah and was still so at the time of the writing of Samuel, which is clearly in the post-Solomonic, divided kingdom era. See Introduction: Author and Date.

  27:7 one full year and four months. For 16 months David was able to deceive Achish concerning his actions. He remained there until after Saul’s death when he moved to Hebron (2 Sam. 1:1; 2:1, 2).

  27:8 Geshurites…Girzites…Amalekites. These peoples lived in southern Canaan and northern Sinai. Shur…Egypt. See note on 15:7.

  27:9 he left neither man nor woman alive. David left no survivors from his raids in order that Achish might not learn the true nature of his desert exploits (see v. 11).

  27:10 Judah…Jerahmeelites…Kenites. The regions S of the hill country centering around Beersheba. This region was far enough away from Gath so that Achish would be ignorant of David’s movements. David implied to Achish that the hostility of Judah toward David was increasing, while in fact he was gaining the appreciation and loyalty of Judah toward himself by raiding their wilderness neighbors. Achish thought David was more securely his servant as his own people turned against him (vv. 2–4), but just the opposite was true.

  1 Samuel 28

  28:1 You assuredly know. The kindness showed to David and his men by Achish in Gath was not without expectation of reciprocation. This phrase seems to presuppose an understanding of this expectation.

  28:2 what your servant can do. Being a man of honor, David would not fail to help those who had shown him kindness. David was drawing attention to the fact that he had proven himself as a valiant and successful warrior and was assuring Achish of his fidelity and ability. chief guardians. In light of David’s victory over Goliath (17:49–54) and imagined bad reputation among the Israelites, Achish was expressing considerable trust in David’s loyalty and ability, for “chief guardian” lit. means “keeper of my head.”

  28:3–13 Having deprived himself of every legitimate means of spiritual input as a result of his own disobedience and rebellion, Saul walked in foolishness again by seeking out the very resource (a medium) he had previously removed from the land. Saul swore to the medium an oath of safety by the very God that he was disobeying even then. Yet the inexorable curiosity of Saul to consult Samuel, in spite of Samuel’s death, was satisfied by the medium’s willingness to “bring up” Samuel.

  28:3 mediums and the spiritists. By divine law, they were banned from Israel (Deut. 18:11), and Israel was not to be defiled by them (Lev. 19:31). Turning to them was tantamount to playing the harlot and would result in God setting His face against the person and cutting him off from among His people (Lev. 20:6). Mediums and spiritists were to be put to death by stoning (Lev. 20:27). Even Saul understood this and had previously dealt with the issue (see v. 9).

  28:4 Shunem. Situated SW of the hill of Moreh and 16 mi. SW of the Sea of Galilee; the Philistines designated it as their camp site. Gilboa. The mountain range beginning 5 mi. S of Shunem and extending southward along the eastern edge of the plain of Jezreel. See note on 31:1.

  28:5 his heart trembled greatly. Saul had hidden himself when he was chosen by lot to be king (10:22). When the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, he was changed (10:6), but after the Spirit had departed (16:14), he was afraid and dismayed by Goliath (17:11, 24). He feared at Gilgal when faced by the overwhelming size of the Philistine army (13:11, 12). Saul was also afraid of David because he knew that the Lord was with David (18:12, 29). But, Saul was to fear God (12:24), not people.

  28:6 dreams…Urim…prophets. These were the 3 basic ways through which God revealed His Word and His will. Dreams and visions were the common manner through which the Lord revealed Himself and His will during the time of Moses (Num. 12:6). The Urim was used by the priest as a means of inquiring of the Lord (Num. 27:21). It was originally put in the breastpiece of judgment with the Thummim and worn over Aaron’s heart when he went in before the Lord (see note on Ex. 28:30). Somehow, unknown to us, God revealed His will by it. Prophets were formerly called seers (9:9) and were used as a reference for inquiring of the Lord. God also used prophets to declare His Word when people were not interested in it (Amos 7:12, 13). Since Saul had rejected the Lord, God had rejected him (15:23). Saul appears to have had no court prophet in the manner that Gad and Nathan were to David (22:5; 2 Sam. 12); and, by this time, the ephod with the Urim was in David’s possession by virtue of Abiathar the priest (23:6).

  28:7 Find me…a medium. In Saul’s desperation, he sought the very source that he had formerly removed from the land (28:3). In spite of the ban, Saul’s servant knew exactly where to find a medium. En Dor. Located about 3.5 mi. NW of Shunem between Mt. Tabor and the Hill of Moreh. Saul risked his life by venturing into the Philistine-held territory to seek out the counsel of the medium; thus he went in disguise by night (v. 8).

  28:10 swore to her by the LORD. Though blatantly walking in disobedience to God, it is ironic that Saul would swear by the very existence of the Lord as a means of assuring his credibility to the medium. Even more, Saul swore that no punishment would come upon her when the Levitical law required her to be stoned to death (Lev. 20:27).

  28:12 the woman saw Samuel. Though questions have arisen as to the nature of Samuel’s appearance, the text clearly indicates that Samuel, not an apparition, was evident to the eyes of the medium. God miraculously permitted the actual spirit of Samuel to speak (vv. 16–19). Because she understood her inability to raise the dead in this manner, she immediately knew 1) that it must have been by the power of God and 2) that her disguised inquirer must be Saul.

  28:13 a spirit ascending out of the earth. The word translated “spirit” is actually the Heb. word meaning “God, gods, angel, ruler, or judge.” It can also be used to designate a likeness to one of these. From the medium’s perspective, Samuel appeared to be “like a spirit” ascending out of the earth. There is no other such miracle as this in all of Scripture.

&n
bsp; 28:14 old man…with a mantle. Obviously age and clothing do not exist in the realm of the spirits of those who have died, but God miraculously gave such appearances so that Saul was able to perceive that the spirit was Samuel. The question arises whether all believers will remain in the form they were in when they died. Samuel may have been as such simply for the benefit of Saul, or he might be in this state until he receives his resurrection body. Since Scripture teaches that the resurrection of OT saints is yet future (see Dan. 12:1, 2), Samuel must have temporarily been in this condition solely for the benefit of Saul.

  28:15 disturbed me. Samuel’s comment expresses agitation caused by Saul’s efforts to contact him since living humanity was not allowed to seek out discussions with the dead (Deut. 18:11; Lev. 20:6). Witchcraft puts the seeker in contact with demons impersonating those who are being sought, since the dead person cannot ordinarily be contacted, except in this unique case.

  28:16, 18 your enemy. See 15:26–35.

  28:19 will be with me. This could mean with him in “the abode of the righteous.” There is no doubt that Samuel meant this to serve as a premonition of Saul’s soon death.

  28:20 no strength in him. Already afraid with a heart that “trembled greatly” because of the Philistines (v. 5), Saul’s fear was so heightened by the words of Samuel that he was completely deprived of strength and vigor, which was reinforced by a lack of nourishment. The woman met his physical needs, and he returned to his camp to await his doom (vv. 21–25).

  1 Samuel 29

  29:1 gathered…encamped. The Philistines were assembling for battle while the Israelites were still camping by the spring. This picks up the story line originally started in 28:1, but which was sidelined to communicate Saul’s encounter with the medium. Aphek. Located about 24 mi. N of Gath (cf. 4:1). Jezreel. Only a few mi. S of Shunem, and 40 mi. NE of Aphek, Jezreel was N of Mt. Gilboa.