1Samuel chapter 14 comments

 1Samuel 14:1 ¶  Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father. 2  And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men; 3  And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD’S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. 4  And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5  The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah. 6  And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few. 7  And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart. 8  Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them. 9  If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them. 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. 11  And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. 12  And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel. 13  And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him. 14  And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow. 15  And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.

 

Here there is a skirmish between two groups, Jonathan and his armor bearer on the one hand, and the Philistine warriors on the other. By situating themselves between the two prominent rock croppings of this passage to the Philistine garrison they limited the number of fighters they would have to face in combat at one time. The area they had to fight in was a half-acre of land. His mistake was in not telling his father what he had planned, something that seemed on its face to be rash and foolhardy. But these men on their own are convinced that the Lord can help them and might help them against their enemies. An earthquake accompanied Jonathan and his armor-bearer’s great victory. It seems that God was confirming His approval of this martial contest.

 

1Samuel 14:16 ¶  And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another. 17  Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when

they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there. 18  And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel. 19  And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the

noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand. 20  And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture. 21  Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. 22  Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23  So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven.

 

One of the interesting things to note in this passage is how some Hebrews were allied to the Philistines but came over to Saul when they saw the way the battle was turning. The Philistines were suffering a rout. So, a battle that starts with Jonathan and his armor-bearer fighting in a narrow place that gave them a tactical advantage, is joined by Hebrew forces who had been disloyal, by Saul’s band of men, and then by Israelites who were hiding on mount Ephraim becomes a devastating defeat for the Philistines and great deliverance by God Almighty.

 

 

 

 

    

1Samuel 14:24 ¶  And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food. 25  And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground. 26  And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath. 27  But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28  Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint. 29  Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30  How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? 31  And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint. 32  And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood. 33  Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day. 34  And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there. 35  And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.

 

One of Saul’s weaknesses among others is that he is a control freak who likes to throw his weight around. Gone is the man who hid hoping he would not be named king. Gone is the humble son who went looking for his father’s animals. He makes a foolish demand of his battle-weary men. Jonathan, his son, breaks the command because he didn’t know about it. He led the fight and in fact started the battle.

 

Notice how Jonathan, although a son and subordinate to Saul, declares rightly that Saul has troubled the land. In recognizing the desperation his fighters are operating under, the weakening hunger, Saul demands that they bring their spoils and eat them in front of him, not wanting them to eat raw meat with the blood not drained in violation of God’s law given to Moses. This is a command before the Law, during the Law, and after the Law given to Moses.

 

Genesis 9:4  But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

 

Leviticus 3:17  It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.

 

Acts 15:20  But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

 

Saul builds his first altar to sacrifice to the Lord.

 

1Samuel 14:36 ¶  And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God. 37  And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day. 38  And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day. 39  For, as the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him. 40  Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee. 41  Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped. 42  And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. 43  Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die. 44  And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan. 45  And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not. 46  Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.

 

When Saul consults God through a priest about his idea of completing his victory over the Philistines there is no answer. Saul believes that it is because someone disobeyed him in eating food that God has refrained from speaking. He declares, ironically, that even if it is his own son that that person will die. When it is revealed that Jonathan, who made this great victory happen with his decisive and courageous behavior, is the guilty party Saul makes it clear he is going to kill him but the people save Jonathan from this fate, standing in opposition to Saul’s rash judgment. Realizing that he cannot fight against the wishes of the people he stops following the Philistines and they return to the safety of their strongholds.

 

Here Saul again displays his impulsive behavior and unfitness for the kingship. Here it is shown that the executive leader of a country would do well not to stand against the will of the people when they virtually all agree.

 

1Samuel 14:47 ¶  So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them. 48  And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them. 49  Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: 50  And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 51  And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52  And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.

 

Not everything about Saul’s reign was a disaster. God granted him success in fighting the enemies of the people of Israel going from being nearly destroyed to victory. Saul apparently amassed a strong army of valiant soldiers to defend Israel.

 

John Gill reported that Ishui was just another name for Abinadab found in 1Chronicles 8:33 & 9:39. 

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Psalm 36 comments

 

Psalm 36:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD.» The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. 2  For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful. 3  The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good. 4  He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

 

Paul quotes part of what David says here in verse 1 in Romans 3:18, the very end of the verse;

 

Romans 3:18  There is no fear of God before their eyes.

 

David is describing many people we know or know of. Some of them even claim to be Christians. This type of condemnation of these attitudes is given throughout the Bible. A reading of the book of Job will be most helpful remembering that most of what Job’s friends said was true but that they misapplied it to a man that was innocent of wrongdoing.

 

David has had to face Saul, will face his rebellious son Absalom, and all of the people they influence, command, and who follow after them seeking some advantage. As a shepherd boy and a king he has seen the worst in men and in positions of power sees what kind of person inhabits that layer of society.

 

This can also remind us of the Beast of Revelation, popularly called the Antichrist.

 

Psalm 36:5 ¶  Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. 6  Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. 7  How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. 8  They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. 9  For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. 10  O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. 11  Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me. 12  There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.

 

Here, David, praises God’s mercy, His faithfulness, His righteousness, His judgments, and His lovingkindness. This sentiment in verse 5 is expressed elsewhere in the Psalms;

 

Psalm 57:10  For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.

 

Psalm 103:11  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

 

Psalm 108:4  For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.

 

From verse 6 flows other verses uplighting God’s righteousness;

 

Psalm 71:19  Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!

 

Psalm 97:2  Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

 

Psalm 145:17  The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

 

Notice what Paul says about God’s judgments;

 

Romans 11:33 ¶  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

 

Verse 7 extolls his lovingkindness using symbolic language of the shadow of his wings. Notice how God’s deliverance is likened to being carried on eagle’s wings elsewhere;

 

Exodus 19:4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.

 

Isaiah 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

 

Revelation 12:14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

 

Pleasures, linked to abundance, are also spoken of as being a consequence of obedience to God and His providence. His people are promised not only abundance but joy as a consequence of obedience.

 

Psalm 16:11  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

 

Isaiah 25:6 ¶  And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

 

For verse 9 we can look ahead to Christ as the fountain of life and the light of mankind.

 

John 4:10  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water…14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

 

John 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

 

As the passage ends see the condemnation and fate of the wicked.

 

Psalm 73:18  Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.

 

 

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Matthew, chapter 20, comments

 

Matthew 20:1 ¶  For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2  And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3  And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4  And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5  Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6  And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7  They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8  So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9  And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10  But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11  And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12  Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13  But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14  Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15  Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

 

Continuing with the thought from the last chapters Jesus goes on to teach by way of a parable that God offers everlasting life to all and whether it is received early in life or on one’s death bed the reward is the same, life everlasting. It is God’s free gift that is His to tender as He sees fit.

 

Some are called in youth and some at various stages of life but all are called, and few will receive Christ and everlasting life. Those who will are chosen. God’s foreknowledge knows everyone that will accept Christ as their Saviour and God chooses those who will. On one side of heaven’s metaphorical door it could say, “whosoever will” and on the other side, “Chosen from the foundation of the world.”

 

Matthew 20:17 ¶  And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18  Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19  And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

 

Jesus foretells His betrayal, His trial, His execution, and His resurrection. Here is a prophecy on the other side of the Cross. See how He did this in Matthew 16:21. Christ reinforces to His disciples what is to be, the foundation of Christianity without which there is no salvation for mankind.

 

Matthew 20:20 ¶  Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 21  And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. 22  But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. 23  And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. 24  And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 25  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

 

This passage is, of course, one with great sermon possibilities and has been used many, many times to underscore the humility with which we must come to God. It is an honor and a privilege to serve Him in any capacity. We do not get to pick our divine assignment. There is no place for blind ambition in God’s church. We are given roles by God based on our ability and willingness or we try to seize roles that then make us a tyrant or a fraud.

 

I think of a young man who says that he wants to be a Pastor of a large church. But what if God wanted him to clean the bathrooms or mow the lawn or teach Sunday School? What would happen to him if he tried to force his way to the position he dreamed of without God’s anointing?

 

The passage is pretty self-explanatory. The sons of Zebedee, James and John, had a mother who thought she was looking out for them but she put them in a bad place with the other disciples. Jesus gives a prophecy of their martyrdom in this passage, though. His final comment in the passage leads us to think about the word ransom.

 

Exodus 30:11 ¶  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 12  When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

 

An important thing to note here is that the ransom for a man’s soul was paid to the Lord.

 

…then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD…

 

The Anglican clerics, Westcott and Hort, who were mainly responsible for the Revised Version of the Bible put forward the error that Satan was such a powerful entity, almost an opponent to God, that Jesus paid a ransom to him at the Cross. This is absurd as you can see as ransoms are paid to God.

 

Job 33:24  Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

 

Psalm 49:7  None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

 

1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

 

Christians have granted too much power and authority to Satan who is subordinate to God. He can do nothing without God’s permission and the book of Job says he must operate under the limits set by God. In the Persian religion there was a good god and a bad god; Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu. This eventually resulted in the heresy put forward by the Iranian teacher, Mani, called Manichaeism of a very clear black and white universe where bad things that happen and good things that happen are clearly separated into the realms of distinct entities.

 

However, the Bible teaches God’s absolute sovereignty throughout. There is nothing that He did not either cause to happen or permit to happen for reasons He shows in Job we may never know on this earth. Our duty is to trust Him. Satan is wholly subordinate to God’s will and can do nothing that God does not permit. This is very difficult for Christians who have grown up in pagan Christianity where non-Christian ideas like Greek philosophy, are mingled in with Bible truth.

 

No ransom is now or was ever paid to Satan. That is heresy and blaspheming God’s sovereignty. Satan does not have a position where he can demand a ransom, nor is he ever said to request one.

 

Matthew 20:29 ¶  And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 30  And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. 31  And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. 32  And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? 33  They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. 34  So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

 

By calling Jesus the Son of David these blind men recognize Him as the Messiah. They wanted their sight and they believed that He was able to give them their sight. Christ honored their faith and healed them immediately and they followed Him. There are many important things to learn from this passage. To believe that God can heal you is fundamental to Him healing you. To acknowledge who He is, another thing that is most basic, puts you in line to receive His blessing. 

Bible Study with Fred # 501, Exodus 17: 1-7; the Hebrews complain

Psalm 35 comments on the text

 

Psalm 35:1 ¶  «A Psalm of David.» Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. 2  Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. 3  Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. 4  Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. 5  Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them. 6  Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them. 7  For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. 8  Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. 9  And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. 10  All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

 

In verse 2 a buckler is a small shield that you hold in your fist. It is used in combat both as a defense and a weapon as the boss, the center raised part that accommodates your fist, as well as the edges, can do considerable damage.

 

See David’s plea for deliverance speaking of the weapons of war of the time.

 

In verse 5 chaff is the husks of grain separated by winnowing and threshing that are blown away by the wind.

 

The angel of the LORD is God’s appearance whom I have stated repeatedly is the preincarnate Lord Jesus Christ.

 

David’s promise here is that He will praise God for His mighty deliverance. A good question, I think, is how we would adapt this prayer to our current circumstances and pray the Scriptures back to God.

 

Starting again in verse 1 let’s look at this part of what David says to King Saul;

 

1Samuel 24:12  The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 13  As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 14  After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. 15  The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.

 

And what is said in Psalm 9:4;

 

Psalm 9:4  For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.

 

Psalm 35:11 ¶  False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. 12  They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. 13  But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. 14  I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. 15  But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: 16  With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

 

As David complains of those who spoke lies against him in his conflict with Saul so did the Lord Jesus Christ have false witnesses against Him.

 

Psalms 27:12  Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

 

Matthew 26:60  But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 61  And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 62  And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

 

The martyr, Stephen, also had to face false witnesses;

 

Acts 6:8 ¶  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 9  Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. 10  And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. 11  Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. 12  And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, 13  And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: 14  For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. 15  And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

 

See also in verse 16 that this is the same type of reaction, this grinding of one’s teeth in fury, was done at Stephen’s speech.

 

Matthew 7:54 ¶  When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

 

According to commentators like John Gill no matter what was said about David in his conflict with Saul he proved that he had no intention of murdering the king. In addition, he was rewarded evil for the good he did for Saul and his kingdom. We saw David’s behavior in our study on the historical books that contain the story of his reign. And yet the people for whom he had done good works tried to spoil his soul, to separate it from his body, to kill him.

 

And yet, when those who made themselves his enemies were sick David humbled himself and prayed for them. As Christ kept Judas among His friends even though He knew Judas would betray Him and as Christ wept for Jerusalem and the Jews who would betray Him so David wept for his own enemies in this type of Christ.

 

Psalms 41:9  Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

 

Psalm 55:12  For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: 13  But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. 14  We took sweet

counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

 

John 13:18 ¶  I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

 

Matthew 26:47 ¶  And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48  Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. 49  And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50  And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

 

Matthew 23:37  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

 

Luke 23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

 

Sadly, the people that David did this for and the people that Christ came to save cared not for their suffering and turned on them as the wicked people they were.

 

Gnashing on someone with your teeth means to grind your teeth in fury and anger.

 

Psalm 35:17 ¶  Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. 18  I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. 19  Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. 20  For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. 21  Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it. 22  This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. 23  Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. 24  Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. 25  Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. 26  Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me. 27  Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. 28  And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

 

 

David starts out with a complaint and a query that is made elsewhere in Psalms. It is one that we might make. How long are you going to keep letting this go on?

 

Psalm 6:3  My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?

 

Psalm 13:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.» How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

 

Psalm 89:46  How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?

 

Psalm 94:3  LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?

 

Soul and darling are synonyms, for as John Gill put it, there is nothing more precious to a man or woman than their life, of which this is a reference to.

 

For verse 19 John 15:25;

 

John 15:25  But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

 

Saul hated David without a cause as the Jewish leadership of the time hated Christ for no justifiable reason.

 

David notes that God is righteous in verse 24 by appealing to His righteousness. If God had not delivered him Saul would have killed him but because He does deliver David, David will sing His praises. 

Bible Study with Fred # 500, Exodus 16:32-36; ate Manna for forty years

Bible Study with Fred # 499, Exodus 16:22-31; gathering the Manna

Bible Study with Fred # 498, Exodus 16:13-21; quails and manna

Bible Study with Fred # 497, Exodus 16:1-12; raining bread from heaven

1Samuel, chapter 13, comments

 1Samuel 13:1 ¶  Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2  Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 3  And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. 4  And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal. 5  And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven. 6  When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. 7  And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

 

In the second year of Saul’s reign he goes to battle against a much superior force, the Philistines. They are said to have thirty thousand chariots at their disposal and six thousand horseman, a very large number which in the ancient world could include mercenaries. At this point I might go back to review what I’ve said previously about chariot warfare.

 

The chariot was a mobile fighting platform with a wooden box for the occupants that could deliver an armed fighter using spears or arrows quickly to a part of any battle although the vulnerability of its horses was a weakness as the infantry would have killed them first to render the chariot useless. The number of chariots an army fighting with very expensive bronze technology for fittings and other parts versus one with cheaper iron is significant.

 

The Pharaoh chasing Moses had 600 chariots as per Exodus 14:7. In 2Chronicles 12:3 Pharaoh Shishak represented an Egypt so powerful that it possessed twice that number with which to invade Israel. This may be evidence of how the world’s superpower of the time converted from bronze to iron. Sisera, Jabin king of Canaan’s captain, in chapter 4 will field 900 chariots. In 2Chronicles 14, though, the Ethiopians could only muster 300 chariots though they came with a million soldiers. Now, if I can just be permitted to draw some conclusion from these numbers. Solomon could field 4,000 chariots and teams it is suggested by 2Chronicles 9:25. Consider the possibility that this increase in numbers represented a cheaper military technology and a more fabulously wealthy kingdom. It is possible they started out with bronze chariots and then as iron became more prevalent some would have bronze chariots, fewer in number, and at the height of chariot warfare some would have many more, less expensive iron chariots. Just a thought. Cheaper iron means a revolution in military technology as evidenced by the Philistines fielding 30,000 chariots here.

 

By taking the Philistine garrison at Geba Saul, with only three thousand men, has painted a target on the Israelites. The Philistines will mean to destroy them. The Israelites are terrified.

 

1Samuel 13:8 ¶  And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9  And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 10  And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. 11  And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; 12  Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. 13  And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. 14  But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

 

 

See what Samuel had said;

 

1Samuel 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.

 

Saul disobeys and when Samuel arrives he confronts Saul with his disobedience. Saul, not willing to admit guilt, blames Samuel for being late. Imagine a child or even an employee who, when confronted with outright disobedience, turns it back on you and blames you for their transgression.

 

Saul makes excuses for his actions, justifying himself. There are three things, it has been said, that mankind is known for; a lust for self-glorification, self-propagation, and self-justification.

 

This is a good lesson for us. Think of others who have lied and excused wrongs they have committed.

 

Adam;

 

Genesis 3:12  And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

 

Aaron;

 

Exodus 32:1 ¶  And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 2  And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. 3  And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 4  And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 5  And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. 6  And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play…21 ¶  And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? 22  And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. 23  For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 24  And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.

 

See this episode in Acts where someone lies to the Holy Ghost.

 

Acts 5:1 ¶  But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2  And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid

it at the apostles’ feet. 3  But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4  Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5  And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

 

This disobedience will cost Saul his kingdom. I wonder how many kings throughout history lost their kingdoms because they willfully disobeyed God and justified it.

 

Communists in the present day and other weak-minded people will justify their actions based on their feeling a need to do something. They justify any egregious sin against God simply by saying they had no choice, that pragmatically, it was something they just had to do and that makes it okay.

 

God is seeking him a man after his own heart. See the reference in Acts back to this.

 

Acts 13:22  And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

 

If you think this to be a trivial matter for which to be punished consider what Samuel will say;

 

1 Samuel 15:23  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

 

1Samuel 13:15 ¶  And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. 16  And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17  And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual: 18  And another company turned the way to Bethhoron: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 19  Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: 20  But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. 21  Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. 22  So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 23  And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.

 

Saul started out with three thousand men, divided by two thousand directly following him and a thousand with his son, Jonathan. By now only six hundred are left with him suggesting a very high desertion as they feared the Philistines’ wrath as noted earlier in this chapter. They are facing an enormously powerful army with a very small number of fighters.

 

Notice also how poorly armed the Israelites are, with the only truly legitimate weapons of war being with Saul and Jonathan. The Philistines sent out parties from their base at Michmash of what are called in the text spoilers to ravage the countryside after Saul and his army attacked the Philistine garrison at Geba. Things don’t look good for Israel.