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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
David Marries Saul's Daughter; Saul's Jealousy of David. (b. c. 1059.)
DAVID MARRIES SAUL'S DAUGHTER; SAUL'S JEALOUSY OF DAVID. (B. C. 1059.) Saul had now, in effect, proclaimed war with David. He began in open hostility when he threw the javelin at him. Now we are here told how his enmity…
Saul's Jealousy of David; Jonathan's Intercession for David. (b. c. 1058.)
SAUL'S JEALOUSY OF DAVID; JONATHAN'S INTERCESSION FOR DAVID. (B. C. 1058.) Saul and Jonathan appear here in their different characters, with reference to David. I. Never was enemy so unreasonably cruel as Saul. He spoke…
David Escapes from Saul. (b. c. 1058.)
DAVID ESCAPES FROM SAUL. (B. C. 1058.) Here I. David continues his good services to his king and country. Though Saul had requited him evil for good, and even his usefulness was the very thing for which Saul envied him,…
Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 19:11-17
Here is, I. Saul's further design of mischief to David. When David had escaped the javelin, supposing he went straight to his own house, as indeed he did, Saul sent some of his guards after him to lay wait at the door o…
Saul Prophesies before Samuel. (b. c. 1058.)
SAUL PROPHESIES BEFORE SAMUEL. (B. C. 1058.) Here is, I. David's place of refuge. Having got away in the night from his own house, he fled not to Bethlehem to his relations, nor to any of the cities of Israel that had c…
David Consults Jonathan. (b. c. 1058.)
DAVID CONSULTS JONATHAN. (B. C. 1058.) Here, I. David makes a representation to Jonathan of his present troubles. While Saul lay bound by his trance at Naioth David escaped to the court, and got to speak with Jonathan.…
Jonathan's Covenant with David. (b. c. 1058.)
JONATHAN'S COVENANT WITH DAVID. (B. C. 1058.) Here, I. Jonathan protests his fidelity to David in his distress. Notwithstanding the strong confidence David had in Jonathan, yet, because he might have some reason to fear…
Jonathan Excuses David to Saul. (b. c. 1058.)
JONATHAN EXCUSES DAVID TO SAUL. (B. C. 1058.) Jonathan is here effectually convinced of that which he was so loth to believe, that his father had an implacable enmity to David, and would certainly be the death of him if…
David Informed of His Danger. (b. c. 1058.)
DAVID INFORMED OF HIS DANGER. (B. C. 1058.) Here is, 1. Jonathan's faithful performance of his promise to give David notice of the success of his dangerous experiment. He went at the time and to the place appointed (1 S…
David Obtains the Show-Bread; David Gets the Sword of Goliath. (b. c. 1057.)
DAVID OBTAINS THE SHOW-BREAD; DAVID GETS THE SWORD OF GOLIATH. (B. C. 1057.) Here, I. David, in distress, flies in the tabernacle of God, now pitched at Nob, supposed to be a city in the tribe of Benjamin. Since Shiloh…
David Driven from Achish. (b. c. 1057.)
DAVID DRIVEN FROM ACHISH. (B. C. 1057.) David, though king elect, is here an exile—designed to be master of vast treasures, yet just now begging his bread—anointed to the crown, and yet here forced to flee from his coun…
David in the Cave of Adullam. (b. c. 1057.)
DAVID IN THE CAVE OF ADULLAM. (B. C. 1057.) Here, I. David shelters himself in the cave of Adullam, 1 Samuel 22:1. Whether it was a natural or artificial fastness does not appear; it is probable that the access to it wa…
Saul Destroys the Lord's Priests; the City of Nob Destroyed. (b. c. 1057.)
SAUL DESTROYS THE LORD'S PRIESTS; THE CITY OF NOB DESTROYED. (B. C. 1057.) We have seen the progress of David's troubles; now here we have the progress of Saul's wickedness. He seems to have laid aside the thoughts of a…
Abiathar's Escape. (b. c. 1057.)
ABIATHAR'S ESCAPE. (B. C. 1057.) Here is, 1. The escape of Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, out of the desolations of the priests' city. Probably when his father went to appear, upon Saul's summons, he was left at home t…
David Delivers Keilah. (b. c. 1057.)
DAVID DELIVERS KEILAH. (B. C. 1057.) Now we find why the prophet Gad (by divine direction, no doubt) ordered David to go into the land of Judah, 1 Samuel 22:5. It was that, since Saul neglected the public safety, he mig…
David Escapes from Keilah. (b. c. 1057.)
DAVID ESCAPES FROM KEILAH. (B. C. 1057.) Here is, I. Saul contriving within himself the destruction of David (1 Samuel 23:7-8): He heard that he had come to Keilah; and did he not hear what brought him thither? Was it n…
David in the Wilderness of Ziph. (b. c. 1057.)
DAVID IN THE WILDERNESS OF ZIPH. (B. C. 1057.) Here is, I. David absconding. He abode in a wilderness, in a mountain (1 Samuel 23:14), in a wood, 1 Samuel 23:15. We must here, 1. Commend his eminent virtues, his humilit…
Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 23:19-29
Here, 1. The Ziphites offer their service to Saul, to betray David to him, 1 Samuel 23:19-20. He was sheltering himself in the wilderness of Ziph (1 Samuel 23:14-15), putting the more confidence in the people of that co…
David Spares Saul in the Cave. (b. c. 1057.)
DAVID SPARES SAUL IN THE CAVE. (B. C. 1057.) Here, I. Saul renews his pursuit of David, 1 Samuel 24:1-2. No sooner had he come home safely from chasing the Philistines, in which it should seem he had good success, than…
David Expostulates with Saul. (b. c. 1057.)
DAVID EXPOSTULATES WITH SAUL. (B. C. 1057.) We have here David's warm and pathetic speech to Saul, wherein he endeavours to convince him that he did him a great deal of wrong in persecuting him thus and to persuade him…
Saul Relents at David's Reproof. (b. c. 1057.)
SAUL RELENTS AT DAVID'S REPROOF. (B. C. 1057.) Here we have, I. Saul's penitent reply to David's speech. It was strange that he had patience to hear him out, considering how outrageous he was against him, and how cuttin…
The Death of Samuel. (b. c. 1057.)
THE DEATH OF SAMUEL. (B. C. 1057.) We have here a short account of Samuel's death and burial. 1. Though he was a great man, and one that was admirably well qualified for public service, yet he spent the latter end of hi…
David Sends to Nabal. (b. c. 1057.)
DAVID SENDS TO NABAL. (B. C. 1057.) Here begins the story of Nabal. I. A short account of him, who and what he was (1 Samuel 25:2-3), a man we should never have heard of if there had not happened some communication betw…
Abigail Wise Resolution. (b. c. 1057.)
ABIGAIL WISE RESOLUTION. (B. C. 1057.) Here is, I. The report made to David of the abuse Nabal had given to his messengers (1 Samuel 25:12): They turned their way. They showed their displeasure, as became them to do, by…