1 Sam. 24 Saul pursueth David to En-gedi; cometh into a cave in which was David with his men; who cutteth off the skirt of Saul’ s mantle, but will not kill him, 1 Sam. 24:1–7. He communeth with Saul, and hereby evidenceth his innocency towards him, 1 Sam. 24:8–15.

Which the wild goats use to delight and climb into. These very rocks are exceeding steep, and full of precipices, and dangerous to travellers, as an eye-witness hath left upon record.

Some think the sheep cotes to have been caves into which they used to drive their sheep for shelter in tempestuous weather. To cover his feet, i.e. to ease his belly, as this phrase is thought to be used, Judg. 3:24.

Quest. How came it to pass that Saul did not hear his debates of David and his men? Answ. First, The greater noise of Saul’s men and horses, just by the cave’s mouth, might easily drown the lesser.

Not only because it was injurious, and reproachful, and dangerous to the king; but possibly because he had some secret thought of doing more to him, though he suppressed and overcame it; for he attempted this in pursuance of his soldiers’ suggestion, 1 Sam.

He said unto his men; either, first, Before he cut off Saul’s lap. Or rather, secondly, Afterwards, when he returned with Saul’s lap in his hand, and his soldiers were enraged that he had not killed him. This thing which you persuade me to do, even cut off Saul.

Stayed his servants, Heb. cut, or clave, or divided, or cut them off. The word notes both the eagerness and violence of David’s men in prosecuting their desire, and David’s resoluteness in opposing them, as it were, by force; wherein he shows great piety, and generosity, and loyalty to Saul.

He prudently and modestly translates the fault from Saul to his followers and evil counsellors.

Mine eye; which words are easily understood both from the nature of the thing, and from the use of this phrase in other scriptures, as Deut. 7:16, Deut. 13:8. The eye is said to spare, because it affects the heart with pity, and moves a man to spare.

My father; so he calls him; partly, because he was his father-in-law; partly, in testimony of his respect and subjection to him as to a father; and partly, that by so amiable a compellation he might both insinuate himself into his favour, and mind him of that duty which as a father he owed to…

Avenge me of thee, or, will avenge me of thee, to wit, if thou dost persist in thy injurious and cruel designs against me. Mine hand shall not be upon thee; I will not execute vengeance on thee, but will leave it wholly to God.

i.e. Wicked men will do wicked actions, among which this is one, to kill their sovereign lord and king; as David implied above, 1 Sam. 24:6, and more fully expresseth, 1 Sam. 26:9.

After a worthless, contemptible, and impotent person, such as I am. Thou disparagest thyself in contending with such a person; and even thy conquest of me will be inglorious and shameful.

Is this thy voice, my son David? he knew his voice though being at a great distance from him, he could not discern his face. And wept; partly from the sense of his sin against God, and of his wicked and base carriage to David; (for there are some such temporary passions oft-times in hypocrites and…

Thou hast rewarded me good for the evil that I have designed and done to thee. I have rewarded thee evil for thy good will to me.

Will he let him go well away? i. e. he will certainly destroy him. And therefore thou hast not dealt with me after the manner of men, but hast imitated the clemency of God in this act.

I know well, or, am convinced, not only by the fame of Samuel’s anointing thee, but by God’s singular providence watching over thee, and by that good Spirit and those great and princely virtues wherewith God hath endowed thee.

Thou wilt not cut off my seed after me; as princes use to destroy their competitors, and those that have any hopes of or pretence to their crown; and Saul had endeavoured to destroy David for the same reason, and therefore he feared a retaliation.

David sware unto Saul. Quest. How then could David destroy so many of Saul’s sons, 2 Sam. 21:8–9? Answ. David could bind himself by his oaths, but he could not bind God, to whose good pleasure all promises, vows, and oaths must in all reason be submitted; and that was done by God’s command, and God…