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Matthew Henry’s Commentary – First Samuel, Chapter VII

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Matthew Henry
Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708)




F I R S T   S A M U E L

CHAP. VII.



     

In this chapter we have,

I. The eclipsing of the glory of the ark, by its privacy in

Kirjath-jearim for many years,

ver. 1, 2.

II. The appearing of the glory of Samuel in his public services for the

good of Israel, to whom he was raised up to be a judge, and he was the

last that bore that character. This chapter gives us all the account we

have of him when he was in the prime of his time; for what we had

before was in his childhood

(ch. ii. and iii.);

what we have of him after was in his old age,

ch. viii. 1.

We have him here active,

1. In the reformation of Israel from their idolatry,

ver. 3, 4.

2. In the reviving of religion among them,

ver. 5, 6.

3. In praying for them against the invading Philistines

(ver. 7-9),

over whom God, in answer to his prayer, gave them a glorious victory,

ver. 10, 11.

4. In erecting a thankful memorial of that victory,

ver. 12.

5. In the improvement of that victory,

ver. 13, 14.

6. In the administration of justice,

ver. 15-17.

And these were the things for which God was preparing the designing

him, in the early vouchsafements of his grace to him.




The Ark at Kirjath-jearim. B. C. 1099.

     

1 And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of

the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill,

and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.

  2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim,

that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the

house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

     

Here we must attend the ark to Kirjath-jearim, and then leave it there,

to hear not a word more of it except once

(ch. xiv. 18),

till David fetched it thence, about forty years after,

1 Chron. xiii. 6.

     

I. We are very willing to attend it thither, for the men of

Beth-shemesh have by their own folly made that a burden which might

have been a blessing; and gladly would we see it among those to whom it

will be a savour of life unto life, for in every place where it

has been of late it has been a savour of death unto death.

Now,

     

1. The men of Kirjath-jearim cheerfully bring it among them,

v. 1.

They came, at the first word, and fetched up the ark of the

Lord. Their neighbours the Beth-shemites, were not more glad to get

rid of it than they were to receive it, knowing very well that what

slaughter the ark had made at Beth-shemesh was not an act of arbitrary

power, but of necessary justice, and those that suffered by it must

blame themselves, not the ark; we may depend upon the word which God

hath said

(Jer. xxv. 6),

Provoke me not, and I will do you no hurt. Note, The judgments

of God on those who profane his ordinances should not make us afraid of

the ordinances, but of profaning them and making an ill use of

them.

     

2. They carefully provided for its decent entertainment among them, as

a welcome guest, with true affection, and, as an honourable guest, with

respect and reverence.

     

(1.) They provided a proper place to receive it. They had no public

building to adorn with it, but they lodged it in the house of Abinadab,

which stood upon the highest ground, and, probably, was the best house

in their city; or perhaps the master of it was the most eminent man

they had for piety, and best affected to the ark. The men of

Beth-shemesh left it exposed upon a stone in the open field, and,

though it was a city of priests, none of them received it into his

house; but the men of Kirjath-jearim, though common Israelites, gave it

house-room, and no doubt the best-furnished room in the house to which

it was brought. Note,

[1.] God will find out a resting-place for his ark; if some thrust it

from them, yet the hearts of others shall be inclined to receive it.

[2.] It is no new thing for God’s ark to be thrust into a private

house. Christ and his apostles preached from house to house when they

could not have public places at command.

[3.] Sometimes priests are shamed and out-done in religion by common

Israelites.

     

(2.) They provided a proper person to attend it: They sanctified

Eleazar his son to keep it; not the father, either because he was

aged and infirm, or because he had the affairs of his house and family

to attend, from which they would not take him off. But the son, who, it

is probable, was a very pious devout young man, and zealously affected

towards the best things. His business was to keep the ark, not only

from being seized by malicious Philistines, but from being touched or

looked into by too curious Israelites. He was to keep the room clean

and decent in which the ark was, that, though it was in an obscure

place, it might no look like a neglected thing, which no man looked

after. It does not appear that this Eleazar was of the tribe of Levi,

much less of the house of Aaron, nor was it needful that he should, for

here was no altar either for sacrifice or incense, only we may suppose

that some devout Israelites would come and pray before the ark, and

those that did so he was there ready to attend and assist. For this

purpose they sanctified him, that is, by his own consent, they obliged

him to make this his business, and to give a constant attendance to it;

they set him apart for it in the name of all their citizens. This was

irregular, but was excusable because of the present distress. When the

ark has but recently come out of captivity we cannot expect it to be on

a sudden in its usual solemnity, but must take things as they are, and

make the best of them.

     

II. Yet we are very loth to leave it here, wishing it well at Shiloh

again, but that is made desolate

(Jer. vii. 14),

or at least wishing it at Nob, or Gibeon, or wherever the tabernacle

and the altars are; but, it seems, it must lie by the way for want of

some public-spirited men to bring it to its proper place.

1. The time of its continuance here was long, very long, above forty

years it lay in these fields of the wood, a remote, obscure, private

place, unfrequented and almost unregarded

(v. 2):

The time that the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim was long, even

till David fetched it thence. It was very strange that all the time

that Samuel governed the ark was never brought to its place in the holy

of holies, an evidence of the decay of holy zeal among them. God

suffered it to be so, to punish them for their neglect of the ark when

it was in its place and to show that the great stress which the

institution laid upon the ark was but typical of Christ, and those

good things to come which cannot be moved,
Heb. ix. 23; xii. 27.

It was a just reproach to the priests that one not of their order was

sanctified to keep the ark.

2. Twenty years of this time had passed before the house of Israel was

sensible of the want of the ark. The Septuagint read it somewhat more

clearly than we do; and it was twenty years, and (that is, when)

the whole house of Israel looked up again after the Lord. So

long the ark remained in obscurity, and the Israelites were not

sensible of the inconvenience, nor ever made any enquiry after it, what

has become of it; though, while it was absent from the tabernacle, the

token of God’s special presence was wanting, nor could they keep the

day of atonement as it should be kept. They were content with the

altars without the ark; so easily can formal professors rest satisfied

in a round of external performances, without any tokens of God’s

presence or acceptance. But at length they bethought themselves, and

began to lament after the lord, stirred up to it, it is probable, by

the preaching of Samuel, with which an extraordinary working of the

Spirit of God set in. A general disposition to repentance and

reformation now appears throughout all Israel, and they begin to

look unto him whom they had slighted, and to mourn,
Zech. xii. 10.

Dr. Lightfoot thinks this was a matter and time as remarkable as almost

any we read of in scripture; and that the great conversion, Acts 2 and

3, is the only parallel to it. Note,

(1.) Those that know how to value God’s ordinances cannot but reckon it

a very lamentable thing to want them.

(2.) True repentance and conversion begin in lamenting after the Lord;

we must be sensible that by sin we have provoked him to withdraw and

are undone if we continue in a state of distance from him, and be

restless till we have recovered his favour and obtained his gracious

returns. It was better with the Israelites when they wanted the ark,

and were lamenting after it, than when they had the ark, and were

prying into it, or priding themselves in it. Better see people longing

in the scarcity of the means of grace than loathing in the abundance of

them.




     

3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye

do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the

strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your

hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you

out of the hand of the Philistines.

  4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and

Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

  5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray

for you unto the LORD.

  6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and

poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said

there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the

children of Israel in Mizpeh.

     

We may well wonder where Samuel was and what he was doing all this

while, for we have not had him so much as named till now, since

ch. iv. 1,

not as if he were unconcerned, but his labours among his people are not

mentioned till there appears the fruit of them. When he perceived that

they began to lament after the Lord he struck while the iron was

hot, and two things he endeavoured to do for them, as a faithful

servant of God and a faithful friend to the Israel of God:–

     

I. He endeavoured to separate between them and their idols, for

there reformation must begin. He spoke to all the house of

Israel

(v. 3),

going, as it should seem, from place to place, an itinerant preacher

(for we find not that they were gathered together till

v. 5),

and wherever he came this was his exhortation, “If you do indeed

return to the Lord, as you seem inclined to do, by your

lamentations for your departure from him and his from you, then know,

1. That you must renounce and abandon your idols, put away the

strange gods, for your God will admit no rival; put them away from

you, each one from himself, nay, and put them from among you, do

what you can, in your places, to rid them out of the country. Put away

Baalim, the strange gods, and Ashtaroth, the strange goddesses,” for

such also they had. Or Ashtaroth is particularly named because it was

the best-beloved idol, and that which they were most wedded to. Note,

True repentance strikes at the darling sin, and will with a peculiar

zeal and resolution put away that, the sin which most easily besets

us.

2. “That you must make a solemn business of returning to God, and do it

with a serious consideration and a stedfast resolution, for both are

included in preparing the heart, directing, disposing,

establishing, the heart unto the Lord.

3. That you must be wholly for God, for him and no other, serve him

only, else you do not serve him at all so as to please him.

4. That this is the only way and a sure way to prosperity and

deliverance. Take this course, and he will deliver you out of the

hand of the Philistines; for it was because you forsook him and

served other gods that he delivered you into their hands.” This was the

purport of Samuel’s preaching, and it had a wonderfully good effect

(v. 4):

They put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, not only quitted the worship

of them, but destroyed their images, demolished their altars, and quite

abandoned them. What have we to do any more with idols?
Hos. xiv. 8; Isa. xxx. 22.

     

II. He endeavoured to engage them for ever to God and his service. Now

that he had them in a good mind he did all he could to keep them in

it.

     

1. He summons all Israel, at least by their elders, as their

representatives, to meet him at Mizpeh

(v. 5),

and there he promises to pray for them. And it was worth while for them

to come from the remotest part of the country to join with Samuel in

see king God’s favour. Note, Ministers should pray for those to whom

they preach, that God by his grace would make the preaching effectual.

And, when we come together in religious assemblies, we must remember

that it is as much our business there to join in public prayers as it

is to hear a sermon. He would pray for them that, by the grace of God,

they might be parted from their idols, and that then, by the providence

of God, they might be delivered from the Philistines. Ministers would

profit their people more if they did but pray more for them.

     

2. They obey his summons, and not only come to the meeting, but conform

to the intentions of it, and appear there very well disposed,

v. 6.

     

(1.) They drew water and poured it out before the Lord,

signifying,

[1.] Their humiliation and contrition for sin, owning themselves as

water spilt upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up again

(2 Sam. xiv. 14),

so mean, so miserable, before God,

Ps. xxii. 14.

The Chaldee reads it, They poured out their hearts in repentance

before the Lord. They wept rivers of tears, and sorrowed after a

godly sort, for it was before the Lord and with an eye to him.

[2.] Their earnest prayers and supplications to God for mercy. The soul

is, in prayer, poured out before God,

Ps. lxii. 8.

[3.] Their universal reformation; they thus expressed their willingness

to part with all their sins, and to retain no more of the relish or

savour of them than the vessel does of the water that is poured out of

it. They were free and full in their confession, and fixed in their

resolution to cast away from them all their transgressions.

Israel is now baptized from their idols, so Dr. Lightfoot.

[4.] Some think it signifies their joy in the hope of God’s mercy,

which Samuel had assured them of. This ceremony was used with that

signification at the feast of tabernacles,

John vii. 37, 38,

and see

Isa. xii. 3.

Taking it in this sense, it must be read, They drew water after they

had fasted. In the close of their humiliation they thus expressed

their hope of pardon and reconciliation.

     

(2.) They fasted, abstained from food, afflicted their souls, so

expressing repentance and exciting devotion.

     

(3.) They made a public confession: We have sinned against the

Lord, so giving glory to God and taking shame to themselves. And,

if we thus confess our sins, we shall find our God faithful and just

to forgive us our sins.

     

3. Samuel judged them at that time in Mizpeh, that is, he assured them,

in God’s name, of the pardon of their sins, upon their repentance, and

that God was reconciled to them. It was a judgment of absolution. Or he

received informations against those that did not leave their idols, and

proceeded against them according to law. Those that would not judge

themselves he judged. Or now he settled courts of justice among them,

and appointed the terms and circuits which he observed afterwards,

v. 16.

Now he set those wheels a-going; and, whereas he began to act as a

magistrate, to prevent their relapsing into those sins which now they

seemed to have renounced.







The Israelites Attacked by the Philistines; Samuel’s Intercession for Israel. B. C. 1099.

     

7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel

were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines

went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard

it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

  8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry

unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the

hand of the Philistines.

  9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt

offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for

Israel; and the LORD heard him.

  10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the

Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD

thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines,

and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

  11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the

Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car.

  12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and

Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath

the LORD helped us.

     

Here,

I. The Philistines invade Israel

(v. 7),

taking umbrage from that general meeting for repentance and prayer as

if it had been a rendezvous for war, and, if so, they thought it

prudent to keep the war out of their own country. They had no just

cause for this suspicion; but those that seek to do mischief to others

will be forward to imagine that others design mischief to them. Now see

here,

1. How evil sometimes seems to come out of good. The religious meeting

of the Israelites at Mizpeh brought trouble upon them from the

Philistines, which perhaps tempted them to wish they had staid at home

and to blame Samuel for calling them together. But we may be in God’s

way and yet meet with distress; nay, when sinners begin to repent and

reform, they must expect that Satan will muster all his force against

them, and set his instruments on work to the utmost to oppose and

discourage them. But,

2. How good is, at length, brought out of that evil. Israel could never

be threatened more seasonably than at this time, when they were

repenting and praying, nor could they have been better prepared to

receive the enemy; nor could the Philistines have acted more impolitely

for themselves than to make war upon Israel at this time, when they

were making their peace with God. But God permitted them to do it, that

he might have an opportunity immediately of crowning his people’s

reformation with tokens of his favour, and of confirming the words of

his messenger, who had assured them that if they repented God would

deliver them out of the hand of the Philistines. Thus he makes

man’s wrath to praise him, and serves the purposes of his grace to his

people even by the malicious designs of their enemies against them,

Mic. iv. 11, 12.

     

II. Israel cleaves closely to Samuel, as their best friend, under God,

in this distress; though he was no military man, nor ever celebrated as

a mighty man of valour, yet, being afraid of the Philistines, for whom

they thought themselves an unequal match, they engaged Samuel’s prayers

for them: Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us,
v. 8.

They were here unarmed, unprepared for war, come together to fast and

pray, not to fight; prayers and tears therefore being all the weapons

many of them are now furnished with, to these they have recourse. And,

knowing Samuel to have a great interest in heaven, they earnestly beg

of him to improve it for them. They had reason to expect it, because he

had promised to pray for them

(v. 5),

had promised them deliverance from the Philistines

(v. 3),

and they had been observant of him in all that which he had spoken to

them from the Lord. Thus those who sincerely submit to Christ, as their

lawgiver and judge, need not doubt of their interest in his

intercession. They were very solicitous that Samuel should not cease to

pray for them: what military preparations were to be made they would

undertake them, but let him continue instant in prayer, perhaps

remembering that when Moses did but let down his hand ever so little

Amalek prevailed. O what a comfort is it to all believers that our

great intercessor above never ceases, is never silent, for he always

appears in the presence of God for us!

     

III. Samuel intercedes with God for them, and does it by

sacrifice,
v. 9.

He took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt-offering, a whole

burnt-offering, to the Lord, and, while the sacrifice was in

burning, with the smoke of it his prayers ascended up to heaven for

Israel. Observe,

1. He made intercession with a sacrifice. Christ intercedes in the

virtue of his satisfaction, and in all our prayers we must have an eye

to his great oblation, depending upon that for audience and acceptance.

Samuel’s sacrifice without his prayer would have been an empty shadow,

his prayer without the sacrifice would not have been so prevalent, but

both together teach us what great things we may expect from God in

answer to those prayers which are made with faith in Christ’s

sacrifice.

2. It was a burnt-offering, which was offered purely for the glory of

God, so intimating that the great plea he relied on in his prayer was

taken from the honour of God. “Lord, help thy people now for thy name’s

sake.” When we endeavour to give glory to God we may hope he will, in

answer to our prayers, work for his own glory.

3. It was but one sucking lamb that he offered; for it is the integrity

and intention of the heart that God looks at, more than the bulk or

number of the offerings. This one lamb (typifying the Lamb of God) was

more acceptable than thousands of rams or bullocks would have been

without faith and prayer. Samuel was no priest, but he was a Levite and

a prophet; the case was extraordinary, and what he did was by special

direction, and therefore was accepted of God. And justly was this

reproach put upon the priests because they had corrupted

themselves.

     

IV. God gave a gracious answer to Samuel’s prayer

(v. 9):

The Lord heard him. He was himself a Samuel, asked of

God, and many a Samuel, many a mercy in answer to prayer, God gave

him. Sons of prayer should be famous for praying, as Samuel was

among those that call upon his name,
Ps. xcix. 6.

The answer was a real answer: the Philistines were discomfited

(v. 10, 11),

totally routed, and that in such a manner as highly magnified the

prayer of Samuel, the power of God, and the valour of Israel.

1. The prayer of Samuel was honoured; for at the very time when he was

offering up his sacrifice, and his prayer with it, the battle began,

and turned immediately against the Philistines. Thus while he was

yet speaking God heard, and answered in thunder,

Isa. lxv. 24.

God showed that it was Samuel’s prayer and sacrifice that he had

respect to, and hereby let Israel know that as in a former engagement

with the Philistines he had justly chastised their presumptuous

confidence in the presence of the ark, on the shoulders of two profane

priests, so now he graciously accepted their humble dependence upon the

prayer of faith from the mouth and heart of a pious prophet.

2. The power of God was greatly honoured; for he took the work into his

own hand, and discomfited them, not with great hail-stones, which would

kill them (as

Josh. x. 11),

but with a great thunder, which frightened them and put them into such

terror and consternation that they fainted away, and became a very easy

prey to the sword of Israel, before whom, being thus confounded, they

were smitten. Josephus adds that the earth quaked under them when first

they made the onset and in many places opened and swallowed them up,

and that, besides the terror of the thunder, their faces and hands were

burnt with lightning, which obliged them to shift for themselves by

flight. And, being thus driven to their heels by the immediate hand of

God (whom they feared not so much as they had feared his ark,

ch. iv. 7),

then,

3. Honour was put upon the hosts of Israel; they were made use of for

the completing of the victory, and had the pleasure of triumphing over

their oppressors: They pursued the Philistines, and smote them.

How soon did they find the benefit of their repentance, and

reformation, and return to God! Now that they have thus engaged him for

them none of their enemies can stand before them.

     

V. Samuel erected a thankful memorial of this victory, to the glory of

God and for the encouragement of Israel,

v. 12.

He set up an Eben-ezer, the stone of help. If ever the people’s

hard hearts should lose the impressions of this providence, this stone

would either revive the remembrance of it, and make them thankful, or

remain a standing witness against them for their unthankfulness.

1. The place where this memorial was set up was the same where, twenty

years before, the Israelites were smitten before the Philistines, for

that was beside Eben-ezer,

ch. iv. 1.

The sin which procured that defeat formerly being pardoned upon their

repentance, the pardon was sealed by this glorious victory in the very

same place where they then suffered loss; see

Hos. i. 10.

2. Samuel himself took care to set up this monument. He had been

instrumental by prayer to obtain the mercy, and therefore he thought

himself in a special manner obliged to make this grateful

acknowledgement of it.

3. The reason he gives for the name is, Hitherto the Lord hath

helped us, in which he speaks thankfully of what was past, giving

the glory of the victory to God only, who had added this to all his

former favours; and yet he speaks somewhat doubtfully for the future:

“Hitherto things have done well, but what God may yet do with us we

know not, that we refer to him; but let us praise him for what

he has done.” Note, The beginnings of mercy and deliverance are to be

acknowledged by us with thankfulness so far as they go, though they be

not completely finished, nay, though the issue seem uncertain.

Having obtained help from God, I continue hitherto, says blessed

Paul,

Acts xxvi. 22.






The Defeat of the Philistines. B. C. 1092.

     

13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into

the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the

Philistines all the days of Samuel.

  14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel

were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the

coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the

Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

  15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

  16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and

Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

  17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house;

and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the

LORD.

     

We have here a short account of the further good services that Samuel

did to Israel. Having parted them from their idols, and brought them

home to their God, he had put them into a capacity of receiving further

benefits by his ministry. Having prevailed in that, he becomes, in

other instances, a great blessing to them; yet, writing it himself, he

is brief in the relation. We are not told here, but it appears

(2 Chron. xxxv. 18)

that in the days of Samuel the prophet the people of Israel kept the

ordinance of the passover with more than ordinary devotion,

notwithstanding the distance of the ark and the desolations of Shiloh.

Many good offices, no doubt, he did for Israel, but here we are only

told how instrumental he was,

1. In securing the public peace

(v. 13):

In his days the Philistines came no more into the coast of

Israel, made no inroads or incursions upon them; they perceived

that God now fought for Israel and that his hand was against the

Philistines, and this kept them in awe, and restrained the remainder of

their wrath.” Samuel was a protector and deliverer to Israel, not by

dint of sword, as Gideon, nor by strength of arm, as Samson, but by the

power of prayer to God and carrying on a work of reformation among the

people. Religion and piety are the best securities of a nation.

2. In recovering the public rights,

v. 14.

By his influence Israel had the courage to demand the cities which the

Philistines had unjustly taken from them and had long detained; and the

Philistines, not daring to contend with one that had so great an

interest in heaven, tamely yielded to the demand, and restored (some

think) even Ekron and Gath, two of the capital cities, though

afterwards they retook them; others think some small towns that lay

between Ekron and Gath, which were forced out of the Philistines’

hands. This they got by their reformation and religion, they got ground

of their enemies and got forward in their affairs. It is added,

There was peace between Israel and the Amorites, that is, the

Canaanites, the remains of the natives. Not that Israel made any league

with them, but they were quiet, and not so mischievous to Israel as

they had sometimes been. Thus when a man’s ways please the Lord he

maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him and give him no

disturbance,

Prov. xvi. 7.

3. In administering public justice

(v. 15, 16):

He judged Israel; as a prophet he taught them their duty and

reproved them for their sins, which is called judging,
Ezek. xx. 4; xxii. 2.

Moses judged Israel when he made them know the statutes of God and

his laws

(Exod. xviii. 16);

and thus Samuel judged them to the last, even after Saul was made king;

so he promised them then, when Saul was inaugurated

(ch. xii. 23),

I will not cease to teach you the good and the right way.

As a magistrate, he received appeals from the inferior courts and gave

judgment upon them, tried causes and determined them, tried prisoners

and acquitted or condemned them, according to the law. This he did all

his days, till he grew old and past service, and resigned to Saul; and

afterwards he exercised authority when application was made to him;

nay, he judged even Agag, and Saul himself. But when he was in his

prime he rode the circuit, for the convenience of the country, at least

of that part of it which lay most under his influence. He kept courts

at Beth-el, Gilgal, and Mizpeh, all in the tribe of Benjamin; but his

constant residence was at Ramah, his father’s city, and there he judged

Israel, thither they resorted to him from all parts with their

complaints,

v. 17.

4. In keeping up the public exercises of religion; for there, where he

lived, he built an altar to the Lord, not in contempt of the altar that

was at Nob, or Gibeon, or wherever the tabernacle was; but divine

justice having laid Shiloh waste, and no other place being yet chosen

for them to bring their offerings to

(Deut. xii. 11),

he looked upon the law which confined them to one place to be for the

present suspended, and therefore, being a prophet, and under divine

direction, he did as the patriarchs did, he built an altar where he

lived, both for the use of his own family and for the good of the

country that resorted to it. Great men should use their wealth, power,

and interest, for the keeping up of religion in the places where they

live.


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Matthew Henry
Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708)


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