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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadGreater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 287. Hebron
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Hebron
Literature
Bosanquet, C., “The Man after God's Own Heart” (1875), 82.
Chandler, S., A Critical History of the Life of David (1853), 65.
Edersheim, A., Israel under Samuel, Saul, and David, 111.
Fleming, J. D., Israel's Golden Age (1907), 62.
Foakes-Jackson, F. J., The Biblical History of the Hebrews (1903), 156.
Garvie, A. E., A Course of Bible Study for Adolescents (1913), 142.
Geikie, C., Hours with the Bible: Samuel to Solomon (1882), 152.
Kent, C. F., The Founders and Rulers of United Israel (1909), 98.
Kittel, R., A History of the Heb_2:1-18 (1896) 124.
Maclaren, A., Expositions: 2 Samuel, etc. (1906), 1, 8.
Meyer, F. B., David (1910), 55.
Ottley, R. L., A Short History of the Hebrews (1901), 130.
Taylor, W. M., David, King of Israel (1894), 61.
Whitham, A. R., Old Testament History (1912), 215.
David was now forced to take refuge among the precipitous cliffs of Engedi on the shores of the Dead Sea. The place is well suited to be the home of outlaws, abounding as it does in caverns, where they can remain securely hidden. Here Saul is said to have incautiously placed himself in David's power, and to have owed his life to the generous forbearance of his rival. Of all stories of this adventurous period of the life of David none would be more frequently told than the one about his sparing Saul's life.
Two versions of it are preserved, bearing a certain resemblance to one another, but differing in detail. That chap. 26 refers to a second occasion seems antecedently improbable; and this impression is confirmed on comparing the two narratives. Each is introduced by an offer of the Ziphites to betray David's hiding-place to Saul (1Sa_23:19; 1Sa_26:1); each ends with a confession of David's noble conduct placed in the mouth of Saul; and a careful comparison of the language shows either literary dependence of one upon the other or the dependence of both on some common tradition.
It is not necessary to enter into any detailed comparison of the two accounts; both agree that Saul was in David's power to spare or to slay, and that he, in spite of all the wrongs he had suffered at Saul's hands, chose to spare, and even restrained his companions from seizing what they regarded as a Divinely given opportunity for vengeance. It is true that David's action may have been partly due to what we might now regard as superstition; as king, anointed to his office by Samuel the prophet, Saul's person was sacred to him, and to slay seemed sacrilege. Again, it might be urged that the course taken by David was the course of prudence, as he might hope thereby to overcome Saul's hostility, and to be restored to favour. Even if these motives had to be recognized, a man possessed by the passion of vindictiveness would not have been restrained by them; and it is best to put the highest construction on his act as Saul is represented as doing. Saul is touched, even to tears, by David's magnanimous conduct, almost without a parallel in that rude age. His native generosity is evoked, and prompts him to a full acknowledgment of the higher moral ideal of David, whom he prays that God may reward.
It is frequently said that our age, in order to be truly better, has need not so much of great talents as of great characters; but where are such exalted characters as that of David, which exhibit the patent of nobility of the true fear of God? Take the one expression, “The Lord forbid it me,” out of David's plan of action, and he will do only that which is suggested by his men, who allow themselves to be influenced by no higher power than that of flesh and blood. Can the reason here be concealed, that a magnanimity like this is so very rarely seen? No one becomes really great who has not early learnt to bow deep before God; and none of us will in truth be in a condition to show love towards an irreconcilable enemy but he alone who knows by faith that God first loved him, and out of free grace had mercy on him. Let us then first of all be reconciled to God in Christ, and may His love be then so abundantly poured forth on us by the Holy Ghost, that we may answer hate with love, and even under the greatest temptation think: God cannot possibly will that I should stain myself with sin! Let us then forgive, as those to whom infinitely much has been forgiven; and let us ever more and more seek after a quickened conscience, in order that we may discern with increasing discrimination between the voices of the flesh and those of the spirit.1 [Note: J. J. van Oosterzee, The Year of Salvation, ii. 444.]
Dorothy Wyndlow Pattison, known as “Sister Dora,” started a small hospital in the town of Walsall. Soon after, “the Murphy riots” took place. One day a boy struck her in the forehead with a stone, cutting it open. Not many weeks afterwards, this lad was terribly injured, and was brought to the hospital. Sister Dora recognized him at once and from that moment cared for him with peculiar tenderness. One day she found him quietly crying, and suddenly he sobbed out, “Sister, I threw that stone at you.” “Oh, did you think I did not know that? Why, I knew you the very first minute you came in at the door.” “What!” cried the lad, “you knew me, and have been nursing me like this!”
I have sometimes thought that one reason why his generous faith persisted through the discouragements and chills which came to him as they come to others, was his high disdain of petty grievances. He never wearied and wasted himself in personal disputes. The most magnanimous of men, he had no room for small grudges, envies, and resentments. If he thought himself unjustly treated, he tried to put the thing out of his mind-and he succeeded. He would not discuss the conduct of any one who had wronged him; he thrust it aside, and, if he was compelled to talk of it, he made the best excuse he could for the offender.1 [Note: W. Robertson Nicoll, James Macdonell, Journalist, 403.]