Wesley Corpus

Chapter I David receives an account of the death of Saul and Jonathan, ver. 1 - 10. He mourns over them, ver. 11, 12. Puts the man to death, who boasted he had killed Saul, ver. 13 - 16. His elegy upon Saul and Jonathan, ver. 17 - 27. Ziklag - Which though burnt, yet was not so consumed by the fire, that David and his men could not lodge in it. Third day - From David's return to Ziklag. With his clothes rent, &c. - As a mourner. Judah - These he more particularly teacheth, because they were the chief, and now the royal tribe, and likely to be the great bulwark to all Israel against the Philistines, upon whose land they bordered; and withal, to be the most true to him, and to his interest. The bow - That is, of their arms, expressed, under the name of the bow, which then was one of the chief weapons; and for the dextrous use whereof Jonathan is commended in the following song: which may be one reason, why he now gives forth this order, that so they might strive to imitate Jonathan in military skill, and to excel in it, as he did. Jasher - It is more largely and particularly described in the book of Jasher. Beauty - Their flower and glory. Saul and Jonathan, and their army. High places - Heb. upon thy high places; that is, those which belong to thee, O land of Israel. How - How strangely! How suddenly! How universally! Tell it not - This is not a precept, but a poetical wish; whereby he doth not so much desire, that this might not be done, which he knew to be impossible; as, express his great sorrow, because it would be done, to the dishonour of God, and of his people. The daughters - He mentions these, because it was the custom of women in those times and places to celebrate those victories which their men obtained, with triumphant songs and dances. Let there be, &c.