1 Smauel (NICOT) by David Toshio Tsumura

Author:David Toshio Tsumura [Tsumura, David Toshio]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Religion, Biblical Commentary, Old Testament
ISBN: 9780802823595
Google: iLKAlhLDkMwC
Amazon: 0802823599
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Published: 2007-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

Samuel

Saul

David

Eli

Hophni

Phinehas

— Ahitub

— Ahijah

— Ahimelech

-Abiathar

— Ahimelech

— Jonathan

— Ichabod

There are two Ahimelechs in this genealogical chart, namely, “Ahimelech, son of Ahitub” (see 21:2; 22:20) and “Ahimelech son of Abiathar” (2 Sam. 8:17), who is called “Abimelech son of Abiathar” in 1 Chr. 18:16 (MT).17 See also on 1 Sam. 21:2.

Ahijah is noted here as wearing the ephod. The term nōśē’ means basically “carrying,” though it is sometimes translated either as was wearing (so NIV; NASB; McCarter) or as “bearing” (JPS). Note that the ephod is carried, not worn, eight times in 1 Samuel; David uses it to seek the divine will in 23:9 and 30:7.

For the ephod (’ēpôd), see on 2:28. It contained a pocket or compartment for the Urim and Thummim (see on 14:41–42). (The “linen ephod” worn by Samuel [2:18] and by the eighty-five priests of Nob [22:18] is a different, though probably related, item of clothing.) The mention of the ephod here prepares the audience to think that Ahijah was wearing the ephod when he inquired the Lord in v. 9; also see vv. 18–19 and 36–40. Note that vv. 2–3 provides background information (SETTING) since both verses begin with disjunctive waw, not wayqtl. Hence, it is not necessary to infer, like Klein,18 that Saul was already seeking an oracle here.

R. P. Gordon notes that v. 3 links the failed house of Eli with the failed house of Saul, whose house also will be destroyed with just one man left; see 2:33.19

[Page 359] 4 The name Bozez (bôṣēṣ) means “the Gleaming One” (cf. Arabic baṣṣa, “glitter, shine, gleam”) or “the Miry One” (cf. boṣ, “mire”; biṣṣa, “swamp”), while Senneh (senneh) “the Thorny One” (cf. seneh, “thornbush”; Empire Aramaic sanya’, “thornbush”) or “Bramble-bush” (Exod. 3:2, etc). These names and the description in v. 5 indicate how humanly impossible the place was to cross.

(3) Jonathan and His Servant (14:6–15)

(a) “Let Us Go Across!” (14:6–7)

6 And Jonathan said to the servant, his armor-bearer,

“Now, let us go across to the garrison of these uncircumcised!

Perhaps the Lord may act on our behalf,

for there is no hindrance for the Lord to save,

whether by many or by few!”

7 And his armor-bearer said to him,

“Do all that is in your heart!

Lead on!

Here am I with you according to your heart!”

6 Jonathan’s courage and faith in the Lord’s ability to deliver Israel regardless of circumstances is of the same quality as David’s when he fought Goliath by himself (see ch. 17).

The word uncircumcised (*‘rl; also 17:26; 31:4; 2 Sam. 1:20; etc.) refers to the fact that the foreskins of the Philistines were not cut off; see 18:25; 2 Sam. 3:14. This is a standard epithet of ethnic contempt for Philistines in Judges-Samuel (e.g., Judg. 14:3). The Philistines’ uncircumcised state is usually regarded as evidence for their non-Semitic (alien) status.20

Perhaps is not a sign of Jonathan’s doubt in God’s ability, but rather a confession that God is not required to act for them. Note that he repeats the name of Yahweh twice here — also vv. 6, 10, 12. This hints at his intimate relationship with the Lord and his trust on Him.

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