Judg 20:18, 28, 1Sa 23:9-12, 28:6 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 18. Went up to the house of God ] Some think that a deputation was sent from Shiloh , where Phinehas the high priest was, to inquire, not concerning the expediency of the war, nor of its success , but which of the tribes should begin the attack. Having so much right on their side, they had no doubt of the justice of their cause. Having such a superiority of numbers, they had no doubt of success. . And the Lord said, Judah ] But he did not say that they should conquer.

‏ Judges 20:18

Verse 18. Went up to the house of God] Some think that a deputation was sent from Shiloh, where Phinehas the high priest was, to inquire, not concerning the expediency of the war, nor of its success, but which of the tribes should begin the attack. Having so much right on their side, they had no doubt of the justice of their cause. Having such a superiority of numbers, they had no doubt of success. See Clarke on Jud 20:1.

And the Lord said, Judah] But he did not say that they should conquer.

‏ Judges 20:28

Verse 28. Phinehas, the son of Eleazar] This was the same Phinehas who is mentioned Nu 25:7, and consequently these transactions must have taken place shortly after the death of Joshua.

‏ 1 Samuel 23:9-12

Verse 9. Bring hither the ephod.] It seems as if David himself, clothed with the ephod, had consulted the Lord; and 1Sa 23:10-12 contain the words of the consultation, and the Lord's answer. But see on 1Sa 23:2.

Verse 11. - 12. In these verses we find the following questions and answers:-David said, Will Saul come down to Keilah? And the Lord said, He will come down. Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up. In this short history we find an ample proof that there is such a thing as contingency in human affairs; that is, God has poised many things between a possibility of being and not being, leaving it to the will of the creature to turn the scale. In the above answers of the Lord the following conditions were evidently implied:-IF thou continue in Keilah, Saul will certainly come down; and IF Saul come down, the men of Keilah will deliver thee into his hands. Now though the text positively asserts that Saul would come to Keilah, yet he did not come; and that the men of Keilah would deliver David into his hand, yet David was not thus delivered to him. And why? Because David left Keilah; but had he stayed, Saul would have come down, and the men of Keilah would have betrayed David. We may observe from this that, however positive a declaration of God may appear that refers to any thing in which man is to be employed, the prediction is not intended to suspend or destroy free agency, but always comprehends in it some particular condition.

Verse 12. See Clarke on 1Sa 23:11.

‏ 1 Samuel 28:6

Verse 6. The Lord answered him not] He used the three methods by which supernatural intelligence was ordinarily given:-

1. Dreams.-The person prayed for instruction; and begged that God would answer by a significant dream.

2. Urim.-This was a kind of oracular answer given to the high priest when clothed with the ephod, on which were the Urim and Thummim. How these communicated the answer, is not well known.

3. Prophets.-Who were requested by the party concerned to consult the Lord on the subject in question, and to report his answer. The prophets at that time could only be those in the schools of the prophets, which Samuel had established at Naioth and Gibeah. These were the only successors of Samuel that we know of.