1 Samuel 25:1

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:1

We have here a short account of Samuel's death and burial. 1. Though he was a great man, and one that was admirably well qualified for public service, yet he spent the latter end of his days in retirement and obscurity, not because he was superannuated (for he knew how to preside in a college of the prophets, 1 Sam. 19:20), but because Israel had rejected him, for which God thus justly chastised them, and because his desire was to be quiet and to enjoy himself and his God in the exercises of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:1

And Samuel died ,.... In the interval, when Saul and David were parted, and before they saw each other again; according to the Jewish chronology F7 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 13. p. 37. , Samuel died four months before Saul; but other Jewish writers say F8 In Kimchi & Abarbinel in loc. he died seven months before; Abarbinel thinks it was a year or two before; which is most likely and indeed certain, since David was in the country of the Philistines after this a full year and four... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 25:1

And Samuel died - Samuel lived, as is supposed, about ninety-eight years; was in the government of Israel before Saul from sixteen to twenty years; and ceased to live, according to the Jews, about four months before the death of Saul; but according to Calmet and others, two years. But all this is very uncertain; how long he died before Saul, cannot be ascertained. For some account of his character, see the end of the chapter, 1 Samuel 25:44 ; (note). Buried him in his house ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:1

EXPOSITION DEATH OF SAMUEL ( 1 Samuel 25:1 ). And Samuel died. According to Josephus, Samuel had for eighteen years been contemporaneous with Saul's kingdom. If this calculation, which probably rests upon some Jewish tradition, be at all correct, we must include the years of Samuel's judgeship in the sum total of Saul's reign (see on 1 Samuel 13:1 ), as evidently his fall was now fast approaching. Samuel's life marked the beginning of the second age of Israelite history (... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:1

David arose. This is not to be connected with the death of Samuel, as though David had now lost a protector. But as he had fully 600 men with him, and his force was continually increasing, it was necessary for him to roam over a wide extent of country in order to obtain supplies of food. The wilderness of Paran. Paran strictly is a place in the southernmost part of the peninsula of Arabia, a little to the west of Mount Sinai; but there can be little doubt that it gave its name to the vast... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:1-12

Honour to the dead and insult to the living. The facts are— 1 . Samuel dies, and is buried at Ramah amidst the sorrow of Israel. 2 . David, returning to the wilderness, sends a greeting to Nabal, a wealthy man at Carmel, and asks for some favour to his young men on account of the friendly aid recently rendered to Nabal's shepherds. 3 . Nabal, in a churlish spirit, sends an insulting reply, and refuses the request. 4 . Whereupon David resolves on taking revenge for the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 25:1

In his house at Ramah - Probably in the court or garden attached to his dwelling-house. (Compare 2 Chronicles 33:20; 2 Kings 21:18; John 19:41.)The wilderness of Paran - The Septuagint has the far more probable reading “Maon.” The wilderness of Paran lay far off to the south, on the borders of the wilderness of Sinai Num 10:12; 1 Kings 11:18, whereas the following verse 1 Samuel 25:2 shows that the scene is laid in the immediate neighborhood of Maon. If, however, Paran be the true reading, we... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 25:1

1 Samuel 25:1. And Samuel died According to the best chronologers, he governed Israel after the death of Eli sixteen years or upward, and lived about forty years after in the reign of Saul; and all the Israelites lamented him It is no wonder that so wise and holy a man, so righteous a ruler, so just a judge, and so enlightened a prophet, should be uncommonly and universally lamented; especially when the wisdom and equity of his government, compared with Saul’s tyranny and extravagance,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:1-44

David marries Abigail (25:1-44)At this point we are told that Samuel died (25:1). David, at the time, was having trouble supporting his six hundred men. It seems that his men provided protection for farmers against the raiding Philistines (see v. 16, 21), and then demanded that the farmers pay them by giving them food supplies (see v. 8, 18, 27, 35). One wealthy farmer, Nabal, refused to pay and insulted David. Furious at Nabal’s response, David set out with four hundred of his men to deal with... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 25:1

lamented . As for a second Moses. Compare Jeremiah 15:1 . in = by, or near. down . Topography here is most exact. It is a continuous descent to the Negeb for more than a day's journey. read more

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