Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons. The man was an elderly old man in the days of Saul.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 12. Now, and so forth to verse 32. And when, is omitted in the Vatican Septuagint which begins the latter verse thus, “And David said,” as the Alex. copy does now the 12th, which leads Kennicott to suspect that the intermediate verses are an interpolation, formerly unknown to the Greek version. Houbigant includes these verses between crotchets, “that it may be understood that these are not of the same author as the rest, and that the sacred writer may not be accused of making useless repetitions.” It has been observed in the last chapter, that David was the son of Isai, and so forth “If, says he, this be omitted, there will be no vacuum in the context,” as there is none in the Roman edition: (11) “they were greatly afraid. (32.) And David said to Saul,” and so forth As he had been appointed Saul’s armour-bearer, it was very natural to suppose that he would be near the king’s person on such an occasion, rather than feeding sheep. We find also, that he had a tent of his own, (verse 54) which he could not have had, if he had only come to bring provisions to his brethren. The unaccountable conduct of Eliab, the timidity of all Israel for forty days, and so forth will thus be avoided. Josephus is supposed to have given occasion to this embellishment, though he takes no notice of many of those particulars which excite the surprise of Pilkington, Kennicott, and so forth Dis. ii. p. 421. These verses were, however, in the Hebrew before the days of Aquila, and so forth and Origen received them from the Jews as genuine. A Hebrew Bible, (1661) with marginal criticisms, by a Jew, includes these verses within parentheses, as interpolated, as well as from verse 55 to Calmet. 18:6, observing that “the history consists at present of different and inconsistent accounts.” The Syriac MS. of Masius generally confirms the Vatican Septuagint (Morin) so that we conclude, that these verses are there asterisked on the authority of Origen, as not being in the original Greek, nor consequently in Hebrew. ib. p. 575.—Mentioned. Hebrew “Juda, whose name … and the man went among men, an old man in the days of Saul.” We have already observed that the Alex. Septuagint seems to promise a speech, but defers till verse 32, thus, “And David said, the son of an Ephrathite. He was from,” and so forth Bible.—Men. Chal. “He was an old man, whom they ranked among the young,” as still vigorous. Jam senior, sed cruda seni viridisque senectus. Calmet.