Chú giải chương
1 Samuel Chương 29
서론
Không có tiêu đề
繁體中文
bản gốc tiếng anh
How Saul, who was forsaken of God, when he was in a strait was more and more perplexed and embarrassed with his own counsels, we read in the foregoing chapter. In this chapter we find how David, who kept close to God, when he was in a strait was extricated and brought off by the providence of God, without any contrivance of his own. We have him, I. Marching with the Philistines, 1Sa 29:1,2. II. Excepted against by the lords of the Philistines, 1Sa 29:3-5. III. Happily dismissed by Achish from that service which did so ill become him, and which yet he knew not how to decline, 1Sa 29:6-11.
1-5
David with the Philistines (1055 BC)
繁體中文
大衛與非利士人在一起（主前 1055 年）
¹ 非利士人將他們的軍旅聚到亞弗；以色列人在耶斯列的泉旁安營。
² 非利士人的首領各率軍隊，或百或千，挨次前進；大衛和跟隨他的人同着亞吉跟在後邊。
³ 非利士人的首領說：「這些希伯來人在這裏做甚麼呢？」亞吉對他們說：「這不是以色列王掃羅的臣子大衛嗎？他在我這裏有些年日了。他從投降我直到今日，我未見他有過錯。」
⁴ 非利士人的首領向他發怒，對他說：「你要叫這人回你所安排他的地方去，不可叫他同我們出戰，恐怕他在陣上反為我們的敵人。他用甚麼與他主人復和呢？豈不是用我們這些人的首級嗎？」
⁵ 從前以色列的婦女跳舞唱和說：「掃羅殺死千千，大衛殺死萬萬」，所說的不是這個大衛嗎？
此處我們看見：一、大衛所處極大的困境——我們可以推想他自己也意識到了，只是我們未讀到他求問神，也未讀到他有何計謀可以脫身。非利士人與以色列人兩軍已紮營，預備交戰（撒上 29:1）。亞吉素來恩待大衛，便要求他親自前來，並帶領自己手下的人馬入伍效力。大衛依約而至，在點閱軍隊時，被發現與亞吉同在，居於他所被派定的後隊位置（撒上 29:2）。如今：1. 若兩軍交鋒之時他擅自退去、離棄崗位，就必背上洗不清的罵名——不僅是懦弱和不忠，更是對亞基的卑劣忘恩；亞吉既作他的保護人和恩人，又對他寄予信任，更授予他極體面的職任。這樣背乎原則的事，他斷不能說服自己去做。2. 他若照人所期望的，為非利士人去攻打以色列，便要背上與神的以色列為敵、並叛國的罪名；他必惹自己百姓的憎惡，使他們一致反對他登基，認他不配作以色列人，更不配受以色列王之尊榮與信任——因他曾在外邦未受割禮之人的旗幟下與他們作戰。倘若掃羅在這場戰事中被殺（後來果然如此），這罪也要算在大衛帳上，彷彿是他殺了掃羅一般。這樣看來，無論走哪一邊，似乎都既是罪、又是羞辱。這就是他所處的困境；對一個敬虔人而言，這是極大的困境——看見罪在眼前，比看見患難更為難。他因自己的輕率——離開猶大地、住到未受割禮的人中間——才使自己陷入此境。人若與惡人結交、與他們親密來往，竟能不沾染罪惡、或不受憂愁，或兩者皆無，那是稀奇的事。他自己打算怎麼行，經文並未說明。也許他只想充當王的衛士，守著所派定的崗位（撒上 28:2），並不打算對以色列採取任何攻勢。然而要如此靠近罪的邊緣而不跌入其中，實在難矣。所以，神本可公義地把他留在這困境中，作為他愚昧的懲戒；但因他的心在神面前仍正直，神就「不叫人遇見試探過於所能受的，在受試探的時候，總要給他開一條出路」（林前 10:13）。
二、神為他開了一扇門，使他得以脫離此困境。神感動非利士眾首領的心，使他們反對大衛參與這場戰事，並堅持要他被遣回。於是他們的敵意反倒成了他的朋友——他所沒有的朋友，也辦不成這樣的好事。1. 點閱軍隊之時，他們所問的問題實在合宜：「這些希伯來人在這裏做甚麼呢？」（撒上 29:3）「我們怎能信任他們，又能指望他們出甚麼力呢？」一個希伯來人離開了自己的本位，若他仍有希伯來人的靈，便是離開了自己的本元素——身處非利士人的營中，本就該在那裏坐立不安。大衛素常「恨惡惡人的會」（詩 26:5），無論他如今怎麼會身處其中。亞基在此場合對大衛所作的見證甚為體面：他視大衛為一個逃難的人，因在本國受了冤屈的追訴而來投奔於他、置身於他的保護之下；因此按公義他理當照應，按審慎他也可使用——「因為他與我同在有些日子、或有些年日了」，即在王宮住了許多日子，在他的國中住了一兩年；而他從未發現他有過錯，也未見有甚麼理由疑他的忠心，倒看他是一心歸順了自己。由此可見大衛行事極其謹慎，機敏地隱藏了他對本國百姓仍存的情誼。我們實在需要「用智慧與外人交往」，在惡人面前謹守口舌，並有所保留。3. 眾首領卻斷然定規，必須打發他回家，並提出充足的理由堅持己見：（一）因他素來就是非利士人的宿敵；試看人們為記念他勝過非利士人而唱的：「掃羅殺死千千，大衛殺死萬萬」（撒上 29:5）。「窩藏並信任這樣一位殺戮我民的要角，是我們的羞辱；也不能妄想他如今會真心攻打掃羅——從前他與掃羅聯手、為掃羅奮力之時是何等踴躍。」誰還會貪戀眾人的稱讚掌聲呢？因為連這些，他日也可能被用來作人的把柄。（二）因他可能成為他們極危險的仇敵，比掃羅全軍所造成的禍害更大（撒上 29:4）：「他在陣上可能成為我們的敵人」，趁他們的大軍在前方衝鋒之時，從後方突襲我們；我們也有理由料想他必如此行，好藉著出賣我們來與他的主人復和。一個人既對本國心存情誼，又會把自己的利益放在於我們不忠之上——這樣的人誰能信任呢？把信心放在一個已經和好卻仍是仇敵的人身上，是危險的。
bản gốc tiếng anh
David with the Philistines (1055 BC)
¹ Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
² And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.
³ Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?
⁴ And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?
⁵ Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
Here is, I. The great strait that David was in, which we may suppose he himself was aware of, though we read not of his asking advice from God, nor of any project of his own to get clear of it. The two armies of the Philistines and the Israelites were encamped and ready to engage, 1Sa 29:1. Achish, who had been kind to David, had obliged him to come himself and bring the forces he had into his service. David came accordingly, and, upon a review of the army, was found with Achish, in the post assigned him in the rear, 1Sa 29:2. Now, 1. If, when the armies engaged, he should retire, and quit his post, he would fall under the indelible reproach, not only of cowardice and treachery, but of base ingratitude to Achish, who had been his protector and benefactor and had reposed a confidence in him, and from whom he had received a very honourable commission. Such an unprincipled thing as this he could by no means persuade himself to do. 2. If he should, as was expected from him, fight for the Philistines against Israel, he would incur the imputation of being an enemy to the Israel of God and a traitor to his country, would make his own people hate him, and unanimously oppose his coming to the crown, as unworthy the name of an Israelite, much more the honour and trust of a king of Israel, when he had fought against them under the banner of the uncircumcised. If Saul should be killed (as it proved he was) in this engagement, the fault would be laid at David's door, as if he had killed him. So that on each side there seemed to be both sin and scandal. This was the strait he was in; and a great strait it was to a good man, greater to see sin before him than to see trouble. Into this strait he brought himself by his own unadvisedness, in quitting the land of Judah, and going among the uncircumcised. It is strange if those that associate themselves with wicked people, and grow intimate with them, come off without guilt, or grief, or both. What he himself proposed to do does not appear. Perhaps he designed to act only as keeper to the king's head, the post assigned him (1Sa 28:2) and not to do any thing offensively against Israel. But it would have been very hard to come so near the brink of sin and not to fall in. Therefore, though God might justly have left him in this difficulty, to chastise him for his folly, yet, because his heart was upright with him, he would not suffer him to be tempted above what he was able, but with the temptation made a way for him to escape, 1Co 10:13.
II. A door opened for his deliverance out of this strait. God inclined the hearts of the princes of the Philistines to oppose his being employed in the battle, and to insist upon his being dismissed. Thus their enmity befriended him, when no friend he had was capable of doing him such a kindness. 1. It was a proper question which they asked, upon the mustering of the forces, "What do these Hebrews here? 1Sa 29:3. What confidence can we put in them, or what service can we expect from them?" A Hebrew is out of his place, and, if he has the spirit of a Hebrew, is out of his element, when he is in the camp of the Philistines, and deserves to be made uneasy there. David used to hate the congregation of evil doers, however he came now to be among them, Ps 26:5. It was an honourable testimony which Achish, on this occasion, gave to David. He looked upon him as a refugee, that fled from a wrongful prosecution in his own country, and had put himself under his protection, whom therefore he was obliged, in justice, to take care of, and thought he might in prudence employ; "for (says he) he has been with me these days, or these years," that is, a considerable time, many days at his court and a year or two in his country, and he never found any fault in him, nor saw any cause to distrust his fidelity, or to think any other than that he had heartily come over to him. By this it appears that David had conducted himself with a great deal of caution, and had prudently concealed the affection he still retained for his own people. We have need to walk in wisdom towards those that are without, to keep our mouth when the wicked is before us, and to be upon the reserve. 3. Yet the princes are peremptory in it, that he must be sent home; and they give good reasons for their insisting on it. (1.) Because he had been an old enemy to the Philistines; witness what was sung in honour of his triumphs over them: Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands, 1Sa 29:5. "It will be a reproach to us to harbour and trust so noted a destroyer of our people; nor can it be thought that he will now act heartily against Saul who then acted so vigorously with him and for him." Who would be fond of popular praise or applause when, even that may, another time, be turned against a man to his reproach? (2.) Because he might be a most dangerous enemy to them, and do them more mischief then all Saul's army could (1Sa 29:4): "He may in the battle be an adversary to us, and surprise us with an attack in the rear, while their army charges us in the front; and we have reason to think he will do so, that, by betraying us, he may reconcile himself to his master. Who can trust a man who, besides his affection to his country, will think it his interest to be false to us?" It is dangerous to put confidence in a reconciled enemy.
6-11
David Leaves the Philistines (1055 BC)
繁體中文
大衛離開非利士人（公元前1055年）
⁶ 亞吉叫大衛來，對他說：我指著永生的耶和華起誓，你是正直人。你隨我在軍中出入，我看甚好。自從你投奔我到如今，我未曾見你有甚麼過失。只是眾首領不喜悅你。
⁷ 現在你可以平平安安地回去，免得非利士人的首領不歡喜。
⁸ 大衛對亞吉說：我作了甚麼呢？自從僕人到你面前，直到今日，你查出僕人有甚麼不是，使我不能去攻擊我主我王的仇敵呢？
⁹ 亞吉回答說：我知道你在我眼中是好人，如同神的使者。只是非利士的首領說：這人不可同我們上陣。
¹⁰ 故此你和跟你來的主人的僕人，明日早晨要早起，到了天一亮就走。
¹¹ 於是大衛和跟隨他的人早晨早起要走，回非利士地去。非利士人也上耶斯列去了。
亞吉信任大衛的理由，若比眾首領所提出的不信任他的理由更強（我不認為在策略上如此，因為眾首領肯定是對的），但亞吉只是五人之一——雖然是首領，也是唯一有王之尊號的——照樣，在為此召開的軍事會議上，他被人投票否決了，不得不打發大衛走，雖然他極其喜愛大衛。王不總是能隨心所欲，也不能隨心所欲地挑選身邊的人。
I. 亞吉給他的解職非常體面，而且不是最終的解職，只是免去當前的任務。1. 他表示自己對大衛和他相處的極大愉快和滿意：你在我眼中如同神的使者一般（1Sa 29:9）。智慧善良的人，無論到哪裏，都必從一切懂得正確評估人事物的人那裏得著尊重，即使他們在宗教信仰上不同。亞吉論大衛所說的話，神也藉先知論大衛家說了（亞12:8）：他必如耶和華的使者一般。但前者只是宮廷的客套話；後者卻是神的應許。2. 他給他一份品行良好的證明（1Sa 29:6），內容十分全面，語氣也十分懇切：你是正直人，你一切的舉動在我眼中看甚好，我未曾見你有甚麼過失。掃羅雖然從大衛受了遠比亞吉更多的服事，卻不肯給他這樣的證明。神的百姓當總是如此無可指摘地行事為人，盡可能得著一切與他們打交道之人的好評；那些行為良好的人，我們當將當得的稱讚歸給他們，這是我們對他們的義務。3. 他把解職的一切責任都推到眾首領身上，因為他們無論如何不容大衛繼續留在營中。「王完全愛你，情願把性命交在你手中；只是眾首領不喜悅你，我們不可得罪他們，也不能反對他們；因此你平平安安地回去吧。」他與其得罪眾將領、在軍中引起嘩變，不如捨棄他這個寵臣。亞吉暗示了他們不安的原因。與其說是為了大衛本人，不如說是為了隨同他的那些兵丁——亞吉稱之為他主人的僕人（即掃羅的，1Sa 29:10）。他們可以信任大衛，卻不能信任他們。（4）他吩咐他天一亮就早早離去（1Sa 29:10），以免他們再生怨氣，又防止他若拖延，他們便要生出疑心。
II. 大衛對這番話的回應極其客氣；但恐怕不無幾分虛偽。「甚麼？」大衛說，「我要撇下我主我王——我有職責保護的人——正當他要親赴戰場之際嗎？為甚麼我不能去攻擊我主我王的仇敵呢？」（1Sa 29:8）。他似乎急於服事亞吉，其實此刻他正急於離開他，只是不願亞吉知道他的心意罷了。沒有人知道，那些服事大人物的人所面臨的客套和虛偽的試探有多大，也沒有人知道要避免它是何等困難。
III. 神的護理為他安排得既智慧又恩慈。因為，不但那網羅被打破了，他從原先所陷入的進退兩難中得了釋放，這還證明是催促他回去救援自己城邑的良機——那城極其需要他，雖然他自己還不知道。這樣，非利士首領加在他身上的羞辱，在不止一個方面證明對他是有益的。*義人的腳步被耶和華立定；耶和華也喜悅他的道路。*他如今對我們所作的我們不知道，後來必知道，並要看見一切都是為我們的益處。
bản gốc tiếng anh
David Leaves the Philistines (1055 BC)
⁶ Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.
⁷ Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.
⁸ And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
⁹ And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
¹⁰ Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.
¹¹ So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
If the reasons Achish had to trust David were stronger than the reasons which the princes offered why they should distrust him (as I do not see that, in policy, they were, for the princes were certainly in the right), yet Achish was but one of five, though the chief, and the only one that had the title of king; accordingly, in a council of war held on this occasion, he was over-voted, and obliged to dismiss David, though he was extremely fond of him. Kings cannot always do as they would, nor have such as they would about them.
I. The discharge Achish gives him is very honourable, and not a final discharge, but only from the present service. 1. He signifies the great pleasure and satisfaction he had taken in him and in his conversation: Thou art good in my sight as an angel of God, 1Sa 29:9. Wise and good men will gain respect, wherever they go, from all that know how to make a right estimate of persons and things, though of different professions in religion. What Achish says of David, God, by the prophet, says of the house of David (Zec 12:8), that it shall be as the angel of the Lord. But the former is a court-compliment; the latter is a divine promise. 2. He gives him a testimonial of his good behaviour, 1Sa 29:6. It is very full and in obliging terms: "Thou hast been upright, and thy whole conduct has been good in my sight, and I have not found evil in thee." Saul would not have given him such a testimonial, though he had done far more service to him than Achish. God's people should behave themselves always so inoffensively as if possible to get the good word of all they have dealings with; and it is a debt we owe to those who have acquitted themselves well to give them the praise of it. 3. He lays all the blame of his dismission upon the princes, who would by no means suffer him to continue in the camp. "The king loves thee entirely, and would venture his life in thy hand; but the lords favour thee not, and we must not disoblige them, nor can we oppose them; therefore return and go in peace." He had better part with his favourite than occasion a disgust among his generals and a mutiny in his army. Achish intimates a reason why they were uneasy. It was not so much for David's own sake as for the sake of his soldiers that attended him, whom he calls his master's servants (namely, Saul's), 1Sa 29:10. They could trust him, but not them. (4.) He orders him to be gone early, as soon as it was light (1Sa 29:10), to prevent their further resentments, and the jealousies they would have been apt to conceive if he had lingered.
II. His reception of this discourse is very complimental; but, I fear, not without some degree of dissimulation. "What?" says David, "must I leave my lord the king, whom I am bound by office to protect, just now when he is going to expose himself in the field? Why may not I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" 1Sa 29:8. He seemed anxious to serve him when he was at this juncture really anxious to leave him, but he was not willing that Achish should know that he was. No one knows how strong the temptation is to compliment and dissemble which those are in that attend great men, and how hard it is to avoid it.
III. God's providence ordered it wisely and graciously for him. For, besides that the snare was broken and he was delivered out of the dilemma to which he was first reduced, it proved a happy hastening of him to the relief of his own city, which sorely wanted him, though he did not know it. Thus the disgrace which the lords of the Philistines put upon him prove, in more ways than one, an advantage to him. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way. What he does with us we know not now, but we shall know hereafter, and shall see it was all for good.
前一章我們讀到被神離棄的掃羅，在窘迫之中如何因自己的計謀愈發困惑煩擾。本章我們看見緊緊跟隨神的大衛，在窘迫之中如何被神的護理解救脫險，毫不需要自己的籌劃。本章內容：I. 大衛與非利士人一同行軍（1Sa 29:1,2）。II. 受非利士眾首領的反對排斥（1Sa 29:3-5）。III. 亞吉欣然打發他離開那極不相稱、他又不知如何推辭的差事（1Sa 29:6-11）。