Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 13:14
But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him [to be] captain over his people, because thou hast not kept [that] which the LORD commanded thee.
14. a man after his own heart ] Quoted by St Paul in his discourse at Antioch (Act 13:22). Cp. Psa 89:20.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 14. The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart] That this man was David is sufficiently clear from the sequel. But in what sense was he a man after God’s own heart? Answer:
1. In his strict attention to the law and worship of God.
2. In his admitting, in the whole of his conduct, that God was King in Israel, and that he himself was but his vicegerent.
3. In never attempting to alter any of those laws, or in the least change the Israelitish constitution.
4. In all his public official conduct he acted according to the Divine mind, and fulfilled the will of his Maker: thus was he a man after God’s own heart. In reference to his private or personal moral conduct, the word is never used. This is the sense alone in which the word is used here and elsewhere; and it is unfair and wicked to put another meaning on it in order to ridicule the revelation of God, as certain infidels have done.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Hath sought, i.e. hath found or discovered, as men do by seeking, an anthropopathy.
A man after his own heart, i.e. such a man as he desires, one who will fulfil all the desires of his heart, and not oppose them, as thou dost.
Hath commanded, i.e. hath appointed or decreed, as the word command is sometimes used; for it was not yet actually done.
Because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.
Quest. First, What was Sauls sin?
Answ. Either, first, That Saul invaded the priests office, and offered the sacrifice himself; which is not probable, both because he had priests with him, and among others an eminent one, Ahiah, 1Sa 14:3, and therefore had no occasion nor pretence for that presumption. Or rather, secondly, That Saul did not wait the full time for Samuels coming; for that is the thing which God commanded, 1Sa 10:8, and the breach of this command is the only thing for which Saul makes an apology, 1Sa 13:11,12.
Quest. Secondly, Why did God so severely punish Saul for so small an offence, and that occasioned by great necessity, and done with an honest intention?
Answ. First, Men are very incompetent judges of Gods judgments, because they see but very little, either of the majesty of the offended God, or of the heinous nature and aggravations of the offence. For instance, men see nothing but Sauls outward act, which seems small; but God saw with how wicked a mind and heart he did this; with what rebellion against the light of his own conscience, as his own words imply; with what gross infidelity and distrust of Gods providence; with what contempt of Gods authority, and justice, and many other wicked principles and motions of his heart, unknown to men. Besides, God clearly saw all that wickedness that yet lay hid in his heart, and foresaw all his other crimes; and therefore had far more grounds for his sentence against him than we can imagine. Secondly, God doth sometimes punish small sins severely, and that for divers weighty reasons, as that all men may see what the least sin deserves, and how much they owe to Gods free and rich mercy for passing by their great offences; and what need they have not to indulge themselves in any small sin, as men are very prone to do, upon vain presumptions of Gods mercy, whereby they are easily and commonly drawn on to heinous crimes; and for many other reasons: so that some such instances of Gods severity are necessary discipline and caution to all mankind in the present and future ages; and therefore there is far more of mercy and kindness in such actions, than of rigour and harshness, since this is but particular to one person, and the other is a universal good. Thirdly, It must be remembered that the kingdom of Saul and of Israel was now in its infancy, and that this was the first command which he received from God. And it hath been ever held a piece of wisdom in all lawgivers, severely to punish the first violations of their laws, to secure their honour and obedience, and to affright and caution offenders for the future. And accordingly God dealt with Cain the first murderer; with Israel, for their first idolatry with the calf; with the first miscarriage of the priests, Lev 10:1; with the first profaner of the sabbath, Num 15:35; with the first gross hypocrites in the Christian church, Act 5:5,10. And therefore it is neither strange nor unjust if he deal with Saul after the same manner, and upon the same grounds. Fourthly, Though God threaten Saul with the loss of his kingdom for this sin, yet it is not improbable that there was a tacit condition implied, as is usual in such cases, as Jon 3:4, to wit, if he did not heartily repent of this and of all his sins; for the full, and final, and peremptory sentence of Sauls rejection is plainly ascribed to another cause, 1Sa 15:11,23,26,28,29; and till that second offence neither the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, nor was David anointed in his stead, 1Sa 16:13,14.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
But now thy kingdom shall not continue,…. That is, in his family, nor in his tribe, but be removed to another:
the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart: who was David; though as yet Samuel knew him not, he knew by divine revelation that there was another one chosen, to whom the kingdom would be given; a man every way agreeable to the will of God, and who would fulfil his will, though he knew not particularly who he was:
and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people; that is, had appointed him to be king over Israel. God’s decrees have the force of a law in them, and must be fulfilled; and cannot be resisted so as to be frustrated:
because thou hast not kept that which the Lord hath commanded thee; it matters not whether the thing commanded is greater or less, it is disobedience to the command that is the sin, and is resented: this might seem a small thing, since to offer the sacrifice was not criminal; but doing it before the time, a little before it should have been done, not waiting long enough for the prophet; yet it being against the command of God, or in neglect of it, it was sinful, and severely chastised; and the rather, that it might be an example to all succeeding kings how they offended, or broke the least of God’s commandments; and this being the first king of Israel, he was made an example of to the rest.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(14) Now thy kingdom shall not continue.The succession was thus formally transferred elsewhere; still, when the words of doom were spoken by the prophet, David, the son of Jesse, the man after Gods own heart, could at that time have been but a mere child. Had King Saul repented what he had done, he might have been forgiven, for Gods threatenings, like His promises, are conditional. There is no fatalism in the Bible, but a loving discipline for mans recovery. But behind it stands the Divine foreknowledge and omnipotence, and so to the prophetic view Sauls refusal to repent, his repeated disobedience, and the succession of David were all revealed as accomplished facts.Dean Payne Smith.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Thy kingdom shall not continue This means, as the context and the sequel show, that his kingdom should not be transmitted to his posterity, but transferred to another person of a truer heart. Neither this passage, nor its parallel in 1Sa 15:28, means that Saul was to be personally deposed, and another succeed him during his lifetime. The words of Samuel are simply a prophecy of what was to be.
A man after his own heart David, as we shall find in the subsequent history.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Sa 13:14. A man after his own heart A variety of able writers amongst us have lately fully explained and vindicated this expression from the insults of free-thinkers. We will refer at the end of the note to some of them, while we produce Bishop Warburton’s Exposition, which appears to us extremely just. “David was a man of so opposite a character to Saul with regard to his sentiments of the law, that it appears to have been for this difference alone that he was decreed by God to succeed the other in the kingdom. Now David sojourned some time in Naioth, which was the academy of the prophets, chap. 1Sa 19:18. And here it was, as we may reasonably conclude, that he so greatly cultivated and improved his natural disposition of love and zeal for the law, as to merit that most glorious of all titles, the man after God’s own heart: for, till this time, his employment and way of life had been very different; his childhood and youth were spent in the country, and his early manhood in camps and courts. But it is of importance to know, that this character was not given him for his private morals, but his public, his zeal for the advancement of the glory of the theocracy. This is seen from the first mention of him in this passage: and if we would but seek for the reason of this pre-eminence in David’s public, not in his private character, we should see that it afforded no occasion of scandal. His zeal for the law was constantly the same; and above all he never fell into idolatry. But the phrase itself of a man after God’s own heart, is best explained in the case of Samuel. Eli the prophet was rejected, and Samuel put into his place, just in the same manner as David superseded Saul. On this occasion, when God’s purpose was denounced to Eli, we find it expressed in the same manner, chap. 1Sa 2:35. I will raise me up a faithful priest, who shall do according to that which is in my heart. And is not he who does according to what is in God’s heart, a man after God’s heart?” See Div. Leg. vol. 4: p. 360. Chandler’s Review, p. 85. Patten’s Vindication of David, &c. &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Sa 13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him [to be] captain over his people, because thou hast not kept [that] which the LORD commanded thee.
Ver. 14. The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, ] sc., Iuxta suum gustura et votum; one that would do all his wills, Act 13:22 and was therefore his Corculum, the man of his desires and delight.
And the herd hath commanded him to be captain, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
man, &c. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14. Quoted in Act 13:22.
own heart = his own pleasure. Compare Psa 89:20, Psa 89:21.
captain = leader, or representative.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
But now: 1Sa 2:30, 1Sa 15:28
the Lord: 1Sa 16:1, 1Sa 16:12, 2Sa 7:15, 2Sa 7:16, Psa 78:70, Psa 89:19, Psa 89:20-37, Act 13:22
captain over: 1Sa 9:16, 2Sa 5:2, 2Ki 20:5, Heb 2:10
Reciprocal: Deu 17:20 – right hand 1Sa 10:1 – captain 1Sa 15:23 – thou hast rejected 1Sa 15:26 – for thou 1Sa 18:8 – and what 1Sa 25:30 – according 1Sa 28:17 – as he spake 2Sa 3:18 – for the Lord 2Sa 6:21 – chose 1Ki 11:11 – I will surely 1Ki 13:21 – thou hast disobeyed 1Ch 10:14 – turned 2Ch 6:5 – neither chose 2Ch 24:20 – transgress Psa 36:3 – he hath Isa 39:5 – Hear Jer 3:15 – And I Dan 4:31 – The kingdom
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 13:14. A man after his own heart That is, such a man as will fulfil all the desires of his heart, and not oppose, them as thou dost. The Lord hath commanded That is, hath appointed, as the word commanded is often used. But although God threatened Saul with the loss of his kingdom for his sin, yet, it is not improbable, there was a tacit condition implied, namely, if he did not repent of this, and of all his sins; for the full, and final, and peremptory sentence of Sauls rejection is plainly ascribed to another cause, 1Sa 15:11; 1Sa 15:23-29; and, till that second offence, neither the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, nor was David anointed in his stead. But, was not this a severe sentence now passed on Saul? Was it not hard to punish so little a sin with the loss of his kingdom? Not to mention that no sin is little, because God, against whom all sin is committed, is a being of infinite majesty; and not to insist that what to men seems a small offence, to him, who knows the heart, may appear a heinous crime; this sin of Saul certainly can in no point of view be thought little, being an act of manifest disobedience to a known and express command of God; and disobedience to God, though in a small matter, is a great provocation. Samuel expressly says, Thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee. What was this commandment? Why, not only to wait seven days till Samuel came to assist at the sacrifice, but to receive Gods direction, by the prophet, what he should do, or what measures he was to take upon the invasion of the Philistines, and not to act in so critical a conjuncture without his orders. Saul, under a pretence of piety, and making supplication to the Lord, absolutely contradicts the command, thinks himself above waiting for the prophet, takes upon himself the ordinance of an affair that no way belonged to him; and, as though Gods direction by the prophet was of no consequence to him, resolves to act for himself, and deal with the Philistines as well as he could. Let any inferior prince thus violate the orders of his sovereign, and act in any affair of importance directly contrary to his instructions and duty, and no one will scruple to pronounce him guilty of rebellion, or think he was too hardly treated by being removed from his dignity and government. Dodd and Chandler.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a {k} man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him [to be] captain over his people, because thou hast not kept [that] which the LORD commanded thee.
(k) That is, David.