John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. And it came to pass after this , etc.] After David had heard of the death of Saul and Jonathan, and made a lamentation over them, perhaps the next day; since David and his men are only said to mourn, and weep, and fast till even, ( 2 Samuel 1:10); that David inquired of the Lord ; of the Word of the Lord, as the Targum, by Abiathar the priest, and through the Urim and Thummim, in the ephod he had put on on this occasion: saying, shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah ? though the Lord had promised him the kingdom, and he had been anointed by Samuel by his appointment, yet he was not hasty to take it into his hands, but was desirous of acting according to the will of God, and by his direction, and wait his time when and where he should go and take possession of it; he mentions Judah because it was his own tribe, and where he had the most friends: and the Lord said unto him, go up ; from Ziklag into the tribe of Judah, but did not mention any particular place whither he should go; hence another question was put: and David said, whither shall I go up ? To what town or city in the tribe of Judah? whether Jerusalem or any other? And he said, unto Hebron ; a city of the priests, a city of refuge, ( Joshua 21:13 1 Chronicles 6:57), twenty miles from Jerusalem, or more, which is not directed to, because it was then chiefly in the hands of the Jebusites, and because, as Procopius Gazaeus says, Hebron was now the metropolis of Judah.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - After the death of Saul, many went to David at Ziklag, 1Ch 12:22, but he trusted in God who promised him the kingdom, to give it in his ow time and manner. Yet assurance of hope in God's promise, will quicke pious endeavours. If I be chosen to the crown of life, it does no follow, Then I will do nothing; but, Then I will do all that God directs me. This good use David made of his election, and so will all whom God has chosen. In all our journeys and removes, it is comfortabl to see God going before us; and we may do so, if by faith and prayer we set Him before us. God, according to the promise, directed David' path. David rose gradually: thus the kingdom of the Messiah, the Son of David, is set up by degrees; he is Lord of all, but we see not yet all things put under him.
Original Hebrew ויהי1961 אחרי310 כן3651 וישׁאל7592 דוד1732 ביהוה3068 לאמר559 האעלה5927 באחת259 ערי5892 יהודה3063 ויאמר559 יהוה3068 אליו413 עלה5927 ויאמר559 דוד1732 אנה575 אעלה5927 ויאמר559 חברנה׃2275
