Verse 1. Fehiud up the ark\ When these people received the mesasge of the Bein-abemitei^ they prai^ly emsulied Samuel, with whom was the counsel ef tim Lord; and he had encouraged them to gn end bring ti uf^ else they might have expected such deatruction as happened to tho Beth'shemites.
Saiutified Eleaxar^ Perhaps ihia eoncti^ng signifies no more than aeUing thia man apart, simply to take csi* of the ark.
Verse 2. U waa twenty years] Thia chapter cantsini the tranaoetions of at least (wan/y years; but ws know
Verse 3. AJid Samuel apake] We have heard nothing of this judge since be served in the tabernacle. He waa now grown up, and established for a prophet in the land
If ye doretttm] From your bochaliding and idolab^ Wuh all your hearta] For otitward services and pr^
5 And Samuel BaM, ■ Gather all Israel to Mi2peh. and I will pray Tor yoa unto the Lord.
6 Ana they ffBtnercd together to Mizpeh, *and drew water, and poured it oat before the LoBD, and • foeted on- thai day, and said there, p We have sinned against the Loud. And Samuel t indited the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
7 ^ And when the Philistinee heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the PhilistineB went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the PhiliEtines.
8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, ' Cease ■ not to cry unto the Lord our God for us. that he will save us out of tiie hands of the PhilisliTies.
9 H* ' And Samuel took a sticking lamb, and offered it for a burnt-ofiering wholly unto the Lobd: and "Samuel cried unto the Loao for Israel; and the Lord *heard him.
10 And as Samuel was offering up the burntoffering, the Philistines drew near to l^ittle against Israel: *but the Lord tbiindered with a great thunder on that day, upon the Philbtines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
And eerve him onJy\ Have no other religioiu service tut his I and obey his Ibvb.
He will deiiver you] Tfthi are yoor own exertions: he will deliver yoa in nich a way as to ihov that the excellence of the power ia of himaelf alone.
Verse 4. Put away BaaUm and Athtaroth] Then were not two partKular deities, but two genera of idols; Hm one maaeuline, Baalim: the other Jcmtnint, AsrtaaOTH: both the words are in the plural munber, and signily all their xvdtaDd goddaaet.
verse 6. QaOier all Jirad to SKxpA] Hit appears to have been an armed assembly: though, probably, eollaeted principally fbr reli^ous and political pumwes; but Samuel knew that an unarmed multitude could not safely be convened in the vicinity of the Philistines.
Terse 6. Hh-ew water, arid poured it oat] It is not easy to know what is meant by this: it is tnie duit pouring cut iMter, in the way of Itfto^Mm, was a teligious 'ot£nanee among the Beoreue, Isa. xii. 3; and among most other nations, particular^ the OreeJct and Pomasu, who used not only taaler, but imne, milk, hmtv, and blood; as we find by Homer, Virgil, Euripides, So^oeles. Porphyry, and Lucian. Our Lord seemii to alltide to this ceremony, John vii. 37, 38; where see the note.
The Chaldee ParaphraH understands the place differently; for be trsiulates; " And they vmtrea out their heart* iotpenitence, at watbrs, before the Lord." That deep penitential sorrow was represented under the notion of paiering out water we have a direet proof in the case of David, who say^ Psa. zxii. H. / am poobid onruKS WATsa, myheoHU Ukew*x\ it is mbltcd <n th* mitfri <^ my howelt. Attd to repentance, under this verr simihtude, the prophet exhorts fallen Jerusalem. Arue, cry out in the mght: in the beginning of the waid\£t rovR oiTT thine hsast ukc wates before the faee i^ the Lord. Lam. il. 9. David uses the same mage, PSa. Uii. 6. Truet in Him at all times, ye people; KWBOUtjMwr hearta before kim. The same figure ia used by Hannah, in chap. i. 16. of dlis book, / am a womanqf a aorrowful eptrit; I have focmd out my eoul before the Lord. Perhaps the drawing atA pouring out ta water, mentioned in the test, was done eTHoUnatieally, to represent the contrition of their hearts.
And Samuel judged] He rave them ordinaitoes, heard •nd redressed grievances, aniriaHf;lit ihera how to got reoonciled to God. llie aseembly, therefore, was held for lelizio-politico' military purposes.
Vtr»e 7. TTie PhilisUnee -went up againti Israel.} They went to give them battle, befcre that, by continual •oeessfons of numbers, they should become too powerful.
Verse 6. Cease not to cry unto the Loan] They hod Ctronc eonfideoca in the intercession of Saoniel, because dwr Knew be was a ho^ man of God.
Versa 9. Samuel took a sucking lamb'] Iliis sucking lamb must have been eight days vnder Us mother before it could be oflbred, as tha law ii^ Lev. zztt. 27.
U And the inen of Israel went out of MiK> peh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came vmder Beth-car.
12 Then Samuel « took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Sben, and called the name of It J Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
13 Tl * So the Philistines were subdued, and th^ 'came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was agahist the PhiliBtmes all the days of Samuel.
14 And the cities which the Phllistmes had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Oath: and the coasts thereof did Israel dehver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
16 And he went from year to year ^
» in circuit to Beth-el, Slid GUgal, and aainu. Mizpeh, and jodeed Israel in fOl Uose a.. loi« places. ma-^r^
17 And * his return wot to Ramah j for there was hia house; and there he judged Israel; and there he * built an altar unto the Losn.
Thouf^ Samuel was not a priest, yet he offend this sacrifice; or, be mis^t have ordered £Zsasar to offer it and still be said to nave done it bimsel^Q*>i^c*t ptt alterumtfaeUpsr mi "Hs irtw vreocrat ail^H tabs done, may ba said b) d» it Msis«{^."
His not saarifleii^attha iaiernacls w«a jostified by dks necessity of tbe oaia: neither MbecnaelB oat sA wm at
Verse 10. T%» Loss ffiundsred wiih a great thundsr} Literally, T7u Lord thundsnd with a great voUe/ ha conlbuoded then with a nighty tempest of thunder and hghtning; aitd, no doubt, slew many oy the li^lning.
verse 11. Under Beth-cor.] We know not where diis ^ace was: the S^>tuagini have Betk-ehor; die Targum, Beth-earon; and the Syriac and Arabic, Beth-kuan.
Verse 12. Called the nam* qfit Eben-exer\ nyn IM Bbenha-ixer, "The Stone of Help:" pertMps a |riUar is meant by the word stows.
V«M 13. Thsy come no more into the toast of Israt^ Perhaps a more signal victory was never gained of Israel t the Lord had brought them low, almost to extermination; and now, by his miraculous interference, he lifts them completely up, and humbles to the dust their proud oppressors. God often suffers nations and individuals to £• orou^t to the -lowest extremity, that he nay show hv mercy and goodness, by suddenly reaeung then fron d^ strucdon, when all kuman help has nost evidently &iled.
Verse 14. The cities which the PhiRstines /tad taken] We are not informed of the particulars of these re|»isalst but we may rest assured all this was not done intne day i peihape, the retakiiw ot the cities wti^ by slow degree^ through the space oi sevefal years.
Tncrs was psaes fiefwesn Israel and the AmorUasA That is, all the remaining Canaanttes kept quiet, and did' not attempt to molest the Ismelites, when tney found the Philistines, the most powerful of the ancient inhabitaats of the land, broken and subdued before Ihem.
Verse IB. Samuel judged Israel all the days qf hie l^e.] Samuel is supposed to have lived otis hundred years: be did not bc^ to judge Israel till he was about forty years of agaj and, if he was a hundred years of ege wf ■ ■■ and last bottle is evident, from the transactions of that king widi the witch of En-dor; and probably not long before. Samuel was the prophet of diat time; declared' the will of the Lord, and frequently directed both the civil and military transactions of the kingdom. Samuel seems, in many respects, to have been considered the governor ^ the people, while Saul was only looked on as the gensraf qf the armies.
Verse 16. He went from year to year in circuit] When he was at Bsth-xl, the tribe ofEpbraim, and all the northern parts of the country, could attend him; when at OitoAL, the tribe of Benjamin, and thoee beyond JDrdan, might nave can- access to him; and when at Mbfkr, he was within reach of Judah, Simeon, and Gad » but AmoA ■ ^itizedbyGOOgFe
3 Now the naioe of hia first-born was ^Joel;
perverted judffment. 4 Then all the ddera of Israel fathered tbemselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ba- tebjAbb fwt old, and thy sons walk not in thy ah> uw ways: now " make us a kins to judge
ft ItBut the thing ■ displeased Samuel, when Aey said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
7 And the Lord said unto Samnal, Hearken onto the T«ee of th» pe(q>le in aU that they say
vaa dM plan of hU ordiBary abode; and there he beld Us oean, for <ih«r« ho Judged In^: uid, ae it is probabls diat SUlok was dastroyed, it ii nid, w. 12. that thtrt, irix. at Ramah, he baiU an altar v»t» tS* Lord.
Ramam, which ia nid to be about six aulea Crom JenmiMo, was dte aaat qfprvpktev doriiw the life of Sa»- oeli and ihrae, it is probable, all larael eaaw w CMHult Uii oa mMtera of a qpiriaial naam: as ttsrs was the saly ottsr of Ch>d ia d» land of IiraaL
'''^Inadt Um tmtjudgta} Ho upoinlsd thena hie lieotenant^ to superintend certaiD amin ia Beer-ahaba, irtiidt he ceuld not eonTeniently attend to himself. But Aey were never Judgu in the proper eenoe of the word: Saaniel was the last judge in leraiel, and be judged it to dke d^r of his death. See chap. vii. 16.
Verse 3. M» sons waiiad not in kU wiys} llieir iniqoi^ is pointed out in three words; — tumad aaidd ^fUr bterei the original ma hatad sigoioes to mt, cHp, break end, dmefore, Mr. Parkhurst thmks that it neaiH nearly the nme with our dipping <^ cmn. Ix, however, expresses here the idea of ovanof; of getting moiMv mr Aoeft or 6y crsdt. Hie Tbr^wn say^ ^ Ibev looked after ym^ poo momon ditlukar, the mammon et onrighteousneat" of irikididiey did not make unto themoelves/Hends but memif. See dw note on Matt vi. 24. 3. TnW took frrifrst; mar thoe/iad, g\fU or preaantt, to blind their eyes. 3. TK*y ptrwerUd Jttdgmsnt! they tumsd Judgment atide, they put it out M its ngular path; AntmU it to the higbest Udder; thus the wioked rich men had bis cause, ana the poor nan was oppressed and deprived of bis lisht This was the eostom in our own eountry, before Maoiia CiuaTA was obtained: he thai would ipeed in the king'* court must briba all the mgiearo, and tee both the king and quam! I have found in our ancient records tlie most barefitoed and riiameAi] •Kamples of this kind; but it was totally aboliriied, tnvito rege, that provision in the above charter wfaieb states, TVuih vmdenau, nulU negabinau, out d{fartmu» rectum out Judicium: " To no man will we eell, to no man will we deny or defer justice and right." It was customary in those inauspicious time^ far jndgment to be dOatfad^ m banco regit, in the king's eourt, as long as tbov was any hope that more money wouU be pa^ in Older to bring it to jsstu. And there w«re eases, when the king did not like the party, in whiob ha dented hutiee and juagmmi entirely I Mi^a Charta brought tnem to bocdc, and brou^t the subject to his rij;ht.
Of those times it might well be said, as Hoiner did, Iliad xvi. v. 387.
unto thee; for * they have not rejected thee, but p they have rejected me, that I uuiuld not reign over them.
S According to all the works which they have done, since the day that 1 brought them up out of Egypt even unlo this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so <» they also unto thee.
9 Now therefore ^bearkea unto their roiee; ' howbeit, yet protest solemnly unto them, and ■ show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
10 IT And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.
11 And he said, < This will be the manner of the Idng that sludl reign over you: "He will take your sons, and appoint tAeni for himself, for his enariota,' and to be bis borsemenj and «Mm shall run before his chariots.
12 And he will appoint him captains orer thousands, and captains over fifties: and witt tel them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvests, and to malie his instruments of war, and instruments <^hia chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to he eoa> fectionarieB, end to be cooks, and to be bakera.
14 And * he will take your fields, and your
" When the Uwi are perverted by force; when jostiee is azpelled from ber seat; when judges are swayed from tbs riniti regardless of the vengeance of heaven." Or, ia ocber word*, these were times in which the streams of iustioe were poisoned in their source; and judges wilhsr stared God, nor regarded man.
Verse 5. Make tw a king] Hitherto^ from Am tiSM ia which they were a people, the Israelites were under a Asoerocy they hod no other king but God. Now, tbsy desire to have a king like the other nations around then, who may be their graoral in battle; Ear this is the point ■ whieh they principal^ aim.
Verse 6. ITu thing diepteaeed SamuOi Baenosa h* saw that this amounted In a formal iwnnaristioa of dH divine government.
Satmul prayed unto the Loan] He begged to know Us mmd in this important business.
Verse 7. TTtey hose rejected nu} lliey widi to put dot government in the hands of a mortal, which was atw^i m the hands ci their Goo. But hearlan unio Aar vokt; grant tbem what they reouesL So we find God grank that in his dinleature, wliich be withholds in his mera^
Verse 9. Show them Ae manner of the king} "fte word asvD miA^pat, which we here reader manner, ■ignifies simply what the king would and might retfuii^ aceording to tbt moniiar in wnieb kings in genenl ruled; all of whom, in tboae times, were abeatute and deepotte-
The irtudeocthis nannsroftbe king is well inusMid by Puffendort " Hitherto," says he, ''die people of Israel had lived under governors rwsed up of God, whs had exacted no tribute of them, nor put them to sinrchac^; but, little content with this (ana of government, they demm to have a king like other natioTu, who should live ■■ magnificence and pomp, keep armiee, and be elAtt to re«a any invasion. Samuel informs them what it was ihtf desired; that, when they understood it, they mMtl consider whether they woold peraisi in their cboiee. Ifth^ wooU have a kins n>lcnd)aly attended, he tells them, Aat ha vouid take Outr tone/or hie ckariote, Ac: if they woaU have him keep up constant,^>rce»t iben be woom sfpeiat ibem for eofansls and e^itain* i aiid empkqr those u Us loare who were aocustomed to follow their bmily bosineBB: and since, aAer the manner irf other kings, he must keep a etatety court, they must be content that their dav^ten should serve in several offices, which die king wouM thiidt below the dqi^rr of his wives and daughter^ ver. 13. Many ministers kJso, in several departmenti^ both of war and peace, must have ealariee to support diem, wludi must be paid oat of their fielde and vjneyardli, ver. 14- In (me word, that, to sustam his digni^, their k^I^[ wonld ezaet the tenth of all they possessed, mid bs aninttilMd ta a royml manner out of their estates."
It is perfectly vain in Grafiws, or any one ebe, to sMa that this shows what a king (asking) may, any wfacrc^ is virtue of hie ^Jflee, claim and exact; and that be can Inks the property and imtsoms -ot bis subjeets and diiToae them as As suqr Judge ■erawsrjr.far the cxicpes of At
Tlbmrdi, ftkid yoqr olive jardf nwi thtt^ bMt n«m, and fpve (hem to hk servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of year seed, and of your vinerarde, and give to hia * officers, and to nia servants.
16 And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servante, and your soodliest young men, and yoor aases, and put mem to his work.
17 He will take the tentn of your sheep: and 76 shall be his servadts.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king: which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord ' will not hear you in that day.
19 T Nevertheless the people ' refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said. Nay; but we will have a kinir over us;
30 That we also may be Miln all the nations; and that our king may judge oi, and go out beftre us, and 6ght our oattlea.
81 And Samuel heard all the words of the Moi^, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the
23 And the Lord said unto Samuel. * Hearicen onto their voice, and make them a long. And Sanmd said unto the men of Israel, Qo ye every nan onto hk city.
^'W"'*' TVrOW there was a man of Benjamin,.4«»»««fc. 1\ whose name was ''Kish, the son lap^w. of Abiel^ the son of Zeror. the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, 'a Benjamite, a miffhtv man of * power.
wiaie. Hut WM the mtauur of Sault but Swil «-u not s king ot Otxft Aooting — " He gave him in his wnith, ■Dd umk him sway in hu diqileuure:" and Iba manner of audi a king nouU not be arrooted by any poiantau who afleeta U rule Jun dtvino. or ay divine n^L The manner of the king of Ood'a aioice ia diatinotly detailed, DeuC xviL 16 — 20. to which the reader will do well to nfer, that he may have an impartial ■tatement of (hesii^jeet.
Terse 19. TTuptopUr^futtdtoob^} They weidrf have the tingt btanMnner and sU; notwithawnding the aolemD warning which they here recetvel
Teraezl. Aahearmd M«» AeMra^ffkaLoso.] He want to the altars and, in hie aeeret devotion, laid the whole buaiMas before Crad.
Terse 22. Hearken unio thtir toice] Let them have what tbty desire, and let dkem abide by the oonaeaueoeea.
Ch yt estry man wUo kU eiiy} It aeema the eldera of the people had tarried all this tune with Samuel; and, when be had receired hia ultimate aniwer from Ood, he toM tbem of tt| and diamisaed them.
On thia account we may oteerre — 1. l%at Ood did not dtange the Kovemment of larael; it was the peopU themaelvee who cnanged. — 2. That, though God f>ermitted tbem to bavs a kiiVi yat he did not approv* of him. — 3. Hut, notwithatandtng he did not suffer them to ehooae the man, ha wdared hie aerrant Samuel to choose him by lot, be diiqwaing of that lot. — 1 That God never gave up the BUprrate government; be still was Kiks in bradi and the king, so called, was <mly the me4gtrmt, or dtrputy, of Ibe Lord. — 5. That no king of Judah attempted to be sapreme; tberefofe, they nerer made n*tc law», nor aliered the dU; which was a. positive coofesaion that Ood wa* the attpreme legislator. — o. "niat an abtobUt monarchy is alw^ an evil; and ia contrary to all the rigbia, civil and teligious, of mankind { a mode of govenuneot that idl petme should avoid, as pregnant wilh avila to naaMad. — 7. Tliat.altbougfaitwaaaaiointhelaawUlaatsJestva ktmg t ibai ia, to Aangt a cmutitutiott oi wbseb Ood was the auihw; yet, kinglif gmtmmmt, property —(tesatoei ia a good of iba first magnitude to the civil Murioasa cr Btaakial— ^ lliai, by kingly government, proptfy vndtr-
2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there vom. not among Uie children oi Israel a goodlier person than ne: * from his shoulders and upward ke wag higher than any of the people.
3 And the asses of Kiah, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and ariiM, go aeek the asses.
4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of ' Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they vera not: and he passed throueh the land of the Benjamites, but they found tnem not.
5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to ms servant that was with him. Come, and tet us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.
6 And he said tmto htm. Behold now, there i* in this city ' a man of God, and Ae is an h<»iotirEd>le man: ^ all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure m can show us our way that we should go.
a present to bring to the man of God: wbat 1 have we 7
8 And the servant answered Saul uain, and said, Behold, "I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver; that will I give to the man of Ood, to tell us our way.
9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man * went to inquire o( God, thus he spake, Come, and let na go to the seer: (or ke that ie now coiled a Prophet, was beforetime called ■ a Seer.)
ttood, I mean such a m'onarchical government as that of Cheat Sritain; where the long, die noble; and the pet^tU, are duly mixed, each having his proper part in the government; and each preventing the other from running to excess. — 9. That the three graod forma of government whi<^ have obtained among mankind; viz. monardty, ariotocracih and democracy, have each certain advaTitageo, without which no state can be well preserved: but tbey have crt/s, by which any state may be inhired. — 10. That fh>m a praper mixture of these, the aavantogea of the whole may be reaped without any of their atlenoant evils t and that tbia is tbe BrttUit constitution i whidi, not merely tbe loiodom qf our anealore, but tbe protidence of Goo, has given unto us, and of which no other state has had common sense enough to avail themselves; though diey see that, because qfthio, Ibe British empire is the most powerful, and tbe most hc^py, in die universe i and likely, at taa^ to gite lows to the moU vortd, liiB manner « our king w eonsft^uiumo^ widely different from that of Saul, and from that of any other po entate in the four auarters of the globe. He ia ibt/at/ur of hia iM^le; and iju people /eeTand lore him as ruck. He has all the poteer necessary to do good; they have all the UbeHjf necesaanr to their political happiness.
NOTES ON cfHAPTER IX. Terse 1. A mighty num^ power] Literally, asfrong man: this appeara to be the only pmerbe poaaeaaedt aiu the physical Btrength of (he bther may aeeouot for thsextraordinarysixe M theson. Seaver.Z
Verse 2. From Aie Aouldere and upward] It was probably from this verv circumstance that he was chosen for king; fbr, where kings were eZecfire, in all anciiBnt times, great respeet was JMW In psrsono/ ^ir>earanc«.
Terse 3. 7^assst^JGs&— wretoet.] Whatawonderful train of oceurrenoea ware ocmneoted u order totartng Saul to tbe throne of Israel I Every filing seems to fO on according to the common eourot v *9onto t and jit all conspired to Ikvaur die slsetkm of a man to die MngdonL who certainly did not ooms ttiers by tbs approtttttm or
Aaaee grow to great psrfketioo in the East: and st dita time, aa oiero were no Aorses in Judoa, th^ were vary useful; and on them kinge and princes rode.
Teres 5. ITers come to the land ^i^iA] Calmetaj^ poaee that Saul and his servant went tirom GTibaah to Hik I Uaba, in iba nibs of Ds»r froBjlieins iv MisaHn, near
10 Then naid Sao] to his Berrant, * Wellsajd; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God vas*,,
H IT And as they went up ' the hill to the city. »■ they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them. Is the seer here?
12 And they answered them, and eaid, He ia; behold. A<i«beforeyou: make haste now, for he came to-day to the city; for ■ there is a * sacrifice of the people to-day, <■ in the high pkkce:
13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go opto thehish lttB«e to eat: for the people wiU not eat until be eome, because be doth lueH the sacrifice: ami aflerward they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about* this time ye ahall find
14 And they went Op into the citv: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out againat them for to go up to the high
16 To-morrow about this Urns I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, r and theu sbalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the
toJenuedem i andtbtnee, travernngtbetrUwof Benjanii^ (bey purposed to return to Oibeah; but paaung through tbe'iiu>d of Zuph, in which Runatha, the country of Samuel, was situated, they determined to eoll on this prophet to gain Mine diiectione Troa him: the irtiele ot tnii circuit, Be BuppooeB, to hav« amouated to bo more than about tweniy-Jlve leagu«^ or thns days' iowDey. We do net know where (he plaeea were skuated wbieh are here mentioned: die Targum translates thus — "And he passed through the mount of the house of Efhraim. and went into me toutKern land but did not meet with them. And he passed throu^ the land of Maihbtra, buftbey were not there; and he passed du-ough the land of the tribe of Btnjamin, but did not find theta j then they came into the land wliere the profhet <{f the Lord dwelt, and Saul said to his servant," —
Terse 7. There is not a preient to bring to the man of Chdl We are not to suppose from this that the prophets took money to predict futute events i Saul only refers to an iavariaole custom, that so man approached a mperior widiout a present of some kind or otber. We have often seen this before: even Ood, who needs nothing, would not that his people should approach him with empty hand».
Terse 8. 7Tu fourth, pari qf a Aakel qf tUver} Wo find, from the preceding verse, that the bread or prooinmu which th^ had brought with them tor their journey was expended; else a part qf titat would have been thought a sutidile present: and hers the.^»urt& port ([/' a Aekd of aUptr, aboot ninmence of oar money, was deemed sufficient; therefijre, die present was intended more as a token ^ rapod than as an emolument.
Terse 9. B^or^me in Ura^ lliifl passage could sot have been a part of this boak originally: but we have alnady conjectured that Samuel, or some contemporary au- IbSr, wrote the memoranda, out of which a later author wmpUoii this book, ^us hypothesis suffleieotly reasoiiabla m itself solves all difficulties of ttua kind.
Wa$ bejbreiime called a SeerJ The word ster, rvn roeh, occurs, for the first lime, in this place: it literally signifiM lelto SBEs; particularly jnrelematural si^ta. A s««r and aprap/uf were the same in most eases; only with this dififereooe, the tetr was always i^proplut, but the prophet was not always a Mor, A seer seems to imply one whojreqtimtly met with, and taw, some syodiollcal represstttatioa of God. "Rie torn pr^iiM was used a long time before diist Abraham is called a prophet. Qeo. xz. 7. and the term firequently occurs In the law. Besides, the word sser does not occur beEoro this time; but often ooours qftarward down throa^ the prophets, fbr more than fArss hundred years. See Amos vii. 12. Mio. ill. 7.
All DTOTbeta, false and tnia, profess to see Ood; see the cue of Balaam, Nutab. xnv. 4, IS. and Jerem. xit. 14. All oMnsrs, in their aadniBUiatlefliriitsL boasted that dwv had thoas things trkibiUd to their whioh should oome topass. lliere ta a mna^ble aeoount fat whMb may serva as a apadnan of tha whole: tha S&yf pnAtaeatobeasssrr hand of the Philistines: for Ibave MooM^ my people, because their cry is oeme unto ■
17 And when Siunuel saw San), the Lobd sttici unto him, ' BehoM the man whom I spafce to thee of! thie name shall ^ reign over my people.
18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seers bouse is.
19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the liigh place; for ye shall eat with me to-day; and tomorrow I will let thee go, and will telf thee all that £9 in xhha heart.
20 And as for ■ thins asses Ibat were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; fbr
they are founo. And on whom ■ t* all the desire of Israel? /« it not 00 thee, and on all thy frther's house?
21 And Saul answered and said, ' net I a Benjamite, of the > smallest of the tribes oT Israel 1 and my family the least of all the ilies of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakast thou 1 so to ne?
22 And Samuel took Saiil and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and mads them sit m the chtefest place among than thai were bidden, which were about thirty persona.
Terse 11. Youn0 matdens gvfng otUtodra» Mfar]. Sofsr is it from being true, that young wosasowsnatwaya kept closely shut up at home, that we find ihsm aAen ia ina field, drawing and eorryii^ water, as here.
Terse 12. Zrecamefo-dayto/Ascita] Tbou^ Samel lived ctiiefiy in Amah, yet be bad aowellinRintbeeoiuitry, at a pliiee called Nawih,ad>eTe it is probable diers was a school of the prophets. See chap. xix. 18—24.
A aacri^ qf th£ ptaple\ A rntlfeatl. TTie anhnab used were first sacrinced to the Lord; that is, didr blood was poured out before him; and thro all the pe<^ fed oa the Belli. Vjhighvlaee, probably Samuel's oUor is aloos meant; which, no doubt, was raised on an eminenee.
Terse 13. He doth bUt the taer^el He alone can perform the rdigious tiles, which are uara on (his oceasios.
AJUrtoard mey tat thai he frtdden] Among the Arabs, often a large feast is made of saeruced eamUa, Ac ana then the people of die vicinity ere invited to eome and pvtnke of the sacrifice. This is the custom lo wbicfa dia allusion is made here.
Terse 16. Now the Loss had told 8amuel\ How Ais communication was made we eannot tell.
Verse 16. niatt ihiU anotrd him to be eapMnl Rot to be king, but to be "^ii nagid, or captain of the Lard's hosL But in ancient times no king was esteemed who was not an able warrior. Pluiardt inloroa us, that Alaxaadartha Great esteemed the following verse tb* MSt correct, as to its aentinMnt, oCai^ in tha wb61« Iliad sf Homer; —
Terse 17. Behold the man vhom I fpake to Ass art What an intimate communion most Samuel hare beli with his God 1 A eoistant familiarity seems lo bave «sisted between them.
Verse 19. /amiAssesr] "Hiis declatatien would prepan Saul for the communications afterward made.
Verse 20. Am for tttns wsea]' lltua he shows hhn that he knew what was in his heart; Ood having lanvioaaty revealed theae things to Samuel
And OR whom is ths desirs ^ ZmvsI] Saul stood this as impljnnc that be was chosen to be Uar.
Terse 21. Am not la BenJamiU] This ^leet^ tat S is axeeedingly modeot: he was now beeomtni4y hwiftla t but who can bear etaMMofi and vrmporiiv? ibeliftasf Benjamin had not yet reoovered lU streiwai, after tbs ranous war it bad with du olhsr iribs^ Judg. zx.
S3 And Sanrael said UBto the cook. Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which 1 Raid unto thee. Set it by thee.
24 And the cook tool^ up ^ the shoulder, and ihett vrhic^ v>as upon it, and set it oelbre Saul. And Samuel eaia, Behold that which is >Iefl! •et ft before thee, and eat: for unto this time lukth it been kept for thee, since I said, I have invited the people. So Saal did eat with Samuel that day.
25 ^ And when they were come down from the high plBce into the city. Stuauel oonuntmed with Saul upon " the top of the house.
26 And thev a^pse early: and it came to pass, About the Bpnoe of tti« daj, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and tim trent out both of Ihem, he and Bamuei, abroad.
27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the aervaiit pass on before us. (and he passed on,) but stand thou still ■ a while, that I may show thee the word of God.
Terse £2. Brought Pum into Ou yarimtr] Itmigfatu weH be called kiUimt it was tlw pises wurs tnsy at down to fessL
Terae23. Said unJo the cMk] too (stedL hers tendered eoofc; the ringuler of ntrac tahadMh, feonie 0OolES|(duip. titi. 13. from ihe root taftacA, to aiay, or iMdliar. noba- Ut, tlte fmiehtr ia here meant.
vem 24. The ehtnlder, and that nftteA was vpon jf] Probably the ihovlder tvM eevered with a part of the caul, diat it mieht be tlte better roaited. The "niivinn haa it, Uu aAouj^r and tto fAi not only the Mouioer merely, hit the foTfltgbonK, to the knee: perhaps, the whole ToTe-quarttT. Why wM the thouliUr set Before Saul? Not becaiue it was the bat part, bat because it was an emblem of iho government to which he was now called. "See /raioA, ch. ut. 6. And Ike gmernmeni thaU h* upon Mm thmddtT.
TerM 25. Upon Ou fop <ifOU ftouse.] All the how* in fhe East were flttt-roofed; on these pMple waited, talked, an] frMuemly Mlept, for the nka of fnsh and eooline ur.
yeTae26. Called Saul to Ote top fff the kmat\ Saul had no doabt slept there all ni^t; and now, being the bretA of day, " Samuel called to Saul on the a the house, aaring, Up, that I may send thea away." Iliers was no ealling him to the house-top a «oon(fUi»f hevasshep- there, sod Samuel called him up. ^rersa 27. Am &eif vera gatitr Awn] So h appMTi Itiat Saul arose immediately; and samuri aeeompanied him oat of the town, aitd sent the servant cm, that he might show Saul the leordj the counsel or detifti, of die X<ord. What this was, we diall see in the following chapter.
Tote I. Took a vial of oUi The reasons of this rite the reader will find largely stated in the note on Exod. zxix. 7. The anointing mentioned here tookplaca in the Mat Jldd. See the preceding chapter, ver. In, 27. How nrnple was the ancient ceremony of consecrating a king t A prophet, or prieat, poured oU upon hia head, and kitted 1dm; and said, 71m* Ae Lord hath anoiKted theatohe aqaatn over his inhiritavee. This was the whole of the esmnony. Bven in this aitointiog, Satd it not aeknowledged as khtgi but simply yn nagid, a osptein, one who goes b^re, and teadt me people.
Hebrew m^a bHiMwodi, is translated by the Bofhimagint, sXXvMvm i<*ro^ Jonefng grtatly: now this ttn reftr to die M dier fclt and enressed on ihidiiig the ■MSI or, it ril^ itAr to Aflte roQitm sntliaHsMs or kissed hitn, and said, Fa it not because " the Loi^ hath anointed thee, to be captain over 'his is^
2 When thou art departed from me to-day, then- thou shalt find two men by "Rachel's sepulchre, in the border of Benjamin, tat Zelzah; and they will say unto thee. The asses which thoQ wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left * the care of the asses, and sorroweth for yon, sayuig, What shall I do for my son?
3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tahor, and there ^all meet thee three men going up * td God to Beth-el, one oarrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a oottle of wine:
4 And they will * salute thee, and give thea two /oaves of bread; which thou shau receive of their hands.
d After tluit thou shalt come to ' the hill of Qod| r where if the garrison of the Philistines: and It shall come to pass, when thou art coma thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a compar^y uf prophets coming down 'from the high place, with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a narp, Mlbre them; * and they shall prwpliesr:
6 A nd the Spirit of the Loan will come npoa tbt e, and * thou shalt prophesy with tbem, ana shalt be turned into another tnan.
Vefse 3. Thru inen going tip to Oad t» Sdh^tl-Jm^ cdl^B sitar was probably there still, Gen. xxviiL 19. Ho«^ ever dils might be, it was still eonaidered, as its nams implies, (As Aoum ^ God; and |o it they wars now going to offer soct^A.
Hw thrte kidt were for aatrifiee; the Otree loaves bread to be offered probably as a thank-qfering t and tM bottie, or skin fall of wine, for a libation. When the blood was pouted out before die Iiord, then they feasted on (he Jlegk, asd on the bread; and ]probabIy had a sufficiency of the vtTU left for their own dnnking.
Verse 4. And they vtiU eabtlt thae] aSvV tSxcn m Aaabt leea leahaloTn, "And they will inquire of thee concerning peaee," r. e. m^are. In the East, if diis salutation be ^en, then ifae person or persons giving it may b« reckoned friends; it the others return it, then thm iS friendridp on both sides. iSSBfasm aJfeini^ Peaoe lo you f is the mode of compellation: AKettm essoJoam, To yott be peace; is the return. If you give the former, and recerre not the latter, yoo may expect hostility. The meaning of the prophet is^ vjten jrou come to the plain of Tabor, two loaves <rf \atuS, a pTOTision whidi you nsM for the remaining part of yaar journey.
Verse 5. The ktU qf €hd\ Tri» Taraum mjw, "Tht hill on which the arkoftht Lord wot." Calmec supposes it to be a height near Gibeah.
Tlu garruon Ihe Phiii*iine£\ Probably they kept I watoh on the top of this hill; with a oompony <rf ooUi^ to keep the country in cheek.
A company of *nnft«to] A eonpany of scribes, says' tbeTarcum, Probably, the oebohus tit the prophets; lor the presets seem to have been the only aecreaitea teacher^ at particular times^ in larael: and, at this time, there does not appear to have been any other projfltet bemdes Samuel in this quarter. Probahly, the teaeher of this school war not an inq)ired man, but one acting under the direction of Ssmuel. Mr. Harmer thinks that the Mlowitig ensiom among the Mehsmntedsns nsady ilhialvales this obscure place: '*Vf%endiecbildrsnnsmgoiieduiMirtttheKorBa. their Ktetions borrow a fine horse, and mmiiure, and carry thoin about the torn in procuMon, with the book in iHetr hand, the rest of their compantons following, and all sorts of moaie of the eoontrygotng before. Dr. Shaw, in page 19S, mentions the same custom; adding, the ocriositfloas <rf their seAoefifeUouw, but tsJdng no notm ■nsle. W« hSTC no rsasbi^ bowmr, (0 dnAt ths fM OB
8 And thou shalt go down before me ' to Gilgal; and, behold, 1 will come down unto thee,
MseouDt of (he doctor** lilenu; ecpeci&Ilr, u it rekiM to anotlter part of Barbary, and ia given ua by thoee who reaidod aome yean in that country. The doctor nukee do uae of thie circunutance relating to the education of youth in Barbary; but the account of the proeenion, above given, aoema to be a lively comnuot on that ancient Jew lah custom mentioned In these vetaea. T^t the word prm/ut often aicnifiei ton*, or acftofor*, of the propheta; aad that propaetying often implies tinging, has been already remarked: but no author, that I know o^ has givan anyaeeount of the nature of this prooesaion, or its deaigii. We are sometimes told that hi^ plaett were used fitf saerifioes i and, in one cose, miuie, it ia certain, played before them when the^ went up to woiaUp, laa. xxz. 29. But did ihey not also return from saerifiea with itt We are told that music was used by the pn^wta^ to calm ud compose them, and to invite the uivioe influences which ia indeed vei7 true: but is it to the purpose? Dii Ibnr go forth in this manner ^rom (Astr eoUege, into the fitfue and intem^Hont of the world, to call down the protdutic impulse 7 But if we consider them as a company «f the sons o/' ffts propA«te, going in proeesaion with son^s a< praise, and music playing befim ibem, and recollect that it is usual in this imy tot young seholars to go ia proeassion with acclamations and music, the whole mystery ■Mou to be unravelled. To which may be added, that Saul wna to mes( fftsm, and find himself turned into another man i into a man, perhaps, who is instantaneously made as knowing in the law of God, as the j/outk to whom the above honours were doing, or any of bis coavoy; whioh aequatntanoe with the law of Ood wis vary neoes- «ry for one vbo was to judge among his brethren as their king. For this reason the Jewish kings were to write out a copy of the law of Ood, and read it continually, that the^ mii^t be perfect masters of it, DeuL xvii. 18, 20. w^ch acoompliahmetu some youth had gained whom Saul met with, and who was honoured widt the solemnity the ■acred historian speaks o^ if the custom of Sooth Barbery mur be supposed to be explanatory of tboae (tf Judea."
On the word jnvphtt, and the genoal account given here, I shall introduce the followii^ illustrations fittm ■DOther work:
" The word prop&ef generally oonveys the idea of a per^ aoa so &r accented wxihftUurUy as to disoem some purpose of the Divine Being, relative to his govemmeot ot the natural and moral world; but which is not suflciemly natondby the economy of providence to nuke, as yet, its public ^tpearaaee amoi^ men: and, to prtfAssy, is usually onderstood to imply foretelling sudi an event, the time of Its appearance, and the plaee of its operation i with some preceding and M^Mcqueot circumstances. But that this waa the or^no/ and on^y meaning' of the word prt^ihet, « prophesy, is very far from being clear. The flnt ptaee ne word ocours is in Gen. xz. 7. when the Lord aavs of Abraham to Abimelech, He is • DKqphM, (im and mUpray fyhBm yiOfmUd, wiU nak« eunest biuirpessi<m)/iw Ass. In the common aeoeptation of the word, It is certain Abraham was no prophet t but here it seems U> signify a man well acquainted with the Supreme Being, eapable of teaching others in divine things, arid copeeialiy a man qf prayer/ one who bad great innueoee with the God be wonhnqwd, and whose intwcaatons were naila- Ua m dw bduITof otben; And in thk asM die origiiMl word traanoi^ is used insevenlplMeiiQdieOld'Ite.
to offer bornt-offeringa, and to sacrifice aaerifieea of peace-offerinn: i eeven ds^ra abalt thou tarrj, till I come to thee, and ahow thee what thoa ahalt do.
. It was thraagh inattention to this meaning of the word, wueh ameara to me to be the true, original, and idea] one, diat ^ die commentators and critics, £at I have met with, have been so sadly puzzled widi diat part of the history ot SauL which IS related 1 Sam. x. 9-13. aad xix. 20—24. In diese passages the sacred hisbnian represenu Sau^ who
'"nal dus can mean ito more here dum prayer and st»- Meation to God, accompanied probably widi edifring hymne of jrraws and tkankegiving, (for Uiey had in^ pfo^ "Saul had pnmheaiedm the ODoiimaewpl^^ or the word, it is not hkely diat we dumld have been kept WNlately m the dark ooooenung dte suMeet and design tf U^pnAetums t of which, by the way, not one syllabie S5^!!L'!!L^?K'^9*^-,Thesib»pIefc«sias» MTCbaaadiBt «bo had ehoan this bmu tc larnel, designed to leach klm that the Most His^ alone is the fountain of power; and that, by him only, ungs could reign so as to execute justice properly, and be bis minisUn for good to dw people. To accomfHish this giaeiouB pur> pose. As gave him another heart, (ver. 9^ a diipositiaa totally dinerent from what he had aver before posaessedi and taught him to pray.
" Coming among the sons of (he prophet^ on whom tbs Spirit of die Lwd rested, and who wen uiMer the inHmction of Samuel, (chap. xix. 20.) while they worshipped God with music and supplicatitm, Saul also was mMts a partaker of the same divine influence, and;»rspAesisrf; t. «. made prayer and supplication among them. To aoe oos who did not belong to the prophetic ochool Aks t»cwrps. ratel with the pro^tets, pouriitt out his soul in in^er aad supplication, was an unusual sighi, which cousd not paa unnoticed, especially by those of Saul's acquaintance who probably knew him. in times past, to have been as careleaS and as ungodly as themselves I (for it wasoolynowbent that other good spirit from Ood, a sufficient proof that ns had it not before,) Tbftmt companions of hi% beiag unaequainted with that grace which can, in a momcot, iiiia< ence and change tha near^ would, aeeording lo an imaria* ble custom, Express their astontshmant wrih a aaeer: h Saol alto the propheia? That iijin modem Imi- guaffe, 'Can thia man pray, or preach? Hewboae eduoatiiHt nas been the same as our own t emplojnd in the ante secular offices; sod formerly companion with us in iriial he now aff!»cts to call folW wid sin E Can such a persra be among tha prophata V — ^Yes. for Ood may have given Ami a tu» hoartt and tha Spirit itf God, whose iMptrstiaii olons can giva sound understaooing in sacred things, may have come upon him for this very purpose, that he might announce unto you the righteousness of the Lordj and ipeak unto vour rained BOu^ to ed^fteaHam^ and lo exhortation, ana to eoTttfort.
'"Hte history of EKjah, and the pHesU of Baal, tioned in 1 Kings zviii. throws forther light on thia aufcjeet In ver. 26. it is sail '11ict> (dia priests of Baali) took a bullock, aitd dressed it, and called on tha name of Bbal from morning to noon, saving, 0 Baal, bear us! And they letmed upon the altar, ana onod aloud, and cut tbemaelvas with knives, till the blood gushed out; and tbey preaA^ tied, (wairrri vajpUmabett, and titej/ made tuffmeation^ until the time of the evening aaoriwe.' Prom dke wfaola context it ia plain that aarNcai imptvttmate prayer is akaa what is meant bf prqpAsayteg ia dkis text. See alae 1 Cor. xiv. 3l
"And as all the prof^ieta of Ood, whose prineip*! bioeness it waa to instruct the people in the w^ of ngfaiM» ness, were mm o/* prayar, who were eontinnalfy interceding with God in behsjf of diooe to whom ibey ministered, the term traj nabi, became their proper appellativei whom he sent not pnly to^rray,^, and in^nut the pcspf^ but also to predict those (uture events, which coneemed the punishment of the incorrigible, and the oomfon and cialtation of his own servants." See a Sennoa wfaicb I have printed on 1 Cor. xvi. 3. entitled, "The ChrisciaB Pnwbet and bis Work," and see the note on Gen. xz. 7.
Spaatteryl ^33 nsu/. As the word signifies in odiar places a battle^ mjlagon, it was probably something 13ta the ytiricuXarivM MMo, or kaa-MFB. It often ocoois bnA with the Oroduand Romans, and was evidently boRowed from the ffaftrsiM.
A Aorp] -n» Afoner; a stringed ill8t^lmen^ similar to our harp; or that on the model of whibb the harp was formed. On these different instnitnents I shall have eeeasion to speak more at large when I come to die Pialme.
Terse 7. Thau do aa oceaaion aerKo Ihee] After God has abown thee all dtese signs, that thou art under his especial gnklBnee, fear not to undertake any thing d>at behmn to 0^ eOoe, fof Ood is with dtee.
what a ntimber of circumstancee thus precisely forettld I Does not this prove that Samuel was under the ccolinual inspiration of the Almigbtyl
Veree& Stosad^sAott Ash lorry] Iwilleonata diee widiiBBma di^ oite noriflei^ raoeiTa diiaatioM
9 T And ft WW 9o, that whan he had tamed his ^ back to go fromr Samuel^ God t gave him another heart: and all those sipui ctune to paas that dny.
10 And ■ when they came diither to the hill, behold, a company oF |»vphet8 met him; and • the Spirit or God came upon him, and be prophesiea among them.
11 And it came to~ poes, when ail that knew hhn beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people eaid ' one to another, What is this that la come unto the •on of Kish 7 i/s Saul also among the prophets 7
12 And one 'of the same place answered and ■aid. But - who i* their fhther? Therefore it became a proverb, /« Said also among the prophets?
13 And when he had made an end of prophftayin$f, he came to the hi^h place.
14 Ti And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant. Whither went ye? And he said. To seek the asses: and when we saw that they wr« nowhere, we came to Samuel.
15 And Saul's uncle said. Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.
16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.
18 And said unto thechildren of Israel, * Thus saith the Lord God oflsrael, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and dehvered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:
19 * And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulatbna } ^nd ye have said unto him, Abjr, bat set a king over us. Now therefore IM-esentyoorselveebeforethe Loan by your tribes, and hy your thoaaaodB.
from the Lonl, and delimr them to tbee. It ia likely thu Ibeae aevm dayt ntured to the tinte in which Satnuel csme to Saul to Gngal, ofiered nerifisa^ and eonfinned the kingdom to him, sAer hehoddefieaiea thsAmmiMiius: see iluip. xi. 14, 15.
Tene 13. HteafMtolheh^jtXaet^ I aoppoae dlk to mean the place where Saul's nther ItvM j aa it ia evident dte next Terse Axomm him to be at Airme.
Tene 14. Bant* vnefe] The word in 6od^ 'sigmfiM a Meeed one, Imt^ a tatuTyfriend^ Ac: and ia the same aa Dis^d. It ia auT^MMod to mean uncle here; but I think it neana some fa-naliar friend.
Verae 18. / brought up Irrad out of JSgypC] llieae are similar to the upbniidinn in dtap. tui. 7, so.
Teraeld. Prwentyourtdve* — bgymriribe»\ Iti^meara dni, in order to find out the proper peraon who dMun be Bade their king, they must determine by lot; 1. The friftea. 2. Hie ihousandt, or grand divUunu, by fiuniliea. 3. ^Msmallerdivisionsby families. And, 4. "Ate individual. When the lot was cast for thv tribe, Benjamin was taken; when fer the Humttand. the division of Mdiri waa taken t when for iheTsmi/K tne lamily of JKaft waa taken; when fer dte indimdual. Said, die aon of EisIl was taken.
Tene 21. When they m^ht fttm, at could not fte Jbund.} 'niroogh modes^, or fear, he had aecreted himself.
Terse 22. 7m I^bid anawtred] What a continual aceM to Ood! and what coDdeacenaioD in his attention to idl iheir requests t
"Hie ttu^ among which he had secreted himself may iMan the eartt, baggage, dbc broa|^t by the people to Mizpeh.
Terse 24. Ood tav* tht kinrf} llere ia no such word here; na nor in the whole Bible: nor ia it countenanced q aay 0( ths Mratona. The words which we thtu traoaws han^ and elsewhere, an simply iron «nt j/tdU ham'
80 And whoiSamn^ bad ■ caused all the tribes
of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamio was taken.
2 1 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kieh was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found,
23 Therefore they r inquired of the Lord farther, if the man should yet come thither. And the Loan answered. Behold, he hath hid himself amone the stuff.
23 And thev ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, ■ he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
,24 And Samuel said to all the people. See ye him ■ whom the Lord hath chosen, that there it none like him amoiu all the oeople 1 And all the people shouted, andsaki, " God ' save the king I
25 Then Samuel told the people ' the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Loan. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
26 Tf And Saul also went home * to Qibeah; and there went wi^ him a band of men, whoes hearts God had touched.
27 'But the 'children of Belial said, Howshall this man save us 1 And they despised him,
and brought him no presents. But < he held his peace.
THEN^NahaahtheAmmonitecuume LtPjnndeiiraiitped arHiiisi ' JabeshgiU-ail: nn-l all liie men of Jabesh eaid mdeA, " Hay the king live;" and ao all veraim; (the Targum excepted,) which aaya, Miy tht king prosper I
Terae 26. Tne manner qf the kingdom^ It ia the aame word aa in chap. vtii. 9; and doubtleaa the same thing is in^lied as ia mere related. But poasibly there waa some kind of eompoc^ or eeesnoni; between Aam and Satdi and thia was the thing that waa written in a book, and laid up fre/ore the Lmd, prob^ly near the ark.
Terae 26. A band of men\ Not a mUUary band, aa I imagine, but aome aeieet Xnende, or COTn^Minton^, who vers personally attached to him. Othera think, that all the men fit to bear arms are intended: but this aeems ineonsiatent -wifb the life that Saul led for aome time afterward; for he i^jpears to have eone into hia agricultural concema, and wailed for a call &om the divine prevideneeu See the next chap. ver. 6.
Terae 27..iBrra^ Aim no preMnteA They gave hin no proofa that they aeknowledged either ine divme appoiotment, or bis authority. Tht Arab ohieb are to this day, when on a march, or excursion of any kind, supplied with every neeeaaary by the fret-viJl tfftraige, orpretmUt of the Deo[^ to the villages or jdseea where tney encamp. Saul was now a nublio ehaneter, and bad a ri^t te aup> port from the public Tliese aona of Belial refused to bear their part t they brou^ Aim no pretentt. He marked it i but, at preaent, held hia peace: htvMtaai/ keweredet^i BO aaya the text He waa prudent, and did not immeoiately aaaume all the conae^uence to which hia office entitied him. It is probaUck nowevu', that tribute is meant hy the word preeenL The people, in general, finding they had now a king, took it for granted that ther must pay tnbule or taxes to him. This waa a part of the manner o/* tAfl Ainf which Samuel had ahown them; the peat majority had dona ao, but eertsin lafraotory people refused to pay any thing, on As (mtenes that soch a person ss Saul could not M a deliverer of IsrssL Ban, my ih^, dtaU QiiM man aavtuaJ
S And Nahaeh the Ammonite anawered them, On thii eoTuHtian will I make a covenant with 70a, that I may tiirust out all your right eyea, and lay \i far "a reproach upon all lerael.
3 And the eldere of Jabeeh Boid unto him. * Give us seven days* respite, that we may send messeT^rs anto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no nian to Bare us, we will come out to thee.
4 IT Then came the messengers p to <^beah of 8aul, and tokl the tidings in the ears of tlie people: and « all the people lifted up their voieee, and wept.
5 And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul eaid. What aO^ the peoi^e that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men or Jabesh.
6 <* And the Spirit of Qod came upon Saul ■vhMXL he heard those tidings, and bis anger was kindled greatly.
7 Jbid he took a yoke of oxen, and ■ hewed them in pieces, and sent tfcem throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, ■ftying, ' Whosoever cometh not forth after Baul and alter Samuel, so shall it be done aato hie oxen. Ai^ the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out " with one con seat.
8 And when be numbered them in * Besek, the children " of Israel were three hundred
" And it clune 10 jnn about a month after." lliie a^itioa ap|«an also m the principal copiea of the S^htagint; ihomti it ia wanting in the Cfomplutennon edition, both in the Gretk and Latin, rad ii not acknowledged by any of tha OHcnlof vcrnon*. But it is in Josepliu*; and profa*-, bly waa inserted firom him into iome copies of the S^>tvh •agint, and thence into the Vulgate. It appears ta be of •nrj little BuAority.
We knov little about Nahmk; there waa a king of 4his name among the Ammonites in the time of David, 2 8km. X, 2. but probably not the atune person. Tfahaah aoAt have been a common name of the Ammomtiah kings.
Make a covenant wiA ut] They ttmad ifaey wne in no •eoodkion to risk a mr; anadMy wiA tohave pesest and desire to know his eonuttoM.
Terse 2. I may tKruH oat alt ymr rtfU «9«a] lliis m«\ condition WooM serve at once as a ndn of their Mtaoery; and a means of ine^^Mcitating diem fram being warriors. 1\oodoret observes^ " He who opposes hii shield to the enemy with his Mt band, thereby bides his left mtt and looks at his enemy with bia rMu eye: M, riwmtea, who phioks out that right eye^ mskes men useless in war." Jmtpkua gives the aanw reason.
Verse 3. Oive vm aesen days' rMptte] Promises of dris kind we frequently made by beueged places; " We will sorrender if not relieved im so mai^ ^yaj" and such eondkioQs are generally reeeived by lbs beaiegerab
T«na4. T*«t osma tta imawwgars fa gfftsoft] ltdoea not appear that the pe(^ of Jabeah'«ikwl knew any dting of Soul's amoinimeit ta the kta^doH.! forthaBMs- Mge is not dUvcteo to him, btU to dM feofia.
T\e people tyted up thtir vova aid wpi.) Vkm saw no hope of deliverance 1 and they ezpeetod that their tepreaen wookl be laid on all Israel.
¥«na n. SatU cmu after Ute ktrd] He had beta brad 19 tonogrfcaasrof life: and, after his eonseeraticm, he ntamad 10 i^ waiting tar a call of divine providaiiae, which be eodsidered he had now received in the miisanau fcuaJabsA-gilead.
It has often been remarked, that mighty kings, and aeeorapliahed generals, have been chosen from among (hose who wets engaged in agricultural eoBeenw In these dbsarvations one &et is lost si^t of: viz. Tbal in uwient ihMS, agriaUtttrt was the only employment. Trade and (MnaerM ware searoeiy known; iheiMbre, all descriptions flCaaeMdinitieaMmttbetiuiBeBo«t<rfthtselass; there na other toehoat chemtrom. Wa need not wonder tworda of His poet: —
0 And they sidd unto the meBBeBC^rs Uiat
came, Thus snail ye say unto tiie men of Jabesbgilead, To-morrow, by that time the ann be hot, ye shall have ■ help. And the meaBeogers came and showed it to the men of Jabcdk; and tluy were srlad.
10 Therefore the men of Jabeeh- said. Tomorrow y we will eorae out unto you, ttod ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.
11 And it was to on the raorrow, that ■ Saul put the peoide "in three oompanieB; and they came into the midst of the host m the morning watch, and tdew the Anunouites until the heat of the day: and it came to pasB, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
12 If And the people said unto Samnel, ^Wfao it he that said, SbaU Saul reig:n over as 1 * bring the meat, thai we may mti them to death.
13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: forto^ay * the Loan hath wrought salvation in Israel.
14 if Then eaid Samuel to the peoole, Come, and let tK go ^ to GUIgal, and renew tnebinCTom there.
15 And all the people went to GUgal; and there they made Saul king * before thelL<MU> in Gilgal; and '> there they sacrificed sacrifiees <^ peace-ofierings before the Loan; and there Saul, and all the men of Israel, rejoiced great^.
And hU anger woe tAndled greoHy.} I beReve Ms means no more than that hU eewafe-wam grmBy essitali he felt himself atrong for Uit, and oaBMsnt af sueaesa.
Tarae 7. A ttek a yati if ma] TiM asndieg At pf«H* of die oxm WIS an aet iinilariodaiof AeLorite^ JudK. ziz. 29. where see the note. And both cusIobs an. similar to the sending about of the fritw^ erosa, to call iha clans to baule, pramsed by the ancient Highlandeis of Scotland. See end of this ehaster.
Yeroe B. The dtOdren of hrael mre tkree hmdred Aotteand, amilhemmki^ JvdaK thirty Awond.] TUs wasavaat amiy; hw* die JSyftiagfnf nudte it aveamore— " All dta mea of laiael were ttMviat xiXiaim, nx ihmdred thoueandi and the men ol Judali, t0it/tvc*ym x'i^'- oiai, ■avBMTV tkaueand. JotepkuB gotm yet higher widi the number of the Israelites: ' He lound the number of these whom' he had gathered together to be (^^ucovra livptaiat, szvan hunt&ed Otautand." Those (if ine tribe ofJndlbke makes ascaniy thousand, with the Scftaiagist. 'ntese munbara are not all n>;ht; and I suspect oven d» Hebrew text to be exaggerated, by dw mialake or design of souM aneient acribe.
Verae 10. TVnwrrow m wiU come aid unto you} Tiiei concealed the infomatioo they bad received of Satd% preaoiaed Haristaaee. Itey w coma oot unlo daemi bat It was in a di&hnnt mnner to what the j&mmoniles expected.
Verse 11. Put the people in Aree euwanial Intending, to attaok die Ammonttea io three difierent poinu; aad to eive his own men more room to act.
Ia llu morning vaiM He probably began his marth in the evening, paased Jordan in the ni^i^ and leacbad the campof the Ammonitea by dw-break.
Verse 12. Who 'uhe that eaid, ^au Saul r^gn'\ TXvm fluabed with victory, and proud cX their leader, they viik to give him a proof of their attachment, by slaying, evoi in cool Uoad, ine peraons who were at first averse oora hia being imrosied with the suiireme power I The comnwjts soldier is scarcely ever inspired his victory to acta eC mturaantmi^v; he has shed ulooc^ he wiihea to ibad mora t
Verse 13. There i^aanotamanbemUt»deaOi^ This waa as much to Saul's credit, as the lately pfoposed measure was ta the discredit of his soldiers.
Verse 14. Aeneta the kingdom^ The unction of Saol, in the first instance, was a very private act; bjoS, hii being appointed to be king, waa not known to the people in eeaeral. He bad now liiown himself worOty to noiHnund die people; and Samuel takes advantage of ibis dKUmaiuH* topundtegenenJeoaseDtinhisfitvoor. Josefkosaq^ uidiMI MdIuit; and obiala la obvltinn, and prwnin to InUnsll (or Ibaa, ^~JO. ■uBi ilHii dut]r, ulI fWDshklia wilb ■ Kileaui wvnbib ^ ^
nHTn»w I ygyp voice in all that ye said unto me, and ^ have made a kinar over yovt.
_jald, my aons are trith you: and i have walked before yoa from my childhood onto thii day.
3 Behold, ■ here I am.> witneos against me before the Lord, and before * hia anointed; ' whose ox have I taken? or whose ass hare I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom hare I opin-emed 7 or of whose hand have I received any i bribe ' to ■ Ukul miae eyes therewith? and 1 wilt restore it you.
4 And they said. Thou hast not defrauded OS, nor of>pre8eed us, neither hast thou taken au'hc of any man's hand.
- S And he said unto them, The Lord is witness againat you, and his anointed is witness this day, < that ye hare not found ag([ht 'in ray band. And they answered, Be u witness.
Terse 15. There Ikm/ made Saul kingy It is likely, tma thcN wocdi, that Saul waa BRointed a second time: hs DOWjMHiely acknowledged, and there was no gatnsaTer. Tluu tu Saul acted well, and the kiwdom sseMHie b« eonfinmd inbisbsadf hatsesBilbraiig&fiiiynu'MHai hs |fist ib
On th» suuom nCBrred to in m. 7. 1 hsu fitvoond widi the tollovijig ofaeervatioiM s learned correspondent:
<* It is coiu»dsred tltat the aotbeoticity of records ra|)eot^ iMg a peoulisr people eaaoot be bsUsr ilhistrated, or ilie wleli^ of the hiotorian more clearly asecrtsins^ than by pnmu that the mannsrs and wnioms rsDOrdsd are in tuusoB wiu^ or bear FeesnUsaes the Buumen snd cusbMus afaoeieitt nations of ibawBSsatiquiiyi or, what may be mora oorreet, in a sisiilar state of mpnmiae&t; and the records of auch rites and customs may possibly acquire an ■dditiMial mark of authentici^, when tne similarity is not ao exact as to admit a preaumptioo, that the of «ne nation were merely eomed tirom the other.
"Mr. Waller SeaO. in the tbird canto of d» ZMdj/ qf ffi* haJu, describes me riiea, ineaotaiioM^ and impree^ tiaD% UBsd prior to the flen creeo beiiy eicsolsted, to som- IBDB ibe rough warriors of anuent tiaias to the service of tbab chief I and, in the first note of (his canto, be alludes to this ancient custom, which, in comparatively modem times, has been practised in Scotland; end proves that a simitar PuniAment of death or destruction of the house* for disoo^ing die summons, was inflicted by the ancieiU Sesadinavianh as isctndsd vj Olaus Hsgnu^ in bis History of die Goms. A custom, stiU mors u point than the SOS cited, amy be found to have existed in a more ancient nation { whose history is supposed the moat, if not the only, SuthMUie narrative of deeds of aitdent times; and which.iJao racords the sanguinary maooers of uncultivated nations. See the precedioff chapter ici^t first verses. The sinilsri^ of the custom is to be fouooin the seventh verse: with ihe Ht^Uanders, a goat was slaiof with the Ismel- Itsi^ sn ox. Ths sxhPriuoD of a crass, riained widi the Ueod of the sacrificed animal, was Ibe sammons of the former, while part of the animal was the mandate of the latter. Disobedience in the one nation was puniAed with Ae deUh of iba parties; and bumiag of dMir dwellings in As ether; dw punishment more simple, and xaon alluMve tft the saerificed emblem, the forfeiture or destroetioa of ibeir oxen. It is not difficult to judge whedier the compssisaD be correct.
"Hie first verses record Ihe aanguinary practice of ancient times; which, to many, appear merely as the gratifleatton of revenge) or as proofs of victory; yet, when it is sonsiderod that the right eye must chiefly aid the warrior ^ aiming at bis sdversaiy, whether the weapon be of antiouor modsm warfare; nere arises a military reason ocvfoboialiTS of the tradi of history foe the deprivdon, and
6 ^ And Baniael mid mAo the people, ^ Hit the Loan that * advanced Moees and Aaron, and that brought your fhtheri up (hU of the land
7 Now thereiore stand still, that I may ' reaacm with you before the Loan of aJ! the ' righteous acta of the Loan, which he did * to you and to your fathers.
8 *■ When Jacob was come into Egypt, and
Eour fathers * cried unto the Loan, then the lOBD « sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell io this place.
9 And when they ''forgat the Lord their Qod, * he sold them into the hand of Sisera. captain the host of Hazor, and into the ham of ' ihe Philistines, and into the hand of tha king > of Moab, and they fought against them.
ID And they cried unto the Loan, and said, *■ We have swaed, because we have forsaken the Loan, > and have serred Baalim and Aditaroth: but now ^ deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
11 And the Lobd sent > Jerubbaal, and Bedai^ and Jephthah, and ■> Samuel, and delivwea you out (H the hand of your eoMiiies on erery aid^ aod ye dwelled safe.
IS And when ye saw that • Nahash, the kinff
in soms dwree lessMdng dis eruet^ of dis motilatioitt which would be inereased iS it were eaused by tevsi^ or wentonness; thou^ Nahash dedans it to bs a i^naoh upon ail Ismel."
Terse 1. And Samtut $aid} It is very likely that it was at this public meeting that Samuel delivarea the fUlowing addiess: no other time seems to be given In hi aad dus is the most proper that couM be diosen.
Versa 2. Afji aotu are vUh you] It is generally agreed that these words intimate that Samuel had deprived ihem of their public employ; aod reduced them to a level with the common people.
HmutUkadbtfortuott from my childhood] Hehad been a long^ eleady, ana immaculate servant of the pubUo.
Terse 3. IV'ito4ss against me] Did ever a mintsier <^ state, in any part of the world, reoignbtsolGoe with so much self-cmisciousness of integrity, backed with the univerMd approbaiitH) of the public T No man was oppressed underhis ffovemment; no man defrauded I He had accumulated no nches for himself; he had procured none for his lirienda; nor had one needy dependant been provided fw out of ths;iuUie mtn*. He might have paraoned bis own sons^ ' who bad aoted impropeny, bdbre be quitted the government: but, though be was the most tender of parenl^ hs would not) tMt abandoned them to natiooal justice, widi only a tacit solicitadcm of mer^: Behotd, my tons are wfA wntt Tb£j have acted improperly; I deprived them of their author^; they are amenable to you for tbetr past conduct: I nive walked uprightly end disinterested^ among you; Oiey have not followed my ateps,— but caa you fornve them for their fbrther's aakef Aa a «iiiiis<cr qfjutttce, he abuidofla them to their fiUet as a tender Jaihor, he indirectly and modestly pleads for them, on die ground of his own services. Had he not acted diua in both these relations, he would have been unworthy of Outt chancier which he so deservedly bears.
Terse 4. Tluy taid, TVum luut not d^firaudad\ Of wtAt Btinisler or govwnor can any nation under heaven nvsudi things!
verse 7.!vo» Aer^bra atand slIU} I have arraigned myuif before God and you: I now arraign you before
Verse 8. 7%e Loan omt Mota and ^aron] Be ahows them that, through ^1 their hiabny^ Ood had ever laiaed them up deliverer^ iriien dwir necemities xsqaired sodi ioterienKwe.
Verse 9. 7%« hand qf Stasnil See flusa tngMsettoas in the Book of Judges, as marked in the margnii and sea the notes on thoae passages.
Verse 11. Jtruboaal] i. a. Gideon, and Badan: instead of Bedan, whose niunfi occurs nowhere else as a judge or deliverer of Israel, the Sattuagint have Barak; the same reading is found in tne i^rrfoc and Arabic. Tlie 'nu-gom has Samaon. Maii|^^commentatQTa are of this of the ehfldren of Ammon, came againat joxi, fye said unto me, Nay; but a kiog shall rei^ over ua; when « the LoBO your God v>a» your
13 Now therefore ' behold the king * whom ya hare chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, tthe I<obp hath set & kiag over
14 If ye will " fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebeh aeainst the ' commandmeot of the Loao, then shsill both ye, and also the king that reigoeth over " you, coniinue following the Lord your God:
16 But if ye will " not obey the* voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commaDdmeDt of the Lord, then shall the hand of the Loanbeagaiiut you, ' aait weu against your fevers.
16 Now, therefore, ' stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes.
17 la it not ■ wheat-harvest to-day? "I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that « your wickedness if great, which ye have done in tiie sight of the LobDi in addng you a
18 11 So Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and ' alt the people greatly feared the Lqrd and SamueL
19 And an the people eaid unto Samuel, r Pray Sn thy serraats unto the Lokd thy God, that we
iqiinian: but OAmU diinki diat Jair ii intended, who Ridged Israel f wnUy-Aree yean, Judg. z. 3. ' Inatead of Sattrnd^ the Striae Rod Arofrie have Sam- «4m.- Mid it is moit natunl to Mippoae that Samuel doei not mention Ainwej/' in thie place. Sl Paul's authority confirmi these alieratiooi: OU time would Jaii nu, said h^teUUt^ OitfeoR, of Barak, of Samton, of Jtgmhdht m David, Ae.
Terse 12. When w taw that NahaJi] Ifdt was not die first time they had demanded a /^n^; seedu^. viii. 5. But at the crisis meatiooed here, they became more importunate; and it was in consequeDce of this that the feii^om was a second time confirmed to Saul. Saul was tUcttd at Mixpeh; he was confirmed at QUgaL
Verse 14. If ye wiUJear the Loro, dbc.] On condition tttat ye rebel no more, God will take you and your king under hu mercifiil protection; and be and his kingdom shall be confirmed and continued. ' Terse 16. TJii* great thing] Thit unusual occurrence. Tene 17. Is it not tAeai-harveet to-day?] Huu is, this is the tirnt qf te/uat-karvest. According to Sl Jerom, wbo gpntA several years in the promised land, this harvest oomroeooad about the endof Jun^ or beginning of July; in vbith he says he never saw rain in Judea. "^ujimiam enim in Jim nunsi* JttnH, aive in mentt Julio, in hit propmeus, marimique in JudeA, ptuviae vidimua. BiiB. in Amos iv. 7. where he refers to this verv history. What occurred now, hardly ever occurs there but in toe winter months.
Verse 18. T\e Loan tent thunder and rain that day] niiis was totally imnsual; and, as it came at the call ^ Samuel, was a moat evident miracU.
GrtaUy feared the Loao] They dreaded his terrible majesty: and Aey feared Samuel, perceiving that be had BO much power with God.
Verse 19. Pray for thy ttrvanta — lhal we die no(] As tb^ knew they had rebelled against Ood, they saw that tbev had every thing to fear from his justice ana {x>wer.
We have added unio all our tine this epi£] It is no sin te have a king; a good king is one of the greatest blessings of Ood'sprovidence: but it is a sin to put a man in the place of Ctod. Is it not strange that tfaev did not now attend to repair their faultl lltey might nave done it, but diey did not; Ih^ acknowledged their sin, but did not
Et it away. TUs is die general way of mankind. " God Ip us, we are all sinners 1" is ihe general language of all people: but, though to be a rinner is to be in the most oolemn and avfut circumstances; yet they are contented to bear the chancier, heedless of die oonseauences I
Terse 20. Ye have done all Ihie wiekedneee] That is, a/A«tigfc ye have done all this wickedness: what was.
20 IT And Samuersaid unto the pe<^e, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness; yet torn not aside from following theX<0RD, but serve the Lord with all your heart;
21 And ' turn ve not aside: r fm then ^umld ye go after vain thingt, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain:
32 For ^ the Lord will not forsake his people I for his ffreat name's sake: because ' it huh pleased toe Lord to nuUte you his people.
23 Moreover, aa for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord i in ■ ceasing to pray for you: but ■ I will teach you the • good and the r^eht way;
24 pOnly ftar the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for « consider ' how ■ great thinga he hath done for you.
^ ^5 But iT ye shall stiU do wickedly. * ye shall be coneomed, "both ye and yotir king.
SAUL 'reigned one year; and when he had reigned two yean over,^s^a lerael, t-fm^m
Terse 21. A/ller »ain diings] Iliat i% i(U> f iriiidi hs calls here vmn ha-tohu, the same sxpresBOS faiad OsiL i. 2. TJu earth was mn tahui it was ftaato, amfltf, uA Jbrmltat! so idols; diey are eot^vatoH, and tmi^ of tuugkti totanidotianeMnginOuwarid.
Verse 32. TV Loan lata futforaaiu hia people] Hs will not, aa yet, east you off, tbou^ you have deservied His purpose, in preservkig them in their land and religion, was not nt aceompliriied. It was not. however, for their oat* that he would not oast them off, aai far Ida own great asm^e aaka. He dmr his lessoas froii hi*- self.
Verse 23. Ood forbid Oat I ehauld aM Tbey M earnestly begged hiin, ver. 19. to pray to God for dmL that they night not die; sad he teHs uem that he sbaoH consider hiBHdf a ■howr, dwuM he eease to be dkwr t>- tercessor.
But I wiU taaeh yea tte good and the ri^wmf[l will ihow you, as long as I am with you, what true reHgion is: it is the wajf to happineaa and Asomh. It is ri^ht, thenianoerBOMobussm it: it isgasd^ thsse isaa
M truth} Be ever honeet, ever eifteere: — wiA all your heart have every ejection engaged in the work of ofc*- dience; act not merely from a pnncipte of datm, bat alss from apuHw, afMiotCate eenee of obligaiiofi. Act towasd your God as an afilisctionate child should act toward a tender and loving parent.
Cojuider how great things] Review the history of youfathera; review your own life i see what interposiu— of power, mercy, goodness, and truth, in ywr bchalft Has he not daily Icnided you with bis bnoefitsl
Terse 25. Ye ahall be eonaumod] If ye do wieksdin you shall be destroyed; your kingdom destroyed, and jour teing destroyed. Here they had set before diem lifii and deat^ good and evil. Pfever was a peoi^ more faUy warned; and never did a people profit less by the wwa ing: and theyemtinue to this day monuments of Owfli justice and fbrbearance. Reader, what art tbon? Fohifs
Terse 1. Saul reigned one year] A great deal of leamsd labour has been employed and lost oit this verv, to 1*8000- oile it to nropriely and common sense. I ^11 not raeoaat die meanngs put oo it I think this elauss behmca ta
Aa.SM4.br. S SbuI chose huD three thousand »•»■ ffim of Israel; xohereof two thousand LoiT^tii. vrere with Saul in Micbmash and in with Jonathan in 'Glbeab of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to hUi tent.
3 ^ And Jonathan smote ■ the garrison of the Philistines that was in ' Greba; koA. the Philistines beard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had •mitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also * was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
5 IT And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fiffht with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people OS the sand which is on the seashore in moltitude; and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Betb-aven.
6 11 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed J Chen the people ■ did hide tnemsdves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in mts.
7 And »ome of the Hebrews went o7er Jordan
to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he v>as yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8 II ' And he tarried seven days, accordios to the set time that Salnuet had appointed: DMt Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
9 And Saul said. Bring hither a burnt-oflering to me, and peace-offerings. Ajid he offered the burnt-offering.
10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt-offering, be» hold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might ^ salute him.
11 1) And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said. Because I saw tb&t the peoide were scattered from me. and that thou earnest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michr mash:
13 Therefore, said I. The Philistines wfll come down now upon me to Giigal, and I have not * made supplication unto the Loan: I forced myself, therefore, and offered a burnt-offering.
13 And Samuel said to Saul, ' Thou hast done foolishly: (thou hast not kept the oonunandment of the Lobd thv God, which he command ed thee: for now would the Lobd have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
■soedisg eh^piw; eiiher as & psit td the whol^ or s wgnok^cal noie added sften* ara. As if the writer had said, 7VwMiR^(Rlatedinehi^.xii.>ta«fc)rfaM<nttc JInl year nf Sauft rtign i and then he prtweeda in the next place to tell ue what took place in the Mcond yeart tfa* Iwo moat remarkable yasra of Snai'a reus. In the llnrt, be ii appointed, anointed, sod twtoe coDfirmed — vix, m Afopdft, and ai CHigaL In the tecomf, Israel is brought iatB tM lowest etste of dq^ndstion by the Philiatiiieai Ssul sets wwonatitotiouuly, and it wjeeied from being king. Ilieaa thinga were wont^ of an eqweisl duma-
And tafteit he had rrignedl Hue ahouM begin die cbap. ttr, and be read thuai ^And when Saul had reined two yewa <Mti laraei, he ehoae him three thouMuid," oo. The S^ttuaginthMM left the elaoae outcrf the text entirely, and lMgiiwttisob«|iterilMM: "And Said ofaoss to hioiaeli three tfwnasnd nen oat ^ the auaof Isnel."
Terse 2. TVe Aouamnd wart SaiU] Ssid, no dsnfat, mediialed the redemption of his country from the Pbilietineet and, havii^ oboeen three thoiuand men, he tboogbt beat to divide then into eompuiea, and eend one ■gdiut the Philistine garrieon at AStkmtuh f another, aninst that at Bath-a-, attd the diird, against that at atbaaki he perhaps hoped, by turpriting the»e g»j-ri»oo«, togMMBonbsnd wptantat his nan t of which we find, (ver. 22.) they were entinly deetitute.
Verse 3. Jonathan mioM He sppeara to have taken Alia garrison by aurprtee; for hia men had no arms for a ngular bouts, or lakiog the plaoe by sUam. Iliis ia the Am plaee in which this brave and axosllsat lun sppeani a man who basis oos of ihs oiost sniafais dsmctera m «w Bible.
Xtf AeiTafrrMatAearl Probably this means the peorie who rfiestt be^amd Jordan t who might very naturally be termed here amai9T\ ha-abari-ni, from abar, he passed orer," those who ere beyond the river Jocdao: u^knbun was called -rdf Abery, because he dwelt beyond the fivw Euphrates... ™,..
Veree 4. Tfu juioipU vart eaUtd tognthir) The smiling of this garriaoa was the commenoement of s war) and, ineftet,iberiwkii«offo(tfaePhi)iatinisoydMt and now «»e pemle found that ihqr must staad togetber, and fight far ttieu- lives. _,. -.
Verse 6. Thirty thauMnd ekartota, and ti* 6ufHaand lunamM.] Then is no proportion here between the etorioto and the eaeoiry. The largest armies ever branght Mo &e field, oven by mighty emparofs, never ware nir- ■iabed with <Airty Aautmd chariots.
Vene 6. T%e jtemlt did hid* OuniMtMt} Tliey, tmng few in number, and totally unarmed as to iBorda and spears, were terrified at the very numerous sod well-iy>- poijuea army of the Philistines. Judea was fiill of rocCs, oaves, thickets, Ac. where people might shelter themselves from their enemiea While some hid themsetve|h others fled bevood Jordan t and dioae who did cleave to Saul followed Aim trembliiu.
Verse 8. Ae iarrud eesen doy^ ooranUnr to lha »a tine] Samuel, in the bMinnini^ had told Saul to wait Mvsn days; aAd he wouhl come to htm, sod akow kim what to do, chap. x. 8. What is here said cannot bs ooderstood of that appointment, but of a difierent one- Samuel had at diis time promised to come to him within seven days t and be kept his word, for we find him there befi>re the mj was ended: but, as Saul found he did not come at the beginninK of the tevtnih day, he became im* pAtiMit, uxdc the whole business into bis own hand, and acted the parts irf prophet, priest, and kingi and thuabs attempted a meet essential change in the Israelitiib era* stitution. In it the king, ihe pr^ihM, and the priest, m, in their nature, perfectly distiuet. What such a nA per* ■on might have done, u he had not been deprived of his agthorit^, who can tell 1 But his conduct on this occasion sufficiently justifies that deprivation. TW he was a rash and headstrong man, is also proved by his senseless a4**' ration of die people about /«oc^ chap.xiv. 24| and us uafteUnz resolution to put the wave Jotuohsn, his own son, to death, because he had unwittingly acted eonttsiy to this adjurmtion, ver. 44. Saul appears to have been a brave and honest man; but he had lew of those qualities which are proper for a king, or the governor of apeople.
Verse 9. And he nferedthe burnt-cfenTtg.] This was moat perfectly unconstitutional: he had no authori^ to or cause to be offered, any of the Lord's sacrifices. Verse 10. Bthotd, Samuel came) Samuel was punetual to his appointment; one hour longer of delay would have prevented every evil, and by it no good wowd havs been lost. How often are the efiecta of preoptfotum fatal I Verse 11. And Saul $aid\ Here he offers ^ce excuses for hia conduct: — 1. The people were fast leaving his standard. — ^2. Samuel did not come at Ihe time ^tfr Umoad. At the very commencement of the time he did not come, but wi^tn that time he did come. — 3. The Philistines were ooming Cast upon him. Saul should have waited «d the timet and, at all events, he diould not bne gone contrary to die counsel of (he Lord.
diat I did what I did. In all diis Seul was sincere: m be was rash, and ngardless of die P^w^ 4/ thejmdt which proeept or command be most evidently nadfSQwvsOi ver. 13. And MWMitof Ihisiineeptwa^diat**!^ ikoutd UttMsaafiofAssMl dla. Wuboot «s infa^ mstion. in an lAir ondsr imnedals segnsuMS of God. hs OkiM havs idtse no 1
14 ^ But now thy kingdom ehall not continue: I the Loan hath sought nim a man after his own heart, and the Loan hath commanded him to be oaptain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which tne Loan commanded thee.
15 And Samuel arose, and gat him un from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamiq. And Saul numbered the people tJiat were * preaent with him, ' about six hundred men.
16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in " Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17 If And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines m three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to ■ Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:
18 And another company turned the way to " Beth-horon: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketb to the vaUey of f Zehoim, toward the wilderness,
19 IT Now « there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines ■aid, Lest the Hebrews make them ewords or •pears:
20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen everv man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, ana hia mattock.
21 Yet they hod ■'a nle for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and * to sharpen the goads.
22 So it came to pass, in the day of battle.
Veras 14. 7?ke Loxd had aouf^ kim a man afUr hia mm htar(\ ThtU this man w«a David, is mfficiently clear from the sequel. But, io what Mine vaa he a man after OocPa menhtart? ADiwer— In hia Btrict attention to tbe law and worship of Qodj in his admitting, in the whole of his conduct, that God was King in Israel, and that he himself was but bis vicegerent j in never attempting to alter any of those laws, or in the least change the Israalitiah constitution. In all his jrublie offUnal eonduet he acted according to the divine mind, ana fulfilled the wUl of hit Maker: thus was he a man after God^t own, heart. In reference to hia private, or pertonai moral conduct, the word is never used. 'Hiis is the sense alone in which the word is used here and elsewhere; and it is unfoir and wicked to put another meaning on it, in order to ridicule the revelation of God, as certain infidels have done.
Verse 15. And Samuel ofom] Though David, in the divine purpoM| is appointed to be captain over the peo^U, vet Saul is not (o be removed from toe govnnmeai during tat life; Samuel, therefore, accompanies him to Gibeah, to give him the requisite help in this conjimcture.
About tix hundred m«n.] "nie whole of the IsraelitiA army at this time; and not one sword or spear among the ml Verse 17. The apoilert came out] The Philistines^ finding that the Israelites durst not -huanl a battle, divided their army into three bands; and sent them in three different diroetions, to pillage and destroy (he country. Jonatlutn profited by this einumstance, and attacked the remains ot the army at Hichmaah i as we shall see in die neeeeding chapter.
Verse 19. Nov there waa no milh/ound] It is very likely that, in the former wars, the Philistines carried away •II the smiths from Israel, as Porsenna did in the peace whidi he granted to the Romans; iMt permitting any iron to be forced except for tbe purposes of uriculture: Nt firro, niai in agrieuUurA uUrentur. Tiie Chaldeans aid the same to toe Jews, in the lime of Nebuchadnezzar: they carried aw^ all die artificers, 2 Kings xziv. 14. Jer. XXIV. 1. zzlx. 2. And in the same manner did Cyrus treat Ae Lirdians. Htrod. lib. L e. 14B. See several examples In Calmet^
Terse 20. Bui all the ItraelUea leent down to Ae Phi- UMnjul We find from this that they did not grant them as much as Porsenna did to the Romans; he permitted the people to manufaeture tbe implements of htxM»andry.
Verse 21. Yet they had a jile\ The Hebrew rrrmo pe- Ittrah, from patear, to rub bard, is translated very dt Arently by the versions, and by critics. Our translation may be as likely as any: they permitted them the use of >(sr, (I brieve the word means grind»lone,) to restore ue blunted edges ot their tridenta, axa, and goods.
that < there was neither sword nor epear foond in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan; but with Satd and with Jonathan his son was there found.
JoMtbui ud Idi ■mm-tMiuw Poivch W BUaek ■ juAm if tfet notadaa, t. SwIudhtaUBT, vkb Ahlnk IkitHiMt,UnTb>dilHh,9,a. Inmlm
NOW * it came to pass uponadaj. a^iS that Jonathan tbe son ot Saul Bud ^ unto the young man that bare his armour. Come, and let us go ov« to the yt^r^'"- Philistines' garrisoo, that is on the other ado. But he told not his father.
2 And Saul tarried in the uttmDiwt _pBrt qT G&eah, under a pomegranate tree which wn Migron: and the people that leere with him were ' about six hundred men;
3 And y Ahiafa, the sonof Ahitub, ■ I-chabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of £li, tba LoAD'spriestinSiuloh.'wearioganephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan waa gone.
nor /ipearj But if the Isfselitea eu^ad peiK's, and undiMUrtatdciffiitdon uiu« Sai have Jh vu c^lh >mi, ttuvc iKtutiixiew Immtt^^nvmt the nXTOv heade f^amliy attjiB ot Jtint. Amnraofdaa kind are found among ute inbabiuntk of Am South islands t and even Bxe% and di&rent impleBcnts of war, all made of stone, cut and polished by stooe^ are frenNU among them. Tbe arms of the abcniginal Irish have tieea of this kind: I have frequently seen heads of axes and arrows of etona, which have been dug up out of the grounds and formed with eonsideraUe taste and elegance^ Hm former, the common petqila term IhmderbolUi the latier, eif'^mea.
Now, it is possible that tbe Ivaelites had still tow and arrowa; dwse they could have without tbe amith i and it is as likely that th^ bad aHnga; and for these they needed none. But ihen these were miaaiUt; if tb^ came imo cfoH fi^>t, they would avail them nothing: for attaite of this kind they would requin aieorda and apearoi tt Ham none were found but with Saul and Jonathan.
We see, in this chwptar, Isnel brought to aa low a stalt as they were undee Eli; when they were totally disosi^ fited, their priests slain, their ark taken, and the judga dead. After that they rose by the strong hand of Gsdt and in this way they are now to rise, principally by maana of David, whose history will soon «Mnmence.
Veiw 1. Coma, tmd Id ua go •Mr] 7Ua aalion (f Jonathan waa totally contrary to the lawi of wwi w military operation should be undertaken wiihout knowledge and command of tbe generaL But it is hkaly that he waa led to this by a divine influence.
lie armour-bearer is the origin of what we call eaqnira, from esctt, old French, a Meld: araUgor is the Latin, frosa armo, weapons^ and gero, I bear. In the times of dUaoIryh ibe ormlgw, or sa^uir^ was the aanatU at the kstafa^ who went after him, and carried his lanoe, shield, Ac. llis now, strange to tell, a title of Aonour/
Verse 2. Und^ a pomegranate tree} Under Rimmoo, which not only signifies a pomegranate tree, but also a strong roek, in which ai'jr hundrvd Beniamites took shelter, Judg. XX. 46. Probably it was in this very nA ttat Suil and hia six hundred men now lay bidden.
Verse 3. AMiah, the ton iif Ahiiub} Pfaiitebaa, son of Eli tbe hidi priest, bad two sMis, Ahitub and Icbabod; ifaa latter was born when the ark was taken, and his OMNhw
4 And between the pofsages, by irtiioh Jona^ thaa Moght to go over * unto toe Philisdnee' gturiBODj th^e leas a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one ivas Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5 The ' fore-froni of the one irot situate northward over against Michmaeh, and the other southward over against Gtbeah.
6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us so over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there i* no restraint to the Lord, ' to save by many or by few.
7 And his armour-bearer said unto him, Do nil that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am widi thee according to thy heart.
8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto Utem.
9 If they say thus unto us, ■ Tarry until we cometoyoa; then we will stand still in our place, ftnd will not go up unto them.
10 But if uiey say thusi Come up unto us; then we will go up: for * the Lord hath delivered them into our hand: and t this shall be a sign onto us.
11 And both of them discovered themselves onto the garrison of thePhilistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, tne Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themeelves.
12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armour-bearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thins. And JoBBthan said unto hie armour-bearer, Come up after me: for the Lord hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.
13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armour-bearer afler him; and they fell before Jonathan; and his armour-bearer slew afler him.
14 And that first slau^ter, which Jonathan and his armour-bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were ^a holfacre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plough.
15 ir And 1 there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and * the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was ^a." very great trembling.
16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked: and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down <me another.
17 IT Then said Saul unto the people that v)ert with him. Number now, and see who ia gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armour-bearer -were not tWe.
18 And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.
19 And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the p noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priMt, Withdraw thino
30 And Saul and all the people that vere with him 4 assembled themselves, and they came to the battle; and, behold, ' every man's sword was a^inst his fellow, and there wafaverjr great doscomflture.
31 Moreover, the Hebrews fAol were with the Philistines before that tim^, which went up wiUi them into the camp from the country roond about, even they also turned to be with the!»• raelites that tBere with Saul and Jonathan.
33 Likewise all the men of Israel which ■ had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, irAen they heard Uiat the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in battle.
33 ( So the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over ' unto Beth-aven.
WeariM an tp>v>d\ That it, performing the functions «f the hign prieat. Tbim man doea not appear to have Iwen widi 9ai^, wtiea be offend the Morifloea, chap. xiiL
TTiere ia no ratraint to ilu Loao] Thia ia a fine aentiraeat; and where there ia a pronuao of defenoe and support, the weakeat, in the fiuse of the ttrmgeat enemy, may rair on tl with the utmoat confidence.
Terae 7. BtMd, I am tsifft Am] I aball accompany diee wbitheraoever thou gosst; and than all t)^ daogen.
Terae 9. (f May sag nWa unio «a] Jonathan had no doubt aaked diia aa a ai^ from Clod i exactly aa EUezer, Ibe aarvant of Abraham, did, Gen. uiv. 12.
Terae 13. Come mptoiu, and iBtviU^unsmu a Iking] Hiis was (be favourable sign which Jonathan had requested. TIm Philistinea aeem to haie meant, Come, and we viO liuw you how well fortified we are; andhowaUsto OmII idl the attadcs of your eounirrmen.
Terae 13. Jbnofban tUmbed t^il It seams be had a nart of the rock >tiH to get over. When be got over he Began to alay the guarda, which w«e about twenty in number: ifaeee were a sort of oatpoet, or adTanced guard to Cheninaao.
SmtafUr him\ Jonadian knocked them down, and dis anB«ir>beaiw despatohed them. lUa seama to be lbs
TstwM. Ahaif-aere<(ftaita\ nw andsntt mssanied land hf tha auantum which a yoke of oxen could plou^ fai a di^. TttB original ia obaeure, aad ia wioualy oodwtfoed. It ia probably a proverbial expression for a very tmaUspmet.
TKsal, and moat ezMordinary. Tbt trembUng of tba earth ia probahly not to be taken literally, but aa a metabpor for a great commotion in the country t though Ood naigfat have interposed in an extraordinary manner, and prodoeed a na) aarlhqaaka i but tbor faring paaie^iiuok was suffieiant to proouee all the raqoisiu oonfimoa and dismay.
Terae l6. Tfu vatekmen Sanll Taest who wan saot out as scouts to observe me mottons of ths army..
Melted away] There was no order in tba Pluiiatiniaa camp; and the people wore diapersing in all direetitms. The Tulgate ha^ El muliiludo pnetrata, "And behold the multitude ««re prostrate;" maiqr lay dead upon the field, partly by the sword of Jom^ian ana hia armourbearer, and partly by the aworda gf eadi other, ver. 30.
Tone 17. dumber now] Saul pemived that the Philiatinea were routed, bat could not tell by what meana i ■uppoaing that it moat be by some of hia own troopi^ ho called a muater to aee who aud how many were abaent.
Tent, 18. Bring Mther the ark qf Ood] He widwd to inquire what aw ha sbookl maka of Ibe pnoeat &vonnible circumataaoeBi and to pnweed ra dwbnsinesB as God shoolddireeL
Torse 19. While Saul talked mtto the prieei] Befbn he had nuida an and of eooBulting him, Ibe inereaaing noiae of the panie-atmek nuiiatiDea ealled bis attentioa i aad, Anding there waa no time to loae, fae Imnwdialdy eoUeatsd hia men and fell on them.
Terae 2L TTte Bdn-eweibU were loiA At mdUetiHee] We may undaratand such aa they held in bondam or who wars their aarvant*. Instead of Hebrews, the SepinagiHi ' twiiUMm,A*»la»eet from irtiick it is avidnU uia^ instead of ot^ay ^Uortei, Hebmr^ thsy found in tfaeb text o>ia7 abadim, sarvaats. But dua nadiag is not oouoteoanced by any olhtr mdo^ nor hy My MS. ysl discovered.
Ills VuigaU and the SephtagitU add here, And Aere wravith Saul aboui ten tkuwtand man ( bat thia is anp*
Oat; for Saul had ■ aiinnA die people, sayiSfr, Cnreetl be the man that eateth any hod until evening, that I ma; be avenged on mine enemies. So nooe or the people tasted any food.
85 * And all they of the land came to a wood; and diere tras ■ honey upon the grotmd.
26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to hb mouui: for the people feared uieoath. ^,
27 But Jonathan heard not when bia ftther charged the people widi the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that tctu in his hand, and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his fauid to his mouth; and bis eyes were enlightened.
2S Thenatuweredoneof the people, and said, Thy father straiehtly chareed the people with an oath, eayinf, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were ' fidnt.
W Then said Jonathan, My &Uier hath troubled the land: eee, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enligbtenea, because I tasted a little of tills honey.
30 How much more, if haply Uie ijeople had eaten freely to-day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there notbeennowa muc^ ereater slaughter amons; the Philistines?
31 T And they smote the PhilistiDes that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.
32 And the people flew upon the spoS, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and eTew them «ntheground: and the pet^e did eat <A«m* with the blood.
greased: roll a great stone unto me this day.
34 And.Sanl said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither
every man his ox, and every man hu abeep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not againt the Lord in eating with the blood. _And,i31 the people brought every man his ox ^ with him tlwt night, and ^ew thetn there.
35 T[ And Saul' built anirftar onto the Lobb: ' the same was the first altar that he built unto
36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by ni^t, and spod them until the morning light, and let as not leave a man of them. Aim they said, Do whatsoever seetneth good unto thee. Then said the priest. Let us draw near hither unto God.
37 IT And Saul asked counsel of God, Sl^ I go down after the Philistinee? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israeli But 'he u- Bwered him not that day.
38 If And Saul said, ' Draw ve near hither all the > diief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath neen this day:
39 For, ^ Off the Lord liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my aonibe shell surely die. ^ut there -was not a man aaoog all the people t^U answered him.
40 Then said he unto all Israel, Be ve on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.
41 Therefca% Saul said unto the Lord God of Israel, > Give ^ a perfAt lot. i And Saul and Jonaman were taken; but the people " escaped.
42 And Saul said. Cast lole between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was token.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan. ■ Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonatiian told hinit and said, • I did but taste a Uttle honey with tlw end of the rod that ira« ia mine hand, and, lo, I must die.
44 And Saul answered, r God do so, and more also: ^ for thou shalt surely di«, Jonathan.
Ten* 21 S<*ulhad<uijurmltluj>M>tey Hew»«»ftaid, If they wBitad to r«freah ni«iinlve% me Pfailisitiies woan ssoo^M oat of their bands; snd, iherefore, he made the taking any food till aunaet a capital crime. His was the very meam of defeating bis <nrn inteatton; for, aa the people were exhausted for want of food, diey eould not contiDue (hepunuit of their enemies: had it not been for this foolish adjuratioD, there had been a greater slaughter fl( the PbiliMiiM^ ver. 30.
Tjgne 26. Tlksrs wm honey itpm Iht ground] There ■were many wfld bees in that eountryi and Judea is ezprassly saad to be a land flowing with milk and hanxy.
Verae26. 7^ Aontydromedl It seenia to have dropped from the trtm oa the ground. iHmty dtm, as thn are flailed, are not uncommon in most countries. And dusappears to have been somediing of this kind.
Tens 37. Bia eym mrt «nii/^t4ntd\ Hunger and fittigue afGset and dim the si^: on taking f96d, thii aAction is imisediately removed. This moat people know to be a fiut.
' VeraeSI. TTugmoU^Phmtinet—JivmigdtBtaA lo AiiaUtk] ThiadlstaMe, Oalmet statca, to be three or four uoguea.
Terse 32. TtU peapU did eat them witk A» NosdL] fnwy were Aunt dirouni hanger, and fid not take tine to bleed the cattle on v^chdtM fed. Thk was another bad «fieot of Saul's rash adpiraticn.