the garrison and the spoilers they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling. And Saul's watchmen looked, and beheld the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another." Seeing this strange spectacle, and finding Jonathan absent from his band, Saul wished to consult the high-priest, "for the ark of God (or the ephod, as some read) was at that time with the children of Israel." "While Saul talked unto the priest, the noise in the host of the Philistines increased" so rapidly that he could not delay. He stops the priest in the midst of his inquiries, "and all the people that were with him assembled themselves and came to the battle: and behold every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture." The Hebrews that had been with the Philistines in bondage, now turned to fight with their countrymen: and those who had hid themselves in the mount, when they heard that the Philistines fled, "even they also followed hard after them in the battle." "So the Lord saved Israel that day." Throughout their whole history we read of few deliverances more remarkable than this: in which the hand of God was more apparent. There was no restraint to the Lord on that day to save by few.

It was not all well, however, with Israel. Their very success led them into a snare and distress. Elated with his victory, and eager in the pursuit of his foes, Saul had foolishly adjured the people, saying, "Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people-though the honey dropped from the comb at their side-tasted any food, for they feared the oath." In the long pursuit, they became weary and faint: and Jonathan, who heard not the rash curse of his father, "dipped his rod into the honey and ate." The eagerness of Saul defeated itself. Jonathan alone, who had broken the oath, had strength to follow the enemy, and argues against the imprudence of his father. "If the people had eaten freely to-day of the spoil of the enemy, had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?" Nor was this the only bad result of the oath. When evening came, when the people might eat, "they flew upon the spoil, slew them upon the ground, and did eat them with the blood," directly contrary to the Mosaic law. And it was told Saul, "Behold the people sin against the Lord, in that they eat with the blood." "And he said, Roll a great stone unto me, and bring me hither every man his ox and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat, and sin not against the Lord in eating with the blood. And Saul built an altar unto the Lord: the same was the first altar that he built unto the Lord." It seems probable that the very stone upon which the

beasts were slain, was made into an altar, and sacrifices offered before the people were allowed to go any further.

For

The impatient monarch now proposes an immediate pursuit of the Philistines, but the priest checks his zeal, and counsels him to inquire of God. "And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day." God was evidently displeased. Sin was lying somewhere. "And Saul said, Draw ye near hither all ye chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day. as the Lord liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But none of the people were base enough to betray their deliverer. He then resorts to the lot. All Israel stood upon one side, Saul and Jonathan upon the other. And "Saul said unto the Lord God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped. And Saul said, Cast lots between me. and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand, and, lo, I must die. And Saul answered, God do so, and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan. And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not. Then Saul went up

from following the Philistines." In the whole of this transaction Saul appears as vindictive, rash, and cruel. He looks upon the Philistines not as the enemies of the people of God, but as personal foes. In his eagerness to crush them he involves his own people in severe distress by a rash oath. And then, as if utterly unconscious where the real guilt lay, he purposes the death of his own son, who had ignorantly broken the oath. That God in his providence should single out Jonathan instead of Saul, does not imply that Jonathan was the guilty one; but simply designates him as the person who had incurred Saul's foolish curse. The people judged rightly that the guilt was contracted by Saul, and therefore they rescued their deliverer from his hands.

Saul now pushes his wars and conquests on every side. Be-yond Jordan, and south and east of the Dead Sea, he is victorious over Moab, Ammon, and Edom. Northward he carries his arms against the kings of Zobah. And whithersoever, in the words of the narrative, "he turned himself, he vexed his foes."

In the full tide of his success, Saul receives a command from the Lord, through the prophet, to "go and smite Amalek, and

utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman." Nothing could justify such a war as this, but an express command from God. This Saul had. Some of the reasons for this command we know. This nation had attacked the Israelites in their coming out of Egypt; and for this, among other reasons, God had purposed their destruction. And he has a right to do what he will with his own; and though we now do not know why he should do as he does, yet this we do know, that the judge of all the earth doeth right. Saul proceeds, partially, to execute the command. He gathered the people together, and marched them to a city of Amalek. He then warned the Kenites-the family of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses-to depart from among the Amalekites, lest they should perish with them. "And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah, until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt." He spared the king, but destroyed the people. "But Saul and the people spared the best of the sheep, oxen, and of all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them." He spared the king because of his rank, he himself being a king. He spared the spoil to increase his riches. In both he broke the divine command. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, "It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king,: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments." In the interview between the prophet and king, Saul appears to have no idea of his guilt. Ile salutes him with a "Blessed be thou of the Lord; I have performed the commandment of the Lord." And when Samuel asked "What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears? he replied, The people spared the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God." Then Samuel uttered the severe rebuke, "Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said unto me this night. When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? and sent thee to utterly destroy the sinners of the Amalekites. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord." Saul then claimed that he had obeyed, and throws the blame of a partial disobedience upon the people. "But the people took of the spoil, which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God." And Samuel uttered that great truth, so often repeated in Scripture, but so seldom learned, "Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." "Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king." Saul, startled with this denun

ciation, confessed his sin, and besought Samuel to remain with him in his intended sacrifice. But Samuel said, "I will not return with thee," and as he turned to go away, Saul laid hold upon his mantle and rent it. And Samuel said, "The Lord hath rent the kingdom from thee this day: and the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent." Then he said, "I have sinned, yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before all Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.' So Samuel joined him in his sacrifice. The utmost extent of Saul's repentance, was the fear lest he should be publicly abandoned by the prophet, and then by the people. There was no genuine sorrow for his sin. But he did not feel himself yet so secure in the affections of his people that he could safely lose the influence of the aged prophet, much less openly array himself against it. Hence his assumed humility, and his earnest prayer that Samuel would at least publicly honour him. This sacrifice finished, the prophet sent for the Amalekite king and executed the command of God. As a judge he sentences the king to death; who suffers justly for his cruelties. After this second and flagrant offence, Saul was no longer countenanced by the venerable prophet. "And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul; and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel."

SECTION II.

ANOINTING OF DAVID-HIS INTRODUCTION TO SAUL-HIS BATTLE WITH GOLIATH, AND VICTORY OVER THE PHILISTINES-THE FRIENDSHIP OF DAVID AND JONATHAN-DAVID'S ESCAPE FROM SAUL'S ANGER, AND HIS MARRIAGE-SAUL THREATENS HIS LIFE-DAVID'S FLIGHT TO SAMUEL HIS RETURN TO JONATHAN, AND FINAL PARTING.

SAUL having thus rejected God, having refused to administer the kingdom, under the divine command, and as a king only in a subordinate sense, was now rejected by God. The next step was the choice of his successor the man who stands pre-eminent among all the Hebrew kings-who walked, as it is testified, "after God's own heart," who received and held the kingdom, as only the vicegerent of Jehovah. "And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his

To guard himself from the anger and violence of Saul, who had become jealous and suspicious of the prophet, Samuel

was directed to "go and sacrifice at Bethlehem," "to call Jesse to the sacrifice, and anoint whomsoever the Lord should name." "And Samuel came to Bethlehem, sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice." When they came, he looked upon the eldest, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. But the Lord said unto Samuel, "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." The other sons of Jesse passed before the prophet in succession: "but the Lord had not chosen these." And Samuel said unto Jesse, "Are here all thy children?" And he said, "There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep." And he said, "Send and fetch him;" and he sent and brought him." "Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him, for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward." It is doubtful whether David or his brethren at this time understood the meaning of this anointing. It was followed by no practical result: and he was devotedly loyal long after this to Saul. At all events he took no means to bring about the real result to which it pointed. Meantime, however, that Spirit which was given to him, was evidently fitting him for the high trust unto which he had been chosen.

The introduction of David to Saul was brought about by his skill as a minstrel. From his break with the prophet, a change had manifestly passed over the character of Saul. His pride and vain-glory had given place to despondency and gloom, and these had now settled down into the deepest melancholy; this melancholy assumed a fiendish cast, and would seem to have been, from its spasmodic and violent form, not merely the natural working of a disappointed spirit, but of a supernatural power, very much like the possessions in the times of our Lord. To relieve these fits, Saul's servants proposed that he should "seek out a man who is a cunning player upon the harp; and it shall come to pass that when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand and thou shalt be well." The person chosen was the son of Jesse, who is described again "as cunning in playing, a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him." "And David came to Saul, and stood before him and he loved him greatly, and he became his armour-bearer. And it came to pass when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp and played with