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23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD's anointed.

24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be

much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.

25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place."

Verse 5. "Saul lay in the trench, and the peopie pitched round about him.”—A "trench” is here an exceedingly unlikely meaning of the wordy (maagal). The marginal reading, "in the midst of the carriages," is better, if we understand it to mean not wheel carriages, but of things carried on mules, &c., that is, baggage. This is occasionally the sense of the word "carriage" in our version. We may be almost certain that no wheel-carriages were used in such military excursions as the present-much less in such a hilly part of the country as was the scene of this transaction. The last named view is that which Dr. Boothroyd has taken; translating-"Saul lay among the baggage, and the people were encamped round about him." A very slight reference to existing usages in the East will suffice to elucidate the present and other allusions, contained in the Scriptures, to the form of encampments. In all the different forms of encampment the nomade, the travelling, the military-a general preference is given to a circular arrangement. The circumstances of the ground sometimes compel a departure from it; and the additional exigencies conected with pasturage and water, render this more frequent among the Bedouins than in other cases. With them. when the circular form can be adopted, the place of honour, occupied by the emir, sheikh, or chief, is in the centre; the other tents being pitched at a respectful distance around. Under the ordinary circumstances of a camp, however, the chief often, among some tribes. forgoes this distinction for the sake of the character for hospitality, which requires him to have his tent, in every form of encampment, the nearest to that direction from which strangers usually arrive. The eastern military and regal camps, when the ground allows, are also disposed circularly; and, if the army be large, in a number of concentric circles, the royal pavilion being in the centre. A description which Mr. Morier gives of the encampment of the Persian army, in the plain of Oujan, well explains this-except in the circumstance that, as the king had a palace in the plain, and resided in it instead of in a tent, that became the central object. "Around this building, to an immense extent, at various intervals was spread the camp, consisting of tents and pavilions, of all colours and all denominations. An order had been issued, that every tent in the camp should be pitched with its entrance immediately facing the palace; by which it was intended that every one who came forth should make the ser ferou, or bow the head to the royal abode....The king thus became, as it were, the nave of a great wheel; and he was so completely hemmed in by his troops, that if an enemy had appeared, it would have been impossible to get at him without first cutting a road through the labyrinth of ropes and tents which everywhere surrounded him" (Second Journey,' p. 269). Unquestionably, Saul's camp was arranged on the same general principle, and probably for the same reasons—the honour and security of the royal person. It is not indeed clear that Saul's party had tents in this urostentatious expedition; but the same general principle is observed even when a party is without tents. This explains how David was able to single out Saul even by night; and it gives point to his ironical reproaches of Abner and the rest, who had so insufficiently guarded their lord, around whom they slept. The mention of “baggage,” if baggage be really intended by the word, may obtain some further illustration from observing the manner in which travelling or mercantile caravans encamp. The circular form is usually adopted. The circle is formed by a long rope fastened to the ground by pins of wood or iron, and to which the camels are tied at night, forming the exterior circle. Within this, a kind of rampart is made with the bales of merchandise, forming a sort of wall to the interior area. In the centre of this area the tent of the principal person, if he has any tent, is pitched; and the provisions and baggage are also usually there deposited. If the chief personage has no tent (and he often does without one if no women are of the party), he establishes himself among or under shelter of the heap of baggage, where the ether heads of the party join him, unless his dignity be so distinguished that he is left to enjoy it apart, except he sees fit to invite the society of others. The mass of the party repose along the circumference of the circle, mostly within the rampart formed by the bales; but it often happens that many sleep outside, particularly those who have charge of the cattle, to be ready to protect them from thieves, or to check any strife that may arise among them. This is also done by other persons who have a personal interest in the cattle they use-as more generally happens in the caravans of horses and mules which traverse settled countries, than in the camel caravans which cross the great deserts. It will easily be seen how far this applies to the elucidation of the text before us; and we believe that the statement we have given will furnish a sufficient explanation of all the passages of Scripture which bear on this subject.

7. “ His spear stuck in the ground at his bolster."—Literally, “at his head," answering top, “at the feet." This it is necessary to explain, that the present text may not seem to contradict an observation made under chap. xix. 13. Saul, as a king, and as sleeping apparently in the open air, may have had a bolster; but the present text does not say that he had; and we think it more than doubtful that bolsters had yet come into use for other than sick persons and women. Such things were probably, at this period of simple manners, considered marks of effeminacy, to be avoided by men who wish to maintain a character for hardihood. Sir Walter Scott, in note 16 to the second canto of the Lady of the Lake,' has an anecdote that will illustrate this view:- Hardihood was in every respect so essential to the character of a Highlander, that the reproach of effeminacy was the most bitter that could be thrown pon them. Yet it was sometimes hazarded on what we may presume to think slight grounds. It is reported of Sir Ewen Cameron, of Lochiel, when upwards of seventy, that he was surprised by night on a hunting or military expedition. He wrapped himself in his plaid, and lay contentedly down upon the snow. Among his attendants, who were eparing to take their rest in the same manner, he observed that one of his grandsons, for his better accommodation, rolled a large snow-ball, and placed it under his head. The wrath of the ancient chief was awakened by a symptom f what he considered to be degenerate luxury. Out upon thee,' said he, kicking the frozen bolster from the head which it supported, "art thou so effeminate as to need a pillow?'"-As to the custom of sleeping with the spear stuck to the ground at the head, see vol. i. p. 616.

11. "The cruse of water.”—Some writers fancifully imagine that this cruse of water was a clepsydra, or one of those Water watch-measures used by the ancients, by which time was measured by the falling of water from one vessel into another. The undermost vessel contained a piece of cork, the different altitudes of which, as it gradually rose upon

the rising water, marked the progress of time. It is thought that such a thing would have been useful to Saul. in regulating the time for the movements of the camp: but we do not believe that he had it. Time-measures, on a similar principle, are indeed sometimes used in the East; but, so far as we know, never for such a purpose. The Orientals, from being so much in the open air at night, become so conversant with the indications of time, to be derived from the appearances of the heavens, as not to feel that they need any other information in regulating the time of their movements in camp. Besides, these clepsydræ are said to have originated at a time long subsequent to that of Saul—that is, in Egypt, under the Ptolemies. The fact is, that it is quite usual in the East for persons, when sleeping at night— particularly when they sleep in the open air-to have a small vessel of water at their head, or within reach, in case it should be wanted, during the night or early morning, for drink or for any other purpose. In the cut, vol. i. p. 493, the woman is seen leaving the sleeping-place on the house-top, bearing in her hand the vessel of water which had been within her reach all the night.

20. "Partridge" (NP, kore).—The Hebrew word signifies literally the caller, and is therefore very applicable to the partridge, which is noted for its loud call. The Perdrix petrosa, or Barbary partridge, found in the north of Africa, and in the corresponding latitudes of Asia, is perhaps the particular bird here alluded to.

CHAPTER XXVII.

8

1 Saul hearing David to be in Gath seeketh no more
for him. 5 David beggeth Ziklag of Achish.
He, invading other countries, persuadeth Achish
he fought against Judah.

AND David said in his heart, I shall now
'perish one day by the hand of Saul: there
is nothing better for me than that I should
speedily escape into the land of the Philis-
tines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek
me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall
escape out of his hand.

I

2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his houshold, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Car melitess, Nabal's wife.

4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

5 ¶ And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?

6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day:

1 Heb. be consumed. Heb. the number of days.

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8 ¶ And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the 'Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.

9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.

10 And Achish said, 'Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.

11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.

12 And Achish believed David, saying. He hath made his people Israel 'utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

Heb. a year of days.
Heb. to stink

4 Or, Gerzites. Or, Did you not make a road, &c.

Verse 2. "Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath."-The manner in which this person is distinguished, as "the son of Maoch," seems to render it probable that he was not the same as the Achish who reigned when he first went to Gath David's intention was now very different from what it had been at the former visit. His future prospects, and the enmity of the reigning king, were probably the common talk, and might afford sufficient reason for the king of Gath to deem it an act of policy to receive him well. Some think that a refuge within his dominions is to be understood as having been voluntarily offered by the king.

6. "Ziklag."-In the distribution of the land this town was assigned to Judah (Josh. xv. 31), and afterwards to Simeon (Josh. xix. 5); but it does not appear that the Israelites ever possessed it; and we now see it belonging to the Philis tines, who gave it to David. We see, in chap. xxx., that when the Philistines assembled at Aphek to make war against Saul, and when David also had proceeded to the same place of rendezvous, the Amalekites availed themselves of the opportunity of invading the land, and burnt Ziklag; but, as the author of these chapters adds in the text, that the town still in his time pertained to the kings of Judah, it must afterwards have been rebuilt. We have no information abou the place of Ziklag, except that it was in Daroma, the southern province of Palestine. Daroma began at Eleuthero polis, and extended from thence about twenty miles southward. If we place it in the northern part of that province

we shall have it at a convenient distance to the south of Gath; for the history of David's transactions, during his sojourn among the Philistines, seems to render it quite clear that Ziklag must have been several miles to the south of

Gath.

8. "Geshurites."-See the note on Josh. xiii. 2.

"Gezrites."-If, on the best authority to be obtained, the town of Gezer be rightly placed in the note to Josh. xii. 12, the southward direction of David's excursion will not allow these Gezrites to have been the inhabitants of that Gezer, as some writers conceive. The word is rather uncertain, and does not occur in the Septuagint version of this text. We have no information concerning such a people, unless, as Wells conjectures, they are the same as the Gerrhenians of 2 Macc. xiii. 24; so called from their chief town Gerra, mentioned by Strabo, as lying between Gaza and Pelusium ia Egypt.

10. “Jerahmeelites.”—-The Jerahmeelites were merely one of the branches of the family of Judah, and probably occupied the southern part of that tribe's territory. The information that David had been acting against his own tribe was well calculated to please and satisfy Achish. Jerahmeel, who gave name to this branch of the tribe, was the greatgrandson of Judah; and concerning him and his posterity there are various particulars in 1 Chron. ii.

CHAPTER XXVIII

1 Achish putteth confidence in David. 3 Saul, haring destroyed the witches, 4 and now in his fear forsaken of God, 7 seeketh to a witch. 9 The witch, encouraged by Saul, raiseth up Samuel. 15 Saul, hearing his ruin, fainteth. 21 The woman with his servants refresh him with meat.

AND it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.

2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.

3¶ Now 'Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.

5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.

6 And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.

S And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men With him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto

1 Chap 25. 1.

VOL. II.

me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.

9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

10 And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. 11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.

12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.

13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

14 And he said unto her, "What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

17 And the LORD hath done to him, 'as he spake by 'me: for the LORD hath rent

Heb. what is his form? 3 Heb. by the hand of prophets. •Or, for himself.
L

Chap. 15. 28. 6 Heb. mine hand. 73

the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:

18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.

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19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

20 Then Saul 'fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

21 ¶ And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath

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obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.

22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.

23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof:

25 And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

7 Heb. made haste and fell with the fulness of his stature.

Verse 2. "I will make thee keeper of mine head."-In the East the head is usually mentioned as the principal part of the body. In common language "the head" is equivalent to "the life:" therefore, what Achish means is, probably, that he would make David the commander of his life-guard-a most honourable office in the East.

4. "Shunem."-See the note to Josh. xix. 17.

"Gilboa."-Mount Gilboa is composed of the range of hills stretching northward of Beth-shan, or Scythopolis, to the vicinity of the Sea of Tiberias, and forming the eastern boundary of the great plain of Esdraelon, and, in this part, the western boundary of the plain of the Jordan. The natives still call it Gebel Gilbo, or Mount Gilbo. Dr. Richardson says that it is about 800 feet above the level of the road (between the river and the mountains), and probably about 1000 feet above the level of the Jordan; and perhaps 1200 feet above the level of the sea. It is a lengthened ridge, rising up in peaks, bearing a little withered grass and a few scanty shrubs, scattered about in different places. The plain of the Jordan, below these hills, is exceedingly beautiful and well cultivated. (See Richardson's Travels,' vol. ii. p. 424.)

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7. “A woman that hath a familiar spirit."-See the note on Deut. xviii. 11. From the present text it appears that those who pretended to the spirit of divination included in their pretensions the power of obtaining access to the counsels of the dead; or, rather, of calling on the dead to appear to those who desired their presence. These were therefore what we call necromancers; the belief in whose powers has existed in most countries, and still lingers perhaps in some of the dark corners even of our own land. The present chapter has given occasion to much discussion, turning chiefly on the points-whether the appearance of Samuel was real, or an imposition of the Pythoness on the credulity of Saul; and if real, by what power it was produced? That the spirit of Samuel was evoked by the woman, and came on the compulsion of her powerful arts, is an opinion that has had its advocates, but has of late years generally been rejected. Even Sir Thomas Brown, whose errors are often on the side of credulity, rejected this explanation. In his chapter, Of the last and most common promoter of false opinions, the endeavours of Satan,' he says,-"Thus hath he (Satan) also made men believe that he can raise the dead, that he hath the key of life and death, and a prerogative above that principle which makes no regression from privations." After alluding to the opinions of the heathen philosophical schools on this point, he adds:-"More inconsistent is the error of Christians, who holding the dead do rest in the Lord, do yet believe they are at the lure of the devil,— that he, who is in bonds himself, commandeth the fetters of the dead, and, dwelling in the bottomless lake, (calleth) the blessed from Abraham's bosom:-that can believe the real resurrection of Samuel, or that there is any thing but delusion in the practice of necromancy, or the popular raising of ghosts." (Vulgar Errors,' B. i. c. 10.) For these and other reasons many believe that the witch of Endor was nothing more nor less than "a cunning woman," who being acquainted with the state of public affairs-guessing that the tall stranger, who assured her that no harm should happen to herself, could be no other than the king of Israel-and being well acquainted, as probably most of the Israelites were, with the person of Samuel-undertook the no very difficult task of deceiving Saul. Under this view, it is thought that Saul did not see the appearance, but trusted to the woman's statement that she saw it; and that the voice which was heard was produced by the powers of ventriloquism:-though others suppose that the woman had an associate who personated the appearance and imitated the voice of the dead prophet. Some, however, conclude that this associate was a demon, whose aid she invoked on this occasion. But, thirdly, a large class of highly respectable interpreters contend that the appearance was really that of Samuel; but, of course, deny that the power of the woman or of the devil had any share in its production. They think that when the woman was preparing either to use her craft in imposing on Saul, or else was about to employ her incantations in the expectation of raising a demoniacal spirit to answer his questions, Samuel himself, or his spirit, appeared, by the Lord's permission, to the very great and declared surprise of the woman herself. The text certainly does throughout convey the impression that the appearance was real. This also was the opinion of the ancient Jewish church, as expressed in Ecclus. xlvi. 20, where of Samuel it is said, that "after his death he prophesied, and shewed the king his end." Josephus also describes the appearance as really that of Samuel. Dr. Hales, in his New Analysis of Chronology,' has an able article on this view of the subject; in which he thinks that the following were among the reasons for the permitted appearance to Saul:-1. "To make Saul's crime

the instrument of his punishment, in the dreadful denunciation of his approaching doom. 2. To show to the heathen world the infinite superiority of the ORACLE OF THE LORD, inspiring his prophets, over the powers of darkness, and the delusive prognostics of their wretched votaries in their false oracles. 3. To confirm the belief of a future state, by 'One who rose from the dead,' even under the Mosaical dispensation." (Luke xvi. 31.)

"En-dor." This was near Nain, where Christ raised the widow's son from the dead. It is now ruined; but in Jerome's time subsisted as a large village, which he places four miles south (more properly S.W.) from Mount Tabor. This agrees well enough with the situation where it was found by Burckhardt, who says that two hours and a half from Nazareth he came to the village of Denouny, and near it (that is, more to the south-east, we presume) found the ruins of En-dor, where the witch's grotto is still shown. The Bible says nothing about her grotto. She probably lived in a house, like the other inhabitants of the place.

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on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.

3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no

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