37. CONFIRMATION AND GENERAL RECOGNITION OF SAUL AS KING. a (1) SAUL'S VICTORY OVER THE AMMONITES. 1 Samuel 11:1-11. I Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. 2 And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. 3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the borders of Israel: and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to thee. Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept. 5 And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 And the spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 8 And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance. And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you. II And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together. (2) CONFIRMATION OF SAUL AS KING AT GIlgal. I Samuel 11:12-15. 12 And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death. 13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day for to-day the LORD hath wrought deliverance in Israel. с 14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. 15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. (3) SAMUEL'S LAST TRANSACTION WITH THE PEOPLE AT GILGAL. 1 Samuel 12:1-25. I And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold, the king walketh before you : and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth unto this day. 3 Here I am witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. 4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand. 5 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against a The Sept. has, "And it came to pass after about a month, that Nahash," etc. bOr, "a terror from the LORD." c Heb. salvation. d Or," bribe." e Or, that I should hide mine eyes at him." The Sept. has, "even a pair of shoes? answer against me and I will," etc. See Ecclesiasticus 46: 19. 1 Samuel 12. you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they said, He is witness. 6 And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers. 8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place. 9 But they forgat the LORD their God, and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 10 And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. 11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled in safety. 12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king. 13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for: and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. 14 If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of the LORD your God, well: 15 but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers. 16 Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. 17 Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king. 18 So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king. 20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have indeed done all this evil: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; 21 and turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you a people unto himself. 23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. 25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king. 22 For 38. THE BEGINNINGS OF ROYALTY. 1 Samuel 13:1, 2. I Saul was thirty] years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years over Israel. 2 And Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mount of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. etc. a Or. "made." 6 Some ancient authorities read, “ Barak.” c Or," then shall both ye. the LORD your God: but," d The Sept, has, “ and against your king." e The Sept. has, and turn ye not aside after the vanities which," etc. The Hebrew text has," Saul was a year old.' The whole verse is omitted in the unrevised Sept., but in a later recension the number" thirty" is inserted. 39. THE WAR AGAINST THE PHILISTINES." (1) JONATHAN'S EXPLOIT IN GIBEAH. 1 Samuel 13:3a. 3a And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. (2) SAUL SUMMONS ISRAEL TO GILGAL. 1 Samuel 13: 36, 4. 4 And 36 And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal. (3) THE PHILISTINES ENCAMP IN MICHMASH. 1 Samuel 13:5. 5 And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward of Beth-aven. (4) THE DISTRESS OF ISRAEL. 1 Samuel 13:6, 7, 19–23. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in holds, and in pits. 7 Now some of the Hebrews had gone over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: 20 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock; 21yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes; and to set the goads. 22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out unto the pass of Michmash. (5) SAUL WRONGLY OFFERS SACRIFICE. 1 Samuel 13:8, 9. 8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 And Saul said, Bring hither the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. (6) SAMUEL'S PROPHECY OF RETRIBUTION. 1 Samuel 13:10–14. e 10 And it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. II And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled them a Fifteen years, at least, and perhaps twenty, have been passed over in silence, since the last event mentioned in §38; for Saul was a very young man at the time of his accession to the throne, and time enough must have elapsed between the events of vv. 2 and 3 of 1 Samuel 13, so that Jonathan could have meanwhile grown to manhood. b Or, holes." c Or," cisterns." d Or, "when the edges of the mattocks . . . and of the axes were blunt." The Hebrew text is obscure. e Or, "bless." 1 Samuel 13. selves together at Michmash; 12 therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not intreated the favour of the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering. 13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. 14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath appointed him to be prince over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee. (7) SAUL MOVES HIS HEADQUARTERS TO GIBEAH. 1 Samuel 13:15, 16. 15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. 16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. (8) THE THREE MARAUDING BANDS OF THE PHILISTINES. 1 Samuel 13:17, 18. 17 And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in 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 the way of the border that looketh down upon the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. (9) JONATHAN'S BOLD ATTACK ON THE PHILISTINES. 1 Samuel 14:1-16. I Now it fell upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on yonder side. But he told not his father. 2 And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men; 3 and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the LORD in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. 4 And between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba. 6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few. 7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee, behold I am with thee according to thy heart. 8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto the men, and we will discover ourselves unto them. 9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them. 10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be the sign unto us. II And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. 12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, 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 armourbearer after him and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew them after him. 14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were a half a furrow's length in an a Or," half an acre of land." 1 Samuel 14. acre of land. 15 And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled: and the earth quaked; so there was an exceeding great trembling. 16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went hither and thither. (10) FLIGHT AND OVERTHROW OF THE PHILISTINES. 1 Samuel 14: 17-23. 17 Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there. 18 And Saul said unto Ahijah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was there at that time with the children of Israel. 19 And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand. 20 And Saul and all the people that were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture. 21 Now the Hebrews that were with the Philistines as beforetime, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about; even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth-aven. (11) SAUL'S RASH CURSE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. 24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day: but Saul adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted food. 25 And all the people came into the forest; and there was honey upon the ground. 26 And when the people were come unto the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food this day. And the people were faint. 29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land; see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to-day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for now hath there been no great slaughter among the Philistines. 31 And they smote of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint. 32 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone unto me this day. 34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, 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 all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there. 35 And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD. h 36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. ƒHeb. a Heb. "a trembling of God." 6 The Sept. has, "Bring hither the ephod. For he wore the ephod at that time before Israel." c Heb. and. d Or, "in the camp, round about." e The Sept. has," they also turned to be," etc. "the land." gor, a stream of honey." Or," for had there not been now a much greater slaughter?" etc. . |