of the people. And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with 100 thee, and arise, go seek the asses. And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not. When 105 they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us. And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honour; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: 110 now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go. Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we ? And the servant answered Saul again, 115 and said, Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was. As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going 120 out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before thee: make haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for the people have a sacrifice to-day in the high place as soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he 125 go up to the high place to eat for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for at this time ye shall find him. And they went up to the city; and as they came within the city,1 behold, Samuel came out against 130 them, for to go up to the high place. 15 Now the LORD had revealed unto Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over my people Israel, and he shall save my people out 135 of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people,2 because their cry is come unto me. And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man of whom I spake to 1 For within the city read within the gate. 2 For my people read the affliction of my people (S). : thee! this same shall have authority over my people. Then 140 Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is. And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go up before me unto the high place, for ye shall eat with me to-day and in the morning I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. And as for thine 145 asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them ; for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father's house? And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families 150 of the tribe of Benjamin ? wherefore then speakest thou to me after this manner? And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons. And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion 155 which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee. And the cook took up the thigh, and that which was upon it,1 and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which hath been reserved! set it before thee and eat; because unto the appointed time hath it been kept for thee, for I said, I have in160 vited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he communed with Saul upon the housetop. And they arose early : 2 and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send thee 165 away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still at this time, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God. [101] Then Samuel took the 170 vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not that the LORD hath anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance? 3 When thou art departed from me to-day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre, in the border of 1 For that . . . it read the fat tail. 2 For he communed . . . early read they spread a couch for Saul on the housetop, and he lay down to sleep (R). 3 For Is it ... inheritance? read Hath not the LORD anointed thee to be prince over his people Israel? And thou shalt have authority over the LORD's people, and shalt save them out of the hand of their enemies; and this shall be to thee the sign that the LORD hath anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance (S). Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the 175 care of the asses, and taketh thought for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the oak of Tabor, and there shall meet thee there three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another 180 carrying a bottle of wine: and they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hand. After that thou shalt come to the hill of God,1 where is the garrison 2 of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a band of 185 prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall be prophesying: and the spirit of the LORD will come mightily upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. And let it be, when these signs are 190 come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee. 9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart and all those signs came to pass that day. And when they came thither to the hill,3 195 behold, a band of prophets met him; and the spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he prophesied among them. And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is 200 Saul also among the prophets? And one of the same place answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.1 14 And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither 205 went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel. And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you. And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But concerning the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel 210 spake, he told him not. 1 For the hill of God read Gibeah of God (R). 2 For garrison read governor. 3 For to the hill read to Gibeah (R). For the high place read the house, : 11 1 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. And 215 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. 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 220 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. And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they 225 told him the words of the men of Jabesh. And the spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. 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 230 after Saul, 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. And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus 235 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. 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. 240 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. And all the 245 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. Another account of the origin of the monarchy is given in 1 Sam. 7. 2-22; 10. 17-27; 12. 1-25. LESSON XXXVII THE BATTLE OF MICHMASH Saul and his son Jonathan win a great victory over the Philistines at Michmash: but Saul's rash vow nearly costs the life of Jonathan. Afflicted with a melancholy mania, Saul finds relief in the music of David's harp; and appoints David his armour-bearer. : 1 SAMUEL XIII., XIV., XVI. 13 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 Gibeah1 of Benjamin and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. And Jonathan smote the garrison 2 of the Philistines that 5 was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it.3 And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. And 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 10 after Saul. 2 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- 15 aven. 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. Now some of the Hebrews had gone over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. And Saul numbered the people that 20 were present with him, about six hundred men. And Saul, 1 For Gibeah read Geba. 2 For garrison read governor. 3 For heard of it read heard say, The Hebrews have revolted (S). VOL. II.-B |