priest, Withdraw thine hand.

his

He stopped him in the middle of

confue; thought the case was plain enough, as there was

confusion in the Philistine host; and resolved to arm immediately,

and pursue them. Thus he at once discovered his hypocrisy and 20 Arofaneness: And Saul and all the people that [were] with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow; [and there was] a 21 very great discomfiture. Moreover, the Hebrews [that] were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp [from the country] round about, even they also, either through fear or compulsion, [turned] to be with the Israel22 ites that [were] with Saul and Jonathan. Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, [when] they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle; the cowardly Israelites came out of their 23 holes and hiding places, and fell upon the flying enemy. So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto b Bethaven though there were other instruments used, yet their! salvation was of the Lord.

24

And the men of Israel were distressed that day with hunger and faintness, for want of proper food for refreshment: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed [be] the man that eateth [any] food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine benemies: he solemnly declared in the name of God, that the man

should be put to death who stayed to take any food: a rash and 23 foolish oath so none of the people tasted [any] food. And all [they of] the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon of the ground; either a hollow tree, or a cleft in the rock, was full of honey, which fell on the ground, so that the land flowed with it. 26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth : for 27 the people feared the oath. 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 an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; he ignorantly -*** transgressed this absurd law, and with the end of his spear gathered up some honey, and eat it; and his eyes were enlightened; be was refreshed and invigorated, his spirits and strength were re28 stored, and his eyes brightened. Then answered one of the people,t and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed [be] the man that eateth [any] food this day. And the people were faint, so that they could not pursue their victory so vigorously and effectually, as otherwise they might 29 have done, yet forebore to take any food. 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

There were various confederate nations, or tribes, in the Philistine army, who did not know one another amidst their confusion, and terror.

+ In Hebrew, one is said to answer, when the speech relates to what was done, as well as fɔ what was said.

L

30 honey, How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philis tipes? would they not have pursued them more swiftly, and done more execution among them ?

3i.

And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash, to Aijalen, quite to their own borders: and the people, owing to Saul's foolish prohibition, were very faint, or they would have pur 32 sued them further. 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, either raw or half dressed, contrary to the law of Moses: this was in the 33 evening when they returned from the slaughter. Then they, that is, some who were more conscientious than the rest, told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day, to slay the beasts upon, that their 34 blood may run from them. And Saul directed his officers to give notice of this, and 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 slow [them] there.

35

And Saul built an altar unto the LORD, to offer sacrifice and give thanks: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD, or, as in the margin, that he began to build; for he did not finish it, being in too great a hurry this was another evidence of 36 his neglect of God and his worship. 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, hoping to come upon them while sleeping and cut them all off. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God; the priest remembering Saul's former error and rashness, would have him ask coun 37 sel 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. This was to show Saul that there was guilt somewhere, and to convince him upon the whole of his rashness and folly, which caused Israel to sin, hindered the prosecution of the victory, and exposed his own valiant son to death.

38

And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the peo ple and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day, 39 which hath provoked God to deny an answer. For [as] the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But [there was] not a man among all the 40 people [that] answered him. Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth

41 good unto thee, Therefore Saul said unto the Lord Gob F Israel, Give a perfect [lot] And Saul and Jonathan were 42 taken: but the people escaped. And Saul said, Cast [lots] besk tween me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. God permitted this, to discover Saul's hypocrisy, who did not fear a rash oath and à tyrannical adjuration, yet would slay his son for a sin of ignorance only; but thus Jonathan was justified, and Saul's 43 folly made manifest. 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 mine -.. hand, [and] lo, I must die. This showed great honour and courage; he does not censure his father, or filead his own service, or innocence; but generously submits to the sentence, only acknowledges it to be hard; but Saul, with violence and fury, swears 44 he shall die. And Saul answered, God do so and more also: 45. 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 Hveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought Lwith God this day, by his help and assistance; therefore he shall

4

not die. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not. 46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; this ruffle *prevented his prosecution of the victory's and the Philistines Went to their own place.

47% 6 Sq Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and ruled with greater authority than he did before, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, on the east, and against Edom, on the south, and against the kings of Zobah, in Syria, on the north, and against the Philis tines in the west, and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed •[them ;] he kept them under, but did not quite subdue them, that 48 was left for David. And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.lt : Tak etur. Jun 13

49

Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters [were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: he had also Ishbosheth and other children, but they were 50% young, and did not accompany him in Me wars. And the name of Saul's wife [was] Ahinoham, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his first [was] Abner, the son of 51 Ner, Saul's uncle. And Kish [was] the father of Saufand 62 Ner the father of Abner [was] the son of Abiel And thefe walwas sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul and cowhen Saal saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him, to firefer him in the army, which tode the custom of the 51dastern king apa a ton Janu sie.) fub velue lleva 9.1

2 19.T mid benswaan pleat) eiquq va Yol Ene I Lan ob.: 097 9

1. WE

REFLECTIONS.

E may infer hence, that the almighty power of God difficulty. Jonathan encouraged himself by the consideration, that nothing was too hard for God. When in the way of duty, and undertaking services to which Providence calls us, we should not despair because our strength is small. Though the friends of God and religion are few in number, and their enemies very numerous, yet he is able to make them victorious. Let us firmly believe this, and apply it in every particular circumstance. Let us cheerfully rely upon the power of God; this will be likely to silence vain fears, la raise up the hands that hang down, and animate all our petitions.

2. When God hides his face from us, and denies an answer toour prayers, we should inquire the cause. Saul, as little as he knew of religion, saw the necessity of this. Let us find out where the sim lies; and then we may be assured that God's hand is not shortened that he cannot save, nor his ear heavy that he cannot hear. But our iniquities will separate between us and God; and if we desire our prayers should be heard, we must avoid sin, and put it away from us; for, if we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us. 3. We may learn from the whole of this chapter, what a miserable creature he is who hath no rule over his own spirit, whatever dignity and eminence he may arrive at in the world. Let men of rash and hasty spirits see, what a wretched figure even a king of Israel made, when under the influence of such a temper. What a mixture of jarring passions was there in his heart! these made him a terror to himself. What a mixture of religion and hypocrisy asking advice of the Lord, and stopping in the middle of the service calling the priest, then restraining him; making a rash oath, and keeping it; swearing in a most unbecoming manner, and acting like a fury who had lost humanity and all natural affection. May we all learn to govern our passions and appetites, and to guard our tempers, that nothing rash, inconsiderate or revengeful be found in them. Especially should those who know themselves to be naturally warm and hasty, be careful to set a double watch over the doors of their lips. It would have been much more for Saul's honour to have governed his passions, than to have conquered the Philistines, for, as Solomon observes, Prov. xvi. 32. He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty: and he that ruleth his own spirit than he that taketh a city.

CHAP. XV. 1-23.

We have here Saul's expedition against the Amalekites; and the sentence which Samuel passed upon him for his partiality and disobedience; after this, Samuel executes Agag, and retires from Saul.

1

SAM

AMUEL also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee [to be] king over his people, over Israel; now there VOL. III.

H

fore, hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Samuel reminds him of the great obligation he was under to God, that he might be more careful and cheerful in obeying his commands, and not 2 run into farther errors. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, who has an absolute command over universal nature, and is the disposer of all creatures and all events, I remember [that] which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid [wait] for him in the way, when he came 3 up from Egypt, (Exodus xvii. 8-16.) Now go, and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, 4 ox and sheep, camel and ass.* And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. Judah is distinguished because it was the royal tribe. It had the privilege of going first, and the Messiah was to come out of it. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, to the chief city, where the king resided, and laid wait in the valley.

6

And Saul said unto the Kenites, most probably by Samuel's direction, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites; some into the rocky part of the country, see Numb. xxiv. 21. the others into the tribe of Judah; for we read of them afterward under the name of Rechabites.

And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah [until] thou comest to Shur, that [is] over against Egypt, through their whole country; but some of them escaped, for we read of them afterward in David's time. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword, all that came in their way, ch. xxvii 8. xxx. 1. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, either out of foolish pity, or covetousness, thinking to get a large ransom for him, and also kept the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all [that was] good, such as money, jewels,

c. and would not utterly destroy them but every thing [that was] vile and refuse, not worth keeping, that they destroyed utterly. Saul was the chief counsellor, and all the people agreed to do this to enrich themselves thereby.

Then, before Saul returned from his expedition, came the I 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.

The

This king and his people had been cruel and bloody enemies to God's Israel, and therefore deserved to be destroyed for their own sins. See v. 18, where it is said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites. The measure of their iniquity was now full, and they were grown ripe for the execution of their long threatened punishment. God directs Israel to do this execution on a people who had used them and their fathers so barbarously: if any among them were righteous, God would make an equitable distinction in a future state, as he does in the case of all national calamities, which come immediately from his own hand.

+ The Kenites were the descendants of Jethro, an ancient friend to God's people. They had not been guilty of the sins of the Amalekites, and, being shepherds, they lived in tents, therefore could easily remove.