stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people, from his shoulders and upward.

And Samuel said to the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, GoD save the king.

Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD; and Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

And Saul also went home to Gibeah, and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents: but he held his peace.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

Though Samuel knew the will of GoD, and had already anointed Saul, he gave the people the satisfaction of casting lots, that they might be convinced that Saul was really appointed by the LORD, who alone could determine the lot to fall agreeably to Samuel's election. It is probable, Saul apprehended that the people would reject him with scorn and contempt, as he was of the meanest of the tribes, which made him resolve to conceal himself, till the matter was determined. What Samuel wrote was a covenant between the king and the people, in which the king promised to govern them agreeably to the will of the LORD, and the people to pay him allegiance as their sovereign.

A learned author* thinks, that the Prophet made a register to testify to the people if they should afterwards

*Bishop Patrick.

be

be unhappy nnder the arbitrary government of their kings, that they had brought the evils upon themselves, and were justly punished for rejecting the LORD, who had delivered them out of the hand of those that oppressed them, and saved them out of all their tribulations.

It is very certain that all events are ordered by an: overruling providence, yet the will of man is left free. In the case of Saul, God yielded to the people's desire He suffered them to have a nominal king, and He allotted for them exactly such an one as they wished for, one that, if left to himself, would rule them after the manner of the other nations: but we shall find that the LORD did not cease to govern Israel as their King, though they had rejected him; he maintained his own honour by keeping the supreme command over them. Saul was no other than the LORD's vicegerent, sitting on the throne of the LORD; and bound to rule by the Divine Law, and to obey the commands of the LORD in all things relating to the government of the nation, and to the making of peace or war with the heathen nations. His duty was to follow the directions for the conduct of a king of Israel, recorded by Moses; but his inclination was, as we read afterwards, to rule with arbitrary sway, without regard to the divine will.

SECTION LXXII.

THE AMMONITES ENCAMP AGAINST JABESH-GILEADSAUL DELIVERS THEM OUT OF THEIR HANDS, AND IS CONFIRMED IN HIS KINGDOM.

From 1 Samuel, Chap. xi.

en

THEN Nahash the Ammonite came up, and camped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Ja

besh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.

may

And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I thrust out all your right eyes, and 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 coasts of Israel: and then if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.

Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lift up their voices, and wept.

And behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field, and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.

And the Spirit of GoD came upon Saul, when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.'

And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul, and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen: and the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one con

sent.

And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.

Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we

will

will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.

And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies, and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew 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 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.

And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day for to-day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.

Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.

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.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

To what an abject condition must the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead have been reduced! It is plain they had no confidence in the aid of the LORD, nor did they attempt to seek it, being conscious that as Israel had rejected GoD, they had no claim to his assistance; therefore, in order to save their lives, they determined to submit to slavery. The terms which Nahash proposed to them were of the most humiliating kind. "The reason he desired to have their right eyes put out, was, that they might be rendered incapable of fighting either

P 5

either with their bows and arrows, or with swords and shields. In combat the left eye is usually covered with the shield; and in shooting with the bow, it is customary to wink with it."

As some few amongst the Israelites were disaffected to Saul, he had chosen rather to return to his private station, after he was elected, than to be the cause of civil dissension; but as soon as he beheld his people in distress, he resolved to act as became the captain of the LORD's inheritance, for he had not yet given way to pride and ambition, and he was instantly inspired with courage to oppose the Ammonites. Saul shewed great skill as well as bravery in the exertion of his authority; he had now an opportunity of revenging himself on A those who had opposed his being elected; but with a true generosity and nobleness of spirit, he forgave their injurious treatment, and imputed his success to the power of the LORD; by this moderation, he gained the applauses of the people,who now unanimously consented to confirm him in the kingdom. Happy would it have been for Saul, if he had continued to act on such principles! In respect to his forbearance towards his enemies, he was highly worthy of imitation.

SECTION LXXIII.

SAMUEL TESTIFIETH HIS INTEGRITY.

From 1 Samuel, Chap. xii.

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. And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and greyheaded: and behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. Behold,

*