over all the country, that they should try to regain their liberty, and called them to the war against the Philistines, diminishing their forces, and despising them, as not so great, but they might hazard a battle with them. But when the people about Saul observed how numerous the Philistines were, they were under great consternation; and some of them hid themselves in caves, and in dens under ground: but the greater part fled into the land beyond Jordan, which belonged to Gad and Reubel. besieged and took a certain garrison of the Philistines, not far from Galgal. For the Philistines of Gibeah had beaten the Jews, and taken their weapons away: and had put garrisons into the strongest places of the country, and had forbidden them to carry any instrument of iron, or to make use of any iron in any case whatsoever. And on account of this prohibition it was that the husbandmen, if they had occasion to sharpen any of their tools, whether it were the coulter, the spade, or any other instrument of husbandry, they came to the Philistines to do it. Now as soon as the But Saul sent to the prophet, and called Philistines heard of this slaughter of their gar-him to consult with him about the war, and rison, they were in a rage about it: and looking on this contempt as a terrible affront offered them, they made war against the Jews,† with three hundred thousand footmen, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horses; and they pitched their camp at the city Michmash.‡ When Saul, the king of the Hebrews, was informed of this, he went down to the city Gilgal, and made proclamation critical notes on the Old and New Testament. If the text be at all genuine, it might be written at first thus; Saul was 21 or 31 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years. This was Galgal by Michmash and Bethel, not the famous Galgal, or Gilgal near Jericho. + The words in the original, and in our translation of the Bible, are, thirty thousand; but the Syriac and Arabic versions (which we have thought proper to follow) make them no more than three thousand: and indeed whoever considers that Pharaoh king of Egypt, when he had mustered all his forces together, could bring no more than six hundred of these chariots into the field, and all the other princes, whose equipages are related in Scrip. ture, much fewer, must needs think it a thing incredible, that the Philistines, out of their small territories, which extended no farther than the two tribes of Simeon and Dan, along the coasts of the Mediterranean sea, could ever be able to raise so vast an armament: no, nor all the nations that they could possibly call in to their assistFor besides that, in the account of all armies, the cavalry is always more numerous than the chariots of war, (which is different here,) the largest armies that we ever read of were able to compass a very few of these chariots, in comparison of the number here specified. Mithridates, in his vast army, had but a hundred; Darius but two; and Antiochus Epiphanes (2 Mac. xiii. 2) but three. So that we must either say, that the transcribers made a mistake in the Hebrew copy, or (with some other commentators) suppose that these thirty thousand chariots were not chariots of war, but most of them carriages only, for the conveyance of the baggage belonging to such a vast multitude of men, or for the deportation of the plunder they hoped to be master of by having con ance. the public affairs. So he commanded him to stay there for him, and to prepare sacrifices; for he would come to him within seven days, that they might offer sacrifices on the seventh day, and might then join battle with their enemies.§ So he waited, as the prophet commanded him to do. Yet did not he observe the command that was given him. But when he saw that the prophet tarried longer § Saul seems to have staid till near the time of the evening sacrifice, on the seventh day; which Samuel had appointed him; but not till the end of that day, as he ought to have done; and Samuel appears, by delaying to come till the full time of the evening sacrifice on that day, to have tried him (who seems to have been already for some time declining from his strict subordination to God, and his prophet; to have taken life-guards for himself and his son, which was an entirely new thing in Israel, and savored of a distrust of God's providence ; and to have affected more than he ought that independent authority which the Pagan kings took to themselves :) Samuel, I say, seems here to have tried Saul, whether he would stay till the priest came, who alone could lawfully offer the sacrifices, or would boldly and profanely usurp the priest's office; which he venturing upon, was justly rejected for his profaneness. See Constitut. Apost. II. 27. And, indeed, since Saul had accepted kingly power, which naturally becomes ungovernable and ty rannical, as God foretold, and the experience of all ages has shewn; the divine settlement by Moses had soon been laid aside under the kings, had not God, by keeping strictly to his laws, and severely executing the threatenings therein contained, restrained Saul and other kings in some degree of obedience to himself. Nor was even this severity sufficient to restrain most of the future kings of Israel and Judah from the grossest idolatry and impiety. Of the advantage of which strictness, in the observing divine laws, and inflicting their threatened penalties, see Antiq. VI. 12, where Josephus speaks of that matter. Though it seems at least in three instances, thou hadst been a * righteous man, and hadst not disobeyed me, nor slighted the commands which God suggested to me concerning the present state of affairs, and hadst not acted more hastily than the present circumstances required, thou wouldst have been permitted to reign a long time, and thy posterity after thee.† So Samuel, being grieved at what had happened, returned home. But Saul came to the city Gibeah, with his son Jona than he expected, and that he was deserted by the soldiers, he took the sacrifices, and offered them. At this juncture he heard that Samuel was come, and went out to meet him. But the prophet said he had not done well in disobeying the injunctions he had sent him; and had not stayed till his coming; which being appointed according to the will of God, he had prevented him in offering those prayers and sacrifices that he should have made for the multitude; and that he therefore had per-than; having only six hundred men with formed divine offices rashly, and in an ill manner. Hereupon Saul made an apology for himself, and said, that he had waited as many days as Samuel had appointed; that he had been so quick in offering his sacrifice, upon account of the necessity he was in, and because his soldiers were departing from him, out of their fear of the enemies' camp at Michmash the report being gone abroad that they were coming down upon him to Gilgal. Samuel replied, "Nay, certainly, if that good men did not always immediately approve of such divine severity. There seems to be one instance, 1 Sam. vi. 19, 20. Another, 1 Sam. xv. 11. And a third, 2 Sam. vi. 8, 9. Jos. Antiq. VI. 7, though they all at last acquiesced in the divine conduct, as knowing that God is wiser than men. By this answer of Samuel, and that from a divine commission, which is fuller in 1 Sam. xiii. 14, and by that parallel note in the Apostolical Constitutions, just quoted, concerning the great wickedness of Saul in venturing, even under a seeming necessity of affairs, to usurp the priest's office, and offer sacrifice without the priest, we are in some degree able to answer that question, which I have ever thought a very difficult one: viz. Whether if there were a city or country of lay Christians, without any clergymen, it were lawful lor the laity alone to baptize, administer the sacrament, &c. or indeed whether they alone could ordain themselves either bishops, priests, or deacons, for the due performance of such sacerdotal ministrations? or whether they ought not rather, till they procure clergymen to come among them, to confine themselves within those bounds of piety and Christianity which belong alone to the laity; such particularly as are recommended in the 1st Book of the Apostolical Constitutions, which peculiarly concern the laity, and are intinrated' in Clement's undoubted Epistle, § 40? To which latter opinion I incline. 1 Sam. xiii. 13. The precaution which the Philistines took to hinder the Israelites from providing themselves with weapons is no more than what other conquerors have done to the nations they have vanquished. Porsenna, when he made peace with the Romans, restrained them from the use of all iron but what was necessary in the tillage of their ground. Cyrus, when he subdued the Lydians, for fear him; and of these the greater part had no weapons, because of the scarcity of iron in that country, as well as of those that could make such weapons: for, as we shewed a little before, the Philistines had not suffered them to have such iron, or such workmen. Now § the Philistines divided their army into three companies, and took as many roads, and laid waste the country of the Hebrews: while Saul and his son Jonathan saw what was done, but were not able to defend the land; of a revolt, took from them the use of arms, and, instead § About An. 1108. as "The as having no more than six hundred men with saw them, they said to one another, * 1 Sam. xiv. 2, 10. + This action of Jonathan's, considered in itself, was doubtless a very rash attempt, and contrary to the laws of war, which prohibit all under command (as he was) from engaging the enemy, or entering upon any enterprise, without the general's order; but what may very justly be said in excuse of it is,-That he had a divine incitation to it, which he might probably feel upon the sight of the Philistines appearing as if they intended to assault Gibeah, and upon the information which he might receive of the great spoil which the three parties made of the poor people in the country. Patrick's Commentary. B. How two men could put the whole army into such a consternation may seem somewhat extraordinary; but it should be considered, that Jonathan and his armor-bearer, climbing up a way that was never attempted before, might come upon them unawares, and surprise them : that this action might happen, as Josephus thinks, early in the morning, when a great part of the Philistines' army Now Saul's watchman told the king, that was asleep; that even, had they been all awake, Jona- Ev γαρ δαιμονιοισι φοβοις Φευγονίαις και παίδες Θεών. Pind. Nemes. 9. When therefore they had slain many ten thousands of the Philistines, they began spoiling their camp, but not till late in the evening. They also took a great deal of prey, and cattle, and killed them and ate them with their blood. The scribes therefore told their sovereign that the multitude were sinning against God, as they sacrificed; and were eating before the blood was well wash did Saul give order, that a great stone should be rolled into the midst of them, and he made proclamation that they should kill their sacrifices upon it, and not feed upon the flesh with the blood, for that was not acceptable to God. And when all the people did as the king commanded, Sault erected an altar, and offered burnt-offerings to God. This was the first altar that Saul built.§ ments, and predict what success they should || taken and slain many more of their enehave. The high-priest said, they should get mies.† the victory, and prevail against their enemies. So he went out after the Philistines, and set upon them, as they were slaying one another. Those also came running to him, who had fled before to dens and caves: upon their hearing that Saul was gaining a victory. When therefore the number of the Hebrews that came to Saul amounted to about ten thousand, he pursued the enemy, who were scattered all over the country. But then he felled away, and the flesh was made clean. Then into an action, which was a very unhappy one, and liable to be very much blamed. For whether out of ignorance, or whether out of joy for a victory gained so strangely, (for it frequently happens that persons so fortunate are not able to use their reason consistently :) he was so desirous to avenge himself, and to exact a due punishment of the Philistines, that he denounced a curse on the Hebrews, to this purport. "If any one put a stop to his slaughter of the enemy, and began eating, and left off the slaughter, or the pursuit, before night came on; and obliged them so to do; he should be accursed." Now after Saul had denounced this curse, since they were in a wood belonging to the tribe of Ephraim, which was thick and full of bees; Saul's son, who did not hear his father denounce that curse, nor hear of the approbation the multi-that were in it. But the priest said that God tude gave to it; brake off a piece of a honeycomb, and ate part of it. But in the mean time, he was informed with what a curse his father had forbidden them to taste any thing before sun-setting: so he left off eating, and said his father had not done well in this prohibition; because, had they taken some food, they had pursued the enemy with greater vigor and alacrity, and had both * This rash vow, or curse of Saul's, which Josephus says was confirmed by the people, and yet not executed, (I suppose principally because Jonathan did not know of it,) is very remarkable: it being of the essence of the obligation of all laws, that they be sufficiently known and promulgated. Otherwise the conduct of Providence, as to the sacredness of solemn oaths and vows, in God's refusing to answer by Urim, till this breach of Saul's vow or curse was understood and set right, and God propitiated by public prayer, is here very remarkable; as indeed it is every where else in the Old Testament. See Scripture Politics, pp. 54-65. So when Saul was desirous of leading his men to the enemies' camp before it was day, in order to plunder it, and when the soldiers were not unwilling to follow him, but indeed shewed great readiness to do as he commanded them; the king called Ahitub the highpriest, and enjoined him to know of God whether he would grant them permission to go against the camp in order to destroy those would not give any answer. Then said Saul, "It is not without some cause, that God refuses to answer what we inquire of him; who yet a little while ago declared to us all that we desired beforehand, and even prevented us in his answer. To be sure there is some sin against him that is concealed from us, which is the occasion of his silence. Now I swear by himself, that though he that hath committed + 1 Sam. xiv. 29, 30. Here we have still more indications of Saul's affectation of despotic power, and of his intrenching upon the priesthood, and making and endeavoring to execute a rash vow or curse, without consulting Samuel or the Sanhedrim. In this view it is also that I look upon this erection of a new altar by Saul, and his offering of burnt offerings himself upon it, and not as any proper instance of devotion or religion. § 1 Sam. xiv. 35. 66 Melchi-shua, with Merah and Michal, his daughters. He had also Abner his uncle's son for the captain of his host; that uncle's name was Ner. Now Ner and Kish the father of Saul were brothers. Saul had also a great many chariots and horsemen ; and against whomsoever he made war, he returned conqueror, and advanced the affairs of the Hebrews to a great degree of success and prosperity, and made them superior to other nations. And he made such of the young men as were remarkable for talness and comeliness his body guards. CHAP. VII. OF SAUL'S WAR WITH THE AMALEKITES, AND HIS CONQUEST Now OF THEM. this sin should prove to be my own son Jona- || than, I will slay him; and by that means will appease the anger of God against us; and that in the very same manner as if I were to punish a stranger, and one not at all related to me, for the same offence."* So when the multitude cried out to him so to do, he presently set all the rest on one side, and he and his son stood on the other side, and he sought to discover the offender by lot. Now the lot appeared to fall upon Jonathan himself. So when he was asked by his father what sin he had been guilty of? and what he was conscious of in the course of his life that might be esteemed instances of guilt or profaneness? his answer was this, "O father! I have done nothing more than that yesterday, without knowing of the curse and the oath thou hadst denounced, while I was in pursuit of the enemy, I tasted of a honey-comb." Saul immediately swore that he would slay him, and prefer the observation of his oath before all the ties of birth and of nature. But Jonathan was not dismayed at this threatening; but offering himself to it generously, and undauntedly, he said, "Nor do I desire you, father, to spare me. Death will be to me very acceptable, when it proceeds from thy piety, and after a glorious victory: for it is the greatest consolation to me, that I leave the Hebrews victorious over the Philistines." Hereupon, all the people were greatly afflict-making their way to that country, which is ed for Jonathan; and they sware that they would not see him die, who was the author of their victory. By which means they snatched him out of the danger he was in from his father's curse; while they made their prayers to God also for the young man, that he would remit his sin. TOW Samuel came unto Saul,† and said, unto him, that he was sent by God to put him in mind, that God had preferred him before all others, and ordained him king; and he therefore ought to be obedient to him, and to submit to his authority; as considering, that though he had the dominion over the other tribes, yet that God had the dominion over him, and over all things. That accordingly God said to him, "Because the Amalekites did the Hebrews a great deal of mischief while they were in the wilderness, and when, upon their coming out of Egypt, they were now their own, I enjoin thee to punish the Amalekites by making war upon them; and when thou hast subdued them, to leave none of them alive; but to pursue them through every age, and to slay them; beginning with the women and the infants and to require this as a punishment to be inflicted on them. for the mischief they did to our forefathers. To spare nothing, neither asses, nor other beasts; nor to reserve any of them for your own advantage and possession: but to devote them universally to God; and, in obedience to the commands of Moses, to blot out the name of ‡ Amalek entirely." larly seeking to injure, and utterly to destroy, the nation of Israel. See Exod. xvii. 8-16. Numb. xiv. 45. Deut. xxv. 17, 18, 19. Judg. vi. 3, 6. vii. 12. x. 12. 1 Sam. xv. 33. xxx. 1, 2. Psal. lxxxiii. 7. and above all, the most barbarous of all cruelties, that of Haman the Agag |