And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt-offering to me, and peace-offerings. And he offered the burnt-offering.

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.

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 gathered themselves together to Michmash; Therefore, said I, the Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt-offering.

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.

But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

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.

And Saul and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

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: and another company turned the way to Beth-horon:

and

and another company turned to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines had said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears.

But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his ax, and his mattock.

Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.

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.

And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

Saul's conduct in respect to disbanding his army was both impolitic and impious, for he had received no commandment of the LORD to do so: Jonathan his son was a person of great bravery, but in smiting a garrison. of the Philistines he was guilty of a very rash action : it is supposed he did it at his father's command, and that it was a breach of some treaty between Israel and the Philistines; which so enraged the latter, that they thirsted for revenge. When the enemy had a vast army ready, Saul began to collect forces to oppose them ; but we find his troops had no heart to the combat, and expressed the utmost consternation and despair. As Samuel was absent, they knew not how to have recourse to the LORD; and without an assurance of the Divine assistance, their spirits sunk within them. It appears to have been a rule established by Divine

authority,

authority, that the king should wait seven days without engaging in any important undertaking, till the prophet of the LORD should arrive: Samuel had publicly declared, that the condition of Saul's establishment on the throne, was, his fearing GOD, and obeying his commands; and that if he rebelled against the LORD, he should be consumed. Saul, regardless of this, in the first instance he had of shewing his obedience, determined to act for himself, as if the LORD was subject to his will, and he had a right to expect an answer from Him by any means he himself chose; he therefore, though he was neither priest nor prophet, presumed to offer sacrifices, contrary to the law of Moses. By this precipitate step, Saul highly provoked GoD, and forfeited his right to the crown. When Samuel reproved him, Saul began to justify himself by false and mean excuses, which proved that he knew he had behaved wrong; and his whole conduct shews, that he intended to act in an arbitrary manner, independent of GoD and his prophet, therefore he was threatened to be rejected by the LORD. Though Saul's crime may appear at first a very trifling matter, we may be certain from the heavy displeasure of GOD, that it proceeded from the worst motives. He acted as an independent Sovereign, not as Captain of the LORD's inheritance..

The Philistines, in their former conquests, having captured all the smiths, and prevented their return, the Israelites were ill-furnished to contend with such mighty. armies, having no weapons beside their utensils for husbandry, excepting bows and arrows, slings and stones, with which some of them were very expert. It is supposed that there is an error in the transla

*Numb. xviii. 7.

+ Chandler's Life of King David.

Essay for a new Translation. tion,

tion, respecting the number of chariots which the Philistines are said to have had, and that instead of thirty thousand chariots, they had only three thousand.

From this part of sacred history we should learn, that it is our duty to obey all the ordinances of God, to honour his ministers, and never to invade the priestly offices.

SECTION LXXV.

SAUL'S INTERDICTION-JONATHAN'S DANGER.

From 1 Samuel, Chap. xiv.

WHILST Saul and his little army remained in a state of suspense, fearful of attacking the Philistines, yet unwilling to flee from them, his son Jonathan, who had. not only a considerable share of natural courage, but great faith in GOD, was impatient for action: but as he had not received orders from Saul, he could not march his forces to battle; he therefore proposed to his armour-bearer to make an experiment, by which he should discover whether the LORD would be with them or not: this was to shew themselves to the Philistines from the rock; and if they should say, conte up to us, he should regard it as a sign that the LORD approved his zeal, and would exert His Divine power; which could render one man equal to an host, as the LORD could save by many or by few. His armour-bearer agreed to the proposal, and they received the very sign they wished for; upon which they climbed the rock, and, confident of the aid of the LORD, they immediately attacked the Philistines; who, seized with sudden fear, fell before them. There was at the same time an earthquake, and the Philistines, in the utmost confusion, destroyed each other, turning every man his sword against his

fellow;

fellow; so that the care they had taken to prevent the Israelites having any swords proved ineffectual.

Saul being apprized by the watchman that there was a slaughter amongst the enemy, began numbering his troops; when to his astonishment, none were missing but Jonathan and his armour-bearer. Saul had with him in the camp a priest named Ahiah, of the house of Eli, whom he had, as is supposed, sent for when Samuel left him, and Ahiah had brought the ark with him; the king therefore desired the priest to enquire of GOD, for he found himself quite at a loss what course to take. Before the priest had done so, he heard the shouting in the camp of the enemy, and understood that the LORD fought for Israel; upon this, the king gave immediate command for his troops to follow him, and hastened to the combat; which he pursued with such fury, that there was a great slaughter of the enemy; many who had deserted him, returned to their duty, and those who had hid themselves came forth to join him, so the LORD saved Israel that day.

Saul being apprehensive that the people, on finding plenty of provisions in the enemy's camp, would be tempted to stay and feast themselves, instead of pursuing the victory, gave a severe order, that none should touch any kind of food that day on pain of death, and bound himself with an oath to put it in execution. Jonathan and his armour-bearer were absent when this curse was denounced, and marching their army through a wood, in which there was such plenty of honey that it even dropped on the ground, Jonathan took up a little upon the end of his staff, which refreshed him exceedingly, after the great fatigue he had undergone. He was then informed of his father's oath, of which the people were so observant, that though extremely faint, not one ventured to indulge his appetite. Jona

than