PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel
Robert Payne Smith [1818-1895] · 500,296 words · 562 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 181
P:ophcts at Gibeah: (4) An i_nspiration fron~ God to prophesy. 3. He i1rntruebi lmn on the complct10n of the signs to act on Ins own judgmcnt with tho a~sun111eu that God is ~1is helper. 4 .. Ho finally directs him to wait at' Gilgal for himself, there to reccn·e further gmdance. The course taken by Samuel was the n…
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Moses, 11nd the apostles will show that an equally wise arrangement was made for the support of their faith and duty. So modern servants of God can point to, promises fulfilled, in a blessing on their toil, as evidence that they were not mistaken in the call to work; and their once dislru8tful heart becomes strong in t…
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calmness and fearlessness, expounded the spiritual nature of his ki11gdom who woe crucified. Spiritual power works marvels in men. III. "ANOTHER MAN" IS MADE WHEN THE SOUL IS RENEWED BY TUE SPIRIT OF' Goo. This is the most radical of all changes; it is more than an enlargement of the ordinary powers, more than the …
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one in thi8 respect. And the living Church of Christ iA the assertor of Messianic truth-claiming to hold what Christ has given, pointing to the spiritual reign of Christ over every heart and home as the goal of all effort and the hope of the world ; and the witness-bearer, calling upon rulers to observe in their admini…
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ProYiclence as seen in-1. Conduct. Saul's is a case in point. He was an instrument in thC' hand of God of producing the strange impression indicated by the familiar pronrb. To the Jews in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost there was an unaccount~ able incongruity in the speech and bearing· of men who, up to that time…
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judge of Scripture events who does not consider the course of ProvirlPncf\ as a develop- ment from the imperfect to the more perfect. The place and power of every mole- cule in the universe are relative to the antecedent and subsequent movements of the whole. Astronomers have met with perturbations and irregularities w…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 10. (GIDEAH.)-A company of proi:,hets. This is the first mention of "a company (cord, chain, or band) of prophets '(Nabhis). There were previously indi- vidual prophets. And on one occasion the seventy elders prophesied (Num. xi. 25), and Moses said," Would God that all the Lord's …
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Vera. 11-13. (GIBEAH. )-Saul among the prophets. "Is Saul also among th6 prophets?" Of th6 three signs of which Saul was assured, the occurrence of the last alone is particularly described. "And the Spirit of God came upon him, and he pro- phesied among them." "Turned into another man" (Yer. 6). It was "the mostr impor…
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Vere. 14-16. (GIBEAH.)-lnquisitiveness. Inquiry after truth is a necessary and fovaluable exercise. But inquiry, when it is directed to matters in which we Lave ~Q proper concern, degenerates into vain curiosity, or mere inquisitiven~ss. And tins often appears both in relation to Divine affairs (Gen. iii. 6 ; D~ut. :xx…
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~lntrites. Matri is not mentioned anywhere sents him to tl10 multitude as "tho clu.,-on• ,,Jse: and nnmero11.s as are the omissions of Jehovah," al1ll the people shout tl,,,ir in the genealogies, we can scarcely sup- assent by saying, "Let tho king live." p,,r pose that the name of the head of one of this the A. V. put…
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HOMILETICS Vcrs. 17-25.-Casting the lot in life. The facts are-1. Samuel, in calling the people together to exercise their choice, reminds them of their sin. 2. Proceeding to a choice by lot, Saul is taken. 3. For reasons secret to himself, Saul is not forth- coming when sought. 4. By acclamation the people recognise …
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con~eqnences of self-will, as di<l Balaam when hi~ path w_as hedged with obstaolee,, nnd ,Tonah whc-n he preferred to go to sea. The difficulty m case of Israel wns inci-- <lcntal, and soon remo,·ed by the mercy of God ; but the principle holds good thnt the Yery first strp of a self-willed course is attended with e…
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calmly considering the wisdom and justice of our main lines of conduct. 2. One of the great helps in battling with sinful propensities !ins in occasional studies of the mercies of God. 3. It will add strength to purpose and comfort in trouble te> remember that God always works with those who use means approved by him. …
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. . Vers. 17-2_5. (MIZPAH.)-:-Saul_publ~ly_ cl:,osen. There are critical. days in the history of nations as well as m the life of md1v1duals. One of these days m the history of_Israel was that which is here described. What had taken place hitherto was only pn'"ate and preparatory. The peo…
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(eh. ix.. 21), Saul" preferred to be absent when the lots were cast." Hence inr1uiry was made (apparently by Urim and Thummim) concerning him (eh. xxii. 10; xxiii. 2), and the response of the oracle was definite and conclusive. God mercifully adapts his modes of communication with men to their common modes of thought, …
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Ver. 24. (MIZrAH. )-God sai•e the king. For the first time in the history of Israel there now arose the cry of "Long li"l"<l the king·" ( Vive le 1•oi) which was to be so • often repeated in subsequent ages (2 Sam. xvi. 16; 2 Kings 'i. 19; xi. 12), The • nations of the earth have since undergone vast and varied change…
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Vers. 26, 27. (MIZPAH and GrnEAH.)-Friends and opponems in godly enter- p:.Se. • It was a saying of Socrates that every man in this life has need of a faithful friend and' a bitter enemy.:._the one to advise him, the other to make him look around hfm. This saying was more than fulfilled in Saul, who, on being chosen ki…
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Vere. 26, 21.-fllusive Presages. A mild, clear morning may be followed by a stormy day. A prince may begin to reign with gentleness who afterwards becomes proud, ruthless, impatient, even harsh and bloodthirsty. There are few instances of this in history so pathetic as the case of Saul, who began his reign with every i…
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CHAPTER XI. eo.st of the Jordan which rightfully belonged to them (Judges xi. 13); but after their de- THE DEFEAT OF THE AMMONITES (vers. feat by J ephthah their power wns so broken 1-13}. Vers. 1, 2.-Nahash the Ammonite. that they allowed u. century to elapse before The same name is found in 2 S:tm. x. 2 as they ven…
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the enemy. As the fighting went on for five Gilge.l. The famous sanctuary (eh. vii 16 )- or six hours, until the heat of the de.y, the of that name, situated lower down, in thEt Ammonites must at first have made some Jordan valley, near Jericho. It was not far resistance ; but when all three division& of from Jabesh-Gi…
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Vera. 1-3.-The relative power of evil and good. The facts e.re-1. The Ammon- ites, in pursuit of the enterprise previously arranged for (see eh. xii. 12; cf. viii. 5), threaten Jabesh-Gilead. 2. The inhabitants in terror seek to make a covenant with their enemy. 3. This being insolently refused, e. respite of seven day…
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Also, all events are converging to the vindication of Christ's claim to be King of 1dnge and Lord of Jorde. General consideratwns :-1. What may be the special causes of the relative pro- gress of irreligion in different localities? 2. To what extent the prevalence of irre- ligion and of influences adverse to the gospe…
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of Gibeah because of their non-appreciation of their true posit.ion were the occasion, ~f a rem~1:kable <lisp,J,ay of courage _am! energy on the part of Saul, and that because _the. Spmt ~f God came upon lum. Whatever the precise nature of this higher gift, its practical effect 'W[U! to draw out all that was in the …
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recogniHing the merciful help of God, refuses to mar the joy of victory by personal retaliation. 3. At the invitation of Samuel the people assembled in Gilgal for the recognition of Saul as victorious king, coupled with thanksgiving to God. To an ordinary observer looking on the conflict between Israel and Ammon, it…
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l'X('~IIC'11t moral qualities, which certainly were strengthened by this public expression of them. Samuel's participation in the common joy was also proof of the g·ood fecl- <ingR of S~ul. l. It is good _to pause in life's s~ruggles and consider gi-atefully oui· personal indebtedness to Gods power working with us. …
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ns in this case-1. To repel liostile aggression. The Ammonites were old enemies- (Deut. ii. 19; xxiii. 3, 4; Judges iii. 13; x. 7; xi. 5). They were a nom;idic, predatory, cruel, and idolatrous people. For some time Nahash, animated by the- desire of war and conquest, "the malady of princes," had assumed a threatening …
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Vers. 12, 13.-Generosity toward enemies. Some men are subject to noble impulses, under which they rise to a higher level of thought and.feeling than that which they ordinarily occupy. The difference is sometimes so great-that they do not seem to be the same persons. But the change is transient, and they speedily rel…
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Vers. 11-13.-Saul at Ms best. Self-control, promptitude, courage, capacity, ascription of praise to God, forbearance towards men, these are all exhibited by the young kiug. Alas, that from such heights he fell I I. SELF-CONTROL, Though hailed as king at Mizpah, Saul was in no haste to assume regal state. He resumed hi…
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ousness. Samuel says, You know all about with him. Righteous acts. The margin, my sons; I do not profess to be ignorant benefits, is wrong. Samuel vinchcates God'3 that charges have been brought against dealings with them against the charge of hi3 them. Givo full weight to them, and to having failed to protect them imp…
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conrse of a harassing war, or he may have falls usually only at the autumnal and vernal learnt to despise a people incapable of offering equinox, Rnd though thunder-storms are not a regular resistance. At all events, Samuel uuk_nown ot other times, yet, by the general describes Na hash ns giving the final impetus …
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HOMILETICS. Vera. 1-5.-0haracter a power. The facts are-1. Samuel reminds the people· that he (a) he.a carried out their wishes in settin~ a king over them, (b) is now a very,old me.n, and (c) be.a spent the whole of his life among them. 2. He appeals to God in e.ssertiqg that the whole of his official life has been f…
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V_ers. 6-15.~T~ immutable condit-ion of well-being. The £acts are-L Samuel, havmg shown his_ ngl!t ~o be heard, calls on the peol,:e to hearken to hie argument. 2. He refers to lustonc mstances to show that troub_e slways came with unfaithful- ness to God, and prosperity with a return to fidelity. 3. He reminds them…
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glare of a rocket, yields to a more conspicuous reverse. Pious men mity not in som~ instances be equal, in power and general social usefulness, to men not pious ; yet, given men of equal natural abilities, the pious will do more and better than the not pious. Every-day life is full of cases in which men, by conforming …
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them. 4. He makes a final appeal, setting forth the blessed and sad alternntive -consequences. Samuel knew well with whom he had to deal; and, therefore besides securing a deferential hearing in virtue of age and character, and enfor~ing the reasonableness of conformity to God's will, ho now calls attention to o. di…
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:,cts ii. 29). The excision of the miraculous element mny be consistent for thosP, who exclude God from direct action in the educntion of mankind, hut it is nn illogical act whe11 done by believers in a personal II living God." The Bible is n ver)f,con- sistent book. (2) In so far as the Bible record is an education of…
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ii:,tro<l,1ction of the M_essinh an<l the future edl)Cation of the.world, so in the redemp- twn wrong-ht by Christ every man on earth 1s embraced m n covenant of mercy, s<'aled with the "bloo<l that cleanseth from all sin." To know that God is merciful and gra_cious, that all his terrible displa;vs of power are in lov…
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other,-nnd seeks an open vindication (as public men are often nn<ler the necessity of doing); not, however, so much from regard to his own <lignity as to their welfare and the honour of God. We have here-1. A challenge, on the part of Samuel, to bear witness agninst him. "Behold, here I am," &c. (ver. 3). It is a co…
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they ha? t~ken the iniliati_Ye in the matter, he had reserved to himself the authority of appomtmg lllln, an_d almles t~1e supreme l~nler o_ver both people_ an~ king (ver. 12). In the n~w order of thmgs-1. '!-~iey are speciall,1/ liable to forget tlus prunarytruth, and to trust III man, and hence he impresses upon t…
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of trust, idols). (6) An instructive word. "For they are vain" (utterly empty and disappointing). 3. An assurance of mercy and grace (ver. 22), resting on-(1) His relationship. They are still "his people." (2) His name-his revelations of power and salvation to his people, and his honour and glory before all the nation…
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corn·incing emdence of the truth and power of religion. When faith survives doubts te~pta~-ions, _difficulties, its Yery existe?ce _i~ an argun?e~t fo~ the reality of that w~11ch is_ believed, a proof of the pract1cab1hty of a rehg1ous hfe, and a commend- ah?n_ of 1ts unspeakable worth. 2. Sets forth an impressive ex…
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and useful. 3. Let the young honour the aged, and not forsake "the counsel of the old men" (1 Kings xii. 8). 4. Let them also remember that they will grow old, and !!Olive that they may then be honoured and happy.-D. Vers. 3-5. (GILGAL.)-lntegruy in publu; office. "Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord…
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l. THE SOYF:REIGNTY ov Gon (ver. 8). "It bath pleased the Lord to mnke you hi~ people" (,:er. 22). Of his own free and gracious_ ,y.ill, always founded in perfect wrndom, he raises up a people from the lowest cond1t10n, confers upon them special blessings and prfrileges, and exalts them to the most eminent place among …
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(ver. 11). He sent help by men specially raised up and appointed, and deliverance came through their l(lbours, conflicts, and sufferings. One people also has been often made the medium of blessing to others. And herein we see a shadowing forth of the work of the great Mediator and Deliverer, and (in an inferior manner)…
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Ver. 24. (GILGAL.)-The good anrl right way. "Only fear the Lord," &c. Samuel .assured the people that (as a priest) he would continue to pray for them, and (as a prophet) to show them the way of happiness and righteousness (Acts vii. 4). Of this way the text may be taken as a further explanation, and gives- I. ITS DES…
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Ver. 23.-1'/ie good man's weapons. There was a vein of misgivi11g evirlent in the words of Samuel. Perhaps the new king and his triumphant soldiers ascribed it to the timorousness of old age; but the seer looked further into the future than they, and if he felt bound to warn them of the danger they would incur by rebel…
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CHAPTER XIII. all the three sons of Saul mentioned in eh. xiv. 49 wero old enouah to go with him to WAR AGAINST THE PHILISTINES (ver. 1- th~ battle of Mount Gilboa, where they were ch. xiv. 46). Ver. 1. -Saul's age and length slam ; and that Ishbosheth, his successor of reign. Saul reigned one year. This verse was …
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it means simply their dispersion home- still, shin, the numeral for 300, has been wards ; and .so the Syriac translates, " He read with two dots, and so changed into dismissed them each to his house" (see Ps. 30,000. They came up, and pitched in Mich- lxix. 26). mash. Saul had withdrawn eastward to Ver. 3.-In Oeba. By…
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of Gad and Gilead," i. e. to the mount-0inous signs. He knew, moreover, how much de- district in which the Jordan rises. 0 pended upon his waiting, and that obedience SAl'L S I:A~H SACRIFICE (vers. 8 -14). to the prophet's command was nn essential Yer. S.-Seven days, according to the set condition of his appointment…
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is an arbitrary change of the A. V. (in and Saul and his men would have secured ,company with the Septuagint and Vulgatc) all the weapons which the enemy then threw for Geba, which is the word in the Hebrew away. But evidently no manufacture of text. Our translators no doubt considered wcaponH was allowed, and no one a…
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Vers. 1-:7·-:-The g~·ea~ antagonism; The £acts are-1. Saul, entering on the mili- tary orgamsat10n of Ins kmgdom, forms a select force under the·command of himself and Jonathan. 2. The defeat of the Philistine garrison by Jonathan is announced to, all Israel. 3. This first success arouses the hostility of the Philis…
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to a given point success in war arottses more thoroughly the energies of the defeat~J. The acquisition of Geba made Israel more than ever detestable to the Philistines, and developed their resources. 'I'he same effect was produced by the triumphs of Pentecost (Acts iv.). Subsequently rulers took counsel, being afrnid "…
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the most imp~rtant thing. An? the command to wait £or the spiritual guide and rnl('r ''.·as eminently fitted to impress Saul and the people with the undiminished :rnthonty and nine of the spiritual head. There is no evidence that the end of the se,·en days had come, only that it was nigh. Even had it come, the Author o…
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.trace of kindness. But consicler-1. Life in each case was liable to many temptations. H wtts inseparable from Adam's existence as a man on earth, from Israel's march to and occupation of Canaan, from our Saviour's position among men and the evil spirit~ who would act upon his soul, and from the apostolic career in …
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by degrees educated into the loftier spiritual aims of the national life. Therefore failing to rise to the level essential to the Messianic conception of the kino·dom 0 h~- proYed the moral unfitness of his prineiples and methods for transmittal to su ccess~rs. Ha,·e we not here a truth of constant recurrence.? Si…
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is in a condition to render its best service to the world, and to attain to the most perfect development of its powers. The wisdom of every one oppressed with a. sense of guilt is to humble himself before God, and seek in Christ forgiveness and power for n truer life in future. II. THE MANIFOLD RAMIFICATIONS OF EVIL. …
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overthro"· of one of these by Jonathan (at Geba, four miles north of Gibeah and opposite Michmash) gave the signal for renewed conflict. Having evac~ated Michmash, where he had stationed himself with an army of 2000 Saul sum- moned all the men of Israel to gather to him at Gilgal; but the adv;ncino· hosts -of the e…
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Vers. 8-15. (GILGAL.)-The first wrong step. All men are subjected in life to various tests which prove "what spirit they are of." These tests may appear insignificant in themselves (like that which was applied to Adam and Eve-Gen. ii. 17), but they involve important principles, and the manner in which they are endured …
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to cli~~nid and impatience, and leads _it to adopt worldly and g·odless expedients. Unhchd wa~ the root o~ th_e tran~g:resston o~ Saul, as it is of th_e transgression of men g·enernliY· 3. Formalit?j in religwu.s sei--mce. A burnt offering was a symbol and <'Xprcs~10n of consecrnt10n, and when offered aright, in a s…
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Ver. 14. (Gll,GAL.)--A rnan after God's own Juart. This expression occurs only !here and in the quotation (Act8 xiii. 22), "I have found D;i,vid the son of Jesse (Ps. lxxxix. 20), a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." 1. It was uttered by Samuel on the occasion of hi8 reproving Saul for not ob…
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remorse, temptations, true, often-baffled, never-ended struggle of it be forgotten? . . . Dand's life and history, as written for us in those Psalms of his, I consider to- be the truest emblem ever given of a man's moral progress ·and warfare here below. All earnest souls will ever discern in it the faithful struggle o…
470 wordsSource & rights
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.