The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 128

acknowledged nilcr of Israel in things tem- tirely consumed by fire. 'Oloh means thr1/ pornl, both civil nnd ·military, as he had which a.jcends, nnrl symboliserl devotion anrl prcviomly been in things spiritual by virtue consecration to God. ChaW intensified thi& of his office ns prophet. This was, of course, signification, and showed that all was God's, the rcsul t of the decisive action he had taken and no part whatsoever re,served for the in summoning this national convention ; but priest or the offerer. And thus then Samuel'& the words strongly suggest that there was burnt offering implied that the people gave some direct appointment, or at the very themselves unreservedly to J eh ova h. And least n national acknowledgment of Samuel's J'ehovah heard him. Really, "Jehovah nuthority, especially as they precede the answered him," by the thunder mentionc,i history of the defeat of the Philistines. He in ver. 10. For thunder was regarded a.~ had summoned the people together as Nabi, God's voice (eh. ii. 10), and in Ps. xxix. n-e prophet, and when he said, "I will pray for have a poetic description of its majesty arnl you unto Jehovah," there was the implied power. Express mention is :ilso made in meaning that he would be with them only Ps. xcix. 6 of Jehovah having thns answrred in that capacity. But when the time came the prayers or Moses (Exod. xix. 19), arnl or to appoint a general, who would act under Samuel. him as Barak had acted under Deborah, the Vers. 10, 11.-AsSamuelwasoft'ering, &c. great chiefs, probably, who saw in him the We have here a detailed and lively desc1ip- prime mover of all that was being done, tion of the whole event. The lamb is still urged him also to take the command,and upon burning upon the altar, and Samuel still his consent he became also Shophet or judge. kneeling before it, when the Philistine hosts IsnAEL S DELIVERANCE FROM '!'HE 'l'YRAN• 0 appear upon the lofty plateau just below the NY OF THE PHILISTINES (vers. 7-14). Vers. hill of l\lizpah, and marshal themsel vcs for 7, 8.-When the children of Israel heard it, battle. It seemed as if Israel's case were they were afraid of the Philistines. This was hopeless, and many a heart, no doubt, was perfectly natural, and impliecl no intention bravely stmggling against its fears, and on the part of the Israelites not to fight it scarcely conlll keep them do,m. Bnt as the out. No dominant nation would permit a enemy drew near the electric cloud formed subject race to hold such a meeting AS in the heavens, and J'ehovah thundered with Samuel's at Mizpah without having recourse a great voice (so the Hebrew) on that day to arms ; but the Philistines acted with such upon the Philistines. .Alarmed at so un- promptness and vigour ns brought home to usual a phenomenon, the Philistines hesitate the assembled Israelites not merely the con- in their advance, and Samuel, seeing their viction that they would have to fight, but consternation, gives the signal for the charge, that they must do it at once, 11nd with the and Israel, inspirited by the voice of Jehovah, combineil. forces of the enemy. Iu spite, rnshes down the hill upon the foe. Full of nevertheless, of their fears, they determine enthusiasm, they forget the poorness of their to aw11it the attack, and that this decision weapons, and the weight or their impetuous was t11ken in faith their own words prove. rush breaks through the opposing line. And For they say, Cease not to cry unto J'ehovah now a panic seizes the Philistines ; they our God for us, that he will save us out of attempt no further resistance, but flee in the hand of the Philistines. The words cl.ismay from the pursuing Israelites. Their literally are, "Be not silent from crying," course would lead them down a huge valley &c. Let him 11\ediate for them with God, 1000 feet deep, at the bottom of which was- and they will nwait the onslaught of the foe. a torrent rushing over a rocky bed ; nor was Ver. 9.-And Samuel took a sucking lamb. their flight staye,l until they came under Samuel now appears ns priest, and makes Beth-car. Of this place we know nothing, intercession and atonement for them. The but probably it was a fastness where the Iamb was at least seven dctys old, for so the Philistines could protect themselves from law required (Levit. xxii. 27), but probably fmther nttack. not much older ; for the word, a rare one, Ver. 12.-Then Samuel took a stone, and occurring elsewhere only in Isa. !xv. 25, . . . called the name of it Eben-ezer. '\Ve· means something small and tender: this saw on eh. iv. 1 that the place where Israel then he olfered for a burnt olfering wholly then suffered defeat, but which now received unto J'ehovah. The A. V. translates in a more happy name, was an open plain, over this way because chalil, "whole;' is mas- which the people now chnsed their then culine, while 'olah, "11 burnt offering," is victorious enemies. Here, then, Samuel set feminine ; but chalil had in course or time up a memorial, according to Jewish custom, come to be used as a substantive (Lcvit. vi. nnd called its name Help-stone. In giving 23 ; Deut. xiii. 16 ; xxxiii. 10), aml is reaily his reason for it, hitherto bath Jehovll.h here in opposition to 'olah, and so the two helped us, thero is a plain imlication of the together signify "a whole burnt offering," need of further assistan<'L'. There was a long and cloarly indi::ate that the lamb wns en- struggle before tlwm, :uHl JchoYah, who had:  THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. [en. VII. 1-17.