The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 171

to 8t rike terror into the enemy and to inspire confidence in his followers•1 besides that, it "·as no mean ad,-antage that the crest of the leader should from his tallness he seen from afar by the people" (Kitto). 3. Hui mental and mo;·al cliaracteristics'. He was possessed of little mental culture. He had not been instructed in the schools of _the prophets (eh. x. 11). His life bad been spent in retired, rustic occupation, in winch he was so '.'b8~rbed that h~ was less acquamted with the political and religious movements of Ins time than !us own servant (ver. 6). He was obedient to hitt father (ver. 4), tenderly_ concerned about his feelings (ver. 5), persevering in labour, and ready to take adnce Hen fro(n one beneath l11m (ver. 10). He exhibited a courteous, modest, and humble bearmg (ver. 21; eh. x. 21). He was, in his earlier rar~er, capa_ble of prudent reserve (c~. x. 16, 27) ;· patriotic, zealous, fearless, ener- getic ( eh. x1. 6), re~oiute, and m_a&·nam!no~s (~h. xi. 13); and he had a strong sense of the value of rehg10n and rehg10us mstitut1ons. But underneath these qualities there lay others of a different nature, which his subsequent course revealed viz. wayw~rdness, rash_ and fiery_ impul~es, impatiei:ice, the love _of display, prid; and self-will, and morbid tendencies to distrust and Jealousy; and mstead of overcomino- them by the aid of Divine grace, he yielded to them, until they gained the entir~ mastery oYer him, choked the good seed which was sown in his heart (Matt. xiii. 22), and caused his ruin. God sees the latent as well as the manifest dispositions of men, and adapts his dealings toward them accordingly. II. GCIDED DY SPECIAL PROVIDENCE (vers. 3-14). These verses furnish a practi- cal commentary on what was said by Hannah concerning the operations of Provi- dence ( eh. ii. 7, 8). In leaving his home in Gibeah, at the direction of his father, in search of the lost asses, travelling through the hill country of Ephrairii, the land of Slialisha, of Shalim, and of the Benjamites, to the land of Zuph (eh. i. 1), and going in search of the" seer" (roeh), Saul acted freely, and according to his best judgment; but his three days' journey and all connected with it-his lack of success, his desire to return, bis servant's advice, his destitutio_n of food, his servant's possession of a coin for a present, bis meeting with "young maidens going out to draw water," his presence in the city at a certain time-were ordered by God to the attainment of an end of which he had no conception. "All these incidents and wanderings were only preparations and mediate causes by which God accomplished bis design concerning Saul." His providence-I. Often makes insigniji.cant events productive of important results. It is truly astonishing how the very greatest things depend upon events ,,-hich are generally regarded at the time of their occurrence as of little account. Of 1 liis the lives of individuals and the history of nations afford innumerable illustrations. '· What is it that we dare call insignificant? The least of all things may be as a seed cast into the seed-field of time, to grow there and bear fruits, which shall be multiplying when time shall be no more. We cannot always trace the connections of things; we do not ponder those we can trace, or we should tremble to call any- thing beneath the notice of God. It has been eloquently said that where we see a trifle hovering unconnected in space, higher spirits can discern its fibres stretching through the whole expanse of the system of the world, anrl hanging on the remotest limits of tl,e future and the past" (Kitto, 'Cyc. of Bib. Lit.,' first ed., Art. 'Provi- dence;' Knapp's' Theology'). 2. Makes accidental circumstances subservient to a pre-arranged plan. • "The thread of every life is entangled with other threads beyond all reach of calculation. Those unforeseen accidents which so often control the lot of men constitute a superstratum in the system of human affairs, wherein, peculiarly, the Divine providence holds empire for the accomplishment of its special purposes. It is from this hidden and inexhaustible mine of chances-chances, as we must call tl,em-that the Governor of the world draws, with unfathomable skill, the materials of his dispensations towards each individual of mankind" (Isaac Taylor, 'Nat. Hist. of Enthusiasm'). 3. Overrules human plans, in harmony with human freedom, for the fulfilment of Divine purposes (Prov. xvi .. 9, 33). Ill. INDICATED BY DIVINE REVELATION (vers. 15-25). Such revelatior.-1. Wa.1 primarily and directly given to one who lived in cfosest fellowship with God. Samuel was like the lofty mountain peak, which catches the rays of the morning sun long ere they re'.l.cli the valleys below. On the day before Saul came to the city ( of Ramal,), the prophet, ever watcl,ing and listening for the indications of the Divine  .CII. IX. 1-27.] 'fFIE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL . 169