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-Gilea<l, and naturally the vic- Saul's army had come up, they were so torious host would move from the field of utterly routed that " no two of them were battle to the nearest religious spot to conse- left together." crate their king. Vera. 12, 13. - The people as.id unto Ver. 15.-They me.de Saul king. This is Be.muel. Even after this glorious victory the not to be interpreted, with the Septuagint, people tum to Samuel, and doubtless his pre- of a second anointing of Saul, but of his- senee·aild influence ha,l· had great weight in confirmation in the kingdom by the unani- gaining obedience to Saul's command (ver. 7). mous voice of the nation, whereas the first They now, with the old tumultuous violence, election of him at l\lizpah had met with·. demand that those who had opposed Saul's opposition. Before .Jehovah. /. e. with election should be put to death. Probably religious ceremonies conducted by Snmuel the ringleaders of Saul's opponents were , and the high priest. The difference between· some of the elders disappointed at uot being Saul's election at Mizpah and the confirma- chosen themselv~s (sec on eh. x. 27). But tion of it at Gilgal is much the same as be- Saul displays, first, the kingly virtue of tween the first proclamation of a king and clemency, saying, There she.II not e. me.n his coronation. The latter is the nation's be put to death this de.y-a decision politic acknowle<lgment of his sovereignty, and the as well as generous, for bloodshed would solemn consecration of him to his high office.. have led only to future feuds; and, secondly, Peace offerings were tokens of joy and grati- piety, in so humbly ascribing to Jehovah tude, and were followed by a feast. At tlili the salvation that had been wrought in' there was great rejoicing, because the king Israel. whom they had desired had so quickly SAUL SOLEMNLY CONSECRATED AS •KINQ pro"l:ed himself worthy to be their hea,l. (vets. 14, 15). Ver. 14. -Let ua go to
HOMILETICS.