The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 209

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 implied in everything said against them and me, and their demand for a king. then give judgment, Ver. 9.-When they forge.t Jehovah their Vera. 3, 4, 6.-WitneBB age.inst me. Lit- God. The theocracy, as WP, have seen (eh. erally, "answer," as in a court of justice x. 18), was a moral government, under which to the formal question of the judge. His idolatry and the immorality attendant upon anointed. I. e. the king (see on eh. ii. 10, it, as being rebellion, were punishec.l. by 35; L 1). Whose ox, . . . whose ass l See Jehovah'e withdrawing his protection, and on eh. viii. 16. Of whose hand have I re- the consequent subjection of the nation to ceived any bribe to blind mine eyes there· foreign rule. It was the repeated sin, therefore, with t Bribe should be rendered ransorn. of the people which made Israel's history so Literally it signifies a covering, and was used chequered. Sisera (Judges iv. 2), the Philis- of money given by a guilty person to induce tines (ibid. iii. 31), and Eglon, king of Moab the judge to close or " blind his eyes," and (ibid. iiL 12), are mentioned as three of the not see his sin. It does not mean, there- earlier oppressors of Israel, but are given here fore, any bribe, but only that given to buy in the reverse order to that found in the Book off a guilty person. Such persons are gener- of Judges. ally poworful men who have oppressed and Ver. 10.-We have served [the] Bae.fun wronged others ; and the knowledge that and [the] Ashte.roth. /. e. the numerous they can cover their offence by sharing their Baals and Astartes, which were worshipped gains with the judge is to this day in the under various titles by the heathen. For East the most fruitful source of bad govern- though representing the same power, each ment. The people all bear witness to Samuel's people had their own epithets for their own uprightness, nor is there any contradiction particular perBonification of the god (see on between this and their desire to have a king. eh. vii 4). His internal ad.ministration was just aml Ver. 11.-Bede.n. Numerous ingeniou3 righteous, but they were oppressed by the explanations of this name have been given, nations round them, and needed a leader in but the only probable account is that Bedim war. .And in Samuel's sons they had men, is a misreading for Barak. The two names not vicious or licentious, but too fond of are very similar in the Hebrew, and the money, and so neither fit to be their generals two most ancient versions, the Septuagint in war nor their judges in peace. We gather and the Syriac, actually have Barak. And from eh. xxii. 2 that though Saul proved a Samuel. This is even more puzzling than compet,mt leader in war, he was not success- Bedan. We cannot suppose that Samuel, ful in the government of the country in who hitherto had confined himself to the old p~ace. deliverances, would thus suddenly introduce SAMUEL'S REPROOF OF THE PEOPLE (vors. his own name. In mentioning only them 6-17). Ver. 6.-It is Jehovah that, &c, he had avoided everything that woulu. grate In the Hebrew Jehovah is put absolutely, upon the ears of the people, but this would without any government, and the Septuagint look like giving way to p~rsonal vexation. rightly supplies is witness. Samuel had Some, therefore, would read Samson ; but said, "Jehovah is witness against you ; " this, though found in the Syrie.c, is supported the people in answer shouted tho last word, by no other version. Possibly some scribe, "Witness" (see end of ver. 5, where He ia mindful of Samuel's recent achievement at is suppliecl). Then Samuel solemnly repeats Mizpah, wrote his name in the margin, Jehovah's name, sayiug, "Even Jehovah whence it was admitted into the text. And that advanced Moses and Aaron." This ye dwelled safe. Literally, "in confidence," .rapid interchange of words brings the whole in security. With sin came danger and un- scene vividly before us, whereas nothing quiet; upon repentance, not only was their could be tamer than the .A. V. Ont of the country free from danger, but their minds land of Egypt. So.mud begins with this as were at rest. the first act of Jehovah as Israel's King ; for Ver. 12.-Ne.he.ah the king of the chil- the theocracy began with the deliverance dren of Ammon. This makes it probable that from Egypt. there had been threats of war, and even Vera. 7, 8. -Stand still. Literally, station incursions into the Israelite territory, by y<Y11,rselves, take your places, stand forth Nahash before his attack on Je.besh-Gilcad. (see eh. x. 23). That I may reas~n with We thus, too, should be able to account for you. Literally, "that I may deal us judge," the rancour displayed in his wish so to treut i. e. that with all the authority of my office the men of that to,vn ns to nm.kc them a I n111y declare that Jehovah has acted justly reproach to all Israel ; fot· his hatn ,l of hy you, and that you have dea It unjustly Ismcl m~y have gi·own in intensity ii:. the l S.\M. l' 210 THE FIRST DOOK OF SA~IUEL. [CH. Xii, 1-2.'>.