The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 296

ethical, nncl lies in the contrasted moral state rightly they saw that evil as well as good of the two men, as shown in the two parallel must come from the Almighty, inasmuch as statements: "the Spirit of Jehovah came all things are in his hand, and whatever is upon David;" "the Spirit of Jehovah de- must be by his permission. The writer of parted from Saul." There was a gradual the book has no such scruples; be calls it decline and debasement of his character; and "an evil spirit from Jehovah,'' because it 1 as David grew from a child into a hero in was Jehovah, their own theocratic King, who war and a scholar in peace, so Saul, from had dethroned Saul, and withdrawn from him being a hero, degenerated into a moody and his blessing ancl protection. resentful tyrant., An evil spirit from Jeho- Vers. 16-18.-A cunning player on an vah troubled him. Really, as in the margin, harp. Literally, one skilful in striking thP, terrified him; that is, Saul became subject chords on the harp. In Saul's case music to fits of intense mental agony, under which would have a soothing influence, and turn his reason gave way, and temporary insanity, the current of his thoughts. His officers accompanied by outbreaks of violence, came suggest, therefore, that search should be on. It is very cliflicult for us with our richer made for an expert musician, and Saul con- language to give the exact force of the sents ; whereupon one of the servants recom- Hebrew ; for the word renderecl spirit is mended the son of Jesse. The word usell literally wind, afr, breath. A student of here is not the same as that found in vers. Hebrew can trace the word 1-uach through all 15, 16, 17. There we have Saul's oj/icera; its modifications, from its physical significa- here it is na'arim, "young men." Thus it tion as the material wind, to its metaphysical was a youth of David's own age, who had meaning as an influence from God; and then probably been with him a.t Naioth in Ra- still onward up to the beings who minister mah, that described him to Saul. The de- before God, and of whom the Psalmist says, scription is full and interesting, but it has "He maketh his angels to be winds" (Ps. civ. its difficulties. David is not only skilful in 4); till finally we reach up unto the third per- music, of which art be would have had son of the blessed T1;nity: and then, as with ample scope to manifest his powers in the this full knowledge of the Divine nature we service of the sanctuary at Ramah, but he is read backward, we find the presence of theHoly also a mighty valiant man, and a mar. of Ghost indicated, where to the Israelite pro- war, and prudent in matters, or, rather, bably there was mention only of a material intelligent in speech (see margin), as well as agency. Jost, in his • History of the Jews handsome ancl successful. Nevertheless, i ,~ since the time of tl. • Maccabees,' vol. i. p. eh. xvii. 33-36 David appears as 11 youth 12, says that Saul suffered under that form about to make his first essay in fighting ; of macluess called hypochondi'ia, and that and though the two exploits mentioned the Jews gave this the name of bad aii-, the there, of killing the lion and the hear, might words translated here "evil spirit ; "for they justify his friend in calling him a mighty held, he says, that "the devil inhabited the valiant man, literally, "a hero of valour," air." So St. Paul speaks of the " wicked they do not justify the words a man of war. spiritual beings that are in high places," i. e. in It is strange, moreover, that San! should. the loftier regions of the atmosphere (Ephes. be so entirely ignomnt of David's person vi. 12). A study of Saul's character makes and lineage us be is represented in the narra- it probable that, as is often the case with tive in eh. xvii., if thus David was court men of brilliant genius, there was always a musician, though reference is made there touch of insanity in his mental constitution. to this visit of David to Saul in ver. 15. His joining in the exercises of the prophets Possibly, however, David and this youth (eh. x. 10-12) was an outburst of eccentric may have served together in repelling some enthusiasm ; and the excitement of his be- marauding expedition of the Philistines, and haviour in the occurrences narrated in eh. xiv. though David may not have actuall done indicate a mind that might easily be thrown off its balance. And now he seems to have 1 much,-nothing, at nil events, so we! worth repeating to Saul as the combats with the brooded over his deposition by Samuel, and wild beasts, -yet he may have achieved instead of repenting to have regarded himself enough to convince his friend that he had ns an ill-used man, and given himself up to in him the qualities of e. man of war, i. e. of despondency, until he became a prey to me- e. good soldier. For tho rest, wa must con- lancholy, and his mind wns overclouded. His clude that this first visit of David was a very servants rightly re~nrdcd this ns a Divine short one, aud that after playing before Saul punishment, bnt their words are remark- nnd boingapproved of, he tben returned home able. Behold, an evil spirit from God terri- ready to como again whenever summoned, fi.eth thee. And so agrtin, in ver. 16, the evil but that Saul's malady did not immediately spirit from God, as if they were unwilling return, nml so a sullkient interval elapsed to ascribe to Jehovah, their covenant Deity, for Saul not to recognise him when he saw the sending of this evil "influence," while him under altered circumstances. Se.ul'it-  THE FIHST BOOK OF SAMUEL. [ell. XVI. 1-23,