The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 312

~hngerous an errand as the Lord prescribed to him, when he did go was inclinetl to he over-hasty. AsRuming that a new king who should supplant Saul ought to be not inferior to him in stature and strength, the prophet at once fixed on Eliab, the eldest son in Jesse's family, as the one who should be the Lord's anointed. Here was a man able to cope with, or worthy to succeed, the almost gigantic son of Kish. But the Lord corrected his servant's mistake. The time was past for choosing a leader on the score of II outward appearance." The Lord sought for the regal position a man whose heart would be true and obedient. Now Eliab's heart, as the next chapter shows, was small, though his body was large ; his temper was "Vain and -overbearing. So he had to pass; and all his brothers who were present at the feast bad to pass. Not one of them had such a heart as the Lord required; and it is a .significant fact that we never read of any of these men in after years as playing any honourable or memorable part in the history of their country, unless the Septuagint n,ading of 1 Cbron. xxvii. 18 be right, and the Eliab here mentioned held the office of a tribal chief under his royal brother. 2. Chosen according to the tho1tghts of God. When the young shepherd, being sent for by his father, entered the chambe: with his bright hair and fair countenance, fresh from the fields, the Lord bade Samuel anoint him. "This is he." The selection of the youngest son is in keeping with what we find in many Bible stories. Divine choice traversed the line of natural -precedence. The Lord bad respect to Abel, not to Cain; to Jacob rather than to Esau ; to Joseph above bis elder brethren. Ephraim was blessed above Manasseh, Moses was set over Aaron ; Gideon was the youngest in bis father's house. In this there is something so pleasing to the imagination that it has passed into the tales and legends of many nations. Of three brothers, or seven brothers, it is always the _youngest who surpasses every one, accomplishes the difficult task, and rises to be a king. David's superiority to his brothers wa11 intrinsic, and the result not of lnck, but of grace. The Lord had drawn his heart to himself in the days of yonth. Ac- cordingly, where such men as Saul and Eliab were weak David was strong. He revered and loved the Lord, and could therefore be depended on to do God's will. "To whom also," says Stephen, "he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, who shall fulfil all my will." The last clause in this extract shows what is intended by the one which goes before. David was a man after the Lord's heart in loyally doing bis will. He was not without fault; he certainly displeased God. more than once ; but he thoroughly apprehended what :Saul never could understand-that a king of Israel must not be an autocrat, but should without question or murmur carry out the paramount will of God. In this respect David never failed. He had many trials and temptations, afllictions that might have made him discontented, and successes that might have made him proud ; but he continued steadfast in his purpose of heart to be the Lord's, to consult the Lord about everything, and carry out his revealed will. 3. Prepared in retirement for future eminence. There is a sort of augnry of hi, career in his father's word$, 11 Behold, be keepeth the sheep." Saul first came before us going hither and thither in search of asses that were astray, and not finding them. So, as a king, he went up and down, restless and disappointed. But David kept the flock intrusted to him, and, as a king, he shepherded the flock of Goel. 11 So he fed them according to the integrity of bis heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands." (1) As a shepherd David formed habits of vigilance, He bad to think for the flock, lead the sheep to pasture, see that they were regularly watered, watch that none strayed or were lost, and look well after the ewes and the tender lambs. All this served to make him in public life wary, prudent, thoughtful for others, a chieftain who deserved the confidence of his followers. Saul had little or none of this. He went to and fro, and fought bravely, but evinced none of that unselfish consideration for his people which marks a kingly shepherd. David showed it all through his career. He watched over his subjects, thought for them, instructed and led them. Near the end of his reign be committed an error which brought disaster on Israel; and it is touching to see now the true shepherd's heart was grieved that the flock should 6U:ffer through his fault. He cried to the Lord, 11 Lo, I have sinned, and have clone wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done?" (2) As a shepherd David proved and improved his courage, Shepherds in Palestine, in those days, were  31-! THE FIRST DOOK OF ~."\nlUEL. [en. XVI. 1-23.