The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 338

I in,,,." Tl,c nllnsion is not to the combat ~ Sam. ii. 14 it _is used of a war-dance ending ,Yilh nolinth, hut to one of the expeditions Ill a real conflict; nnd again (2 Sam. vi. refcrrc,l to in nr. 5, in ~-hich David had 6, 2~ ; 1 C)iron. xiii. 8; xv. 29) of David gained some dcrisi,·e Yictory. The women dancmg to mstruments of music before the "·on!,! not !tan dc~,•l'ibed the slaughter of ark. lllichal probably would not have one ehnmpion as the slaying of ten thousand, despised David for playing an instrument 1,or "·on 1,l there have been any contrast of music duri~1g a religious ceremony ; it hrh1·cr11 this ad Rnd the military enterprises was the posturmg of the dance which seemed or :a;anl. Probably he too would have looked to her beneath the dignity of a king. So with indifference· upon this Oriental cxag- these women danced in alternate choruse9 gcrntion or the daring bravery of a boy; but to the beating of theu- tambourines and what galled him was David's continual suc- triangles. In Judges xvi. 25, where, how- cess i11 repeated rompaigns. The Philistine ever, it is in a different conjugation, the means the whole people of that name ; and as verb is translated "to make sport." Really the war between them and Saul lasted all the Samson was compelled to dance Israel's days of Saul's life, and was his main kingly national war-dance before the Philistines. work, he saw with envv the rapid growth of Vers. 8, 9.-What can he have morel &c. David's reputation; and when, after some Literally, "And there ia beside for him only noble achievement, the women gave David the kingdom." Though many years had an ovation, and declared in their songs that passed since Seruuel pronounced Saul's he had achieved a success ten times as great deposition, and the choice of another in bis as Saul, an outburst of ill-feeling was the place (eh. xv. 28), yet it was not a thing :result. Saul suddenly became aware that that a king could ever forget. No doubt be the young captain on whose shoulders be bad often looked out for signs of the person bad devolved the chief labours of the war destined to be his successor; and now, when 'bad supplanted him in the popular estima- he bad stood powerless before the ene.my, a tion, and hatred took the place of the good shepherd boy had stepped forth and given feeling which be had previously entertained him the victory. And this stripling, taken towards him. The women came out of all to bo his companion in arms, had shown so cities of Israel . . . to meet king Saul. It great qualities that the people reckoned him is evident that this refers to some grand at ten times Saul's worth. Had Saul been occasion, and probably to the conclusion of the high-minded man he was when appointed a peace between the two nations. The battle to the kingdom (eh. xi. 13), he would have in the valley of Elab was probably followed thrust such thoughts from him. But bis by several years of warfare, during whico mind had become cankered with discontent David developed those great military qualities and brooding thoughts, and so he eyed David which made him subsequently the founder from that day and forward. In many na- of the wide empire over which Solomon tions the eye of an envious man is supposed to reigned. It was unendurable for Saul, him- have great power of injury. Here it means self a great soldier, to find, when the war at that Saul cast furtive glances at David full last was over, that the people recognised in bis of malice and ill-will. lieutenant higher military qualities than they Vers. 10, 11.-It oame to pass on the had discovered in himself. With tabrets. morrow. Tbo day had been a time of public See on eh. L 5. With joy. As this is placed triumph, and yet one of the chief actors goes between the names of two instruments of home to a sleepless couch, because he thinks music, it must mean some kind of joyous that another bas received higher honour than shouting or singing to the sound of their himself. His melancholy deepens till a fit of tabrets. With instruments of music. Hebrew, insanity comes on. For the evil spirit from with triangles, a very ancient but effective God came upon Saul. Literally, "an evil spirit instrument for an outdoor procession accom- (breath) of God descended mightily upon panied 'llith dancing. Saul" (see eh. xvi. 16), Just as all mighty Ver. 7. - The women answered. J. e. enthusiasms for good come from God, so do they sang alternately. It was this alternate strong influences for evil, but in a different singing which led to the psalms being com- way. In all noble acts men are fellow~ posed in jarallel sentences, and not in workers with God ; when evil .carries them metre ; an we from the temple service have away it is of God, because he it is who bas inherited our method of chanting anti- made and still maintains the laws of our phonally. As they played. The word is moral nature ; but it is by the working of ambiguous, and to an English reader would general laws, and not by any special gift or suggest the idea of the women playing upon grace bestowed by him. Saul bad brooded over the musical instruments. It usually refers his disappointment, and cherished feelinga to merriment, and so in Ze0h, viii. 5 it is of discontent at his own lot and of envy at '.IBed of the children playing in the streets, the good of others to such an extent that his '!>~t especially it refers to dancing. Thus in mind gan way before the diseased workinga CB. XVIII. 1-30.) THE FIHST BOOK OF SA:\IUEL. 341