g1tincr. Da,id will probably be slain, he warfare that the lives of cuemios shouhl thum• thinks, in trying to get the dowry asked of be_ taken, without any public provocation, for him; and if not, at an ewnt.s he will himself pnvate purposes (comp. Judges xiv. 19). be cleared of the stain of public dishonesty Vcrs. 26, 27.-It pleased David well to no,.,. resting upon him. Therefore Saul Hid be the king'~ son-in-le.w. Besides tho great to David. 11 ot in person, which accounts for honour, David, not suspecting any malicious Da,id gfring no answer, but through his purpose on Saul's part, may have hoped tbo.t scrrants, as is recounted more fully after- this relationship would put 0.11 end to the wards. miserable stato of things which existed be- Vers. 22, 23.--Commune, &c. This is a tween him and Saul. He harboured no. more full and exact account of what was treasonable purposes, aml would have gladly said summarily in wr. 21. We cannot served Saul faithfully if he had been per- 1mppose that Saul first spoke to David him- mitted. The nature also of the dowry fell self, and then told his servants to Cv'.IX him, in with his adventurous and war-loving dis- as this would also require us to suppose that position. The days were not expirecl.. when offered her by Saul, David refused Wherefore, &c. A difficulty arises here· Michal in marriage. But we may well from the wrong division of the verses, and believe that he was displeased at having from our translatoi-s having rendered the been deceived, and that the renewed proposal clauses as if they were independent of each of marriage with one of the king's daughters other. The Hebrew is, "And the days were had to be made carefully, as he might not full, and David arose," &c. The dowry naturally think that there was danger of his was to be given within a fixed time, and being cajoled a second time. David replies, before it had expired David, who had been in fact, very discreetly, saying that to be forming his plans, set out with his men and the king's son-in-law was indeed a great ruade an incursion in to the Philistine terri- honour, but that he was too poor to provide tory, whence he brought back to the king a sufficient dowry. Strictly the promises twice as many foreskins as had been stipu- given in eh. xvii. 25 bound Saul to give her lated; and thereupon Michal became David's without dowry; but it appears quite plainly wife. from David's words that he had lost Merab Yers. 28, 29.-The failure of his evil pur- because not able to purchase her as Adriel pose, and the knowledge that Michal loved had done. For the custom of giving large her husband, and would protect him against sums to the bride's father see Gen. xxxiv. his intrigues, and that the marriage had 12 ; Exod. xxii. 16, 17. brought rank and influence to David, made Vers. 24, 25.-David's answer exactly fell Saul hate him all the more bitterly, because· in with Saul's purposes, and he forthwith he could not now openly put to death one asked as a dowry proof of David having slain so closely connected with him. e. hundred Philistines. As this slaughter Yer. 30.-The princes of the Philistines. would have to be effected not in regular went forth. See on ver. 6. This new war warfare, but in a sort of private raid, there was the result of J.lovid's raid, but it only would be every likelihood of David being led to an increase o{ his fame and popularity. overpowered by a rapid gathering of the For he behe.ved himself more wisely. I. e. Philistines and slain in attempting it. It was more successful o.nd skilful than any of marks the unscrupulous character of ancient Saul's other officers.
HOMILETICS. Vers. l-4.-Relig-ious friendship. The facts are-1: Jonathan, on becomin1 acquainted with David, forms a strong attachment for him. 2. Saul, to show h_1s gratitude for David's aid, constrain~ him ~nto his_servic~. 3. Jonath~n and_ David enter into a ~olemn covenant of £r1endsh1p. It IS obvious that David desired tl) retire to the quietude of rural life, thus displaying simplicity of pi!rp?se and freedon. from the ambition charged on him by Eliab (ver. 28), as also super10nty to !he tempt, ation of success. Saul's will that he should "go no more home to lus father'lf house " was fraught with a long train of consequences which told on the develop• rnent of the higher qualities of the coming king. The first ?f these was the for;11111.- tion of that beautiful friendship with Jon atha~, which shmes !18 a :,velco~e light 1 amidst the gloom of the last years of Sauls reign. There are m th.1s section two matters deserving special attention. I. AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE HARMONIES OF PROVIDENCE. On i}, priori grounds we may conclude that al ways, in all things, howev~r apparently. clashing, there is 11.n interior harmony in the ordinations and unfoldmgs of Providence. In m,iny OH. XVIII. 1-30.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 3-13