Ver. 20. (RAMAH.)-Samuel the president. Of Samuel one more glimpse is afforded before his life closes. After his separation from Saul he appears to have devoted himself to the training of o. body of younger men to carry on his prophetic work. The flight of David to him shows that an intimate relationship had previously subsisted between them. He went to him for counsel and sanctuary, and the inter- course of the young hero with the old prophet is full of suggestion. Samuel might have advised him to make armed resistance against the godless tyranny of Saul; in which, with his great popularity, he might have succeeded, but only at the cost of a long and ruinous civil war. As at the rejection of Saul he avoided violent measures rin support of the theocracy, so now he counselled the same course, and took David with him from his own house to Naioth (dwellings), or the common residence of "the company of the prophets" (eh. x. 10), in the neighbourhood of Ramah. It was the chief home of order, light, and religion; the centre of spiritual influence. 11 He found there only temporary safety, indeed, from Saul's persecution, but abiding -consolation and strength in the inspired prophetic word, in the blessings of the fraternal community, and in the consoling and elevating power of the holy poetic art, whereby he doubtless stood in peculio.rly intimate connection with the community" (Erdmann). "God intended to make David not a warrior and a king only, but a prophet too. As the field fitted him for the first and the court for the second, so Naioth shall fit him for the third" (Hall). How long he continued is not stated; but, on hearing of his refuge, Saul sent three times to take him by force, and ulti- mately went himself for the purpose. The messengers found an assembly (lahak, used here only, probably by a transposition of letters, i. q. kahal-Gesenius) of pro- phets engaged in religious exercises umler the presidency of Samuel. It is not necessary to suppose that the service, which may have ht1.d a special character, wo.11 BB2 !li2 THE FrnST BOOK OF SAMUEL [cH. XIX. 1-24~
conduc~ed in a largo hall, th~ngh there may have been such; it was probably in th& open mr, and capable of bemg seen und heard from a distance (ver. 22). With, respect more pnrticui11rly to Samuel, notice- I. Hrs HONOURED POSITION-" stnnding as appointed over them," or as leader• not probHbly appointed by any official net of theirs, but generally recognised' and honoured, and directing their holy exercises. The honour in which he was held was. due to-1. The pre-eminent authority he possessed as a prophet of the Lord (eh. iii. 19). 2. The high character he had so long sustained in that office, and the course of labour h~ had pursued. 3. The special work he had accomplished in gathering 11round !um such young men as seemed to be qualified by their gifts and piety to act as prophets in Israel, and fom1ing them into a school or college of prophets. He WM the venerable founder of their order, and reaped the reward of hie labours in- their reverence and affection, and still more in their devotion to Jehovah and their zeal for his hononr. II. His l'ROPHETIC ASSOCIATES. They were "prophets," not "sons" or disciples- "of the prophets" (2 Kings ii. 3), who seem to have occupied in later times a more dependent and inferior position. They were e. union or free association of men "endowed with the Spirit of God for the purpose of carrying on their work the feeble powers of junior members being directed and strengthened by those ~f a higher class" (Kitto, ' Cyc. of Bib. Lit.'). Among them probably were Gad ( eh. xxii. 5; 2 Sam. xxiv. 11), Nathan (2 Sam. vii. 2; xii. 1), and Heman the grandson of Samuel (1 Cbron. vi. 33; xxv. 5; "the king's seer," &c.). 1. They bad been under his instruction in the knowledge of God and his law, and, as subservient to- this, in reading and writing, poetry, music, and singing. "Education is not a panacea for all human ills, but it is an indispensable condition both of individual and of national progress" (' Expositor,' iii. 344). 2. They were in sympathy with his purposu concerning the true welfare of the people of Israel, and strove to carry them into effect. They formed "a compact phalanx to stand against the corruption which had penetrated so deeply into the nation, and to bring bacl< the rebellious to the law and the testimony" (Keil). 3. They were endowed, like Samuel himself, with a peculiar measure of the .Divine Spirit for the accomplishment of their work. By his influence they were drawn together, variously gifted, and sometimes impelled to ecstatic utterances. III. Hrs DEVOUT OCCUPATION. He presided over the prophets, and took part with them in "prophesying," or uttering with a loud voice the praises of God. His last recorded act was one of worship, and under his influence David's intense love for public worship was probably acquired. The service was-1. Accompanied with musu: (as in eh. x. 10). "A principal part of their occupation consisted-under the guidance of some prophet of s11perior authority, and more peculiarly under the Divine influence, as moderator and preceptor-in celebrating the praises of Almighty God, in hymns and poetry, with choral chaunts, accompanied by stringed instruments and pipes" (Lowtb). 2. Edifving. Whilst their utterance expressed their inwnrd feeling, it was also the means of teaching ,md exhorting one another, and of "awakening holy susceptibilities and emc,tions in the soul, and of lifting up the spirit to God, and so preparing it for the reception of Divine revelations." 3. United, wl,ich tends by the power of sympathy to intensify feeling, strengthen faith, enlarge- desire, and perfect those dispositions in connection with which worship is acceptable. to God. IV. His POWERFUL INFLUENCE. "The Spirit of God came upon the messengers,'' &c. The immediate effect was to tranijform these men, to protect David from their 1,ower, and to afford a sign of the opposition of God to the designs of Saul. More generally, the influence of Samuel was put forth in and through the "company of propl,ets" for-1. The maintenance of the principle of the theocracy, which was imperilled by the conduct of Saul. The prophets were its true representati-1-es and upholders in every subsequent age. 2. The elevation of the people in wisdom and righteousness. Their work was to teach, reprove, and exhort those with whom they came into contact; and "through such a diffusion of prophetic training the higher truths of prophecy must have been most rapidly diffused among the people, and a Jl(lW and higher life formed in the nation" (Ewald). 3. The preparatic.,, of men for -OB. XIX. 1-24.] 'l'HE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 373
a better time-the advent of Christ, the outpouring of the Spirit, and the procJama- tion of the gospel. The proJJhets, not the priests, were the true forerunners of the gospel ministry.-D.