excitement to which Davi<l was a prey in his objects. Feigned himself mad. Literally, last interview with Jonathan (eh. xx. 41); "he roamed hither ancl thither" rest!es;ly nnd only in his first grief nt Saul's cruel and in terror. In their h1mds. I. e before bitterness woul<l his min<l have been so them, in their presence. Scrabbled on the affected, an:i his conduct so ra·sh. doors of the gate. The Vnlgate and Septua- Ver. 11.-David the king of the land. gint read drummed upon them. Literally The servants of Achish use the title of king the verb means " to make the mark of a, in a very general way. Thus Achish, though Tau," the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, really a sercn (see on eh. v. 11 ), is called and which anciently was in the form of a king of Gath; and they meant nothing more cross. The gate, on the leaves of which as regards David than that he was Israel's David scrawled, was probably that of the great man, though in accepting Goliath's court or waiting-room, in which the servants challenge he had undertaken what in old of Achish passed their time when in attend- time was regarded as the king's especial ance upon him. Possibly David had wit- duty. Did they not sing one to another of nessed these symptoms of madness in Saul's him in dances t The Hebrew method of case during his fits of insanity. The idea of singing wa-a by choruses, who sang and some of the older commentators, that David danced in turns to the music of their tam- really for a time went out of his mind, is- bours (see on eh. xvi.ii. 7). David evidently opposed to the general sense of the narrative. had hoped not to be recognised, but to be Vers. 14, 15.-The man is mad. Achish admitted to serve as a soldier, or in some supposes that David's madness was real, and other cape.city, without many questions being "drove him away" (Ps. x:xxiv., title). Hera asked. As we find an Edomite in Saul's we have only his contemptuous words, service, Cushites, Maachathites, and other declaring that he had madmen enough vf foreigners in the employment of David, there his own, and needed no more. As madmen was probably much of this desertion of one were looked upon in old time as possesse<i service for another, especially as kings in by the Deity, and therefore e.s persons who- those days had absolute authority and their must not be interfered with, they probably displeasure was death. presumed upon the liberty granted them, Ver. 13. -He changed his behaviour. and gave much annoyance. In my presence. The same word is used in the title of Ps. Rather, '' against me." Achish feared per- x:xxiv. Literally it means ff his taste," and, sonal injury. Shall this fellow come int1> like the Latin word sapientia, is de1ived from my house! .A strong negative taking the theactionofthe palate, and so from the faculty form of a question. It means, David shall of discriminating flavours it came to signify not enter into my service (comp. Ps. xx:x:iv., the power of discrimination generally. Thus tUie). The whole psalm bears witness to ff to change his taste" means to act as if he the deep perturbation of David's spirit, A.Ild had lost the power of distinguishing between helps to explain his strange conduct.
HOMILETICS. Vera. 1-7.-Weakness in embarrassment. The facts are-1. Arriving at Nob, David quiets the suspicions of Ahimelech by stating that he was on the king's secret business. 2. On this g·round he asks for and obtains hallowed bread to appease his hunger, and the swore! of Goliath. 3. Doeg the Edomite, being detained there that day, is observant of David's proceedings. Hitherto David had held position as an officer in Saul's household or in the army, and therefore, despite Saul's private· jealousy, had a right to the respect and protection of every man. Henceforth loyalty to Saul meant death to David. Therefore the paternal home at Bethlehem wl\s out of the question, and there were reasons for not compromising Samuel with any appearance of open revolt. To a devout mind it was natural under these circum- stances to flee to the sanctuary, and there seek solace 11,nd aid. The narr11,tive relates how good and evil were blended in the conduct of the man of God at this critical juncture, and it suggests for consideration several important truths. I. THE HIGHER LAWS OF LIFE. David desired the shewbread to appease hi~ hunger, and the priest in charge at first objected to the request on the plea that it WCIS contrary to the ceremonial law to give it to him. The fact that David, a devout and reasonable man, ventured to ask for it, combined with his argument on the priest's own ceremonial principles (ver. 5), shows that ho perceived the existence of a law which rose above the ceremonial. Some woulcl perhaps regard David's action as typical of the prerogatives o~ t~1e rea~ Kin,? and P_ri_est of ~ion, and_ e~en inter- pret hie stateme'ht about_ the "kmg s busmess as a spmtual emgma, pomtmg to the· THE FIHST BOOK OF SAi\lCEu. [ell. XXI, 1-16,