The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 418

?iv<"rs man_ners," accordi~g to o~r need, ~nd "for our good always." 3. It speake rn the readrng of the Scriptures, 111 the voice of preachers and teachers parents nnd friends, in the recollections of the memory, and often comes to the h~art and con- science with peculiar force. "Believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper" (2 Chron. x:x. 20). II. 9ALLI1'G TO UNEXrECTED DUTY; unexpected, inasmuch as, not unfrequently- 1. It 1s such as we should not naturally have supposed. 2. It differs from the course which we have_ chose_n for ourselves. "Abide not in the hold." 3. It requires us to meet un11sual clijficulties and dangers. "Depa. t, and get thee into the land of Judah" (into the very presence of a deadly foe). "Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?" (John xi. 8-10; Luke ix. 51). "Do thy duty ; that is best ; Leave unto thy Lord the rest." III. COMPLIED WITH IN A RIGHT MANNER. "And David departed " &c. 1. Without question, like a good soldier at the word of command. 2. Without hesita- tion or delay. 3. Without fear. How different was it with Saul I (eh. xiii. 11 1• xv. 11). "Whosoever will save his life," &c. (Matt. xvi. 25). IV. CONDUCTING TO SAFETY, USEFULNESS, AND HONOUR. 1. Safety i for he ,vaB "kept by the power of God." 2. Usefulness; for he "saved the inhabitants of Keilah" ( eh. xxiii. 5). 3. Honour; for he was more fully recognised as the true defender of Israel against their enemies, and his heroic band was largely increased (eh. xxiii. 13). "Stern Lawgiver ! yet thou dost wear The Godhead's most benignant grace ; Nor know we anything so fair As is the smile upon thy face : Flowers laugh before thee on their beds, And fragrance in thy footing treads; Thon dost preserve the stars from wrong ; And the most ancient heavens through thee are fresh and strong, Give unto me, made lowly wise, The spirit of self-sacrifice ; The confidence of reason give, A.nd in the light of truth thy bondman let me live." (Wordsworth, 'Ode to Duty.')-D. Yers. 6-19. (GIBEAH.)-2'lle tyranny of Saul. With his spear-sceptre in hie hand, Saul, now considerably past the meridian of life, sat in the midst of his council of officers and magnates, under the tamarisk tree on the height, in Gibeah. The description of what took place in this assembly-" a kind of parliament in the open air "-casts a lurid light upon his character and rule. In it we see-1. The fulfilment of the prediction of Samuel concerning the course which would be pursued by a king such as the people desired (eh. viii. 11-18). 2. The moral deterioratwn of Saul since the day when they shouted "God save the king" in Mizpeh (eh. x. 24), and'' made him king before the Lord in Gilgal" (eh. xi. 15); and even since his rejection (eh. xv. 26). 3. The working out of the law of retribution in their chastisement through the king chosen by themselves and reflect- ing their own sin. The early brilliance of his reign had been long overcast, and the 1hunder-storm was approaching. Saul had ceased to be a servant of Jehovah. His government was the reverse of what it ought to have been, Although it had respect to the outward forms of religion, and displayed much zeal against irreligious prac- tices, yet it did not really recognise the invisible King of Israel, obey his will, ot ol,serve "the manner of the kingdom" which had been ordained of old (Deut. xvii. 14-20), and formally recorded as a permanent law and testimony (eh. x. 25). It was essentially anti-theocratic. The true theocracy was represented by Samuel and the prophets at Ramah, and David and his band at Adullam; and through them (in the wonderful working of Divine providence) the nation would be raised to power and glory, and the purposes of God concerning it accomplished. His chamcter and rule were marked by- CH. XXIJ, 1-23.] TIIE FII:ST r 1 lOK OF SA:vIUEL. 42/E