h,,,ls, bnt there is no other place near Maon where cliffs snch as are to be inferred from fts base," but ho went to it ns being nn impassable barrier between him nnd his the word sela' can be found. It seems to me pursuers. But "he hnstod anxiously to prctt~· safe, therefore, to look on this go~ge get away" (ver. 26), because Se.ul would as the scene of the wonderful escape of David, divide his army into two parts nnd so ,lnc to a sudden Philistine invasion, which David wouhl only have the ndv~ntnge of tt•rn1inate,l the history of his hair-breadth the few miles of detour which Saul must escapes in the south country." This cliff make. But for the news of the Philistine in ,·er. 28 is called Sela-Hammahlekoth, invasion his final escape would have been "the cliff of dinsions," or "of separations," almost hopeless. The ordinary notion that 11am representing the Hebrew article. llfany David and his men were concealed from the other derivations ham been suggested, but sight of Saul by an intervening mountain the abo,e, which alone agrees with the ordin- is disproved, not only by no such mountain al'.'· meaning of the Hebrew verb, is pro,·ed existing, but also by the clause, "Saul and to be right by Mr. Conder's researches. They his _men ,vere surrounding David and his cna ble us also to correct some small errors. men" (ver. 28). They had them in sight, Thus Dand did not come down into a rock, and were forming in two divisions, so as to but "to the cliff," the sela or precipitous pass the gorge at the two ends and close gorge described above. Nor did he "descend upon the flanks of David's small band of the rock" (Erdmann) "in order to conceal followers. himself in the low land, or in the caves at Verse 29 belongs to the next chapter.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 13-18.-Deepening sorrows and new encouragement. The facts are-1. Da"t"id, deeming it unsafe to remain in Keilah, goes forth with his men in uncertainty as to their destination. 2. Saul, forbearing to march against Keilah, seeks in vain to capture Da"t"id in the wilderness of Ziph. 3. While David, fully aware of Saul's evil intent, remains in the wilderness, l,e is comforted by a visit from Jone.than, who expresses his confidence in David's future supremacy and renews with him n cove- nant of friendship. It is one of the most beautiful features in David's life that he ne.er hesitated to follow the indications of the will of God, however humiliating to himself, and apparently adverse to the attainment of the objects dearest to his heart. This obedience is the natural outcome of the full trust in the Lord so amply expressed in the Psalms. To exchange the comforts of an anticipated sojourn in Keilah for a rough and unsettled life in the mountainous district of Ziph was a new trial to the faith already highly strained. But the obedience was speedily followed by the occurrence of an event full of interest and encouragement, and the narrative of this section thus furni11hes us with one of the most suggestive instances on record of the providential alleviation of sorrows incident to the path of duty. The con- nected truths here conveyed may be set forth as follows:- 1. DEEPENING SORROWS MAY FOLLOW ON MANIFEST TOKENS OF Goo's FAVOUR AND TENDER CARE. No one could doubt but that the response given to David's inquiry at Keilah was dear evidence t~ iiimself and others that he was the chosen servant of God, and the character o-F die reply to bis prayer was proof that the tender care of Jehovah was keeping him from the rage and cruelty of Saul. We can thus under- stand the strong expressions of confidence in God and gratitude £or his mercy to be found in the psalms of this period; and yet the anguish of spirit and heaviness of heurt which also are manifest in portions of those psalms nre to be accounted £or 'Jnly by the fact that the loving-kindness thus 15hown we.s accompanied by ~he per- mission of 0ontinued and almost unendurable sorrows. No sooner had David been delivered from the hand of Saul at Keilah than he found himself, if possible, worse off tLun before entering Keilah, nn outcast and fugitive, hiding daily £or his life amidst the wilds of the rugged wilderness of Ziph. It is a riddle which the un• spiritual mind can never solve, but which becomes increasingly simple and beautiful to those who enter into the spirit of our Saviour's mission on earth-thnt the sorrows of life often deepen when God is putting honour on his servants by preparing them £or a more pure and blissful fellowship with himself, and £or a higher grade of spiritual service. Our Saviour was the" beloved Son," the object of the Father's . complacent love, and hie work for the benefit of mankind was one r-f su1fering, -(;H. XXIJI. 14-29.] Tirn FIRST BOOK OF SA~[UEL. 447