The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 511

x xxi. 7, if not confined to the valley of word" ventriloquist," and is followed by most F,sdra.elon, as in 1 Chron. x. 7, were never- modern commentators. Wizards. Hebrew, rtheless nil of them to the north of Mount "knowing ones," from the verb to know; ,GiJboa, thus leaving Ephraim, Benjamin, just as wizard comes from the old verb to and Judah untouched. Nor do we find the wiss. With ignorant people unusual know- Philistines encamped between David at He- ledge is always looked upon with suspicion ; bron and Ishbosheth at Mahanaim, or inter- but these supposed magicians professed a fering in their contests ; and it is only when knowledge to which they had no claim. David was made king over the whole of Ver. 4. -The Philistines . . . pitched in Israel that they again assembled their forces Shunem. Having collected their forces, the to dispute the empire with him, and twice Philistines entered Palestine as we have seen, suffered defeat (2 Sam. v. 20, 25). More pro- by the valley of J ezreel, also called Esdra- bably, therefore, they marched northward elon, and, 1I1arching eastwc.rd, encamped at through their own torritory, raising the Shunem. This was a village in the tribe of whole of the military population as they Issachar (Josh. xix. 18), renclered famous as went, and then, turning eastward, broke into the abode of the woman who made a little the Israelite territory by the valley of Jez. chamber for Elisha (2 Kings iv. 8); and reel. It was probably the rapid decline of from thence also came Abish~ (1 Kings i. 3). Saul's power which encouraged the Philis- Conder describes it as being at present only tines to attempt once again to place their a mud hamlet, with cactus hedges and a yoke upon the neck of Israel; and Saul, con- spring, but the view extends, he says, as far scious that God's blessing had departed from as to Mount Carmel, fifteen miles away him, in pitiable agony sought for unholy aid, ('Tent-Work,' i. 123). It is now called but finally, with his sons, made a last brave Su.lem, a name given to it also by Eusebius, defence, and died a soldier's death. Achish and lies upon the slopes of the little Hermon, 11aid unto David. As a vassal David was opposite Mount Gilboa, from which it is bound to accompany his lord to the field ; separated by the valley of J ezreel. This and Achish, supposing that David had of broad plain " is bounderl on the east by the his own accord made war upon Judah, pro· range of Gilboa, rising 1500 feet above the bably assumed that the invitation was one sea, and consisting of 1vhite chalk ; while on which he himself desired. To battle. Hebrew, the west a long spur runs out at about the " in the army." same average elevation with Gilboa, and Ver. 2.-Surely thou shalt know. Hebrew, wends north-west to the ridge of Carmel '' Therefore thou shalt know," i. e. if the case (Conder, 'Handbook,' p. 209). As the be so, thou shalt know, &c. The render- valley is about 250 feet above the sea level, mg of the A. V. makes David repeat the Saul, from an elevation of 1200 feet, would words of Achish, which literally are, '' know- easily see the camp of the Philistines pitched ing thou shalt know," the Hebrew way upon the slopes of the opposite range at a of making a strong affirmation. David's distance of about four miles. reply is really ambiguous, but is understood Vers. 5, 6. -When Saul saw, &c. It is by Achish as a boastful assent, and he there- plain from this that the Philistines haJ not upon promises, Therefore will I make thee forcetl their way up through the Israelite keeper of mine head, i. e. captain of my territory ; for this was evidently Saul's first body-guard, for ever. Therefore is exactly sight of their forces, aml his alarm was the same word as that used by David, and caused by finding them so much larger than has just the same meaning, namely, "If the he had expected. He therefore in his am:- c:,,se be so," if thou provest thy valour, then iety enquired of Jehovah, but received no I, &c. answer, neither by dreams. He had ex- SAUL AND THE WITCII OF ENDOn (vers. pected these to be voucbsnfod, possibly to 3-25). Ver. 3.-Samuel was dead. A repe- himself, but more probably to some class of tition of eh. xxv. 1, inserted to explain prophets (see Jer. xxiii. 25, where false pro- Saul's conduct, as is the other fact, that phets claim to have dreamed, in imitation Saul had put away those that had familiar no doubt of true prophets); but though spirits, &c. We are not told when Saul did dreams were thus recogniseJ as a means this ; but at the commencement of his reign, for communicating God's will to man, yet, when he brought the ark to Nob, he was as Erdmann well remarks, "a subordinate probably enrnest generally in his observance position is certainly assigned in the Old of the precepts of the Mosaic law.. Familiar Testament to the dream as the medium of spirits. Hebrew, /Jboth, the plmal of /Jb, a the Divine influence on the inner life. which leathern bottle. It is genernlly taken to in sleep sinks in to a state of passiveness." refer to the distended belly of the conjurer, Nor by Urim. Though Abiathar after the into which the summoned spirit of the dead massacre of his family had fled to Davi,! with was supposed to enter, and thence speak ; the cphod, it is quite possil.Jlc that Saul may for which reason the Septuagint renders the have had another cphocl made, rnd hnn set  THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. LCH. XXVIII. 1-25..