Ver. 41.-Tho ha.bita.tionstha.t were found ~e re>o.ds, for Ishi, the Shimci of ver. 27, on there. So the Authorized Version, which ho.s very insufficient grounds. It is a qnc,tion mistcikenly Englished a word which should whether the movement of ver. 42 is to ho J,o.ve been left o. proper no.me," the Maon- understood as arising out of that other tho ites" i.e. the people elsewhere called in account _of which closes in vcr. 41, or the' Authorized Version the llfahunim. In whether it were not a co-ordinate move- doing this, our translators followed the me1;1t. It still woulcl probably enough 'l'argum, c?pied by Luther o.nd Junius (hut spnng from the same intrinsic causes. The see Gesenms, ''fbesaurus,' 1002 a; • Notes allotment of the tribe of Simeon carved out on Burckhardt,' 1069; Berlhee.u, in of that of Judah was found too small for • Chronik.; ' a.nd Septuagint rea.ding). Unto their growing numbers, though Simeon was this da.y, in this verse, as o.lso in ver. 43, not of the most numerous. Nor is it ne- must not be understood to mark the date of cessary to suppose-perhaps it is rather the compiler of Chronicles, but that of the necessary to correct the impression-that this document or authority upon which he as a expedition, issuing in a permanent settle- compiler drew-anterior, of course, to the ment, lay at all near the conquests of the Captivity. "thirteen princes." It is, on the whole, Vers.42,43.-Theseverses give the further most natural to consicler that one event exploits, with a view of settlement, of cer- concludes with ver. 41, and that the follow- tain of the tribe of Simeon. And of them ing events (vers. 42, 43) are distinct ancl we should prefer to apply to those already independent. All requisite light as to who mentioned (vers. 3!-41), did theexpression these "smitten Amalekites" were, is for stand alone. But the following clo.use in them too significantly furnished by cmn- apposition, of the sons of Simeon, seems parison of l Sam. xxvii. 8; xxx. l; 2 Sam. intended to prevent the supposition that viii. 12; with l Sam. xiv. 48; xv. 7. Of they are the Simeonites to whom alone the names, five in number, found in thi!i allusion is made. Keil again (' Comm.,' in verse, just so much and no more is known. we.) refers thoso intended to ver. 27, because
HOMILETICS. Ver. 9.-.A unique instance of the beneficent disappointmen~., of human suffering's cry. The remarkable position of tho brief episode, consisting of this and the follow- ing verse, does but draw our closer and more willing attention lo it. Is it not like :\ spring in the dry land? Is it not like an oasis in the desert? Or again, in other figure, if the whole scene, in the very midst of which this brief narration is found, resemble some vast burying-place (and surely it does very much resemble this), crowded with tombstones which are worn with age and dishonoured by forgottenness aud indifference, here the eye and the mind too are detained by an inscription worthy the notico and the thoughtful meditatiou. The inscription in question is not a long one. It is far from savouring of anything fulsome. But it is striking, and with the striking- ness of suggestion rather than of assertion; of what, unsaid, insists on coming to thei thought, rather than of what, said, tasks unwilling thought. It must be called a Scripture providence which bas preserved, and has in this way brought to the front, this interesting incident. We will for a moment shut off this verse from the following, and upon it, by itself, concentrate attention. It suddenly introduces to us one Jabcz, grown presumably to years of manhood. .A.nd in designed, wo may say manifestly designed, antithe~is to the characteristic so "honourable" affixed to the mention of his name, a reminiscence of his christening furnishes us with the intelligence how ho camo by his name of sorrow. Ho has disappointed that name. 'l'he promiBe of its sadness he has not fulfilled. 'l'he exceeding pains of the mother seem to have led tho way to a good and happy career for the son. And a dark morning's outlook has grown to a bright day. Let us notice that- I. THERE IS A CERTAIN INSTRUCTIVE SUDDENNESS IN THE INTRODt;CTION OF TUE MATTER OF THIS VERSE. Abruptly as the name of Jabez here comes upon us, abrupt as is tho introduction or the brief sketch of his history, it is nothing more abrupt than the caso as it presents itself not unfrequently in real life, both then and now, anu tho facts of which are identic,\I with thoso of the instance hero presented to us. 'l'ho very manne1· of Scripture history and biography harmonizes well with tho matter of well- 1:nown Ufo, and ofto11 remi11ds us of it. 'l'he surprises which Providence prepares or THE FIHST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [cu. Iv. 1-1:t