The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 226

for fresh effort. On the ofoer hand, life is spent here in the presence of the foe, and one of watchful observation-the children of light not so wise in their generation nor so awake as he. Keen is the eye of enmity. It searches all round its own armoury for the weapon fittest for its purpose, and all round its opponent's armour to find the joint of his harness. And now, nothing goes on with David and Israel but--the Philistines know it, and take care to know it. II. SIGNS OF CIRCUMSPECT AND FAR-SEEING OBSERVATION. The Philistines, whose chief leader we are not here told, do no doubt take great care to be apprised of all that is going on within the kin~dom of Israel. And they can afford to let. much pass without any counter moves on their part. They learn much, but it awakens no keen anxiety, no special-interest, no practical activity. But an unusual note is heard at last; it is the note of warning; they bear it as the note of opportunity sounded, and of oppor- tunity that must not slip by. They cannot afford to be inactive now. It is a time when, even if all depended on one throw, that throw must be ventured. They had known David as a boy; as a remarkable young man, but with a very doubtful future; as a persecuted refugee; as a very rising man ; as king of part of a people; but the critical and vital point was now at length, when they "heard that he was anointed king o_ver all Israel "-king over a united people, king over a people the whole of whose resources were now available and could be wielded as by one arm, king over a people of one mind and one enthusiastic heart. And this was what the wisdom of the enemy was equal to-to see and act as though it saw that the hour of a united enemy was the hour to strike, if haply it might break the power of that enemy at one stroke, or otherwise, that it was the hour most to be feared for himself. One sang- " And Satan trembles when he sees The weakest saint upon his knees." But there is another time when Satan trembles, and that is when he sees his enemv united, and the ranks of bis enemy held well together. That" trembling" would l;e both more and more apparent but for the prompt and unequivocal activity he brings to bear on the situation, while others were but " trembling." III. SIGNS OF PRACTICAL AND VERY DETERMINED: RESOLUTION. Difficulty, danger, critical responsibility, disarm many, but arm these Philistines. The courage, the practical wisdom, is to be noted, though it be in a bad cause, in order that these may be the rather learnt and cofied for the good cause. These Philistines do not timidly wait and put off a doubtfu dangerous day; they court the conflict; they go "up to seek David;" they offer battle and give the challenge. Little time is lost before they nre "spread" iu battle array and everything is ready for the decisive verdict. Evident stress also is lai.:I upon their unity. It is not only said that "all" the Philistines went up to seek David, but it is written by the historian as though the emphasis of a significant antithesis were intended. When tho Phili,tines heard that David was anointed king over "all" Israel, they "all" went to seek him. IV. SIGNS IN Al.L THIS OF THE DERIVATION OF VERY MUCH OF HUMAN ENMITY. Strong is the resemblance both of nature and of method between the hostility of human foe and that exhibited by the source of all evil. It is abundantly well to note this resem- blance, for could we persuade ourselves to see in our own malignant dispositions, ill will, and hostility the features that are then striving only too successfully to take form of the dark original of all evil, we should dread the presence in us, and dread few thing~ more. The short gratification of that which must be, under any circumstances, ruled the lower side of our nature, woul<l be then instinctivdy acknowledged too dearly bought, when the eye, the lip, the thought, the strong force of purpose, and the han,I must all be lent to one in the background, so odious in himself, and so tyrannical as soon as ever his bold is once yieldeJ to. The shapes an,! methods nssumed by human enmity are in reality often nothing short of accurate c<>pies of those of the great foe of God and man. Surely it would act as a deterrent influence in many a mind not yd gone too far, cnu. in which it was not- yet too late to interpose, if it were distinctly seen that as much as love, goodnes~, and friendship are of God, so much are hate and nil tl,,. kinds of malignity, and in general enmity to a felluw-creature, of the devil. Let 1,s observe, on the other h:md, in this portion of the history, tlM /oil of David in the prc- 1>ence of that enmity. 1. Here is proof of a walcefal ear. Many au opportunity is lcs~ 220 Tlll<J FIRS1' BOOK OF' 'l'HE CltRONICUS. Cmt. xtv. 1-1'7,