Ver. 2.-(GIDEON,) Unrighteous zeal. "And Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah." When his attempt was made is not certainly knuwn; possibly soon after his sparing Amalek (and to make amends for it); or at the til)lll of his massacre of the priests at Nob (where the Gibeonites then assisted the Levites, before the removal ,,f the altar and tabernacle to Gibeon); more probably at the time of hie expulsion of the necromancers and soothsayers (1 Sam. xxviii. 3); being "one of those acts of passionate zeal in which he tried to drown the remorse of his later years." HiR zeal (like that of others in later times) was: 1. Religious an,l patriotic in intention and profession; to pur~e the land of the remnant of the heathen (Deut. vii. 2, 24), to honour Gud, to benefit his people. Good intentions are not enough to constitute good actions. 2. Blind and wilful," not according to knowledge" (Rom. x. 2; Acts xxvi. 9). 3. Irreverent and ungodly; in violation of a solemn com- pact in the name of Go~, and against those who were consecrated to his service. His humblest rnipisters should be held in respect. 4. Unjust and ungrateful; for they had done no wrong, but had performed useful service. 5. Proud and tyrannical; regarding them with contempt, 1md taking advantage of their defenceless condition (1 Sam. xxii. 6-19). 6. Cruel and murderous. 7. Selfish and covetous; to appropriate the spoil to his family and adherents. 8. Popular and acceptable. The people never forgave the crafty manner in which they had originally been induced to spare their liws, looked upun them with suspicion and dislike, and readily sympathized with Saul's attack upon them (as they did not in the case of the priests at Nob), and consented to share the plunder. 9. Hestrained and unsuccessful. Some survived. It is seldom that persecutors are able to do all they endeavour to do. 10. Infectious and disastrous, in its influence on his family and the nation.-D. Vere. 8-14.-(Grnun.) Rizpah. "A.nd Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sack- cloth," etc. (ver. 10; eh. iii. 7). The days of harvest had come; but not the fruits of har.vest. The heaven was brass, and the earth iron (Deut. xxviii. 23). The misery of famine was accompanied by a sense of.Divine wrath on account of sin. The guilt of blood was on the land, and especially on "the house of Saul," for the destruction of the Gibeonites. Nothing would satisfy the demand of the sorrowing bondservants of Israel, or (as. it was believed) restore Divine favour, save the death of seven men of Saul's family (John xi. 50). These, therefore, two of them being sons of Rizpah, were taken aud crucified (Numb. xxv. 4) at once on the hill before Jehovah, and their remains left unburied, a prey to ravenous birds and beasts. And in her maternal grief (!,nd a.fecti(m, spreading sackcloth on the rocky floor (either for her bed or as a rough tent to shelter her), she watched them there, under the scorching sun by day and the drenching dews by night, and protected them from molestation until they received an honourable burial. "'!'hey were accouuted as accursed and unworthy of the burial of doge; but she would not cast them out of her heart. The more they were shunned by others, the more. she clung to them ; and the deeper the disgrace, the deeper her compassion." Observe- !. HER SPECIAL DESinE AND AIM; for it was more than an instinct of natural affection that prompted her watching near the dead. •Regarding their unburied condition as one of ignominy (Ps. lxxix. 2), and perhaps as, in some way, affecting their happiness in the future life, she was desirous· of their being honourably interred. It was deemed necessary (unlike what was required iu other instances, Deut. xx.i. 22, 23) that they should remain exposed before Jehovah till assurance was given, by the fall of rain, that the satisfaction was accepted, If she could not do what she would, she would do what she could (Mark xiv. !;!) ; aud, by preventing further injury, render the fulfilment of her desire possible, Her intense maternal love led her to seek the safety and honour of the dead; well may a similar love lead others to seek the safety and honour of the living I II. HEB EXTRAORDINARY DEVOTION; as it appears in: 1. Her unquenchable attach- ment. Others might despise them as criminals, but she could only regard them and cling to them B$ children (Song of Sol. viii. 7). 2. Her humble submission and resigna- tion to what was unavoidable. "Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it" (Jer. x. 19). 3. Her entire self-surrender and self-sacrifice. If she could not remove their reproach, she could she.re it with them. 4. Her patient endurance of suffering; through long and 524 THE SECOND DOOK OF SAMUEL, ten. xxr. 1-22,
lom•ly nights, and dark and dreary days. 5. Iler ceaseless vigilance, Eeal, and conra<Te, 6. Her unwc>aried, faithful, hopeful perseverance. "The emotions iu wom1m act "as powerful motives on the will, and, when strongly called forth, produce a degree of viaour snd determination which is 'Very surprisin~ to those who have usually seen the i~di- vidual under a different aspect" (Carpenter). 7. Her importunate prayers for the fulfil- ment of her desire. "She refrained from all violent and illegal methods of ga.ining her object.. She used no force or stratagem to secure for her beloved ones a. safe and decent burial; but waited watchfully, meekly, and humbly, for the time appointed by the Lord. Neit.ber did she give way to despondency, and quit the melancholy scene in wild despRir; but did what she could to alleviate the dreadful evil. Though her heart was broken and her grief too bitter for utterance, she still hoped in God, still looked for his merciful intc>rposition, and waited day after day, and night after night until the rain of hea,·en came down and released the bodies of her beloved ones" (Hughes,• Female Characters of Holy Writ'). • • III. HER EFFECTUAL ENDEAVOUR. At length (how Ion~ is not stated) "showers of blessing" fell, and her wish was Rccomplished. Loving, faithful, devoted service: 1. Exerts an undesigned influence on others. "And it was told David,'' etc. (ver. 11). 2. Fails not, sooner or later, to receive its due reward. 3. Is followed by effects greater than any that were desired or expected. "David was pleased with her tenderness, and was excited by her example to do honour to the bodies of &ul and Jonathan (1 Sam. xxxi. 12, 13; eh. ii. 5-7), and thus showed that he did not war with the dea.d, and that his recent act in delivering up Saul's sons was not one of personal revenge, but of public justice" (W ordswo1th). She did more than she intended;, and what she did is to this da.y "told for a memorial for her."-D.