6 age terly abfurd and unaccountable, even in this As the recommendation now made to Saul of David, is very remarkable, the reader will not, I hope, be difpleafed to dwell a little upon it: Then answered one of the fervants, and faid, Behold, I have feen a fon of Feffe the "Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely perfon, and the Lord is with him. HERE we fee to what a height of reputation David's endowments had raised him, even in his retirement, from the time that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him: his fame grew, as Horace tells us that of Marcellus did, like a tree long hid in the fhade, which was at full growth as foon as it was feen. And that there was fomething very extraordinary in the endowments of David, appears evidently from the laft elaufe of this recommendation, And the Lord is with him: plainly implying, that he was highly favoured, and eminently protected, by Almighty God. In the next place, we may obferve the artful addrefs of this recommendation, which points out David, tho' yet a youth, as now in his prime both of valour and prudence. And to account for this, the reader is to know, that valour and ftrength were the first and most advantageous recommendations to the favour of Saul, who (like fome princes of our age) piqued himself upon bringing men of that character into his fervice (1 Sam. xiv. 5.): And when Saul faw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him. In the next place, Saul, we know, was troubled with an evil fpirit, under whose influence he was, doubtlefs, guilty of many and great extravagancies, it was not fit that a raw giddy youth fhould be witness to thefe; and therefore David is recommended as a prudent and a valiant man: as a man of prudence, he was fitter to be trufted with the fecret of Saul's extravagancies in his fits; and as a valiant man, he was more likely to bear with the infirmities of The herald now arrives, and guides along High on a radiant throne, fublime in ftate, Before his feat a polish'd table shines. v. 65. Lives there a man beneath the spacious fries, POPE'S Odyff. a brave a brave man, as Saul was; and therefore the occafon required, that not only his character, but his age alfo, fhould now be raised as much as poffible, Nor did David belye the recommendation made of him; for the facred hiftorian affures us, that he not only approved, but endeared himself to Saul, and was made his armour-bearer. THUS WAS David called to court, and a commerce with the world; and gradually prepared and fitted for the great part he was to act in it, by the pure appointment of the Divine Providence, without any forecast or contrivance either of his own, or of his friends. How long David continued at court, and when and why he returned to his father, and his flock, is no-where told us. His fituation with Saul feems not altogether fo well fitted for the views of a great genius. Doubtless, he found himself formed for great things; and, poffibly, with all his humility about him, he was not long fatisfied with his condition and character; and preferred, in Cafar's way of thinking, to be first among the fhepherds, than laft, or even low, in Saul's train. Or, poffibly, Saul's favour (for he was fufficiently inconftant) might have abated with his diftemper; and therefore, when he found himself tolerably recovered, and his thoughts were wholly taken up with preparations for the Philiftine war, Jeffe might cafily have redeemed David's attendance, by fubftituting three other fons in the service of Saul*. BUT From the text it should feem, that David was but a very little time at court; no longer than Saul's fickness required: for we are BUT whatever the occafion of his leaving the court might be it is evident, it was not without the special appointment of Providence; whofe purposes required that when David fhould next make his appearance there, it fhould be under a more advantageous character than that of the most excellent musician; which foon after came to país. CHA P. IV. DAVID'S Duel with GOLIAH. HOW long David had now been returned to his father, and his flock, when the Philiftine war broke out, can no-where be clearly collected; but I think it pretty evident, that he returned, upon his father's fending his three eldest fons into the fervice of Saul: for when we are told, that David was the youngest son, and the three eldeft followed Saul, the sacred historian immediately fubjoins, But David went and re are told, (1 Sam. xvi. 23.) that when the spirit from GOD was upon Saul, David took an harp, and played with his hand: fo Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil Spirit departed from him. And then immediately follows the account of the affembling of the Philiftine forces; before which it appears, that David had, for fome time, being returned to his father; but when, or why, is not faid: probably, when Saul was well, he was glad to get rid of his phyfician as faft as he could; not caring to be any more put in mind of his distemper, or his cure; and, if so, David only remained at court till the king recovered. turned turned from Saul* to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. THE Occafion of this war is unknown: probably, the Philistines were tempted to engage in it by the fame of Saul's lunacy which would leave him ill able to conduct it to advantage. As little are we informed of the continuance of this war; tho' I think we may fix the era of the Philiftiue champion's challenge in the very beginning of it: we are only told, that when David was directed by his father to go to the camp of Saul, with fome neceffary provifions for his brethren, and a prefent of ten cheefes for the captain of their thousand, he rose up early in the morning and left his flock with a keeper, and took and went as Jesse had commanded him, and came to the camp juft as both armies were going to engage: He came to the trench, says the text, as the host was going forth to fight, and shouted *The words of the original are very remarkable; But Davia going and returning from above Saul: this is beft explained by what Jofephus tells us, (lib. 6. c. 8. of his Antiq.) that the phyficians advised him to get a man to ftand over his head, (viz as he lay in bed) and play, &c. This alfo explains Saul's meffage to Jeffe, when he fent for David a fecond time, (1 Sam. xvi. 22.) Let David, I pray thee, ftand before me; in the letter of the original, at my face. In this fituation if he faw David's face, he could only fee it forefhortened, and the harp might wholly hide both his face and perfon. From this text of David's going and returning from Saul, and the account of Saul's fending for him a fecond time, I think it evident, that David never went to court, but when Saul's illness called him thither, and that he returned to his flock as soon as that was over; which is further confirmed by what we are told (1 Sam. xviii. 2.) that, after the death of Goliah, Saul took him (David, on that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. for |