may be destroyed, and turned into ashes; wiyes, children and friends may be dead. Those who have often gone out and come in, and found their families in peace at their return, should be thankful to God for his preserving care. Let us always consider such enjoys ments as precarious; and boast not of tomorrow, since we know not what a day may bring forth.

2. Let good men learn of David, to encourage themselves in the Lord their God, in the most distressing circumstances. His grief was as great as theirs, and additional troubles fell upon him through their insolence and outrage. He was charged as the author of all this mischief: but he encouraged himself in the power and providence of God, who had often appeared for him, and had promised to bring him to the throne; the recollection of this kept up his spirits. Let us all seek an interest in God as our God, then shall we have a sure refuge when trouble comes. Good men should not be cast down, but hope in God. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings whose heart is fixed trusting in the Lord.

3. The cruelty of the Amalekite to his poor servant, should fill our minds with abhorrence of every degree of cruelty, even to the meanest servant and dependant. Those have the spirit of Amalekites, and not Israelites, who forsake their servants in distress, and turn them sick into the wide world, or take no care of them when old and disabled. A merciful man regardeth the life even of his beast, much more of his fellow creature; but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruelty. Humanity and compassion are graces well becoming christians, especially those in higher stations of life. May we therefore put on, as the elect of God, bowels of compassion.

4. See how soon destruction may come upon those who seem most secure and most merry. The Amalekites were all cheerful and jovial, eating and drinking, and dancing; they expected no danger to be near, when the blow came upon them, and destroyed them almost all. Such is the case of sensual sinners; they apprehend no danger, and put far off the evil day. Eating, drinking, and dancing, have been the soft and pleasant ways by which multitudes have gone down to the congregation of the dead; and when they said peace and safety, lo! sudden destruction came upon them. Let us then always be upon our guard; for while we indulge sensual inclinations, our spiritual enemies will gain an advantage over us. Let us take heed to ourselves, lest our hearts be at any time overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, or the cares of this life, and that awful day come upon us unawares.

CHAP. XXXI.

Saul having lost his army, and his sons being slain, he and his ar mourbearer kill themselves, and the Philistines triumph over the dead carcasses.

1

NOW

OW Saul had no sooner returned to the camp at Gilboa, than the Philistines fought against Israel and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in 2 mount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons, who commanded the army; supposing that if these were dispatched they would not rally again; and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Abinadab, and Melchishua, Saul's sons. By this, a wise Providence made way for David's settlement; Jonathan had many friends, and might have been a great hind3 rance to his peaceful establishment. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wound4 ed of the archers. Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, having no hope of escape, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me, make sport with me as they did with Samson. But his armourbearer had so much respect for him that he would not; for he was sore afraid therefore Saul took a sword, and fell 5 upon it. And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, 6 he fell likewise upon his sword and died with him. So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, his household servants and guard, that same day together.

7

8

And when the men of Israel that [were] on the other side of the valley of Jezreel, and [they] that [were] on the other side Jordan, (rather on this side Jordan, as the word may be rendered,) saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Phi-, listines came and dwelt in them.

And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons 9 fallen in mount Gilboa. And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish [it in] the house of their idols, and among the people. They sent both the head and the armour, as we read in 1 Chron. x. 10. to inform the people of the victory, and to be hung 10 up as a trophy of it in the temple of Dagon. And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body and the bodies of his sons to the wall of Bethshan, exposing them 11 to public shame. And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead 12 heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul: All the

valiant men arose, and, in return for the kindness he had done them (ch. xi. 11.) went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh; and because their flesh was putrified, and so could not be embalmed, and to prevent the Philistines getting them again into

13 their power, they burned them there. And they took their bones, and buried [them] under a tree at Jabesh; where they lay till the end of David's reign, when he buried them in the sepulchre of Kish, the father of Saul; and out of respect to Saul, they fasted seven days, that is, till the evening of each day. Thus ended the history of this unhappy monarch. See Hosea xiii. 10, 11.

1.

WE

REFLECTIONS.

E may here observe the horrors of a guilty conscience, and the miserable end of a selfdeceiving sinner. Saul had a long combat with himself; his doom had been foretold by Samuel's apparition; and he is here brought to a miserable end. Every aggravating circumstance attended it; full of horror and despair, he basely and in the most cowardly manner destroys himself; and all with a design to keep his body from being abused by the Philistines. There was no sign of care about his soul; he died as he had lived, a terror to himself, and to all about him. Now his many sins find him out. See here the consequence of disobedience to God's commandments, and his righteous judgments upon one of the greatest of men, when he proved profligate and perverse. It is a warning to us, that we may fear the Lord, and walk in the way of his

commandments.

2. Victory and success should always be ascribed to God. So the Philistines thought; though their's were such poor gods, that they did not know what was done a few miles off. This shows the sense which men have of the reasonableness of acts of public homage to their supposed deliverers. Whatever success we meet with, we should say, Not unto us, not unto us, O Lord, but to thy name be the glory.

3. Respect is due to the remains of the dead, especially deceased princes. A concern to rescue the remains of Saul and his sons, was for the honour of Israel. In general, the relation between kings and their people is so intimate, that the disgrace of the one is a reflection on the other. If these men were so resolute, and undertook so hazardous an expedition, to rescue their dead bodies from shame, how willing should we be to hazard our fortunes or lives for the person or reputation of a good king, under whose shelter we are safe and happy. Finally,

4. We may learn this useful lesson, not to put our trust in princes. I said, Ye are gods, but ye shall die as men. They not only die, but often die miserably. Happy is the man who hath the God of Jacob for his help, who trusts in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.

VOL. III.

I

The Second Book of SAMUEL,

CALLED BY THE SEVENTY,

The Second Book of KINGS.

INTRODUCTION.

IT is called the Second Book of Samuel, because it gives an account of the fulfilment of what he foretold. It is the history of David's reign, and contains a period of about forty years. The author was very probably Nathan or Gad. See 1 Chron. xxix. 29.

CHAP. I.

In which we have the intelligence of Saul's death brought to David; the manner in which he received it ; and the noble elegy which he composed on the occasion.

1.

No

3

OW it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and 2 David had abode two days in Ziklag; It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head, in the habit of a mourner: and [so] it was, when he came to David, that he 3 fell to the earth, and did obeisance. And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Qut of the 4 camp of Israel am I escaped. And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are ~, dead also. He only mentioned Saul and Jonathan, as the persons 5 about whom David was chiefly concerned. And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and 6 Jonathan his son be dead?* And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear, endeavouring to run himself through with it; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

He asks this, because it was not so easy to know, in the confusion of battle, who were slain, and it was a matter of great moment to be satisfied in this.

-7. And when he looked behind him, to see if any of his guards were 8 near, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here

[am] I. And he said unto me, Who [art] thou? And I an9 swered him, I [am] an Amalekite. He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me, add thy force, that the spear may enter in; for anguish is come upon me, because my life [is] yet whole in me; or, as the margin renders it, my coat of mail, or my embroidered coat, hindereth me, so that my life is yet 10 whole within me. So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen; he probably saw indignation rising in David's countenance, and therefore adds, that he did it out of pity and kindness: and I took the crown that [was] upon his head, and the bracelet that [was] on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.*

11. Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and 12 likewise all the men that [were] with him: And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.t

43 And David, when the transports of his grief were over, said

unto the young man that told him, Whence [art] thou? and he 14 answered, I [am] the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. And

David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth 15 thine hand to destroy the LORD's anointed? And David called one of the young men of his guard, and said, Go near, [and] fall And David said 16 upon him. And he smote him that he died. unto him, Thy blood [be] upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD's anointed. 17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul,, and 18 over Jonathan his son :|| (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah [the use of] the bow :** behold, [it is] written in the book of Jasher; probably a book or historical poem containing the 19 memorable events of the nation.) The beauty of Israel, the

Saul was the first who wore these ensigns of royalty; and it is hardly probable that he wore them in battle. They might either be carried by some who attended him, or be left in his tent, which the Amalekites no doubt plundered. It is observable that he mentions nothing particular concerning Jonathan's death; as knowing that would be a disagreeable subject to David.

The Amalekite expected to have some considerable reward, but he was greatly disap pointed, see ch. iv, 10. Instead of seeing transports of joy in David and his men, behold, weeping and great lamentation, and many tears, for Saul, and for Jonathan, that generous, brave, worthy man, and for the calamities of his countrymen and friends. Consequently, the expressions of desiring the ruin of his enemies, and of triumph over them, were not from a spirit of revenge, but predictions that it should be so.

Though this account was false, (see 1 Sam. xxxi. 5.) yet David knew it not then, and might reasonably suppose him guilty on his own confession; it was therefore a very proper step, being just in itself, and necessary to vindicate his own innocence; for had he rewarded him, or suffered him to go unpunished, it might have been said that he had employed him. It was necessary to ingratiate himself with the people, and deter others from such practices, and to secure respect to the person of kings, especially the Lord's anointed. It is remarkable, that an Amalekite should bring that crown, which Saul had forfeited by sparing the Amalekites.

This Elegy discovers a fine genius, and an excellent spirit; the original is written in verse, that it might be more affecting, and better and longer remembered.

This verse comes in as a parenthesis. David might think the defeat of the Israelites was occasioned by the want of more bows; especially as the Philistines were very skilful archers; the children of Judah lived next to them, and therefore it was proper for them to learn the use of the bow.