PERIOD V. FROM THE ANOINTING OF SAUL TO THE DEATH OF SOLOMON. B.C. 1095-B.C. 975. 120 years. Containing the History of the Monarchy.-The Anointing of Saul-His Disobedience-The Anointing of David-His Persecutions and Wanderings-The Death of Saul-The Accession of David-His Conquests-The Birth of Solomon -The Rebellions of David's sons-The Preparations for the Temple-The Anointing of Solomon-The Death of DavidThe Building of the Temple-The Wisdom, Prosperity, Offences, and Death of Solomon. 44. Saul is anointed King. 1 Samuel ix.-xii. A man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, had a son, named Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly; and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he. The 'asses of Kish were lost, and Saul was sent, with one of his father's servants, to seek them. Samuel met Saul. God had told Samuel the day before, that he was about to send him the man whom he had chosen to be king over Israel; and he now informed Samuel that Saul was the man. Samuel told Saul that the asses were 'found, and that on him was all the desire of Israel. Saul abode with Samuel that day. The next day, before Saul departed, Samuel took a vial of oil, and "poured it on Saul's head, saying, "The LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance." He then told Saul that when he left him he should be met by a company of prophets, and that the Spirit of God would come on him, and he should 'prophesy. your Samuel assembled the people together at Mizpeh,34 and said, "Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt,5 and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you; and ye have this day 'rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us." And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken. When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken. When Saul stood among the people, he was higher than any of them from his shoulders upwards, and when the people saw him, they shouted; "God save the king." Samuel wrote the laws of the kingdom in a book, and sent the people away. Saul went home to Gibeah,34 and a band of men with him, whose hearts God had 'touched. But the 'children of Belial despised Saul. The Ammonites made war against Jabesh-gilead ;34 but Saul raised a large army of Israelites, and went against them and conquered them. The people went with Samuel to Gilgal,30 and they made Saul king before the Lord; and there they offered sacrifices of peace-offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. When Samuel was old and gray-headed, he said to all Israel, "Behold, here I am; witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed; whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you." And they said, "Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand." Afterwards, to show the people their wickedness in asking for a king, he called unto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, which was the time of harvest; and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. EXPLANATIONS. choice, &c.-tall, well-formed, and manly looking. asses, &c.-those lost by Kish. "who was a mighty man of power," or substance, were doubtless of a valuable race. None but the great and wealthy of the land possessed asses of this kind. found, &c.-the fact was either communicated to Samuel by inspiration, or, it might be, that the animals fell under his own observation, and that some one in the neighbourhood knew to whom they belonged. abode, Sc.-at Ramah, where Samuel resided. Les. 43. oil-this was probably that particular composition prescribed by divine authority. Exod. xxx. 22-33. poured, &c.-the anointing of rulers was specifically prescribed, and after the establishment of the monarchy it was performed by a priest. It was sometimes done in private (as in this instance) by a prophet, to indicate to the person anointed the honour which was designed for him. told Saul, &c.-to confirm his faith in the declaration of Samuel, that he was chosen to reign over Israel. company of prophets-societies of men who resided together while under the instruction of a prophet. From these men God generally called his inspired messengers. prophesy-probably be able to join without previous training, in the sacred chants of the fraternity. rejected your God-the government of the Israelitish nation was purely theocratic; hence their sin in demanding the kingly form. It was exchanging confidence in an invisible ruler, for the advantage of a visible head. See 'refused.' Les. 43. taken-that is, by lot. the laws, &c.-these referred not to offen ces, but to the conditions on which the people were willing that Saul should reign. They included limitations to the royal power, as well as abridgements of popular liberty. home, &c.-his residence was about twenty miles from Ramah. touched-inspired; stirred up with patriotism and martial zeal; made willing to serve under Saul. children of Belial-worthless and lawless men, who regarded settled authority with displeasure. made Saul king-this was done at Gilgal where stood the twelve stones taken out of Jordan by Israel after they had passed over. Les. 30. his anointed-the king; a term applied to the kings of Israel; especially to those in the line of David. thunder, &c.-coming in answer to prayer, and not in the season when thunder is frequent; it was supernatural. CONTEMPORARY CHARACTERS. ABIEL-the father of Kish, and also the father of Ner, whose son, Abner became captain of the host to his cousin, Saul, KISH-the father of Saul; he dwelt in Gibeah, and was both a shepherd and a warrior. NAHASH-the king of the Ammonites, he made war against Jabesh-gilead, and required the people, as a sign of their submission to him, to allow their right eye to be thrust out, but they were helped by Saul, and the Ammonites were subdued with great slaughter. QUESTIONS. Tell me what you know about the family of Kish. Describe Saul's appearance. Samuel. Upon whom did the lot fall? Over whom did Saul first obtain a victory? By what sign did Samuel show them that they had erred in asking for a king? PRECEPTIVE LESSONS. There is a sequence in the events respecting the loss and recovery of the asses of Kish which appears natural and common-place, but they were brought about by the controlling providence of God, without whom not a sparrow falls to the ground. God honoured Israel's newly appointed king by a victory, thus graciously giving him favour in the eyes of the nation. Samuel's final address presents a beautiful picture of an upright judge; may the judges and magistrates of our land be like him, and like him, may we all keep ourselves free from corruption and dishonourable conduct. 45. Saul is Reproved. David is Anointed. 1 Samuel xiii.-xvi. 13 Saul gathered the people together at Gilgal,30 and he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed; but Samuel came not, so he offered a burnt-offering24 to God. It was not lawful for Saul to do this, and when Samuel came at the end of the seven days, he reproved him, and said, "Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee; for now would the LORD have established 'thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue; the LORD hath sought him ‘a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee." The Philistines at this time overran the country. Jonathan, the son of Saul, and his armour-bearer went into their garrison, and slew twenty men; the Philistines were alarmed, and they slew each other. Saul had adjured the people to eat nothing that day; but Jonathan had not heard his father's curse, and had eaten a little honey. When Saul found that Jonathan had tasted food, he would have put him to death, to fulfil his oath; but the people rescued Jonathan, who had that day wrought a 'great salvation for Israel. Samuel commanded Saul to go and destroy the Amalekites utterly. Saul allowed the Kenites to depart, because they had shown kindness to the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt. He then smote the Amalekites, but he spared Agag the king, and the best of the sheep and oxen. When Samuel came to Saul he reproved him for his disobedience. Saul said the people had saved the best of the cattle for "Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt-offerings. Samuel replied, burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of . Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath Samuel commanded Agag to be also rejected thee from being king." brought to him. Agag came delicately, and said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." Samuel 'then slew Agag, after reproaching him with his many cruelties. rams.. Samuel mourned for Saul's disobedience. God told him he would send him to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for he had chosen one of his sons to be When Samuel saw Eliab, the eldest, he king. Jesse had eight sons. thought the Lord had chosen him, but the Lord told Samuel he had not. Abinadab, Shammah, and the rest of Jesse's sons, except the youngest, passed before Samuel, but the Lord had not chosen any of them. Samuel's command, Jesse sent for David, who was with the sheep. When Samuel saw him, the Lord told him to arise and anoint him. Samuel anointed him there, and 'the Spirit of the Lord came upon David. At EXPLANATIONS. he offered, &c.-it appears that he did this himself, and thus presumptuously rushed into the sacred office, though he was neither priest nor prophet. By this act Saul seemed to make a claim to exercise the priestly office, as kings did in other countries, although the kingly and priestly offices had been separated by the law of Moses not to be united again except in the person of the Messiah. foolishly-rashly, blameably. Saul had given indications of the disposition which in the end proved his ruin. thy kingdom...for ever-the honour of royalty would have been transmitted from father to son to all generations. shall not continue-shall not be hereditary. Saul had manifested his unfitness to be the founder of a race of kings. hath sought, &c.-implying care in the selection, speaking after the manner of men. a man after his own heart-one not under the influence of impious expediency. One who would literally obey under all circumstances. captain, &c.-the idea of military greatness is necessarily involved in that of a king. The Israelitish sovereigns were 'captains' under the Lord, "the king of Israel." the people-made them promise to an oath which he pronounced, under the penalty of a curse. eat nothing-not only to save the time, but to show their heart-felt zeal in the cause of their country and their God. great salvation-through his instrumentality a panic had seized the Philistines, so they fled. Their rout was therefore a "great salvation," for it was effected without the risk and loss of a battle. utterly-this allowed of no exception. allowed, &c.-friendly feelings subsisted between the Kenites and Israel, arising from the connexion of Moses with this people. See 'Kenite,' Les. 35. p. 77. delicately-or rather cheerfully. Agag felt confident that no authority could be higher than that of the king whose clemency he had experienced. bitterness...) past-having been spared by the conqueror. then slew, &c.-or rather caused to be slain. The safe protection of Saul was of little avail when the supreme authority was wielded by another; as Saul was under the direction of Samuel, so his engagements were subject to reversal by the higher authority. the Spirit, &c.-a patriotic elevation of soul, corresponding to his future prospect of responsibility and greatness. CONTEMPORARY CHARACTERS. AGAG--the king of the Amalekites whom Saul saved, and by this act of disobedience to the divine command, caused his own rejection. Agag was cut off not only for his merciless cruelties, but also for the sins of his ancestors. JESSE the grandson of Boaz and Ruth; he had eight sons the youngest of whom, David, God had appointed to be king after Saul, as declared by Samuel. ELIAB-the eldest of Jesse's sons, he reproved David for leaving his sheep in the wilderness, and going after his brothers to the camp of Saul. PRECEPTIVE LESSONS. We are taught in this lesson that those who are raised to any important office ough t conscientiously to discharge its duties, without interfering with the duties of others; Saul had no right to assume Samuel's office. There is evidence of Saul's rashness of character in his adjuration to his soldiers not to eat; restraints which would interfere with national liberty or natural wants should not be imposed by those in power. There is a solemn responsibility on those in authority to be faithful in all things, Saul failed to fulfil the commission he had received against Amalek. We are not to judge from outward appearance, David was not such a man in external form as Saul, but he was the man after God's own heart. We must learn to estimate men for their virtues. |