BOOK II. From the election of David to be king, to his settlement on the throne over all Israel. ONE would really think, by the concern and grief that Samuel expressed for Saul's rejection, and the prayers he offered up in his behalf, that he had some hopes, upon Saul's repentance, of obtaining for him forgiveness, and establishing the kingdom in his family. But now, as God's purpose was fixed, he orders the prophet to cease his mourning, to fill his 1Sam.xvi. 1. horn with oil, and go to Jesse the Bethlehemite, amongst whose sons he had provided himself a king. The prophet showed a great deal of reluctance to go on this errand, saying, How can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill me. The Lord said unto him, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. He went, offered his sacrifice, and invited Jesse and his sons to partake of it; and finally, took his horn of oil and anointed David in the midst of his brethren. This done, he immediately departed, and returned to his usual residence at Ramaha. a How partially and injuriously hath this transaction been represented! It hath been said, that Samuel, in pursuance of his intention to make another king, goes, under pretence of a sacrifice, and anoints another shepherd boy, David, the youngest son of Jesse. But if this was entirely Samuel's own contrivance and doing, as this representation supposes, I wonder how David, the youngest son of Jesse, of all the shepherd boys in Israel, should come into Samuel's head. One would think that he had enough of boys in the first raw boy that he chose. That boy indeed, it is said, opportunely for Samuel's purpose, applied to him; but I nowhere read that David opportunely applied himself to the prophet, but that the prophet was sent to David by an authority which, contrary to his own inclination, he thought himself obliged to submit to. As for any 13. When David had been thus consecrated to succeed Saul, the 1 Sam. xvi. historian observes, that the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward, i. e. God, by the influence of his power and Spirit, inspired a disposition into David, as he had before inspired Saul after his consecration, worthy of royalty. He no longer considered himself as a shepherd, but as one destined to be a king, and was endued with courage, resolution, and prudence to fit him for the events that awaited him; and for the government of God's people whenever he should be actually promoted to that dignity. Ver. 14. 1 Sam. xvi. 16. 23. On the other hand, the sacred historian observes, that the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him; God was no longer with him to prosper and guide him; he lost the spirit of a sound mind, prudence, kingly disposition, princely behaviour, openness, fortitude, forbearance, with which God inspired him, immediately to fit him for the government, and enable him to repulse the invaders and enemies of his country, and of which he gave several remarkable proofs upon his accession to the throne. The evil spirit that came on him from or by permission of the Lord was the evil spirit of melancholy, jealousy, suspicion, hatred, envy, malice, and cruelty, that governed him all the after-part of his life, to which he gave himself up, and sacrificed every consideration of honour, duty, and interest whatsoever. And such an evil spirit will, in the nature of things, banish the spirit of a sound mind, moderation, equity, and every princely virtue, introduce an almost perpetual gloom, and dispose those who are under the unhappy influence of it to the most unwarrantable and criminal excesses. CHAP. I. David's first introduction to Saul. THIS melancholy of Saul was the occasion of David's being first introduced to him; for some of Saul's servants, observing this unhappy turn of disposition, advised him to seek out man who was a skilful player on the harp, that when his spirit was disturbed he might relieve him by his music. Saul accordingly gave orders; on which one of his attendants said, that he had seen one of the sons of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who was very expert in playing, of great strength and courage, a warlike man, an excellent speaker, comely personage, and favoured of the Lord. Saul, pleased with the character, immediately sent messengers to Jesse, desiring that the young shepherd might be sent to him. Jesse, in obedience to Saul, sends David with a present; and he so gained the affection of Saul, by frequently relieving him with his music in his fits of melancholy, that he made him his armour-bearer b, and sent to his father to desire his continuance with him. David was now full twenty years of age, and the secret of his consecration seems as yet to have been confined to his own family, since which he had continued with his father, and kept his sheep, till Saul sent for him to his court. His coming here was purely accidental, and not the effect of any plot that had been concerted by his friends in order to his promotion, of which there is not the least intimation or appearance in the history. Saul's disorder could not be inflicted on him by David or his agents. Samuel was now absent from Saul, and could not recommend him; the priests knew no more of David's consecration than Saul himself, had never been injured by Saul, and could have no interest to set up a rival to his crown. The officer that proposed the cure by music doth not seem to have heard there was ever such a man living as David; for he only advised that an inquiry should be made for one that could play well on the harp. The person that proposed David was another officer of Saul's, in actual employment and favour with him, mentioned David upon the spot, because the king needed immediate assistance, and because he knew David would be b His armour-bearer. The literal rendering of the original words, , is, bearer of the instruments or weapons. Of these there were different sorts. Some bear the shield, 1 Sam. xvii. 41; some the target and spear, 2 Chron. xiv. 8; others bucklers and swords, I Chron. v. 18. Of these bearers of arms princes and generals had many. Joab had ten, 2 Sam. xviii. 15. Saul seems to have had two thousand, and his son Jonathan one thousand, 1 Sam. xiii. 2. And David's being made armour-bearer to Saul implies no more than that he was constituted one of his guards; to bear what instrument is not particularly said. It should also be remarked, that in the account which Josephus gives of this affair, he mentions nothing of Saul and Abner's not knowing who was David's father; which probably is an interpolation in the original text, as there is some reason to suspect of all the verses of the 17th chapter, from verse 11 to the 32d. See the learned Dr. Kennicott's Dissert. ii. p. 418, &c. And thus the stumbling block will also be effectually removed; though I think the difficulty doth not want such a solution. acceptable to his master as a man of courage, and might do How long he continued with Saul after this first introduction to his court, the historian doth not mention, but only in general I Sam. xvi. that he stayed till Saul was cured of his melancholy. When the evil spirit was upon Saul, David took an harp, and played with his hand: 80 Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. He however expressly asserts 23. 15. I Sam. xvii. that David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. It is probable that upon the king's being relieved, David's father might send for him, either out of tenderness, as his youngest son, or because he needed his assistance in the management of his flocks; and that Saul himself the more readily assented to it, as Jesse sent his three eldest sons to supply David's place. Ver. 17. Ver. 11. CHAP. II. His victory over Goliah. CERTAIN it is, however, that David had left Saul and returned to his father before the Philistine war broke out, in which his conquest of Goliah acquired him a reputation and glory that was the foundation of all his future advancement. For as his three elder brethren were in the army that Saul had gathered against the Philistines, Jesse sent David into the camp to inquire after his brethren's welfare, and carry a supply of provision for them, with a present to the colonel of the regiment in which they served. He came to his brethren just as the two armies were going to engage, and, as he was conversing with them, saw Goliah appear at the head of the Philistine forces, breathing out defiance to all the men of Israel, and challenging any one of them to single combat, and to rest the decision of their quarrel upon the event of the duel. But not one amongst the Hebrews was hardy enough to accept the challenge. Terrified at his gigantic stature, they fled from him wherever he approached. Even Saul himself, as well as his men, was dismayed, and greatly afraid. But though he had not courage sufficient to engage with him in person, he had prudence enough to promise a great reward to any one I 26. that would fight him, and take off his head; viz. a present of great riches, Saul's own daughter in marriage, and the freedom of his father's house in Israel. David, upon hearing this, and inquiring further into the truth of it, plainly intimated that he would fight this Philistine. Who, says he, is this uncir- 1 Sam. xvii. cumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? Eliab, David's eldest brother, upon finding him so inquisitive about the reward that should be given to him that conquered Goliah, and dropping several intimations of his readiness to engage him, severely rebuked him; whether through fear that David would be slain in the engagement, or moved by jealousy and envy, that his youngest brother should aspire after and attain such distinguishing advancement; and said to him in a passion, Why did you come down here? and Ver. 28. with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know the pride and evil of thy heart. Your end in coming hither is not so much to inquire after us as to see the battle, and find an opportunity, if you can, to distinguish yourself in it. David calmly answered him, And what evil have I done? Ver. 29. Is not this the thing? Is not the question I have asked a proper one? Have I not a right to make this inquiry? And turning himself immediately from his brother to another person, he asked again, what should be the reward of him that conquered the Philistine. And upon receiving a confirmation of what he had been informed of before, he expressed the same desire of engaging him. The bravery of the young shepherd was immediately reported to Saul, who, as soon as he was introduced to the king, boldly said, Let no man's heart fail Ver. 32. because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. Saul was pleased with his courage, but thought it too unequal a combat to expect any great success from it, and said to him, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to Ver. 33. fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. David very modestly but prudently replied, that as he had, at two different times, slain a lion and a bear that had each taken a lamb out of his flock, and rescued his prey from their jaws, so he did not doubt but that he should as certainly vanquish the uncircumcised Philistine, see- Ver. 36, 37· ing he had defied the armies of the living God; and trusted, that as the Lord had delivered him out of the paw of the lion E |