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to another family. And now the former part of the divine denunciation was fulfilled, by Saul's unparalleled cruelty; and the lat ter, in a way which belongs not to this history to explain,

CHAP. XIV.

The Siege of Keilah raised by David, and the Philiftines defeated. What Return the Men of Keilah intended to make him for this Benefaction.

TH

HE perfon mentioned in the last chapter to have escaped from the flaughter of the priests, was Abiathar the fon of Abimelech. The most probable account of this escape, is thus, that being left to keep the fanctuary, whilft his father and the rest of the priests went to wait upon Saul, (for it was not to be imagined, that the tabernacle was left wholly unattended by any one of the order at that time) he, upon the first notice of their deftruction, made his escape; and having no other recourse, fled to David for protection, to whom he related the deftruction of the LORD's priefts.

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DAVID received him, as he was bound to do the son of his benefactor, and friend of whose destruction, and that of his whole house, he had been the unhappy occafion : And David faid unto Abiathar, (1 Sam. xxii. 22, 23.) I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would furely tell Saul: I have occafioned the death of all the perfons of thy father's houfe. Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that feeketh my life, Seeketh thy life; but with me thou shalt be in fafeguard.

DAVID knew that their enemy and their danger was the fame: but he had firm trust in GOD, that he should, in the end, be fafe delivered from that enemy; and therefore promised Abiathar his protection with greater

confidence.

On this occafion he compofed the liid pfalm; which begins in the ftyle of a man filled with indignation and forrow, and breaks out into the justeft and bitterest question that ever was put to tyrants! Why boafteft thou thyself, man of power*, that thou canst

*This tranflation is more literal, and more agreeable to the decency of David's ftyle, who was careful to avoid the least appearance of disrespect, in all his treatment of Saul

do

do mischief; whereas the goodness of God is from day to day?

A KING is the reprefentative of GoD upon earth; and his duty, to imitate the Divine Goodness! to protect, and to bless.--A tyrant reverses this glorious resemblance; and employs that power, to all the purposes of mischief, which was only bestowed for those of beneficence.

I AM fenfible, that interpreters understand this pfalm, as relating only unto Doeg; and I own, the greater part of it relates folely to him: but, with great fubmiffion, this firft verfe, which I think can only relate to Saul, fufficiently proves, that he also was glanced at, as he well obferved.

DAVID's next adventure is, I think, one of the nobleft of his whole life, and, perhaps, the most extraordinary of any recorded in history!

THE Philiftines (probably encouraged by David's difgrace, and Saul's distraction) invaded Judah, and befieged Keilah, wasting the country all around it. Another man in David's place would have rejoiced at this invafion, and, perhaps, encouraged it; and this both from felf-prefervation and policy:

his

first, because he had nothing to fear for himfelf, whilft Saul had fuch an enemy upon hands; and secondly, because the distress of his country was the likelieft means to bring Saul to reason, and force him to recal, and be reconciled to his best champion. But David was governed by other than these narrow views! nor fafety nor honour were defirable to him, purchased by the distress of his country, and his friends. His bofom beat with an eager defire to relieve Keilah: but it was not an adventure to be unadvisedly undertaken; and therefore we are affured (1 Sam. xxiii.) that he enquired of GoD, faying, Shall I go and fmite these Philistines ?

THIS is, to me, one of thofe paffages of Scripture that give evidence of their own truth. None but a hero could put the queftion! and none but GoD could refolve it: And the Lord faid unto David, Go and fmite the Philiftines, and fave Keilah.

Bur ftill his men thought the undertaking too desperate, and loudly disclaimed it, saying, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah; how much more then, if we come to Keilah, against the armies of the Philistines?

THEY

THEY had more than difficulty enough to defend themselves against Saul, where they were; and could it be less than madness, to provoke more and greater armies ? Doubtless Saul would fend forces to beat off the Philiftines, and then they should be pent in between two hoftile armies. And yet, notwithstanding all this, David undertook and atchieved the adventure; which it was impoffible he should, against fuch fears, and fuch reasonings of his forces, from any motive, other than the affurance of divine protection and aid. Which fully confirms the Scripture account of this matter, that he did not undertake it until he had, for the fuller fatisfaction of his affociates, again confulted, and was again affured of fuccefs by the divine oracle; or, to speak more properly, by the interceffion of the prophet Gad; for Abiathar, who had the ephod, had not yet reached him.

DAVID'S fuccefs on this occafion, was very extraordinary; he faved the city, and the inhabitants; he delivered the country all around from the ravages of the enemy; he fmote the Philistines with a great flaughter, and brought away their cattle: by which

means

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