with the priesthood, as it was most completely in the person of Samuel himself, who, in accordance with the early signification of a Nabi, makes his appearance as a holy seer1 consecrated to the service of Jehovah; and secondly that, -in addition to auguries, the observance of times and other traces of a fully organized Sabæism which the law expressly condemns2,-the existence of similar seers and diviners is clearly implied among the neighbouring tribes of Palestine, not only in single instances like that of Balaam amongst the Moabites, but even in whole bands, like the prophets of Belus and Astarte at a somewhat later period.

Samuel, we are told, was dedicated to Jehovah as a Nazarene by his mother for ever5; and it is clear from this cir

1 Ro'eh, which, previous to this time, had been the name of a Nabi :-" Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer."-1 Sam. ix. 9.

2Neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times."—Lev. xix. 26.

"When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations."-Deut. xviii. 9.

3 "For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto the observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do."-Deut. xviii. 14.

4"And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.”—1 Kings xviii. 19.

"Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal."-2 Kings x. 19.

5 66

'And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man

cumstance, as well as from the official dress and the mode of life of the later prophets, that a tendency towards asceticism was a fundamental feature in their character, as it is to this day among the holy sages and inspired devotees of India, who wander from place to place and exercise considerable influence both on prince and people. It is with similar authority, nay even with a kind of fanaticism, that Samuel commences his career: he hews in pieces Agag the king of the Amalekites before the Lord at Gilgal1; the people fear him, and the elders of Bethlehem tremble at his coming2. He endeavours to combat the popular desire for a king, but eventually fixes on an individual who is to all appearance an unimportant shepherd, engaged in seeking his father's stray asses; he keeps him under his control, directs and blames him, urges him to war, finally rejects him when he acts with too much energy, and chooses in his stead a second shepherd (David), whom we find at a later period under the guidance of the prophet Gad3. Nathan is charged with the education of Solomon, gives him his counsel and persuades him to build the temple, while the

child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head..............But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever."-1 Sam. i. 11, 22.

1 "And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.”—1 Sam. xv. 33. Compare 1 Kings xviii. of Elijah.

2 << 'And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably ?”—1 Sam. xvi. 4.

For when David was up in the morning, the word of the Lord came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer."-2 Sam. xxiv. 11,

prophet Ahijah endeavours to excite Jeroboam'. Though the individuals we have mentioned were sufficiently distinguished from the priests officiating at the sacrifices, by their assumption of spiritual power as the proclaimers of the Divine will, yet the name of priest was still applied, and, it would seem, with equal propriety, to both2. Nathan is expressly termed a priest3, while David on the other hand calls Zadok a seer4.

The prophets were generally found at the places which were accounted the most holy; thus, for instance, Ahijah was at Shiloh, even after the building of the temple; occasionally they assembled in companies (as when Samuel appeared at their head), uttering prophecies to the sound of music. But at that time the whole institution would

1 1 Kings xi. 26-40.

2 Compare the following verses :

"And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that that is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine Anointed for ever."—1 Sam. ii. 35. "And all Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, know that Samuel

was established to be a prophet of the Lord."-1 Sam. iii. 20.

3

Zabud the son of Nathan the priest was the king's friend."1 Kings iv. 5. [From Luther's translation.]

4" The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art thou not a seer, return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you."—2 Sam. xv. 27.

5" And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.”—1 Kings xiv. 2.

6 "After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy.”—1 Sam. x. 5.

'And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed

seem to have been in its infancy, and Samuel himself had evidently not assumed a distinguishing dress, since he was not recognized by Saul when he was in search of him1. Moreover it is expressly stated, with reference to the time of Eli, that in those days no prophecy was given. Again, no one could hope to receive an answer unless he brought a present in his hand for the seer3; and to consult him was considered so important, that it was termed, in the popular language, 'to inquire of God,' and was usual on private1 as well as on public occasions. The answer of the oracle was evidently directed by the prophet, and thus the lot fell on Saul, after he had been already chosen as the king by Samuels. Hence it appears that the history of Hebrew prophecy may be compared, in its general features, with that of the oracles of the ancient Greeks.

In both

cases the responses and decisions were originally directed for the advancement of the public good, or, according to the expression of the Grecian myth, were dictated by Themis (or Justice) herself; whereas in later times deceit.

over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied."-1 Sam. xix. 20.

1" Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is."-1 Sam. ix. 18.

2 "The word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.”—'ein chazon niphra' [no divine revelation: Gesenius, Lex. art. chazon.]-1 Sam. iii. 1.

3" Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we ?"-1 Sam. ix. 7.

4"And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses."-1 Sam. ix. 3.

5 "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."-1 Sam. x. 20, 21.

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INFLUENCE OF PROPHECY.

and corruption too often usurped her place; for as Kleomenes among the Greeks, and subsequently the relatives of Pausanias and Lysander, succeeded in bribing the Delphian oracle,—as Alexander dragged the reluctant Pythian priestess to the tripod, and Demosthenes openly accused her of "Philippizing," so in like manner the later Hebrews complained of false prophets who sold their oracles for money1.

The prophets, whose inspired discourses are preserved to us, appeared, almost without exception, in the reigns of pious princes who were zealously engaged under their advice in purifying the popular worship. Thus under Hezekiah, or immediately before him, we find Hosea, Joel, Isaiah, Micah, and perhaps Nahum and the original Zachariah; and under Josiah, after the interval of almost a century, we hear of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Obadiah, Habakkuk and Zephaniah. These two periods may be justly regarded as the most brilliant and critical æras in the history of Hebrew civilization, for everything great and good which the nation has accomplished (and their achievements have not been slight) may be traced to the early influence of prophecy.

"Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams, which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophecy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord."-Jerem. xxix. 8, 9.

"And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak."-Num. xxii. 7.

"And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak?"-Num. xxiv. 12, 13.

See also many other passages.