no silver nor gold No money compensation could expiate Saul's offence. Money-compensation for murder is allowed by the laws of most nations in a primitive stage, e.g. of the ancient Germans (Tac. Germ.21); the Anglo-Saxons; and the Arabs of the present day. It was expressly forbidden by the Mosaic Law (Numbers 35:31-32), because a mere money fine is insufficient to enforce strict regard for life, and such a custom may easily be abused by the rich. See Mozley's Lectures on the Old Testament, p. 207 ff.

neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel Our cry for vengeance is against the house of Saul, and not against the nation at large.

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