XII. (1 Samuel 12:1) Samuel’s Defence of his past Career — He Rehearses the Story of Israel, and shows, in asking for an earthly King, how ungrateful the People are to the Heavenly King — The Miraculous Sign — Samuel urges them to be Loyal to God under their new Government.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAMUEL SAID UNTO ALL ISRAEL. — We believe we possess in this section of our history, in the report the compiler of these memoirs has given us of the dialogue between the judge Samuel and the elders of Israel at the solemn assembly of Gilgal, many of the very words spoken on this momentous occasi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW, BEHOLD, THE KING WALKETH BEFORE YOU. — No doubt, here pointing to Saul by his side. The term “walketh before you implied generally that the kingly office included the guiding and governing the people, as well as the especial duty of leading them in war; from henceforth they must accept his... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, HERE I AM: WITNESS AGAINST ME BEFORE THE LORD, AND BEFORE HIS ANOINTED. — I speak in a solemn presence, _“_before the Eternal,” went on the old man, looking up heavenward, “and before His anointed,” pointing with a reverent gesture to the kingly form by his side. “His Anointed” — this is the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD IS WITNESS. — Then Samuel again, with increased solemnity, called the Eternal in the heavens above and His anointed king then standing by his side to witness what the people had just acknowledged concerning his scrupulously just rule. AND THEY ANSWERED, HE IS WITNESS. — And the assembly of... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS THE LORD THAT ADVANCED MOSES AND AARON. — The Hebrew should be rendered, “even the Eternal that advanced Moses and Aaron.” The elders of Israel (1 Samuel 12:5) had with one consent cried out, in reply to Samuel’s solemn calling God and the king to witness, _He is witness._ Then Samuel takes up... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE... — Samuel proceeds in his painful work. See now, he says, we have advanced thus far in my solemn pleading. Stand up now, ye elders, while I proceed. My innocence, as your judge, you have thus borne witness to, before God and the king, yet in spite of this you have wished to be quit o... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN JACOB WAS COME INTO EGYPT. — Now, in order, Samuel rehearses the deeds of loving-kindness done for Israel by this Eternal King. And first he mentions the wonders of the Exodus, and how, under that Divine guidance, they were guided through so many dangers safe into the land of Canaan, _this plac... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY FORGOT THE LORD THEIR GOD. — The idolatry of Israel, and the immorality and shame less wickedness which ever attended it, was simply an act of rebellion against the pure government of the invisible King, and was punished by the withdrawal of the Divine protection. The instances which a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY CRIED UNTO THE LORD. — As soon as they were convinced of their sin and rebellion, and accused themselves, and returned to their old allegiance, their invisible King, ever full of pity and tender compassion, forgave them, and sent them quick deliverance. AND HAVE SERVED BAALIM AND ASHTAROTH... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SENT JERUBBAAL. — Again the speaker only names a few of the God-sent deliverers, just the most prominent of their great and famous heroes. Gideon was surnamed Jerubbaal out of scorn and derision for the Phœnician deity: “Let Baal then strive or contend with me, Gideon.” BEDAN. — This na... [ Continue Reading ]
NAHASH THE KING OF THE CHILDREN OF AMMON. — It has been suggested, with great probability, that Nahash and the Ammonites had invaded the trans-Jordanic territory of Israel in the period immediately preceding the demand addressed to Samuel for a king, and that the invasion which culminated in the sie... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE, BEHOLD THE KING WHOM YE HAVE CHOSEN. — The seer now turns from the story of the past and its sad lessons to the present. “You now have your wish — behold your king. The Eternal has seen fit to grant your petition. His — again pointing to Saul — election rests on the will of the invisi... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE WILL FEAR THE LORD... — The English Version has missed the point of the original Hebrew of this passage. It should run, “If ye will fear the Lord, &c.,... and if both ye and the king that reigneth over you will follow the Lord your God, _it shall be well with you.”_ Dean Payne Smith has well c... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF YE WILL NOT OBEY. — The English translation here, with several of the versions, accurately and happily understands the Hebrew in the sense of “as:” “as it was against your fathers.” Rabbi D. Kimchi prefers to understand “fathers” as put for “kings”: “the hand of the Lord shall be against you... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS GREAT THING, WHICH THE LORD WILL DO. — Then, to give greater emphasis to his warning words, Samuel adds: “O, ye elders, stand forth. I will show you by means of a Voice from heaven that this very asking for a king, though the Eternal has granted your prayer, is evil in His sight.” Their wishing... [ Continue Reading ]
IS IT NOT WHEAT HARVEST DAY? — The Canaan wheat harvest is between the middle of May and the middle of June. Rain in that season seldom or never falls, but if it does it is usually severe. This is the testimony of one who spoke as a resident, and his statement is confirmed by the observations of the... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR NOT: YE HAVE DONE ALL THIS WICKEDNESS. — A very great and precious evangelical truth is contained in these comforting words of the great and good seer. They show how deeply this eminent servant of the Most High had entered into the Eternal thought. No sin or course of sin was too great to be re... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEN SHOULD YE GO AFTER VAIN THINGS. — The passage is more forcible without the “for” and the words in italics supplied in the English translation. The verse without it would run thus: “Turn ye not aside after vain things which cannot profit,” &c. Singularly enough, _not one_ of the ancient vers... [ Continue Reading ]
IT HATH PLEASED THE LORD TO MAKE YOU HIS PEOPLE. — The simple doctrine of election — as far as we can see, based alone on the arbitrary will of _God_ (though, no doubt, unseen by us, deep reasons exist for every seemingly arbitrary choice) — is here enunciated. The analogy of every-day life teaches... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, AS FOR ME. — “In this he sets a glorious example to all rulers, showing them that they should not be led astray by the ingratitude of their subordinates or subjects; and give up on that account all interest in their welfare, but should rather persevere all the more in their anxiety for the... [ Continue Reading ]