away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.

And now behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be esta blished in thine hand.

Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.

And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home: but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

And Samuel died: and all the Israelites were gathered together and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the

wilderness of Paran.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

In the countries inhabited by the Iraelites there were many large caves, partly natural, and partly enlarged by art, for the shelter of sheep from the heat of the sun; the cave at En-gedi was one of these. Saul being wearied with the pursuit, turned into this very cave to rest, and it is probable indulged himself with a short repose. David had now an opportunity of putting an end to his fears, and, had he followed the dictates of human policy, he certainly would have complied with his friends' advice; but he was actuated by nobler principles trust in GoD and respect for his sovereign; under whose banner he would gladly and courageously have encountered a host of Philistine foes, but he feared to lift up his hand against the LORD's anointed; and rather chose to endure all the miseries of persecution and exile, than advance himself to the throne till it should please GOD to call him to it.

We

We find that David felt remorse for having even put an affront upon his King. How must Saul have been astonished, when he heard the voice of David, ad-dressing him in terms of kindness as his king and father; holding in his hand such a convincing proof that he meant him no ill, but, on the contrary, was resolved not to be his own avenger. His pathetic speech was irresistible: and even Saul's hard heart was for a while softened; tears of gratitude streamed from his eyes, his lips uttered blessings on his generous adversary, and he acknowledged that David was more righteous than: himself.

David, willing to give every possible proof of his in-tegrity, took the oath which Saul required, and most religiously observed it: but, as Saul had so frequently violated his solemn engagements, David did not desire an oath in return; neither did he suppose that Saul's penitence and reconciliation would be lasting: but he had ample cause to praise the LORD for his goodness, in supporting his mind under such a conflict, which had procured him the highest gratification a generous heart can know, that of returning benefits for injuries. Having escaped* this danger, and got safely out of the cave, he composed the following Psalm †.

Be merciful unto me, O GOD, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, under the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

I will cry unto Gon most High: unto God that performeth all things for me.

He shall send from heaven and save me from the re

Chandler's Life of David.

+ Psalm lvii.

proach

proach of him that would swallow me up; GOD shall send forth His mercy und His truth.

My soul is among lions, and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

Be thou exalted, O GOD, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.

They have prepared a net for my steps, my soul is bowed down; they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves.

My heart is fixed, O GOD, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise.

Awake up my glory, awake psaltery and harp; I myself will awake early.

I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.

For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.

Be thou exalted, O GOD, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.

"Samuel had been the judge of Israel about 40 years, and having ruled with so much integrity and justice, no wonder that his death was universally lamented. He was buried at his own house; for there were no places of public sepulture in those days: sepulchres were mostly in fields and rocks. He was attended by all Israel to his grave; and many hundred years after his remains were removed with equal solemnity from Ramah to Constantinople, by the Emperor Arcadius.

"As Saul was so tyrannical, and David in obscurity, the people were very ill-governed; so that they had

* Delany's Life of King David.

sufficient

sufficient reason to lament the loss of this holy man, who had been devoted to God from his very birth, had made the service of the LORD, and the welfare of his people, his business and his pleasure. An enemy to avarice and ambition, Samuel had set aside his own sons, as they were unworthy, and elected two strangers in succession to the 'supreme command. So far was he from envying his successor in the government, that he pitied and prayed for him. It were hard to determine, which was happiest, Samuel's life or his death. He lived to the noblest purposes; the glory of GoD, and the good of his country: and he died full of years, and universally lamented."

"Such was Samuel! Such always was, and such always will be, in a good measure, the end of all those whose beginnings are laid in true religion; whose duty is their delight, and whose GoD their glory."

SECTION LXXXII.

DAVID SENDETH TO NABAL FOR PROVISIONS-IS DAVID'S ANGER ABIGAIL'S INTERPO

REFUSED

SITION.

From 1 Samuel, Chap. xxv..

AND there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats; and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail; and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance; but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

And David heard in the wilderness, that Nabal did shear his sheep.

And

And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.

And now I have heard that thou hast shearers; now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there aught missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes; for we come in a good day; give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand, unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.

And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now-a-days that break away every man from his master.

Shall I then take my bread and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be?

So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.

And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword; and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.

But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the

wilderness