Expositions of Holy Scripture: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and First Book of Samuel, Second Samuel, First Kings, and Second Kings chapters I to VIIMaclaren, Alexander
Religion
Expositions of Holy Scripture: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and First Book of Samuel, Second Samuel, First Kings, and Second Kings chapters I to VII
The picture of the huge 'man-mountain' fallen upon his face to the
earth, a huddled heap of useless mail, recalls the words of a psalm,
'When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up
my flesh, they stumbled and fell' (Psalm xxvii. 2). Is it fanciful to
hear in that triumphant chant an echo of Goliath's boast about giving
his flesh to the fowls and the beasts, and a vision of the braggart as
he tottered and lay prostrate? Observe, too, the contemptuous
reiteration of 'the Philistine,' which occurs six times in the four
verses (48-51). National feeling speaks in that. There is triumph in
the sarcastic repetition of the dreaded name in such a connection. This
was what one of the brood had got, and his fate was an omen of what
would befall the rest. The champion of Israel, the soldier of God,
standing over the dead Philistine, all whose brazen armour had been
useless and his brazen insolence abased, and sawing off his head with
his own sword, was a prophecy for the Israel of that day, and will be a
symbol till the end of time of the true equipment, the true temper, and
the certain victory, of all who, in the name of the Lord of hosts, go
forth in their weakness against the giants of ignorance, vice, and sin.
'This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.'
A SOUL'S TRAGEDY
'And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself
wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war; and he was accepted in
the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
6. And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the
slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of
Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tabrets, with joy,
and with instruments of musick. 7. And the women answered one another
as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his
ten thousands. 8. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased
him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to
me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the
kingdom? 9. And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. 10. And it
came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon
Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played
with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's
hand. 11. And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David
even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
12. And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and
was departed from Saul. 13. Therefore Saul removed him from him, and
made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in
before the people. 14. And David behaved himself wisely in all his
ways; and the Lord was with him. 15. Wherefore, when Saul saw that he
behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16. But all Israel
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