INTRODUCTION.-This Lesson consists of a speech delivered by Samuel to the tribes assembled at Gilgal to "renew the kingdom," ch. xi. 14, 15. In it he formally resigns the judgeship he had held so long in favour of Saul; vindicates his administration; again shows the nation its sinfulness in demanding a king; and declares the conditions upon which Jehovah will forgive the past, and continue to support and bless both king and kingdom.

SAMUEL'S VINDICATION OF HIMSELF. -V. 1-5. Samuel was now full seventy years old. He had been God's prophet ever since he was a little child waiting on Eli in the tabernacle. He had discharged the office of judge between forty and fifty years. At the request of the people, another was succeeding to his rule. It was fit that they should testify to his impartiality and integrity. My sons are with you,— proofs of my age. Before the Lord, and before His Anointed, -now the visible representative of God upon earth. Behold, here I am..and I will restore it you, he challenges the nation to convict him of violence to any man, of enriching himself at any man's cost, of taking a bribe to pervert justice. All the faults mentioned were common among the rulers of the East; too often they regarded their office simply as a means of benefiting themselves. The people answer, acquitting Samuel in every particular, Thou hast not, etc. Then Samuel calls, and the multitude accept God as witness that they have not found aught in his hand-anything unjustly acquired, that needed to be restored. Thus Samuel comes forth with honour from the trial on which he had placed himself. Mark how long he had been in a public position, observed of all Israel; yet he could defy any man to find ground of righteous accusation against him! Let us

try so to behave that those who watch us most closely may not be able to find fault with us justly. Apply specially to positions of trust, etc. Samuel had not won this testimony by flattering the people, by overlooking their vices; many a time he had reproved sin boldly and sternly, and, doubtless, had given offence by so doing; but now the people bear solemn and unanimous witness to the spotlessness of his public character. To act uprightly, as in God's sight, is the surest way to obtain the respect of men. What a comfort such a retrospect and testimony would be to Samuel as he laid down his office! Always keep a good conscience, Acts xxiv. 16: note, "toward God" before "toward men.'

THE REMONSTRANCE AND THE SIGN. -V. 6-18. The prophet had already warned the elders of their wickedness in desiring a king. When? Wherein did the sin lie? Now he briefly recapitulates God's dealings with His people, to demonstrate that He did not merit rejection at their hands. [The teacher should question the scholars as to their knowledge of the events referred to.] Jerubbaal,—Gideon, Judges vii. 1. Bedan,*-a judge, of whom there is no other mention in Scripture; so Jael is mentioned once only, Judges v. 6. Samuel is here indicating not his own exploits, but what the Lord had done for Israel by him; the main deliverance wrought by him is recorded ch. vii. 9-14. From ver. 12 it appears that fear of Nahash had been one motive that prompted the request for an earthly sovereign. These punishments and restorations Samuel calls righteous acts, ver. 7; by them God had fulfilled His covenant to bless Israel when faithful, to chastise them when disobedient. This covenant the appointment of a king had not altered in the slightest degree, ver. 15. God

VOL. IX. NEW SERIES.-May, 1874.

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would be guided by the same principles as those on which He had acted since the exodus from Egypt. These principles He acts upon now with reference to all of us. No difference of time, or place, or circumstances alters this great principle of God's government; obedience to Him is rewarded, disobedience punished. Only now, often though not always, we wait for reward or punishment till we have left this world. To confirm the truth of his words Samuel worked a miracle. He prayed, and the Lord sent thunder and rain. Yet it was wheat-harvest, which usually lasts in the Holy Land from the middle of May to the middle of June. With us, showers are not infrequent during harvest; in Palestine they were as uncommon as snow in summer," Prov. xxvi. 1. Supernatural thunder was a sign of Divine displeasure, the voice of God in anger, see Exod. ix. 28, and its Margin. And all the people, etc.,-the effect of the miracle: such honour God put upon the man who had served Him from his childhood. Samuel's early piety was one cause of the favour God showed him.

ENCOURAGEMENT AND WARNING.V. 19-25. The terrified people beg for Samuel's prayers, that their sins, specially that they committed in asking them a king, might be pardoned. They feared God was about to take immediate vengeance on them. The thunder brought other sins to their mind as well as the particular one on account of which it was sent. So, at the day of judgment, all our sins will be brought to our remembrance. In Samuel's answer note, (1) he does not palliate Israel's sin, although he begins with Fear not. No real comfort can ever arise from concealing truth: (2) he exhorts Israel, spite of their sin, to cleave to God.

A convicted sinner's first im

pulse is to flee from God; it is a wrong, a foolish impulse; for (3) if Israel should forsake Jehovah, they could only follow vain things, idols that could not help them, could not deliver them from either the sin or its punishment. If we forsake God, we add to our wickedness; if we turn to Him, He will forgive it. (4) The reason he alleges why God will not forsake His people; for His great name's sake. They are His people. His character, His honour are pledged that He will make those His people who, make Him their God; see Deut. xxvi. 17, 18; 2 Cor. vi. 16-18. Then (5) Samuel promises to continue to pray for them always, and to teach them the good and the right way. He remained a prophet, though he ceased to be supreme judge. The greatest benefit holy men and women can confer upon us, is to pray for us and teach us. Let us ask for and value their prayers, give heed to their teaching. "The good and the right way" is the way of God's commandments; it is a pleasant road to travel, and leads to heaven. Lastly, Samuel repeats the exhortation and warning he had given before. Let us consider what great things God has done for us. From this section we may learn a lesson against continuance in evil for consistency's sake. A child resolves to serve and please God. He sins: Satan tries to persuade him he must cease his effort to be good, and keep on sinning. Nay, he should turn afresh to the Lord, Who will forgive his failures, and help him in future against similar temptations to the one through which he has fallen. A boy is in a sulky or passionate temper; he persists in it, though he knows he is wrong; he thinks it is manly to continue in that which he has begun. Other illustrations will occur to teachers.

INTRODUCTION. The teacher may sketch the probable condition of affairs after the renewing of the kingdom. The people were sent home, after Saul had chosen a small standing army of three thousand men. This force he divided into two bodies, (ver. 2,) with the intention of watching the Philistines, and, if possible, checking their inroads.

They still possessed a considerable portion of Israel's territory, and seem to have been constantly enlarging their borders. The victory of Jonathan (ver. 3) was the occasion of the gathering of both Israelites and Philistines. Michmash was about nine miles north of Jerusalem; Gibeah of Benjamin was Saul's own city, half-way between Jerusalem and Mich

mash; Bethel six miles north-west of Michmash, twelve north of Jerusalem; Geba lay south-west of Michmash.

THE TWO ARMIES.-V. 5-7; 19— 22. The Philistines were soldiers, well disciplined, thoroughly equipped. They were, moreover, very numerous, strong in that which was most important in the warfare of the time, cavalry and chariots. Saul had retreated to Gilgal; the Philistines pitched their camp in Michmash, which the Hebrews had occupied before. Doubtless the Philistines were proud of their array, confident of victory. The Israelites gave way to miserable cowardice and unbelief. Many, instead of joining Saul's army, hid themselves wherever they could find a place of concealment. Some actually fled across the Jordan. All this was done before the Philistines had won a battle, nay, after Jonathan had defeated them in Geba! Even those that followed Saul were ready to flee at a moment's notice, they followed him trembling. Yet there was some little excuse for them; for the Philistines had disarmed them, and had taken captive every blacksmith, lest he should forge weapons for the Hebrews. The implements of agriculture must be carried to the Philistine garrisons to be sharpened, where perhaps the captive smiths were permitted to work in sight of their masters. Mattock,-spade. The success of this policy is described, ver. 22.

Yet the Israelites had the same weapons with which they had defeated the Ammonites, bows, slings, ox-goads, Judges iii. 31. "In fact, there were a hundred things which might be turned into efficient weapons in the hands of brave and resolute men, before the use of fire-arms was known." Above all, they had the Lord, their God. (The Morning Lesson for Oct. 26th, 1873, furnishes a very instructive parallel and contrast.)

SAUL DOETH FOOLISHLY.-V. 8-14. Read ch. x. 8. Now Saul is at Gilgal; he is, therefore, bound to wait the seven days for Samuel. Six days have passed; Saul has looked most anxiously for the prophet's arrival. He could not fight till the sacrifice had been offered, and God's blessing entreated upon Israel's arm. Yet his forces were hourly melting away, and the

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few that remained were growing more and more dispirited. The seventh day had almost ended, and still no sign of Samuel's coming. The people were wondering at the prophet's absence, perhaps thinking he would never come at all. Then the king, impatient of the delay, offered the sacrifices himself, thus violating God's commandment. Scarcely was the burnt-offering finished, when, before the peace-offering could be begun, Samuel appeared. After hearing Saul's justification of himself, he pronounced sentence, ver. 13, 14. His son shall not succeed to his throne; the kingdom shall be transferred to a man after God's own heart. Saul was such a monarch as the nation would have chosen; the next king should be God's own choice. To understand Saul's sin, we must bear in mind that Jehovah had not installed Saul as chief ruler of Israel in His place, but had appointed him only His deputy. The relation of the human king to the Divine King was something similar to that of the Viceroy of India, or the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland to our Queen. It was his duty to carry out God's orders, nothing more. By the mouth of the prophet, the Lord had charged Saul to wait till Samuel came. The delay to the last moment was designed as a trial of the king's faith and obedience. Had he been faithful, the Lord would have established his kingdom upon Israel for ever: his descendants would have inherited the throne till they themselves rebelled. He disobeyed, and thus forfeited the throne not only for himself, but also for his family. One of Saul's crimes, then, was direct disobedience to God. Another was impatience; he would not wait God's time. A third was presumption; he took upon him that to which he had no right,-to order the offering of the sacrifices. A fourth was unbelief; he might have known God would not forsake him so long as he was obedient. Unbelief was the source of all the other faults. In what words does Samuel describe his conduct? Thou hast done foolishly. Hence we learn that all the sins mentioned above, as indeed all sins, are foolish as well as wicked. There is no good to be got by sin.

"What lost the king his regal power?
The want of patience for an hour:

And who for Christ refuse to stay
With patience, cast their souls away;
The cross they hastily lay down,
And forfeit an immortal crown."

C. Wesley. We can all see that Saul was foolish; perhaps we are as foolish as he; though no one may charge us with our folly now, we may discover it, like Saul, when it is too late. Let us pray that God would open our eyes to the foolishness of sin. What good have you learned of Saul in previous Lessons? Remember specially his humility, and how "God gave him another heart." How soon his faithfulness fails under trial! Hosea vi. 4. The rising sun dries up the dew. Goodness is of little worth that cannot endure temptation and testing.

VER. 15, 16 inform us of the state of

affairs after the breaking up of the camp at Gilgal. Saul and Jonathan, with six hundred men, were at Gibeah; the Philistines remained at Michmash whence (ver. 17, 18) bands issued, and traversed the country in a north-easterly, a westerly, and a south-easterly direction. Ver. 23 is introductory to the next Lesson. The Philistines pushed forward a strong outpost to the passage, or pass, of Michmash; thus, as they thought, rendering their position secure. Mark how few men the king could keep together. His hastiness had not prevented the dispersion of his forces. His sin was not even immediately and temporarily profitable. Very often God causes sin to be useless. No human schemes can succeed without His sanction, Ps. cxxvii. 1.

THE SITUATION.-V. 2-5. Where did we leave the Philistines? Where Israel? These verses describe Saul's position more accurately. He had pitched his tent under a pomegranatetree, some very large well-known tree which was in Migron, northward of Gibeah. The following quotation will help the teacher to realise the scene: "About seven miles north by east from Jerusalem, is a steep, precipitous valley, extending east and west. North of this valley, which is called in 1 Samuel xiii. 23, the passage of Michmash,' (now, Wady-es-Suweinit,) lay the Philistine host, which had established a garrison, or advanced post, upon the high promontory or angle formed by the intersection of another valley extending north and south. Upon the heights, about a mile on the southern side of the same passage of Michmash, stood Geba, from which Jonathan had lately expelled the Philistine garrison, and which Saul and Jonathan now occupied with not more than six hundred men. * Michmash, (now Mukhmas,) which gave name to the passage, and where the Philistine outpost was stationed, and Geba, (now Jeba,) therefore, were

separated by this valley, and were then, as now, in sight of each other. In this 'passage,' near the point where the other valley intersects it, are two hills of a conical, or rather spherical shape, having steep rocky sides, with small wadys [valleys] running up behind each, so as almost to isolate them. One is on the side towards Jeba, and the other on the side towards Mukhmas."-Kitto.

JONATHAN'S RESOLVE.-V. 1, 6—10. Saul's little army did not increase. The Philistines were triumphant; Israel's cause seemed hopeless. But one man understood the reason of their misfortunes. The hand of God was against them on account of their lack of faith and patience. Doubtless Jonathan had pondered their position long and earnestly. Could he do anything to revive Israel's sinking trust and courage? He had struck one blow successfully; perhaps God would enable him to strike another. He will try. He communicates his design to his armour-bearer. It is nothing less than to storm the Philistines' outpost at the pass of Michmash. He will not ask for volunteers,-a "forlorn hope," ready to risk their lives for