THE reader will obferve, how finely David's indignation is painted in that hurry and impetuofity of his language, which carries him directly to the Amalekite's execution, without waiting to mention any circumstance that tended to alleviate his guilt; and yet he adds, as if he had mentioned them all at large, How much more, when wicked men have flain a righteous perfon, &c. If he put the Amalekite to death, for but barely faying that he flew Saul, even at his own command, and when his life was defpaired of, how much more should he take fignal vengeance of their united and aggravated treachery, and murder? Saul might have fome guilt in the Amalekite's eye, from his former deftruction of the Amalekites; Ihbosheth had none with regard to his murderers.

Ir is a fine reflection that fell from Darius, upon finding that Beffus was plotting against him: He told the traitor, "That "he was as well fatisfied of Alexander's

juftice, as he was of his courage: that

they were mistaken, who hoped he would "reward treachery; that, on the contrary,

no

no man was a more fevere avenger of " violated faith, than he was."

Ir was upon this principle, that Cæfar put Pompey's murderers to death; and that the Romans fent back the Falifcian fchoolmaster, under the lashes of his own fcholars.

THERE is no one villainy, the human foul fo naturally, fo inftinctively abhors, as treachery; because it is, perhaps, the only villainy, from which no man living is fecure: and for this reafon, every man must take pleasure in the punishment of it.

THE manner of David's appeal to GOD on this occafion is also very remarkable; As the Lord liveth, who hath redeemed my foul out of all adverfity -It was from GoD only, that David fought for deliverance from his enemies; and he that doth so, needeth not the aid of treachery. Even they that need it, are often obferved to punish it: they that need it not, always will. And furely vindicative juftice is then feen in its greatest glory, when it is exerted in the chastisement of

guilt committed against an enemy: for then, no mift, either of partiality or prejudice, can misguide or obfcure it.

THE fate of Ibofbeth, confidered in all its circumstances, is a fubject worthy our most ferious meditations. A prince flain by his own foldiers, puts one in mind of that obfervation of Auguftus, that It was dangerous to kave no guards, but more to have them. Here Saul's fon is flain by treachery ; —the treachery of two of his own captains, and of his own tribe; the fons of a Benjamite of Beeroth. Commentators are mightily at a lofs, why Beeroth is here mentioned, under those particular circumftances, of its belonging to Benjamin, and of the Beerothites flying to Gittaim: but I hope, the reader will have some light into the måtter, when he confiders, that Beeroth was a city formerly belonging to the Gibeonites, (within the lot of Benjamin) but most certainly not inhabited by them, when the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, after the defeat of Gilboa; for Gittaim was a Benjamite city: and had thofe Beerothites been Gibeonites, they would

*

*The expreffion in the text is remarkable.---Beeroth was reckoned to Benjamin; that is, it was numbered among the cities within their lot: but, ftrictly speaking, was the property of the Gibeonites.

+ Nehemiah xi. 33.

have

have fled to any region of the earth, rather than to the protection of the tribe of Benjamin; the tribe of Saul, the mortal enemy to their race. What then are we to infer from the flight of the Beerothites to a Benjamite city at that time, but that they themfelves were Benjamites? And how could this city be then inhabited by Benjamites, otherwise than by the expulfion and eradication of the Gibeonites, when Saul destroyed them? And what reafon was there for Saul's destroying them, but to give their poffeffions to his friends the Benjamites? And certainly there can be no doubt upon the point, when we find them, in fact, poffeffed of that city.

HERE then, the divine Nemefis is very remarkable. Saul cut off the Gibeonites, to make way for his Benjamites; and two of thefe very Benjamites, the fons of a Benjamite of Beeroth, cut off his pofterity, the chief ftay and hope of his houfe; and did this against all the dictates of duty, gratitude, and natural affection.-How adorable and how dreadful are the divine retributions of vengeance!

As

As the facred historian informs us, that David spent seven years and fix months at Hebron, and yet relates no tranfactions of that whole time, from the coronation of Ifhbofbeth to his death, except the battle of Gibeon, the reftoring of Michal, and the revolt and death of Abner; the reader's curiofity naturally prompts him to inquire, and to fearch out, if poffible, how this space was filled up. This, I own, hath been my cafe; and I imagine I have found materials on which to ground a rational conjecture upon this point, in the xith and xxviith chapters of the 1ft book of Chronicles, and the xxiiid of the 2d book of Samuel. From these three chapters it appears, that David had fettled the whole affair of his militia, the chiefs and commanders of his army, their number and order, before the battle of Gibeon.

IT appears from thence, that he had appointed twelve courses of military men for the fervice of the year; each course confifting of twenty-four thousand men, with their proper officers included, to do military duty, where-ever occafion required, one month in every year.