was rapidly increased by a number of Hebrew captives, who seized the opportunity of effecting their escape, and by many of those who had fled to the mountains for safety, but now came out to share the honors of a battle which God had evidently given into the hands of his people. This victory would have been more complete had not the king unadvisedly adjured his followers to take no refreshment in their pursuit, saying, " Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged-on mine enemies." Jonathan being ignorant of this imprecation, and quite weary with the day's toil, refreshed himself with a little honey which he found in passing through a wood; and his transgression was afterward discovered by the urim, upon which his father declared he should be put to death. This sentence, however, was unanimously opposed by all the army, who swore that not a hair of his head should be injured, in consideration of the great deliverance which had resulted from his extraordinary valour, under the blessing of his God.

After this victory, Saul made such prudent arrangements, and received such important acquisitions of strength, that he not only continued to triumph over the Philistines, but also fought, with great success, against the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, and other idolatrous nations. He also led a numerous army against the Amalekites, and, in obedience to the Divine injunction, ravaged their country without mercy. However the king, Agag, and the best of the cattle, were spared by the conqueror, who upon this account was severely re primanded by Samuel, and assured that God would now rend the kingdom from him, and give it to a person who should prove more tractable and obedient.

This heavy sentence had such an effect upon the king, that he confessed his fault, and only requested that, for decency sake, the prophet would accompany him whilst he paid his adorations to the Almighty. Samuel complied with this request, and caused the royal Amalekite to be brought before him, in order to recompencé his cruelties upon his own head. Accordingly, having upbraided him with his former tyranny and thirst of slaughter, he hewed him in pieces before the Lord at Gilgal : he then returned to the place of his residence, where he continued mourning for Saul, till he was reproved by his Maker, and commanded to go to the house of Jesse, in Bethlehem, in order to anoint a new king over Israel instead of Saul, who had incurred the sentence of positive rejection.

B. C.

Pursuant to this command, Samuel took a 1063. young heifer with him under pretence of offering a sacrifice, and went to the house of Jesse, where he caused all the sons of the favored Hebrew to pass before him. When he beheld the eldest he exclaimed, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him ;" but God. rejected him, as he did also several others in their turns. Samuel then demanded whether these were all the sons ; and, on hearing that there was a stripling who tended, his father's sheep, he caused him to be immediately brought into the house, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren.

Shortly after this interesting occurrence, Saul began to be tormented with an evil spirit, or, as some have imagined, with a deep melancholy, to dispel which he was advised to have recourse to the fascinating charms of music. This counsel was readily accepted, and the youngest son of Jesse, being celebrated for his perform

ance on the harp, was immediately engaged as the minstrel. Accordingly when the king began to exhibit any signs of indisposition, he exerted himself to rouse his attention, and swept the tuneful strings with such pathos, skill, and sweetness, that the malady was soon removed, and David had leisure to return to the care of his flocks.

On a fresh declaration of war between Israel and the Philistines, the former took the field, under the conduct. of their prince, and formed an encampment by the valley of Elah, while the latter pitched their tents at Ephes-Dammim, between Shocoh and Azekah,

Whilst the two armies lay thus encamped, on either side the valley, a Philistine warrior, whose height was upwards of twelve feet eight inches, whose coat of mail weighed one hundred and eighty nine pounds Troy, and whose spear head weighed two and twenty of the same pounds, advanced in brasen armour, and with threatening gestures, to challenge any individual of the Israelitish host to decide, by single combat, which of the nations should rule, and which obey: but the Hebrews were so effectually terrified at his menaces and gigantic stature, that he repeated it in vain every morning and evening for forty days. At length young David, (being sent to the camp to enquire after his brethren, and hearing that Saul had promised his daughter as a reward to the man who should slay this opponent) resolved to perform the exploit, which no other individual of his nation had the courage to attempt. His brethren were highly incensed at his remarks on the occasion, and even treated him with unpardonable roughness; but he persisted in his design, and presented himself before the king, with these remarkable words: " Thy servant

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kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock; and I went out after him and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, because he hath defied the armies of the living God." In consequence of this representation, Saul consented that the young shepherd should make an attempt for the deliverance of Israel, and caused him to be equipped with a brasen helmet and a coat of mail. These, however, proved so cumbersome that David immediately laid them aside, and chose five smooth stones, out of a brook, with which he advanced toward the gigantic Goliath.

The proud warrior, perceiving a ruddy youth approaching toward him with no other weapons than a staff, a sling, and a shepherd's bag, was enflamed with fury, and exclaimed, "Am I a dog that thou comest against me with staves?" Then, cursing him by his gods, "Come hither," said he, " and I will give thy

flesh to the fowls of the air, and the beasts of the field.” David was by no means alarmed at this threat, but boldly answered, "Thou comest to me with a sword, a spear, and a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day, therefore, will the Lord deliver thee into my hand, and I will smite thee, and take thy head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the field, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel: and all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with

sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands." Goliath, enraged be

yond endurance at these assertions, stepped forward to punish the presumption of his opponent; but before he could reach him, a stone from David's sling sank into his forehead, and felled him to the ground. The youthful victor immediately decapitated the prostrate giant with his own sword, and carried off the enormous head in triumph, while the Philistines quitted their camp in the utmost confusion, and the Israelites pursued them, with prodigious slaughter, to the very gates of Gath and Ekron.

This brilliant achievment gave birth to the most ar'dent friendship between David and Jonathan, insomuch that the inspired historian tells us, "their souls were knit together," and David himself observes, on another occasion, that their love exceeded the love of women. But Saul's admiration was soon converted into jealousy, by a company of females, who imprudently extolled the young shepherd above him, in their triumphant songs, saying, that Saul had slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. From that time the king regarded David with an envious eye, and contrived various expedients to destroy him; but all his cruel projects were defeated, and he had the mortification to find that his new son-in-law continued to augment his splendid conquests, and to endear himself to the tribes of Israel.

David, having narrowly escaped assassination, withdrew first to Ramah, and afterward to Naioth, to acquaint Samuel with his cruel persecution. He had not -long been in this place, before his royal adversary sent messengers to apprehend him; but, instead of execut