_SAMUEL, BEING GROWN OLD, TESTIFIES HIS INTEGRITY BEFORE THE PEOPLE; REPROVES THEM FOR THEIR INGRATITUDE, AND EXHORTS THEM TO FUTURE OBEDIENCE. AT HIS PRAYER, THE LORD SENDS THUNDER AND RAIN IN HARVEST-TIME: THE PEOPLE ENTREAT HIM TO PRAY TO GOD FOR THEM, WHICH HE PROMISES TO DO._ _Before Christ 1... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAMUEL SAID UNTO ALL ISRAEL— Saul being now publicly recognised for the king of Israel, Samuel takes the occasion of this solemn meeting to appeal to the people in the presence of their king, in justification of himself and his conduct since he had been judge over them: his office ceasing of cou... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE KING WALKETH BEFORE YOU— When Samuel says, _and my sons are with you,_ he seems to mean that the sons of whom they complained are now in their hands, deprived of their public station, reduced to the rank of subjects to the king, like the rest of the people, and punishable before his trib... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SENT JERUBBAAL, AND BEDAN, AND JEPHTHAH, AND SAMUEL— Houbigant, after several of the versions, reads, _Jerubbaal, Deborah and Barak, Jephthah and Samson._ St. Paul seems to confirm this reading; for in Hebrews 11:32 he says, the _time would fail me to tell of Gideon, of Barak, of Samson, of... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW, THEREFORE, STAND AND SEE, &C.— Rain _indiscriminately_ in the _winter_ months, and _none at all_ in the _summer,_ is what is most common in the East; so it is at Aleppo, and about Algiers: and so Jacobus de Vitriaco assures us it is in Judea: for he observes, that "lightning and thunder are won... [ Continue Reading ]
_1 SAMUEL 12:21_, &C. _VAIN THINGS, WHICH CANNOT PROFIT_— Samuel in these gentle terms dissuades them from idolatry, the practice of which was as useless to themselves as it was disgraceful to God. We have a fine instance in this chapter of the pleasing comfort, and satisfaction of heart, which thos... [ Continue Reading ]