CHA P. XXV.

The Battle of Mount Gilboa.

THE reader will, I believe, now think it high time, that we refume the thread of our hiftory, as far as it relates to Saul.

SAUL, as I humbly apprehend, was not long returned to his camp before the Philistines attacked it, and, after fome time, gained it. There is no doubt but that he and his fons made all the refiftance that might be expected from fuch great captains, and fuch valiant men; but to no purpose: when the Philistines had once forced their intrenchments, they bore down all before them.

AFTER a confiderable flaughter, the Ifraelites fed; and Saul and his fons fled with the reft, but in vain; for the enemy preffed so close upon them, that Jonathan and his brethren * were flain. Saul was yet alive, but faint, weary, and wounded; and, defpairing to outgo his purfuers, he called to his armour-bearer to difpatch him, left he fhould fall alive into the enemy's hands: Draw thy fword, (faid he) and thrust me through therewith, left thefe uncircumcifed thrust me through, and abuse me: which his armour-bearer dreading to do, he himself took the sword, and fell upon it, and

Abinadab and Malchishua.

died; and his armour-bearer quickly followed his example, and died by his fide,

No fooner did the Ifraelites of the adjacent vale fee the battle go against Saul, but they de ferted their cities in the utmost confternation; which the Philiftines quickly seized.

WHEN the Philistines came the next day to ftrip the flain, the text tells us, they found Saul and his fons fallen upon mount Gilboas and they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and fent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among their people, that public thankf givings might be made to their gods throughout the whole country.

His head they faftened in the temple of Dagon, after they had ftript off the hair and flesh; and they put his armour in the house of Afhteroth (thefe were their great idols, different in fhape, but agreeing in the lewd ceremonials of their worship); and his body they fastened to the wall of Beth-fhan; as they did thofe of his fons alfo., How they difpofed of their heads and arms, is not faid; but it is to be prefumed, that they alfo were difpofed of in like manner with thofe of their father.

I AM now at leisure, and I hope the reader is fo too, to make fome reflections upon this battle; and to confider fome objections in relation to the preceding hiftory.

IN the first place, then; I think it evident, from many concurring circumftances, that Saul was now attacked in his camp.

IN the next place; I think it is as evident, from the tenor of the hiftory, that he could not be long returned to his camp, before the Philiftines attacked it.

AND, thirdly, I think it highly probable, that they were encouraged to this attempt, by fome fecret information of Saul's having ftolen out of the camp the evening before, with his general, (for Abner is fuppofed to have been one of his attendants) and another person: ift, Because an intelligence of that kind was not hard to be had; and, 2dly, Because the having it was the ftrongest encouragement to fuch an attempt.

Is

THAT Saul was attacked, is, I think, not obfcurely intimated in the text, 1 Sam. xxxi. 1. Now the Philiftines fought against Ifrael. it not evident from hence, that they began the fight? (and fo interpreters understand it *) especially confidering, that the word here rendered fought, might as properly have been tranflated affaulted.

THE text adds; And the men of Ifrael fled, and fell down in mount Gilboa. From hence also I think it evident, that Saul was attacked

* Pugnaffe dicuntur Philifæi, quia ipfi ultro priores Ifraelitarum copias invaferunt. Menoch. Poli Synopfis.

in his camp; for he was encamped upon Gilboa; and the battle was fought there, and the flaughter and the fight began there; whereas, had he attacked the Philiftines, the battle had been fought at Shunem, where they were encamped.

WHAT puts this matter out of all doubt, is, the account of Saul's death, brought to David by the Amalekite, who is faid to have come out of the camp from Saul. Now he came from where Saul lay dead; and therefore, fince he came from Saul's camp, Saul died in his camp. And here we fee the furprising exactnefs with which Samuel's prediction was fulfilled, when he told Saul, that on the very next day he should die, and his camp be taken: Alfo the camp of Ifrael fhall the Lord deliver into the hands of the Philiftincs.

IT is allowed, that they who attack, have this advantage; that as the attempt is prefumed to arife from fuperior courage, and confidence of fuccefs, the army attacked are, for the most part, intimidated by it, and are apt to fly, upon the leaft advantage gained against them. It is natural to reafon, that if they could not keep off an enemy, with the advantage of their trenches, and other fences of their camp, they muft be unable to deal with them upon equal terms.

THIS, in all probability, was the cafe of Saul, and his army, who now partly fell, and partly fled from the Philiftines: Saul and his fons filed with the rest, and were hotly purfued. It is not to be imagined, as I before obferved, that fuch

brave men as they were, could allow them. felves to fly, before they had ufed their utmost efforts to repel the enemy. However, as Saul was warned of his fate, and as there is no doubt but he was defirous to elude it, he fled and it is evident enough from the history, that he fled before his fons; for they (who, it is to be prefumed, were as fwift as he) were firft overtaken, and flain, and the enemy had not yet reached him; when, seeing them in hot pursuit, and utterly despairing to escape, he called to his armour-bearer to dispatch him, as was now related.

HERE Jofephus, in the fulness of his national fpirit, runs out into high encomiums upon Saul, and would fain fet him off as a confummate hero, and perfect pattern of patriotifm, who, knowing he was to die, expofed himself and his family to deftruction, and thought it glorious to die fighting for his country: but, in truth, there is not the leaft foundation for this high-flown panegyric.

WHAT his fecret intentions were, is hard to fay but it is evident to a demonstration, that his fate was not the effect of choice; for it was forced upon him; he being, as I before observed, attacked in his camp, before he had any time to take any measures either for his own, or the common fafety: and, when he found the battle going against him, he fled as fast and as far as he could; and, when he could fly no farther, he killed himself out of cowardice, for fear of falling alive into the hands

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