ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

CH A P. VI.

The Rife and Effects of Saul's Enmity to David. Merab promised to David, and given to another.

DAVID, now continuing at court, was

employed by Saul on various occafions: and, as he still acquitted himself wifely, Saul, in fome time, fet him over his men of war; that is, as it is commonly understood, made him captain of his guards. But this degree of favour lafted not long; for now Saul's envy and malignity returned ftrong upon him with his evil spirit. The occafion was thus:

As Saul returned in triumph from the Philiftine war, the women from all the cities in Ifrael came to meet him, to congratulate his conquefts with fongs, and various inftruments of mufic; and, as they fang together, they blended the praises of Saul and David in their chorus: but with this diftinction; Saul hath flain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

THE haughty heart of Saul could ill digeft this preference; his refentment brought back all his black paffions into his breaft, and refitted him for the poffeffion of the evil spirit: And Saul was wroth (fays the text), and the faying dif pleafed him; and he faid, They have afcribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have afcribed but thousands, and what can he

have more but the kingdom?—And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil Spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophefied in the midft of the house. From hence it is evident, that the expreffion of prophefying is applicable to the influence either of evil or good fpirits: and it is applied, both by Plato and Plutarch, to the agitations of the Sibyls, and other enthufiafts, who were, as the Heathens expressed it, poffeffed by the god; fo that the very Heathens afcribed fuch agitations to a fupernatural agency.

THUS much is certain: Saul's mind was now disturbed to fuch a degree, that David's music had no more power over him *. This quickly appeared; for, as he played to calm him, Saul determined upon his deftruction, and, watching his opportunity, with a javelin in his hand, darted it at him: which David (with ́a felicity exceeding that of Dioxippus) twice declined: then, being fufficiently warned of his danger, he avoided Saul's prefence.

SAUL'S envy now began to be haunted with terror. That a man fo excellent at his weapons as he was, fhould now twice mifs his aim, and at fo near a diftance, had fomething in it very extraordinary! And it was very natural for him to think this could not be, without a remarkable interpofition of Providence in David's behalf. Such an interpofition must be for fome extraordinary end; and what end could that fo probably be, as his designation to royalty? he knew

*To this, poffibly, may allude that paffage in the lviiith Pfalm;Which refuse to hear the voice of the charmer, &c.

his kingdom was given away to a better man than himself (the prophet had exprefly declared that): And who was fo probably this better man, as the man whom all Ifrael preferred to him?

FULL of this fear, he removes David from him, by an honourable exile: he made him captain over a thousand; but where, or at what distance, is not faid. All that we know is, that here alfo David behaved himself with remarkable prudence and good conduct; which, inftead of reconciling Saul to him, ferved only to inflame his fears the more: Wherefore (fays the text) when Saul faw, that he behaved himself very wifely, he was afraid of him: but all If rael and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them. He headed them in all their expeditions with a bravery and a conduct equally diftinguifhed: greatest in command, yet greater in his example! which naturally won the affections of the people to him; infomuch that it might be faid, with great truth, of him and his mafter Saul, what was afterwards ob. ferved of Tiberius and Germanicus, that the one reigned in the hearts of the people, the other only in the provinces.

Ir were hard to paint out the diftempered ftate of Saul's mind, under the continued feries of David's fucceffes: the fight rack'd him; but, at the fame time, he had fagacity enough to derive fome confolation from it. David, it is true, was often successful; but it did not follow, that he must always be fo: he had prudence, prowefs, and conduct; but all these are often dif

appointed

appointed and defeated in their best-laid schemes. What means then fo likely to deftroy him, as flattering him in his good fortune, and inflaming his vanity to yet higher and bolder attempts? What human heart is proof against flattery well conducted? and what fo likely to point it right, as the profpect of the king's alliance? And now Merab, the king's eldest daughter, is promised to him in marriage, on condition of his exerting all his fortitude, in the defence of his master and his country, against the enemies of GoD and them.

THIS was the bait laid for his deftruction. Had Saul killed David when he attempted him with his javelin, his madness might have pleaded his defence. Nor was David then fo thoroughly established in the affections of the people; fuch an attempt muft now be attended with more hazard: nor could it be acquitted of deliberate defign; and therefore this other method was fixed upon: And Saul Jaid unto David, Behold my eldest daughter Merab; her will I give thee to wife; only be thou valiant for me, and fight the Lord's battles: for Saul faid, let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philiftines be upon him.

DAVID'S anfwer to this tempting promife, is to me, I own, no ill prefumption of his being fwayed by fomething more than human: And, indeed, what lefs than fome heavenly influence could fer the foul of an obfcure youth, fuddenly exalted, fo far above the reach of the

highest

highest and strongest temptations *! He did not, indeed, decine the honour propofed to him; that prudence and decency forbad: but he did more; inftead of claiming or even accepting it as his right, he declined all appearance of pretending to it on the score of merit: And David faid unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father's family in Ifrael, that I should be fonin law to the king? It is true, he had often hazarded his life in the fervice of his prince: but what was fuch a life as his, compared with the honour of fuch an alliance?

How far he merited this honour by his fubsequent behaviour, is no-where particularly told us; and, indeed, was unneceffary to be told, being fufficiently implied in thofe characters of prudence, wifdom, and valour, which diftinguifhed his whole conduct. However, we are informed, that, when the time came for conferring it, Saul moft fhamefully violated his promife, and gave Merab to another, to Adriel the Meholathite.

THIS indignity and disappointment seem to be attended with all the circumstances that could heighten both. Probably, the match was delayed, to endear it the more; and when David's hopes were at the height, (and, it may be, his affection fixed) they were dashed at once.

It is finely obferved of the courts of tyrants, that in them favours are wont to come flow,

* She was due to him before (fays the learned Doctor Trapp) by promise, for killing Goliah; yet he that twice inquired into the reward of that enterprize before he undertook it, never demanded it after that atchievement.

and

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »