按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
being； as travelers assure us； and was known by this very name in
the days of Josephus； and has been known by the same name in all
those past ages。 See Antiq。 B。 VII。 ch。 12。 sect。 4。
（21） See this justly observed in the Apostolical Constitutions；
B。 VII。 ch。 37。； that Samson's prayer was heard； but that it was
before this his transgression。
（22） Although there had been a few occasional prophets before；
yet was this Samuel the first of a constant succession of
prophets in the Jewish nation； as is implied in St。 Peter's
words； Acts 3：24 〃Yea； and all the prophets； from Samuel； and
those that follow after； as many as have spoken； have likewise
foretold of those days。〃 See also Acts 13：20。 The others were
rather sometime called righteous men； Matthew 10：41； 13：17。
Book 6 Footnotes
（1） Dagon； a famous maritime god or idol； is generally supposed
to have been like a man above the navel； and like a fish beneath
it。
（2） Spanheim informs us here； that upon the coins of Tenedos； and
those of other cities； a field…mouse is engraven； together with
Apollo Smintheus； or Apollo； the driver away of field…mice； on
account of his being supposed to have freed certain tracts of
ground from those mice； which coins show how great a judgment
such mice have sometimes been； and how the deliverance from them
was then esteemed the effect of a divine power； which
observations are highly suitable to this history。
（3） This device of the Philistines； of having a yoke of kine to
draw this cart； into which they put the ark of the Hebrews； is
greatly illustrated by Sanchoniatho's account； under his ninth
generation； that Agrouerus； or Agrotes； the husbandman； had a
much…worshipped statue and temple； carried about by one or more
yoke of oxen； or kine； in Phoenicia； in the neighborhood of these
Philistines。 See Cumberland's Sanchoniatho； p。 27 and 247； and
Essay on the Old Testament； Append。 p。 172。
（4） These seventy men； being not so much as Levites； touched the
ark in a rash or profane manner； and were slain by the hand of
God for such their rashness and profaneness； according to the
Divine threatenings； Numbers 4：15； 20； but how other copies come
to add such an incredible number as fifty thousand in this one
town； or small city； I know not。 See Dr。 Wall's Critical Notes on
1 Samuel 6：19。
（5） This is the first place； so far as I remember； in these
Antiquities； where Josephus begins to call his nation Jews； he
having hitherto usually； if not constantly； called them either
Hebrews or Israelites。 The second place soon follows； see also
ch。 3。 sect。 5。
（6） Of this great mistake of Saul and his servant； as if true
prophet of God would accept of a gift or present； for foretelling
what was desired of him； see the note on B。 IV。 ch。 6。 sect。 3。
（7） It seems to me not improbable that these seventy guests of
Samuel； as here； with himself at the head of them； were a Jewish
sanhedrim； and that hereby Samuel intimated to Saul that these
seventy…one were to be his constant counselors； and that he was
to act not like a sole monarch； but with the advice and direction
of these seventy…one members of that Jewish sanhedrim upon all
occasions； which yet we never read that he consulted afterward。
（8） An instance of this Divine fury we have after this in Saul；
ch。 5。 sect。 2； 3； 1 Samuel 11：6。 See the like； Judges 3：10；
6：34； 11：29； 13：25； and 14：6。
（9） Take here Theodoret's note； cited by Dr。 Hudson： … 〃He that
exposes his shield to the enemy with his left hand； thereby hides
his left eye； and looks at the enemy with his right eye： he
therefore that plucks out that eye； makes men useless in war。〃
（10） Mr。 Reland observes here； and proves elsewhere in his note
on Antiq。 B。 III。 ch。 1。 sect。 6； that although thunder and
lightning with us usually happen in summer； yet in Palestine and
Syria they are chiefly confined to winter。 Josephus takes notice
of the same thing again； War； B。 IV。 ch。 4。 sect。 5。
（11） Saul seems to have staid till near the time of the evening
sacrifice； on the seventh day； which Samuel the prophet of God
had appointed him； but not till the end of that day； as he ought
to have done； and Samuel appears； by delaying to come to the full
time of the evening sacrifice on that seventh day； to have tried
him （who seems to have been already for some time declining from
his strict and bounden subordination to God and his prophet； to
have taken life…guards for himself and his son； which was
entirely a new thing in Israel； and savored of a distrust of
God's providence； and to have affected more than he ought that
independent authority which the pagan kings took to themselves）；
Samuel； I say； seems to have here tried Saul whether he would
stay till the priest came； who alone could lawfully offer the
sacrifices； nor would boldly and profanely usurp the priest's
office； which he venturing upon； was justly rejected for his
profaneness。 See Apost。 Constit。 B。 II。 ch。 27。 And； indeed；
since Saul had accepted kingly power； which naturally becomes
ungovernable and tyrannical； as God foretold； and the experience
of all ages has shown； the Divine settlement by Moses had soon
been laid aside under the kings； had not God； by keeping strictly
to his laws； and severely executing the threatenings therein
contained； restrained Saul and other kings in some degree of
obedience to himself； nor was even this severity sufficient to
restrain most of the future kings of Israel and Judah from the
grossest idolatry and impiety。 Of the advantage of which
strictness； in the observing Divine laws； and inflicting their
threatened penalties； see Antiq。 B。 VI。 ch。 12。 sect。 7； and
Against Apion； B。 II。 sect。 30； where Josephus speaks of that
matter； though it must be noted that it seems； at least in three
instances； that good men did not always immediately approve of
such Divine severity。 There seems to be one instance； 1 Samuel
6：19； 20； another； 1 Samuel 15：11； and a third； 2 Samuel 6：8； 9；
Antiq。 B。 VI。 ch。 7。 sect。 2； though they all at last acquiesced
in the Divine conduct； as knowing that God is wiser than men。
（12） By this answer of Samuel； and that from a Divine commission；
which is fuller in l Samuel 13：14； and by that parallel note in
the Apostolical Constitutions just now quoted； concerning the
great wickedness of Saul in venturing； even under a seeming
necessity of affairs； to usurp the priest's office； and offer
sacrifice without the priest； we are in some degree able to
answer that question； which I have ever thought a very hard one；
viz。 Whether； if there were a city or country of lay Christians
without any clergymen； it were lawful for the laity alone to
baptize； or celebrate the eucharist； etc。； or indeed whether they
alone could ordain themselves either bishops； priests； or
deacons； for the due performance of such sacerdotal
ministrations； or whether they ought not rather； till they
procure clergymen to come among them； to confine themselves
within those bounds of piety and Christianity which belong alone
to the laity； such particularly as are recommended in the first
book of the Apostolical Constitutions； which peculiarly concern
the laity； and are intimated in Clement's undoubted epistle；
sect。 40。 To which latter opinion I incline。
（13） This rash vow or curse of Saul； which Josephus says was
confirmed by the people； and yet not executed； I suppose
principally because Jonathan did not know of it； is very
remarkable； it being of the essence of the obligation of all
laws； that they be sufficiently known and promulgated； otherwise
the conduct of Providence； as to the sacredness of solemn oaths
and vows； in God's refusing to answer by Urim till this breach of
Saul's vow or curse was understood and set right； and God
propitiated by public prayer； is here very remarkable； as indeed
it is every where else in the Old Testament。
（14） Here we have still more indications of Saul's affectation of
despotic power； and of his entrenching upon the priesthood； and
making and endeavoring to execute a rash vow or curse； without
consulting Samuel or the sanhedrim。 In this view it is also that
I look upon this erection of a new altar by Saul； and his
offering of burnt…offerings himself upon it； and not as any
proper instance of devotion or religion； with other commentators。
（15） The reason of this severity is distinctly given； 1 Samuel
15：18； 〃Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites：〃 nor
indeed do we ever meet with these Amalekites but as very cruel
and bloody people； and particularly seeking to injure and utterly
to destroy the nation of Israel。 See Exodus 17：8…16； Numbers
14：45； Deuteronomy 25：17…19； Judges 6：3； 6； 1 Samuel 15：33；
Psalms 83：7； and； above all； the most barbarous of all cruelties；
that of Haman the Agagite； or one of the posterity of Agag； the
old king of the Amalekites； Esther 3：1…15。
（16） Spanheim takes notice here that the Greeks had such singers
of hymns； and that usually children or youths were picked out for
that service； as also； that those called singers to the harp； did
the same that David did here； i。e。 join their own vocal and
instrumental music together。
（17） Josephus says thrice in this cha