patriarchs and prophets-第142节

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withdrawn。　He　was　brought　back　to　the　congregation；　who　observed　with　pride
and　satisfaction　that　he　was　of　kingly　bearing　and　noble　form；　being　〃higher
than　any　of　the　people　from　his　shoulders　and　upward。〃　Even　Samuel；　when
presenting　him　to　the　assembly；　exclaimed；　〃See　ye　him　whom　the　Lord　hath
chosen；　that　there　is　none　like　him　among　all　the　people？〃　And　in　response
arose　from　the　vast　throng　one　long；　loud　shout　of　joy；　〃God　save　the　king！〃

Samuel　then　set　before　the　people　〃the　manner　of　the　kingdom；〃　stating　the
principles　upon　which　the　monarchial　government　was　based；　and　by　which　it
should　be　controlled。　The　king　was　not　to　be　an　absolute　monarch；　but　was　to
hold　his　power　in　subjection　to　the　will　of　the　Most　High。　This　address　was
recorded　in　a　book；　wherein　were　set　forth　the　prerogatives　of　the　prince
and　the　rights　and　privileges　of　the　people。　Though　the　nation　had　despised
Samuel's　warning；　the　faithful　prophet；　while　forced　to　yield　to　their
desires；　still　endeavored；　as　far　as　possible；　to　guard　their　liberties。

While　the　people　in　general　were　ready　to　acknowledge　Saul　as　their　king；
there　was　a　large　party　in　opposition。　For　a　monarch　to　be　chosen　from
Benjamin；　the　smallest　of　the　tribes　of　Israeland　that　to　the　neglect　of
both　Judah　and　Ephraim；　the　largest　and　most　powerfulwas　a　slight　which
they　could　not　brook。　They　refused　to　profess　allegiance　to　Saul　or　to　bring

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him　the　customary　presents。　Those　who　had　been　most　urgent　in　their　demand
for　a　king　were　the　very　ones　that　refused　to　accept　with　gratitude　the　man
of　God's　appointment。　The　members　of　each　faction　had　their　favorite；　whom
they　wished　to　see　placed　on　the　throne；　and　several　among　the　leaders　had
desired　the　honor　for　themselves。　Envy　and　jealousy　burned　in　the　hearts　of
many。　The　efforts　of　pride　and　ambition　had　resulted　in　disappointment　and
discontent。

In　this　condition　of　affairs　Saul　did　not　see　fit　to　assume　the　royal
dignity。　Leaving　Samuel　to　administer　the　government　as　formerly；　he
returned　to　Gibeah。　He　was　honorably　escorted　thither　by　a　company；　who；
seeing　the　divine　choice　in　his　selection；　were　determined　to　sustain　him。
But　he　made　no　attempt　to　maintain　by　force　his　right　to　the　throne。　In　his
home　among　the　uplands　of　Benjamin　he　quietly　occupied　himself　in　the　duties
of　a　husbandman；　leaving　the　establishment　of　his　authority　entirely　to　God。

Soon　after　Saul's　appointment　the　Ammonites；　under　their　king；　Nahash；
invaded　the　territory　of　the　tribes　east　of　Jordan　and　threatened　the　city
of　Jabesh…gilead。　The　inhabitants　tried　to　secure　terms　of　peace　by　offering
to　become　tributary　to　the　Ammonites。　To　this　the　cruel　king　would　not
consent　but　on　condition　that　he　might　put　out　the　right　eye　of　every　one　of
them；　thus　making　them　abiding　witnesses　to　his　power。

The　people　of　the　besieged　city　begged　a　respite　of　seven　days。　To　this　the
Ammonites　consented；　thinking　thus　to　heighten　the　honor　of　their　expected
triumph。　Messengers　were　at　once　dispatched　from　Jabesh；　to　seek　help　from
the　tribes　west　of　Jordan。　They　carried　the　tidings　to　Gibeah；　creating
widespread　terror。　Saul；　returning　at　night　from　following　the　oxen　in　the
field；　heard　the　loud　wail　that　told　of　some　great　calamity。　He　said；　〃What
aileth　the　people　that　they　weep？〃　When　the　shameful　story　was　repeated；　all
his　dormant　powers　were　roused。　〃The　Spirit　of　God　came　upon　Saul。　。　。　。　And
he　took　a　yoke　of　oxen；　and　hewed　them　in　pieces；　and　sent　them　throughout
all　the　coasts　of　Israel　by　the　hands　of　messengers；　saying；　Whosoever
cometh　nor　forth　after　Saul　and　after　Samuel；　so　shall　it　be　done　unto　his
oxen。〃

Three　hundred　and　thirty　thousand　men　gathered　on　the　plain　of　Bezek；　under
the　command　of　Saul。　Messengers　were

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immediately　sent　to　the　besieged　city　with　the　assurance　that　they　might
expect　help　on　the　morrow；　the　very　day　on　which　they　were　to　submit　to　the
Ammonites。　By　a　rapid　night　march　Saul　and　his　army　crossed　the　Jordan　and
arrived　before　Jabesh　in　〃the　morning　watch。〃　Like　Gideon；　dividing　his
force　into　three　companies；　he　fell　upon　the　Ammonite　camp　at　that　early
hour；　when；　not　suspecting　danger；　they　were　least　secure。　In　the　panic　that
followed　they　were　routed　with　great　slaughter。　And　〃they　which　remained
were　scattered；　so　that　two　of　them　were　not　left　together。〃

The　promptness　and　bravery　of　Saul；　as　well　as　the　generalship　shown　in　the
successful　conduct　of　so　large　a　force；　were　qualities　which　the　people　of
Israel　had　desired　in　a　monarch；　that　they　might　be　able　to　cope　with　other
nations。　They　now　greeted　him　as　their　king；　attributing　the　honor　of　the
victory　to　human　agencies　and　forgetting　that　without　God's　special　blessing
all　their　efforts　would　have　been　in　vain。　In　their　enthusiasm　some　proposed
to　put　to　death　those　who　had　at　first　refused　to　acknowledge　the　authority
of　Saul。　But　the　king　interfered；　saying；　〃There　shall　not　a　man　be　put　to
death　this　day：　for　today　the　Lord　hath　wrought　salvation　in　Israel。〃　Here
Saul　gave　evidence　of　the　change　that　had　taken　place　in　his　character。
Instead　of　taking　honor　to　himself；　he　gave　the　glory　to　God。　Instead　of
showing　a　desire　for　revenge；　he　manifested　a　spirit　of　compassion　and
forgiveness。　This　is　unmistakable　evidence　that　the　grace　of　God　dwells　in
the　heart。

Samuel　now　proposed　that　a　national　assembly　should　be　convoked　at　Gilgal；
that　the　kingdom　might　there　be　publicly　confirmed　to　Saul。　It　was　done；
〃and　there　they　sacrificed　sacrifices　of　peace　offerings　before　the　Lord；
and　there　Saul　and　all　the　men　of　Israel　rejoiced　greatly。〃

Gilgal　had　been　the　place　of　Israel's　first　encampment　in　the　Promised　Land。
It　was　here　that　Joshua；　by　divine　direction；　set　up　the　pillar　of　twelve
stones　to　commemorate　the　miraculous　passage　of　the　Jordan。　Here
circumcision　had　been　renewed。　Here　they　had　kept　the　first　Passover　after
the　sin　at　Kadesh　and　the　desert　sojourn。　Here　the　manna　ceased。　Here　the
Captain　of　the　Lord's　host　had　revealed　Himself　as　chief　in　command　of　the
armies　of　Israel。　From　this　place　they　marched　to　the　overthrow　of　Jericho
and　the　conquest　of　Ai。　Here　Achan　met　the　penalty

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of　his　sin；　and　here　was　made　that　treaty　with　the　Gibeonites　which　punished
Israel's　neglect　to　ask　counsel　of　God。　Upon　this　plain；　linked　with　so　many
thrilling　associations；　stood　Samuel　and　Saul；　and　when　the　shouts　of
welcome　to　the　king　had　died　away；　the　aged　prophet　gave　his　parting　words
as　ruler　of　the　nation。

〃Behold；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　hearkened　unto　your　voice　in　all　that　ye　said
unto　me；　and　have　made　a　king　over　you。　And　now；　behold；　the　king　walketh
before　you：　and　I　am　old　and　gray…　headed；　。　。　。　and　I　have　walked　before
you　from　my　childhood　unto　this　day。　Behold；　here　I　am：　witness　against　me
before　the　Lord；　and　before　His　anointed：　whose　ox　have　I　taken？　or　whose
ass　have　I　taken？　or　whom　have　I　defrauded？　whom　have　I　oppressed？　or　of
whose　hand　have　I　received　any　bribe　to　blind　mine　eyes　therewith？　and　I
will　restore　it　you。〃

With　one　voice　the　people　answered；　〃Thou　hast　not　defrauded　us；　nor
oppressed　us；　neither　hast　thou　taken　ought　of　any　man's　hand。〃

Samuel　was　not　seeking　merely　to　justify　his　own　course。　He　had　previously
set　forth　the　principles　that　should　govern　both　the　king　and　the　people；
and　he　desired　to　add　to　his　words　the　weight　of　his　own　example。　From
childhood　he　had　been　connected　with　the　work　of　God；　and　during　his　long
life　one　object　had　been　ever　before　himthe　glory　of　God　and　the　highest
good　of　Israel。

Before　there　could　be　any　hope　of　prosperity　for　Israel　they　must　be　led　to
repentance　before　God。　In　consequence　of　sin　they　had　lost　their　faith　in
God　and　their　discernment　of　His　power　and　wisdom　to　rule　the　nationlost
their　confidence　in　His　ability　to　vindicate　His　cause。　Before　they　could
find　true　peace　they　must　be　led　to　see　and　confess　the　very　sin　of　which
they　had　been　guilty。　They　had　declared　the　object　of　the　demand　for　a　king
to　be；　〃That　our　king　may　judge　us；　and　go　out　before　us；　and　fight　our
battles。〃　Samuel　recounted　the　history　of　Israel；　from　the　day　when　God
brought　them　from　Egypt。　Jehovah；　the　King　of　kings；　had　gone　out　before
them　and　had　fought　their　battles。　Often　their　sins　had　sold　them　into　the
power　of　their　enemies；　but　no　sooner　did　they　turn　from　their　evil　ways
than　God's　mercy　raised　up　a　deliverer。　The　Lord　sent　Gideon　and　Barak；　and
〃Jephthah；　and　Samuel；　and　delivered

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you　out　of　the　hand　of　your　enemies　on　every　side；　and　ye　dwelt　safe。〃　Yet
when　threatened　with　danger　they　had　declared；　〃A　king　shall　reign　over　us；〃
when；　said　the　prophet；　〃Jehovah　your　God　was　your　King。〃

〃Now　therefore；〃　continued　Samuel；　〃stand　and　see　this　great　thing；　which
the　Lord　will　do　before　your　eyes。　Is　it　not　wheat　harvest　today？　I　will
call　unto　the　Lord；　and　He　shall　send　thunder　and　rain；　that　ye　may　perceive
and　see　that　your　wickedness　is　great；　which　ye　have　done　in　the　sight