- and all those signs:
- The following history of Saul is given by the Afghans, a people generally supposed to be of Jewish origin: "In a war which raged between the children of Israel and the Amalekites, the latter being victorious, plundered the Jews, and obtained possession of the ark of the covenant. Considering this (as) the God of the Jews, they threw it into the fire, which did not affect it. They afterwards attempted to cleave it with axes, but without success. Every individual who treated it with indignity, was punished for his temerity. They then placed it in their temple; but all their idols bowed to it. At length they fastened it upon a cow, which they turned loose in the wilderness. When the prophet Samuel arose, the children of Israel said to him, 'We have been totally subdued by the Amalekites, and have no king. Raise to us a king, that we may be enabled to contend for the glory of God.' Samuel said, 'In case you are led out to battle, are you determined to fight?' They answered, 'What has befallen us, that we should not fight against infidels? That nation has banished us from our country and children.' At this time the angel Gabriel descended, and delivering a wand, said, 'It is the command of God, that the person whose stature shall correspond with this wand, shall be king of Israel.' Melec Talut was at that time a man of inferior condition, and performed the humble employment of feeding the goats and cows of others. One day, a cow under his charge was accidentally lost. Being disappointed in his searches, he was greatly distressed, and applied to Samuel saying, 'I have lost a cow, and I do not possess the means of satisfying the owner. Pray for me that I may be extricated from this difficulty.' Samuel perceiving that he was a man of lofty stature, asked his name. He answered, Talut. Samuel then said, 'Measure Talut with the wand which the angel Gabriel brought.' His stature was equal to it. Samuel then said, 'God has raised Talut to be your king.' The children of Israel answered, 'We are greater than our king. We are men of dignity, and he is of inferior condition. How shall he be our king?' Samuel informed them, they should know that God had constituted Talut king, by his restoring the ark of the covenant. He accordingly restored it, and they acknowledged him their sovereign." Asiatic Researches, vol. ii. p. 119, et seq. "When thou art departed²°¹ from¹¹ me² to day,ª then thou shalt findª° twoª men²¹ by¹ Rachel'sª sepulchreª in the borderª of Benjaminª at Zelzah;ª and they will sayª° unto¹ thee, The assesª which¹ thou wentestª° to seekª° are found:ª° and, lo,¹ thy fatherª hath leftª°¹ the careª of the asses,ª and sorrowethª° for you, saying,ª° What¹ shall I doª° for my son?ª ... After² that¹¹ thou shalt comeª° to the hillª of God,ª where¹¹ [is] the garrisonª of the Philistines:ª and it shall come to pass,¹ when thou art come¹ thither²°¹ to the city,ª that thou shalt meetª° a companyª of prophetsª coming downª° from the high placeª¹ with a psaltery,ª and a tabret,ª and a pipe,ª and a harp,ª beforeª them; and they¹ shall prophesy:ª°" {1Sm 10:2-5} + "Then the angelª of the LORDª put forthª°¹ the endª of the staffª that¹ [was] in his hand,ª and touchedª° the fleshª and the unleavened cakes;ª and there rose upª° fireª out of¹ the rock,ª and consumedª°¹ the fleshª and the unleavened cakes.ª Then the angelª of the LORDª departedª° out of his sight.ª¹" {Jdg 6:21} + "And Gideonª saidª° unto¹ God,ª If¹ thou¹ wilt² saveª°¹ Israelª by mine hand,ª as¹ thou hast said,ª° ... And Godª didª° so¹ that¹ night:ª for it was¹ dryª upon¹ the fleeceª only,¹ and there was¹ dewª on¹ all¹ the ground.ª" {Jdg 6:36-40} + "And thou shalt hearª° what¹ they say;ª° and afterwardª shall thine handsª be strengthenedª° to go downª° unto the host.ª Then went he downª° with Phurahª his servantª unto¹ the outsideª of the armed menª that¹ [were] in the host.ª" {Jdg 7:11} + "And this¹ [shall be] a signª unto thee from¹¹ the LORD,ª that¹ the LORDª will doª°¹ this¹ thingª that¹ he hath spoken;ª° ... Behold,¹ I will bring againª°¹ the shadowª of the degrees,ª which¹ is gone downª° in the sunª dialª of Ahaz,ª tenª degreesª backward.ª So the sunª returnedª° tenª degrees,ª by which¹ degreesª it was gone down.ª°" {Isa 38:7-8} + "Andª hisª disciplesª went forth,ª° andª cameª° intoª the¹ city,ª andª foundª° asª he had saidª° unto them:ª andª they made readyª° the¹ passover.ª" {Mrk 14:16}
|
