- sent for him:
- Heb. took him, "Seestª° thou a manª diligentª in his business?ª he shall standª° beforeª kings;ª he shall not¹ standª° beforeª meanª [men]." {Prv 22:29}; The preceding twenty verses, from the "Now Davidª [was] the sonª of that¹ Ephrathiteªª of Bethlehemjudah,ª²¹ whose nameª [was] Jesse;ª and he had eightª sons:ª and the manª wentª° among men²¹ [for] an old¹ man²° in the daysª of Saul.ª" {1Sm 17:12} to the "And when the wordsª were heardª° which¹ Davidª spake,ª° they rehearsedª° [them] beforeª Saul:ª and he sentª° for him." {1Sm 17:31} inclusive, the "And the Philistineª came²°¹ onª° and drew nearª unto¹ David;ª and the manª that bareª° the shieldª [went] beforeª him." {1Sm 17:41}, and from the "And Davidª tookª°¹ the headª of the Philistine,ª and broughtª° it to Jerusalem;ª but he putª° his armourª in his tent.ª" {1Sm 17:54} to the end of this chapter, with the first "And it came to pass,¹ when he had made an endª° of speakingª° unto¹ Saul,ª that the soulª of Jonathanª was knitª° with the soulª of David,ª and Jonathanª lovedª° him as his own soul.ª" {1Sm 18:1} and the "And Saulª eyedª°¹ Davidª from that dayª¹¹ and forward.ª" {1Sm 18:9}, 10th, 11th, "And Saulª saidª° to¹ David,ª Behold¹ my elderª daughterª Merab,ª her will I giveª° thee to wife:ª only¹ be¹ thou valiantªª for me, and fightª° the LORD'Sª battles.ª For Saulª said,ª° Let not¹ mine handª be¹ upon him, but let the handª of the Philistinesª be¹ upon him." {1Sm 18:17}, 18th, and 19th, of "And it came to pass,¹ when he had made an endª° of speakingª° unto¹ Saul,ª that the soulª of Jonathanª was knitª° with the soulª of David,ª and Jonathanª lovedª° him as his own soul.ª ... Then the princesª of the Philistinesª went forth:ª° and it came to pass,¹ after²¹¹ they went forth,ª° [that] Davidª behaved himself more wiselyª° than all¹¹ the servantsª of Saul;ª so that his nameª was muchª set by.ª°" {1Sm 18:1-30}, are all wanting in the Vatican copy of the LXX; and they are supposed by Dr. Kennicott, and others, to be an interpolation. But, as Bp. Horsley observes, it appears, from many circumstances of the story, that David's combat with Goliath was many years prior to Saul's madness, and David's introduction to him as a musician. In the first place, David was quite a youth when he engaged with Goliath ("And Saulª saidª° to¹ David,ª Thou art not¹ ableª° to go²°¹ against¹ this¹ Philistineª to fightª° with¹ him: for¹ thou¹ [art but] a youth,ª and he¹ a manª of warª from his youth.ª¹" {1Sm 17:33} and "And when the Philistineª looked about,ª° and sawª°¹ David,ª he disdainedª° him: for¹ he was¹ [but] a youth,ª and ruddy,ª and of¹ a fairª countenance.ª" {1Sm 17:42}). When introduced to Saul he was of full age ("Then answeredª° oneª of the servants,ª and said,ª° Behold,¹ I have seenª° a sonª of Jesseª the Bethlehemite,ª [that is] cunningª° in playing,ª° and a mightyª valiant man,ª and a manª of war,ª and prudentª° in matters,ª and a comelyª person,ª and the LORDª [is] with¹ him." {1Sm 16:18}). Again, this combat was his first appearance in public life, and his first military exploit ("Thy servantª slewª° both¹¹ the lionª and¹ the bear:ª and this¹ uncircumcisedª Philistineª shall be¹ as oneª of¹ them, seeing¹ he hath defiedª° the armiesª of the livingª God.ª" {1Sm 17:36} + "And Saulª armedª°¹ Davidª with his armour,ª and he putª° an helmetª of brassª upon¹ his head;ª also he armedª° him with a coat of mail.ª ... And Davidª girdedª°¹ his swordª upon¹¹ his armour,ª and he assayedª° to go;²°¹ for¹ he had not¹ provedª° [it]. And Davidª saidª° unto¹ Saul,ª I cannotª°¹ go²°¹ with these;¹ for¹ I have not¹ provedª° [them]. And Davidª putª° them off¹¹ him." {1Sm 17:38-39}). When introduced as a musician, he was a man of established character, and a man of war ("Then answeredª° oneª of the servants,ª and said,ª° Behold,¹ I have seenª° a sonª of Jesseª the Bethlehemite,ª [that is] cunningª° in playing,ª° and a mightyª valiant man,ª and a manª of war,ª and prudentª° in matters,ª and a comelyª person,ª and the LORDª [is] with¹ him." {1Sm 16:18}). Now the just conclusion is, that the last ten verses of "But the Spiritª of the LORDª departedª° from¹¹ Saul,ª and an evilª spiritª from¹¹ the LORDª troubledª° him." {1Sm 16:14} have been misplaced; their true place being between the ninth and tenth verses of "And the men²¹ went²°¹ and passed throughª° the land,ª and describedª° it by citiesª into sevenª partsª in¹ a book,ª and cameª° [again] to¹ Joshuaª to¹ the hostª at Shiloh.ª" {Jsh 18:9}. Let them be removed there, and the whole apparent disorder will be removed.
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