6 fixed in the ground before him, and a cruse of water by his side. His soldiers, headed by Abner, were pitched around him. All had fallen asleep, and complete calmness prevailed. Once again the life of his great adversary was in David's hand. Followed by the brave and intrepid Abishai, the brother of Joab, he descended the hill-side, and stood within the enemy's camp. Abishai was prompting him to revenge. 'Let me smite him with the spear,' he exclaimed, 'even to the earth at once, I will not smite him the second time.' But again David's feeling of reverence proved Saul's protection. 'Destroy him not,' he replied, for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?' Yet he softly seized the spear and the cruse of water, and carried them away. He ascended the opposite hill, and from thence called out loudly to Abner. His voice came ringing down into the valley to the camp of Saul. He spoke stinging words of reproach to the captain of the host, who was keeping so negligent and faithless a watch by the side of his king. As the Lord lives,' he concluded, 'you are worthy to die, because you have not guarded your master, the Lord's anointed; and now see, where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was near his head!' Saul who had long been awake and listened, recognised the voice of David. Weighing the words he had heard, his contrition was aroused, and his bitter jealousy died away for the moment. He received back his spear, and departed from David with these words: Blessed be thou, my son David, thou shalt undertake great things, and shalt also prevail.' The two men met no more. 87. DAVID IN ZIKLAG. [1 SAM. XXVII.] Tired of constant wandering and flight, David determined to leave the territory of Judah, where he was always at Saul's mercy, and to proceed into the land of the Philistines, where his enemy was not likely to pursue him. So he went westward with his 600 tried and chosen followers, and presented himself before Achish, king of Gath. This prince, considering their common enmity against Saul as a strong bond of union, received him kindly. He not only allowed David to live in Gath, but gave him and his adherents the town of Ziklag for a possession. The restless and warlike spirit of David would not permit him to live there idly and peacefully. He carried on an active warfare against the Amalekites, exterminating whole tribes, and plundering their property. Achish heard confused rumours of these expeditions; but David, shrewd and prudent, led him to believe that his arms were turned against his own countrymen in the south of Judah, and that he was thus fighting for Achish no less than for himself. In this manner, the friendship with the Philistine chief was more and more strengthened. So complete was the trust of the latter in David, that when the whole Philistine nation resolved upon attacking once more the provinces of Israel, Achish claimed the help of David, and appointed him the chief of his body-guard. The Philistine army marched out at once, and pitched the camp at Shunem, in the very heart of the hostile country, in the district of Issachar, between the mountains of Tabor and Gilboa. 88. THE WITCH OF ENDOR. [1 SAM. XXVIII.] When the tidings of the Philistine invasion reached the unhappy and terror-stricken Saul, he quickly led forth his hosts, and encamped at Gilboa. His tortured mind turned anxiously to the Lord for help and counsel; but neither by dream, nor by vision, nor by prophets, did he obtain the wished-for advice. Goaded to despair, he bethought himself at last of the witches, who were believed to be able to raise the dead, and to cause them to communicate with the living. As such belief is wholly in opposition to the doctrines of monotheism, being a preposterous and dangerous remnant of pagan idolatry, Saul himself had banished all sorcerers from the land during the earlier and better years of his reign, and had punished with death every transgression of his edict against witchcraft. Yet the old abuse still lingered in some districts, and one of the witches left lived at Endor, a little town north of Gilboa, in Issachar. To this woman Saul determined to resort for help. Disguising himself, he went to her house at nightfall with two companions. I pray thee,' he said to her, divine for me by the familiar spirit, and bring up to me whom I shall name to thee.' But the woman was afraid, and said, 'Behold, thou knowest what Saul has done, that he has expelled from the land those that have familiar spirits and the wizards; wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?' Saul, however, swore that nothing should happen to her, and bade her call up the spirit of Samuel. The woman obeyed, and proceeded to practise her strange art. We are told, she really saw Samuel, and when she beheld him, she cried out to Saul with a loud voice, Why hast thou deceived me, for thou BB art Saul!' The king again re-assured her, and requested her to tell him what she had seen. 'I saw,' she replied, 'a god ascending out of the earth . . . an old man covered with a mantle.' The Bible continues: And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sorely distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets nor by dreams; therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known to me what I shall do. Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord has departed from thee, and is become thy enemy? And the Lord has done to him, as He spoke by me: for the Lord has rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David . . . Moreover, the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines, and to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord will indeed deliver the host of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.' When Saul heard these words, he fell prostrate to the ground, fainting; for he had tasted no food all the preceding day and night. For a long time he refused to rise and to refresh himself; at last the entreaties of his companions and the woman prevailed upon him to sit down to the meal she had prepared. The singular scene just related is in perfect keeping with the highly wrought and deluded mind of Saul, though it is not easy satisfactorily to explain in what sense the false artifices of a so-called witch can be represented as revelations of God's holy will. 89. DAVID AGAIN IN ZIKLAG. [1 SAM. XXIX. XXX.] It was the day before the battle. The Philistine host had assembled at Aphek, near their former encampment at Shunem, while the Hebrews pitched their camp opposite them near a well before Jezreel. All the federal chiefs of the Philistines had united their forces into one vast and overwhelming army. David and his 600 followers were in the rear of Achish. When the Philistine leaders saw them, they expressed a strong objection to their presence. They could not reconcile themselves to the thought that David, their most dangerous enemy, who had humbled them repeatedly, should fight on their side. They could not believe him to be in earnest. Would he betray his native or his adopted country? For one he must betray, if he fought. They pressed upon Achish to dismiss him and his untrustworthy band. Although Achish had complete confidence in David, he could not oppose his will to the unanimous demand of the other chiefs. I know,' he said to David, 'that thou art good in my sight as an angel of God; yet the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.' So David was induced to return to Ziklag with his followers: he was probably glad to do so; he no doubt marched back lighter of heart than when he set out; for he was delivered from a harassing moral conflict. But mournful and desolate was the sight which met him upon his return. The Amalekites, taking advantage of the defenceless state of the country, had, among other deeds of violence, sacked and burnt Ziklag, led away its flocks and herds, its women and children, and seized their property. David's own two wives were among the captives. A loud wail of horror and |