THE FIRST THREE KINGS OF ISRAEL BY THE REV. WILLIAM BRUCE AUTHOR OF "COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW" ETC. JAMES SPEIRS 36 BLOOMSBURY STREET, LONDON 1879 PREFACE THIS work is based on a series of discourses delivered about twenty years ago, which the Author has been repeatedly urged to publish. Something has been done to connect the subjects of the discourses, so as to make the explanations more continuous. In other respects the matter is substantially the same; and there is little difference in the form, except that chapters with titles have been substituted for sermons with texts. The introductory remarks render any further observations here necessary. LONDON, 1879. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE.................................................................................................................................................... 2 BOOK I: THE REIGN OF SAUL INTRODUCTORY........................................................................................................................................ 8 ISRAEL DESIRES A KING (1 Samuel viii.) CHAPTER I................................................................................................................................................ 18 SAUL SENT IN SEARCH OF HIS FATHER'S ASSES (1 Samuel ix 1-14) CHAPTER II............................................................................................................................................... 29 SAMUEL RECEIVES AND ENTERTAINS SAUL (1 Samuel ix. 15-27) CHAPTER III.............................................................................................................................................. 36 SAUL ANOINTED KING, WITH SIGNS FOLLOWING (1 Samuel x.) CHAPTER IV............................................................................................................................................. 50 SAUL RELEASES THE INHABITANTS OF JABESH-GILEAD AND DEFEATS THE AMMONITES (1 Samuel xi.) CHAPTER V.............................................................................................................................................. 62 SAMUEL'S ADMONITION TO ISRAEL RESPECTING THEIR KING (1 Samuel xii.) CHAPTER VI............................................................................................................................................. 69 SAUL USURPING THE PROPHET'S OFFICE FORFEITS THE KINGDOM (1 Samuel xiii.) CHAPTER VII............................................................................................................................................ 83 JONATHAN'S CAPTURE OF THE PHILISTINES' GARRISON, AND ROUT OF THE PHILISTINE HOST (1 Samuel xiv.) CHAPTER VIII........................................................................................................................................... 96 SAUL SENT TO DESTROY (1 Samuel xv.) CHAPTER IX............................................................................................................................................ 116 SAMUEL ANOINTS DAVID KING OF ISRAEL (1 Samuel xvi.) CHAPTER X............................................................................................................................................ 128 DAVID'S VICTORY OVER GOLIATH (1 Samuel xvii.) CHAPTER XI........................................................................................................................................... 145 THE FRIENDSHIP OF JONATHAN AND DAVID (1 Samuel xviii.) CHAPTER XII.......................................................................................................................................... 155 JONATHAN VINDICATES DAVID FROM THE UNJUST SUSPICION, AND MICHAL SAVES HIM FROM THE WRATH, OF SAUL (1 Samuel xix.) CHAPTER XIII......................................................................................................................................... 167 DAVID'S FLIGHT AND JONATHAN'S AID (1 Samuel xx.) CHAPTER XIV......................................................................................................................................... 176 DAVID, FLEEING FROM SAUL INTO PHILISTIA, RECEIVES FROM AHIMELECH THE PRIEST SHOWBREAD AND THE SWORD OF GOLIATH (1 Samuel xxi.) CHAPTER XV.......................................................................................................................................... 187 DAVID IN THE CAVE OF ADULLAM; SAUL'S SLAUGHTER OF THE PRIESTS (1 Samuel xxii.) CHAPTER XVI......................................................................................................................................... 195 DAVID RELIEVES KEILAH; IS PURSUED BY SAUL; HAS HIS LAST INTERVIEW WITH JONATHAN (1 Samuel xxiii.) CHAPTER XVII........................................................................................................................................ 204 3 DAVID SPARES SAUL AND CUTS OFF THE SKIRT OF HIS ROBE (1 Samuel xxiv.) CHAPTER XVIII....................................................................................................................................... 214 THE THREATENED EFFECTS OF NABAL'S CHURLISHNESS ARE AVERTED BY ABIGAIL'S PRUDENCE (1 Samuel xxv.) CHAPTER XIX......................................................................................................................................... 225 DAVID PENETRATES SAUL'S CAMP AND TAKES HIS SPEAR (1 Samuel xxvi.) CHAPTER XX.......................................................................................................................................... 232 DAVID ESCAPES INTO THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES (1 Samuel xxvii.) CHAPTER XXI......................................................................................................................................... 240 SAUL AND THE WITCH OF ENDOR (1 Samuel xxviii.) CHAPTER XXII........................................................................................................................................ 251 PREPARATION FOR BATTLE. THE AMALEKITES SPOIL ZIKLAG. DAVID RECOVERS ALL (1 Samuel xxix. xxx.) CHAPTER XXIII....................................................................................................................................... 261 THE DEFEAT OF ISRAEL AND THE DEATH OF SAUL (1 Samuel xxxi.) BOOK II: THE REIGN OF DAVID CHAPTER I.............................................................................................................................................. 278 PRELIMINARY CHAPTER II............................................................................................................................................. 283 DAVID RECEIVES TIDINGS OF THE DEFEAT OF ISRAEL AND THE DEATH OF SAUL (2 Samuel i. 1-16.) CHAPTER III............................................................................................................................................ 289 DAVID'S LAMENTATION OVER SAUL AND JONATHAN (2 Samuel i. 17-27) CHAPTER IV........................................................................................................................................... 302 DAVID IN HEBRON ANOINTED KING OVER THE HOUSE OF JUDAH (2 Samuel ii.) CHAPTER V............................................................................................................................................ 312 THE DEATH OF ABNER (2 Samuel iii.) CHAPTER VI........................................................................................................................................... 323 THE DEATH OF ISH-BOSHETH (2 Samuel iv.) CHAPTER VII.......................................................................................................................................... 327 DAVID IS ANOINTED KING OVER ISRAEL, AND GOES UP AGAINST JERUSALEM (2 Samuel v. 1-5) CHAPTER VIII......................................................................................................................................... 332 DAVID TAKES THE STRONGHOLD OF ZION (2 Samuel v. 6-10.) CHAPTER IX........................................................................................................................................... 342 THE ARK OF GOD BROUGHT INTO THE HOLY CITY (2 Samuel vi.) CHAPTER X............................................................................................................................................ 351 DAVID DESIRES BUT IS FORBIDDEN TO BUILD A HOUSE FOR THE ARK OF THE LORD TO DWELL IN (2 Samuel vii.) CHAPTER XI........................................................................................................................................... 356 NATIONS OUT OF CANAAN CONQUERED AND MADE TRIBUTARY (2 Samuel viii.) CHAPTER XII.......................................................................................................................................... 367 DAVID CHERISHES JONATHAN'S SON (2 Samuel ix.) CHAPTER XIII......................................................................................................................................... 376 DAVID'S ILL-REQUITED FRIENDSHIP FOR THE KING OF THE AMMONITES (2 Samuel x) CHAPTER XIV......................................................................................................................................... 387 4 DAVID'S GREAT SIN (2 Samuel xi.) CHAPTER XV.......................................................................................................................................... 397 GOD'S MESSAGE AND NATHAN'S PARABLE (2 Samuel xii.) CHAPTER XVI........................................................................................................................................