The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-08-12
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments for
August 10.
Subject:-Saul Tries TO Kill David, | Sam,
xviii, 5.lt-Golden Text, Psa. xL, l.
Memory Verses, Il.I4-cor1meniary
on the Days Lesson.

l. Davids promotion ". 81. 8. "David
went out" After his victory over Goliath
David was appointed to some post OF com.
mGnd anu went out on military expedi.
tlons. Wisely This word combines the
ideas of prudence and consequent success
set him over etc. This is probably the
same appointment as that referred to in
". IL. David was not made the leading
oincer over all the host. for Ahner held
that position (chap. 1863. but Saul gave
HIM some principal command in the army
and made him captain of regiment.
shepherd boy was in the hearts of the com.
mon peop.e, and no doubt the sentiment
OF the nation at this time had had some
influence on Saul in mis- promotion OF
David. ''SauTs servants" Even the cour.
tiers. who were the most likely to be dis.
pleased with this new favorite, were glad
to receive the youthful conqueror and
recognize his authority.
IL. Davids victory celebrated Tvs Coy.
6. Was returned There has evidently
been digression in the narrative Tvs. l.5)
TO relate the circumstances of David's
permanent reception into Sauls service,
the commencement of the friendship be.
tween him and jonathan. and his ultimate
promotion and success The narrative
now goes back to the welcome which David
received when the army returned in tri.
umph from the successful completion of
tine Phiistne war. This verse should be
read in connection with chap. l7:54:
though some time may have elapsed, dur
ing which the army was occupied in foi.
lowing up its first success. Women came
out 1t was the principal business of
certain women to celebrate victories, sing
at funerals, etc. "Of all the cities" They
came together from all the neighboring
cities. Singing and dancing" This is
characteristic trait of Oriental manners.
On the. return OF friends long absent, and
particularly on the return of victorious
army, bands of women and children issue
from the towns and villages to form a
triumphal procession, to celebrate the vic
tory with dancing, music and songs, in
honor OF the generals who have earned
the highest distinction by feats of gal.
lantry. The Hebrew women, therefore,
were merely paying the customary con-
gratulations to David as the deiverer OF
their country; "Tabrets-timbrels." That
is, the han1drum. ain instrument still
used by the. Arabs. and described as a
hoop over which piece of parchment is
, drawn. Sometimes pieces OF brass are
| fixed in it to make a iingng. 1t is beaten
with the fingers. The instrument must
have been similar to the modern tam.
BOURNE.
Z. Sang one to another" They sang
alternately. Some of the women began
the song with. Saul hath slain his thou.
, sands, and another company answered,
And David his ten thousands" This
was a neat. poetic parallelsm The en-.
thusia 'tc throng intimate that Davd's
triumph was OF more Importance than all
of SauVs victories In this they COM
mitted a grave indiscretion; they praised
subject at the expense of their sovereign.
s, g. Very wroth.' Saul centered his
cipal cause OF his trouble. He was al
ways, ready to seek the ruin OF any, man
by whom he imagined he might be injured.
But the kingdom" The prophet had
distinctly told him in the day of his sin
that the Lord had rent the kingdom from
him., and had given it to a neighbor that
was better than he (chap. lj:2S). In David
Eyed David" Watched all his move.
ments with suspicion and jealousy, which
soon ripened into deadly hatred.
III; Saul's attempt on David's life Tvs:
those prosecutions by which, during the
rest of SauPs lifetime, the conqueror OF
Goliath was continually harassed. 1t
forms a suggestive period of Israelitish
the development OF Saups great wicked
ness on the one hand, and of David's many
eIcellcnces on the other. These persecI.
tions. however, were a most useful discip-
line for the, p-slmist king:
10. Evil spirit" A demon like those
ment. From God" Sent by permission
of God, as Satan in job 81. Game upon
saul" He re,apsed into a state Of de.
moniac possession, See chap. 1914.
''Propnesied." Rather, "raved." Saul's
condition is neither that of simple mad.
ness or of true prophecy. He is under
the control of power higher than him
self, but it is an evil power. Saul was at
first inspired by the Holy, Spirit of God,
but now that spirit has left him and a
cordingly, instead of hallowed ecstasy, his
religious exercises resemble the frantic
rawlings of a madman. He utters impas-
stoned cries, and perhaps falls PROSTATE
on the floor and breathes forth his inner
rawlings like one holding communion with
See chap. 1928. Also see r. V. There is
troubled soul. "A iavelin." The javelin
or spear was the emblem of regal authority.
In ancient times kings used a spear in
stead OF a diadem. They always had it at
hand, and in ancient monuments they are
IL. Cast the javelin."' Saul, now
thoroughly infuriated, determined to make
an end OF the, shepherd boy; After this
that David. was the God-ordained king.
This purpose he resolved to defeat. and,
accordingly, made several attempts on
Davd's fife
". Davids further advancement Tvs.
E l2is'i H. Is: & Was sn AFRAID al Of RaEd"
against Cod this caused terror and con.
tinued to disturb him more and more.
Because the Lord" etc. When God is
with us we are certain to succeed but
when the Lord forsakes a person he is
equally certain to be defeated, The Chris
tian is mighty only Through God" e Cor.
2;l0). Captain" 1t is not certain that
this was the same appointment referred
to in " 5. but it is quite likely that it was.
li-l6. Behaved" etc. David acted dis
k1... AL A. L.
God was with him. Because of this saul
g. stood in awe OF him" ". Is, r. W.
This is a stronger expression than the one
used in V. II, and denotes primarily the
avoidance of the person feared. "Al-
over thousand partly to get rid OF him
from his presence, and partly perhaps in
the hope that he would lose his life in
| hattie Tvs. IL, 25); but the result was that
he became firmly established in the affec-
A. Al.