This mustering of the Hebrews at Mizpeh on the inauguration of Samuel alarmed the Philistines, and their lords went up against Israel.' Samuel assumed the functions of the theocratic viceroy, offered a burnt-offering, and implored the imme diate protection of Jehovah. He was answered with propitious thunder. A fearful storm burst upon the Philistines, who were signally defeated, and did not recruit their strength again during the administration of the prophet-judge. The grateful victor erected a stone of remembrance, and named it Ebenezer. From an incidental allusion (vii. 14) we learn, too, that about this time the Amorites, the inveterate foes of Israel, were also at peace with them—another triumph of his government. The presidency of Samuel appears to have been emi nently successful. From the very brief sketch given us of his public life we infer that the ad ministration of justice occupied no little share of his time and attention. He went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpeli, places not very far distant from each other, but chosen, perhaps, as Winer suggests, because they were the old scenes of worship (Real-Wort. sub voce).
The dwelling of the prophet was at Ramah, his native city, for there was his house.' There re ligious worship was established aftcr the patriarchal model, and Samuel, like Abraham, built an altar to the Lord. Such procedure was contrary to the letter of the Mosaic statute. But the prophets had power to dispense with ordinary usage, for they were God's accredited representatives, and wielded a divine prerogative (Knobel, Der Pro phelism. d. Heb. 39 ; Koester, Der Proph. a.
e..g. N. T. etc. p. 52). Besides, in this case one reason of Samuel's conduct may be found in the state of the religious economy. The ark yet remained at Kirjath-jearim, where it had been left in terror, and where it lay till David fetchad it to Zion. There seems to have been no place of public resort for the tribcs, the present station of the ark not having been chosen for its convenience as a scene of religious assembly. The shrine at Shiloh, too, which had been hallowed ever since the settle ment in Canaan, had been desolate from the date of the death of Eli and his sons—so desolate as to become in future years a prophetic symbol of divine judgment Ger. vii. 12- t4. ; xxvi. 6). In such a period of religious anarchy and confusion, Samuel, a theocratic guardian, might, without any violation of the spirit of the law, superintend the public wor ship of Jehovah in the vicinity of his habitation.
In Samuel's old age two of his sons were ap pointed by him deputy-judges in Beersheba. These young men possessed not thcir fathcr's integrity of spirit, but turned aside after lucre, took bribes, and perverted judgment' ( I Sam. viii. 3). The advanced years of the venerable ruler himself and his approaching dissolution, the certainty that none of his family could fill his office with advantage to the country, the hon-or of a period of anarchy which his death might occasion, the necessity of having some one to put an end to tribal jealousies and concentrate the energies of the nation, espe daily as there appeared to be symptoms of renewed warlike preparations on the part of the Ammonites (xii. 2)—these considerations seem to have led the elders of Israel to adopt the bold step of assem bling at Ramah and soliciting Samuel to make a king to judge them.' The proposed change from
a republican to a regal form of government dis pleased Samuel for various reasons. Besides its being a departure from the first political institute, and so far an infringement on the rights of the divine head of the theocracy, it was regarded by the regent as a virtual charge against himself, one of those examples of popular fickleness and in gratitude which the history of every realm exhibits in profusion. Jehovah comforts Samuel by saying, They have not rejected thee, but they have re jected me.' Being warned of God to accede to their request for a king, and yet to remonstrate with the people, and set before tbe nation the perils and tyranny of a monarchical government (viii. to), Samuel proceeded to the election of a sovereign. Saul, son of Kish, 'a choice young man and a goodly,' whom he had met unexpectedly, was pointed out to him by Jehovah as the king of Israel, and by the prophet was anointed and saluted as monarch. Samuel again convened the nation at Mizpeh, again with honest zeal condemned their project, but caused the sacred lot to be taken. The lot fell on Saul. The prophet now formally introduced him to the people, who shouted in joy ous acclamation, God save the king.' Not content with oral explanations, this last of the republican chiefs not only told the people the manner of the kingdom, but wrote it in a book and laid it up before the Lord.' What is here asserted of Samuel may mean, that he extracted from the Pentateuch the recorded provision of Moses for a future monarchy, and added to it such warnings, counsels, and safeguards as his in spired sagacity might suggest. Saul's first battle being so successful, and the preparations for it dis playing no ordinary energy and promptitude of character, his popularity was suddenly advanced, and his throne secured. Taking advantage of the general sensation in favour of Saul, Samuel cited the people to meet again in Gilgal, to renew the kingdom, to ratify the new constitution, and so lemnly instal the sovereign (xi. 14). Here the upright judge made a powerful appeal to the as sembly in vindication of his government. Wit; ness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed ; whose ox have I taken ? or whose ass have I taken ? or whom have I defrauded ? whom have I oppressed ? or of whose hand have I re ceived any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith ? and I will restore it you.' The whole multitude responded in unanimous approval of his honesty and intrepidity (xii. 3, 4). Then he, still jealous of God's prerogative and the civil rights of his people, briefly narrated their history, showed them how they never wanted chieftains to defend them when they served God, and declared that it was distrust of God's raising up a new leader in a 4readed emergency that excited the outcry for a king. In proof of this charge—a charge which convicted them of great wickedness in the sight of God—he appealed to Jehovah, who answered in a fearful hurricane of thunder and min at an unusual neriod—' wheat-harvest.' The terrified tribes con fessed their guilt, and besought Samuel to intercede for them in his disinterested patriotism. And thus Samuel yielded to the current of events, though he struggled against it. His heart clung -to the old order established by Moses, yet he wisely and calmly inaugurated and guided the new era.