ous beast, and rent him to pieces, as When Samson's anger subsided he if he had been a kid. He hasted af- went back to visit her, and compliAs she had ter his parents, but told them nothing mented her with a kid.

of his rending the lion. Sometime been given to another, her father deafter, as they again went to Timnath nied him access to her chamber, and to celebrate the nuptials, Samson desired him to marry her younger turned aside to see the carcass of the sister who was more beautiful. Bent revenge, Samson, and such lion. To his surprise, he found a on swarm of bees had hived in it. He others as he employed, caught 300 ate a part of the honey, and carried foxes, for they were very numerous Fome to his parents; but to mani- in that country, and tying them tofest his continued humility, he still gether tail to tail, with a fire-brand between them, he let them go into kept secret his killing of the lion.

When the marriage was celebrated the Philistine's fields of standing corn. at Timnath, 30 young men of the The ripe corn took flame, and was place attended him. As they began quickly consumed; the vines too, to entertain one another with per- and olive-trees, were scorched or plexing riddles to be solved, Samson burnt. Knowing that the injury he proposed to give them a riddle, had received from his father-in-law which, if they explained during the was the cause of his conduct, the seven days of the feast, they should Philistines burnt his treacherous wife have thirty sheets, and as many suits and her father to death. Samson ass of apparel; but if not, they should sured them, that he would be furgive him the same. On their agree-ther avenged on them before he He smote them hip and ing to the proposal, he told them ceased.

his riddle, which was, "Out of the thigh wherever he met them, and afeater came forth meat, and out of ter cutting off great numbers of the strong came forth sweetness." them, retired to the rock Etam, about After they had long, to no purpose, eight miles or more south-west from Informed of this, the endeavoured to guess at its meaning, Jerusalem. they urged his wife by entreaties, Philistines invaded the territories of and even threatenings to burn her Judah, and demanded that Samson and her father's family, if she did their destroyer should be given up not procure them information, and to them. Three thousand Jews went get the secret out of her husband. up to the top of the rock, and told By her continued entreaties and him they were come to bind and deweeping, she obtained it, and im- liver him into the hand of their Phimediately informed her countrymen. listine masters. Upon their giving On the seventh day, just before sun-him their oath, that they would not set, they asked Samson, "What was kill him themselves, he allowed them Great was the joy of sweeter than honey? or what was to bind him. stronger than a lion?" Samson af- the Philistines, as they received him firmed, that if they had not ploughed bound; but all of a sudden, he snapt with his heifer, i. e. dealt with his asunder the cords wherewith he was unfaithful wife, they had never found tied, and taking up the jaw-bone of it out. Animated by the Spirit of an ass that lay at his feet, he thereGod, he went directly to Askelon, with slew 1,000 of the Philistines. and killing 30 Philistines, he gave To check any vain ostentation on actheir clothes to his 30 companions. count of his victory, he almost fainted On his humble request, Offended with his wife's treachery, for thirst.

he left her with her father, and went the Lord opened a well in a hollow home with his parents. Her father place of the rock, and perhaps just imagining he had quite forsaken her, under the jaw-bone, which he had married her to one of the 30 young flung from him, out of which he men who attended the wedding.- drank, and allayed his thirst. To

commemorate the event, the place undertook to do, and failed not to was called Lehi, the jaw-bone; or employ all her arts and solicitations Ramath-Lehi, the lifting up of the to get the important secret from him. jaw-bone; and the fountain, Enhakkore, the well of him that cried.

For some time he amused her with fictions, and made her believe that Some time after, Samson taking a his strength consisted first in one fancy to a harlot of Gaza, lodged thing, and then in another; first he in her house. Informed of this, the told her, that if they bound him with Philistines set a watch at the gates bands of green withs that were never to kill him as he went out in the dried, he should be as weak as other morning. Having got notice of their men; afterwards he told her, that designs, he rose about midnight, and tying him with ropes that had never going off, carried with him the posts been used; and again, weaving his and doors of their gate, to the top hair into tresses, would deprive him of the hill before Hebron, which we of his strength; but these being mere can hardly think could be less than stories, she, upon trial, found that 20 or 30 miles. Not long after, he all signified nothing; wherefore be fell in love with one Delilah, a beau- taking herself to all her arts and tiful woman, who lived in the valley wiles, she complained of his falseof Sorek, in the tribe of Judah, near ness, and upbraided him with his the land of the Philistines, who be- want of love, since he withheld a came a grievous scourge to him. thing from her which she was so imWhether this Delilah was a woman patient to know; and thus having of Israel, or one of the daughters of prevailed with him at length to tell the Philistines, who at this time were her the secret, viz. that in the prerulers in the country of Judah; or servation of his hair, for he was a whether she was his wife, or a har- Nazarite from his birth, his strength lot only, is not expressed in scrip- and security lay. Deliah believing ture: for this reason, some are of she had now got the secret from him, opinion that he was married to her; sent word thereof to some of the but if so, as Mr. Pool observes, some chief of the Philistines, who came mention, one would think, there and paid her the money they had should have been of the marriage agreed to give her; and when she ceremonies, in this as well as in his had cut off his hair, as he lay sleepformer wife's case; nor can we thinking in her lap, the Philistines rushed that the Philistines would have been in and apprehending him, put out his so bold as to draw her into their eyes, and carrying him to Gaza, put party, and to bribe her to betray him him in prison, and made him grind into their hands, had she been his at their corn-mill, as a contemptible lawful wife. It appears indeed by slave. When he had continued here her whole behaviour, that she was a about a year, his strength returned mercenary woman, who would do with the growth of his hair. While any thing to get money, and accord- the Philistines observed a solemn ingly Josephus calls her a common thanksgiving to Dagon their god, for prostitute of the Philistines. How- delivering Samson their destroyer inever this may be, the princes of the to their hand, the lords appointed Philistines observing Samson's pas him to be brought to their temple, sion for this woman, came and pro- to make them diversion. The apartmised each of them to give her element was capacious but was throng. ven hundred pieces of silver, nearly ed, and not a few from the roof or 7001. sterling, if she would learn of from galleries, beheld the sport. him, and discover to them, what As the roof was supported by two might be the cause of his wonderful pillars, Samson, after being suffici strength, and how he might be de- ently insulted, desired the boy who prived of it, Judg. xvi. This she led him, to guide him to the pillars.

that he might lean thereon. Having posers, and burnt up their cities. got hold of them, and being divinely By outrageous and ravaging Goths, warranted to lay down his life for Saracens, Tartars, Turks, &c. he rethe service of his nation, and the de-sented the injuries done to his cause. struction of their Philistine foes, he, And, in fine, how shall his fiery after a short prayer, pulled down vengeance for ever prey on the finalthe pillars and the temple about their ly impenitent! ears, by which means several thou- SAMUEL, or SHEMUEL, heard of sands were killed, even more than God, asked of God, the son of Elkaall he had slain in his life. Thus fell nah by HANNAH, and the 16th in deSamson, after he had judged Israel scent from Korah, the seditious Le20 years, and lived about 38. His vite. He was born about the same friends, hearing of his death, came time with Samson; and as his mother, and carried off his corpse, and bu-after long barrenness, obtained him ried it in the sepulchre of his ances-by earnest prayer, she devoted him to tors, Judges xiii. to xvi. That, with the service of God, as a Nazarite from all his faults, he was a real believer, his infancy; and after he was weaned, is testified by the Holy Ghost; though was assigned to Eli the high priest, to some imagine the passage only means, bring him up in the service of the tathat he had that faith whereby he was bernacle. When Eli, by reason of age, qualified for uncommon exploits, could hardly officiate, and was sinHeb. xi. 32, 33. fully indulgent towards his sons, who Did this Jewish hero typify our al-profaned the service of God, the Lord mighty Redeemer? How express the one morning, ere the lamps of the prediction, and supernatural the man- tabernacle were extinguished, called ner of his birth! how solemn his se- to Samuel by his name, as he lay in paration to the service of God! how a bed very near to that of Eli. Sawonderfully invigorating the spiri- muel thought it had been Eli, and tual influence he was possessed of! ran hastily to ask him his will. Eli how early and marvellous his ex-bid him lie down again, for he had ploits! Should I say, what rest for not called him. As all this was renumerous multitudes of sinful men, peated thrice, Eli at last suspected is prepared by his victory over sin, God had spoken to Samuel, and bid Satan, and death! how important him go lie down again, and if he his parables, and known only to such was called any more, to reply, Speak, as have fellowship with himself! how Lord, for thy servant heareth. Sabasely Judas and his countrymen be-muel did so. The Lord again calltrayed him, and delivered him to the ed him, and told him what shocking Gentiles, that he might be crucified. calamities would quickly come upon His enemies rejoiced to seal him up, the Hebrews, and upon the family and watch him in his grave; but he of Eli, because he had not restrained broke the bands, and carried off the the wickedness of his sons. At Eli's gates and bars of death, and, ascend-request, Samuel, not without relucing up on high, led captivity cap-tance, related all this to him. From tive. All alone he performed his this time forth, Samuel was taken grand exploits. By a voluntary death notice of as a prophet of the Lord. in his despised manhood, according When Eli died, Samuel, now about to his Father's will, he destroyed 40 years of age, succeeded him as principalities and powers. By the judge of Israel. Having assembled contemned preaching of the gospel, the people, probably on the occasion he conquers thousands of souls, and of their removal of the ark from Bethslays ten thousands of lusts: how shemesh to Kirjathjearim, he warned dreadful his vengeance! By the Ro- them to put away their idols, and remans, like fire-branded foxes, he turn to the Lord, and he would grant spread ruin among his Jewish op- them deliverance. He dismissed them VOL. II.

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for the present, and ordered them to Lord. Provoked with the inful promeet him in a body at Mizpeh, a posal, the Lord bid him grant the place about 16 or 18 miles north-west people their desire, since they were of Jerusalem, or perhaps more easter-weary of the divine government; but ly. There they assembled at the ap- first to warn them what manner of pointed time; and as many of them tyrants, (that would oblige their chilhad long, perhaps about 20 years, dren to serve in their wars, or drudge bewailed the case of their country, in their house or field, and would opand cried to the Lord for deliver-press them with heavy taxes and ance, they now, at a solemn fast ap- otherwise,) they might expect, acpointed by Samuel, confessed and cording to their own proposal. They mourned over their sins, and instead persisted in their motion. About of drink-offerings of wine, poured A. M. 2909, the Lord directed him out water before the Lord. Mean- to anoint SAUL to be their king; while, the Philistines dreading their and after that he confirmed the kingintentions, marched to attack them. dom to him at Gilgal. On that ocThe Hebrews begged Samuel would casion, after their peace-offerings pray for them he did so, and offer- were finished, Samuel solemnly chaled a lamb for a burnt-offering. God lenged the assembly to accuse him, terrified the Philistines, and struck if they could, of the least injustice in many of them with death. The rest his administration. They solemnly fled off in the utmost consternation ;| declared they could not accuse him the Hebrews pursued them as far as of any. After rehearsing the various Bethcar, and recovered from them the appearances of God in their favour, cities which they had taken from while the theocracy lasted, he warned them; nor, after that, did the Philis- them to take heed to serve the Lord, tines ravage the Hebrew territories and thus entail on themselves sigany more during the government of nal blessings. He told them, that Samuel. To commemorate this not- though now it was wheat-harvest, ed deliverance, he set up a stone or when thunder or rain seldom happenpillar, calling it EBENEZER, the stone ed, yet a storm should happen that of help, because their God had help- very day, to testify God's displeasure ed them. For the more regular ad- at their request of a king. At Samministration of justice, Samuel every uel's desire, the Lord sent the storm. year took a tour from Ramah to The thunder terrified the people, and Bethel, thence to Gilgal, and thence they begged the forgiveness of their to Mizpeh, (perhaps that in Gilead,) offence. After he had solemnly warnand thence returned home to Ramah, ed them against apostacy from the where he built an altar for his own service of the true God, and had endevotion, and that of those Hebrews gaged to continue his prayers for who flocked to him from the country round about, to ask his direction, or to have their causes decided, Sam. i. to iii. and vii. 1 Chron. vi. 22. to 28.

them, he dismissed them, and returned to his house, and never afterward appears to have acted as a judge, 1 Sam. viii. to xii. Two years after, he sharply reproved king Saul for He had two sons, Joel or Vashni, offering sacrifice, and warned him of the father of Henman the singer, and his losing his kingdom. Almost 20 Abiah, whom, in his old age, he ap-years after, he, by the direction of pointed judges of the people. Un-God, ordered Saul to go and slay the like to their father, they perverted Amalekites, and what pertained to justice, and received bribes. The them. At his return, Samuel sharply elders of Israel made a handle of this rebuked his rebellion against God's to ask a king, that they might be like commandment, in sparing the best the nations around. Samuel disre- of the sheep, and Agag the king; Lishing the motion, consulted the and then hewed the latter in pieces