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was of a handsome countenance and fine stature, he said, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before me."

"But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."

"Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, neither hath the LORD chosen this."

"Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, neither hath the LORD chosen this."

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Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these."

"And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither."

"And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him, for this is he."

"Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from this day forward."

CHAPTER XI.

DAVID'S COMBAT WITH GOLIATH. DAVID AND JONATHAN'S FRIENDSHIP. SAUL'S JEALOUSY.

In tracing the early period of David's history, and contrasting it with that of Saul, when rejected by God, and deserted by His Spirit, we are struck by the obvious truth, that there is no difference in worldly circumstances which affects the happiness of man, like that produced by the prompting of a good or of an evil conscience. Saul, in the midst of victory, and on a throne, felt that he was deserted by that Divine Being whose authority he had despised; and he became a prey to melancholy and despair, amounting at times to fits of frenzy, and temporary madness. This disease, called in the language of Scripture, 'an evil spirit,' either fell upon him as a direct punishment from God, or, as we know to be possible, and seems in this case highly probable, it arose from the agonies of remorse, and the unsatisfied, morbid, and agitated feelings of a soul defying the restraints of religion, yet unable to find peace without its divine sanction. David, on the contrary, sustained alone by the consciousness of Divine favor, endures hardship and persecution, and yet appears an object of envy to the desolate and unhappy king, who seeks his life. The one, with some great faults, preserved

a humble frame of mind, and always repented deeply of his errors; the other sinned without repentance, and sought relief from remorse in the indulgence of the fierce passions which had caused his misery. To return to the history:

When the malady which afflicted Saul was strong upon him, music alone calmed his frenzy; and his servants persuaded him to allow them to seek David, whose skill in playing upon the harp was already celebrated. He was, accordingly, sent for," and Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armour-bearer." "And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played with his hand so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." Then David returned to his father's house.*

"And there camp of the Gath, whose And he had

At this time the Philistines gathered their forces together, and came and encamped against Saul: the armies occupied the sides of two hills, having a valley between them. went out a champion out of the Philistines, named Goliath, of height was six cubits and a span. an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a

The order of events in David's life, is by some commentators supposed to have been transposed here, and David's being sent for to play before Saul, to have been after his combat with Goliath, and subsequent favor and dismissal.

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target of brass between his shoulders. And the
staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and
his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of
iron; and one bearing his shield went before
him. And he stood and cried to the armies of
Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come
out to set your battle in array? am not I a Phil-
istine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a
man for you, and let him come down to me.
he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then
will we be your servants: but if I prevail against
him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants,
and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy
the armies of Israel this day; give me a man
that we may fight together. When Saul and
all Israel heard those words of the Philistine,
they were dismayed, and greatly afraid."

This challenge of the gigantic Philistine was repeated every morning, during forty days. Saul offered riches, and honors, and even his daughter in marriage to any Israelite who dare accept it, but in vain: none ventured to attempt the apparently unequal combat, and the army of Saul became daily more dispirited.

In the camp of the Israelites there were three of David's brethren. "And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; and carry these ten cheeses, unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge."

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David reached the camp just as the insulting challenge of Goliath was delivered, as usual, in front of the host: he saw the terror of the people with indignation, and exclaimed, "who is this Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" And the people answered him after this manner, saying, so shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

"And Eliab, his eldest brother, heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why comest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?"

"And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him."

"And David said to Saul, Let no man's heartfail because of him: thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

"And Saul said unto David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he is a man of war from his youth."

"And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a

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