had yet brought into the field. Avoiding the former mistake of allowing their opponents to take them in flank

by camping in Michmash, the Philistines now occupied that post themselves, their line extending thither

from Beth-aven.124

From their position at Gilgal the Israelites could see that mighty host, and under the influence of terror

rapidly melted away. Some passed across the Jordan, the most part hid themselves in the caves and pits and

rocks with which the whole district around the position of the Philistines abounds. The situation was indeed

becoming critical in the extreme. Day by day the number of deserters increased, and even those who yet

remained "behind him," "were terrified."  125

And still Saul waited from day to day for that without which he had been told he must not move out of

Gilgal, and which now was so unaccountably and, as it would seem to a commander, so fatally delayed! It

will be remembered that on parting from Saul, immediately after his anointing, Samuel had spoken these

somewhat mysterious words (1 Samuel 10:7, 8): "And it shall be when these signs shall come unto thee, do

for thyself as thine hand shall find, for Elohim is with thee. And when thou goest down before me to Gilgal, -

and behold I am going down to thee,126 - to offer burnt-offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-

offerings, seven days shalt thou tarry till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do."

The first part of Samuel's injunction - to do as his hand should find - Saul had followed when making war

against Nahash. It is the second part which sounds so mysterious. It will be remembered that, immediately

after the defeat of Nahash, Saul and the people had, on the suggestion of Samuel, gone to Gilgal, there to

"renew the kingdom." Manifestly that visit to Gilgal could not have been meant, since, so far from having to

wait seven days for the arrival of Samuel, the prophet had accompanied Saul thither. It can, therefore, only

have been intended to apply to this retreat of Saul upon Gilgal in preparation for his first great campaign

against the Philistines.127

And what to us sounds so mysterious in the language of Samuel may not have been so at the time to Saul.

During that communing on the roof of Samuel's house, or afterwards, the two may have spoken of a great

war against the Philistines, and of the necessity of gathering all Israel in preparation for it to Gilgal, not only

for obvious military reasons, but as the place where the "reproach of Israel had first been rolled away

(Joshua 5:9), and whence appropriately the re -conquest of the land should commence by sacrifices and

seeking the direction of the Lord .

But even if at the time when first uttered by Samuel it had seemed mysterious to Saul, there could be no

doubt that the injunction applied to the circumstances in which the king and his followers now found

themselves. What should he do? Day by day passed without tidings of Samuel, and still his followers

decreased, and the hearts of those who remained waxed more feeble. Yet Saul did wait the full seven days

which Samuel had appointed. But when the seventh day was drawing to a close128 he forbore no longer; and

although, as he said, most reluctantly, he had the sacrifices offered, no doubt by the regular priesthood

(comp. 2 Samuel 24:,5; 1 Kings 3:4; 8:63).

No sooner had the sacrifices been offered, than on a sudden Samuel himself appeared - as we understand it,

before the full term which he had set for his arrival had actually been passed. Whether simply to brave it, or,

as seems to us more likely, from real ignorance of the import of what he had done, Saul went to meet and

salute Samuel. But the prophet came as God's messenger. He denounced the folly of Saul, and his sin in

disobeying the express command of the Lord, and intimated that, had he stood the test, his kingdom, or

royal line, would have been established, whereas now his throne would pass to a worthier successor. Not,

therefore, his personal rejection, nor even that of his title to the throne, but only that of his "kingdom," or

line, as unfit to be "captains" over "Jehovah's people" - such was the sentence which Samuel had to

announce on that day.