II. And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.

12. And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

13. And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.

11. Come forth out of the holes. The limestone rock of the region is full of caves, where Saul's terrified soldiers had been hiding (1 Sam. 13:6).

12. We will show you a thing. Perhaps this means, "We will teach you a lesson," as Gideon took thorns and briers and with them " taught" the men of Succoth (Judg. 8: 16).

13. And Jonathan climbed up.

Conder in his Tent Work in Palestine describes a hill which may have been the one occupied by the Philistine guard whom Jonathan

attacked: "Immediately to the east of the village of Michmash exists a natural fortress, still called 'the fort' by the peasantry. It is a ridge rising in three rounded knolls abové a perpendicular crag, ending in a narrow tongue to the east with cliffs below." They fell before Jonathan. In those days of hand-to-hand fighting one strong and determined man could kill as many of his weaker antagonists as he could get within his reach, much as a boy can kill flies.

14. Twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre. No satisfactory explanation of this sentence has ever been made, but it evidently signifies that the first slaughter was in a comparatively small space; then the killing became widespread.

15. There was a trembling in the camp, the main camp of the Philistines, to which was rapidly communicated the terror which Jonathan had inspired in the outpost. This panic included the spoilers, the foraging parties mentioned in 1 Sam. 13: 17, From an old print. who would be among the boldest. The panic was increased by an earthquake, as that at Eben-ezer was caused by the thunder-storm (1 Sam. 7 : 10), and that of the Syrians before Samaria by a mysterious noise of chariots and horses (2 Kings 7:6). The emotional and undisciplined armies of the East were particularly affected by these panics.

ONE, WITH GOD, IS A MAJORITY." "At the first sight we get of Jonathan, he is fighting against the enemies of the Lord, and he dies engaged in the same warfare. Jonathan lived much with God; all the springs of his endeavors were in God. He prayed much. Men cannot live such lives as his without divine help of this kind." Rev. J. G. Greenhough.

"Jonathan entered into the spirit of the divine covenant. Was not the old promise true, that one should chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight' (Deut. 32:30)? Happy are they who can rise above depression and misfortune into the

clear heaven of fellowship with God, allying their weakness with his might, their ignorance with his wisdom!" F. B. Meyer.

On a factory street in a Western city a sign was posted on an empty building : "To let, with or without power." You may have your life on the same terms.

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It is almost as presumptuous to think you can do nothing as to think you can do everything." "Oh, do not pray for easy lives! Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.". Phillips Brooks. Illustration. "In my college days the professor of natural history used to exhibit his great horseshoe magnet, wound about with coils of wire. He hung it up, charged the wire with a galvanic current, and it caught up and held four thousand pounds. He signaled to his assistant to draw off the current, and the power was gone. My brother, encircle your soul with faith and let the divine electricity of the love of Jesus Christ charge it. Then you can lift anything; you can do anything that God wants you to do." Theodore L. Cuyler.

"Our Father, our Father, who dwellest in light,
We lean on thy love, and we rest on thy might;
In weakness and weariness joy shall abound,
For strength everlasting in thee shall be found,
Our Refuge, our Helper, in conflict and woe,
Our mighty Defender, how blessed to know,

For thine is the power.' Frances Ridley Havergal.

III. JONATHAN'S PERIL AND PRESERVATION, 1 Sam. 14: 16-46. A hasty muster, perhaps a roll-call, showed Saul that Jonathan and his armorbearer were absent, and Saul probably knew the courage and enterprise of his son well enough to be sure that he was in some way at the bottom of the disturbance he witnessed among the foe. Should he follow up the matter with a general attack? Calling for the ephod mentioned in 1 Sam. 14: 3 (for the ark was still at Kirjathjearim, and it seems likely that the Septuagint reading of "the ephod" here represents the original), he bade Ahijah draw from it an omen telling him whether or not to advance. But before the priest had withdrawn his hand from the bag it was clear to Saul that the Philistines were routed, and he ordered an immediate pursuit, in which the entire Israelite army was reënforced by the Hebrews whom the Philistines had impressed to fight on their side, but who now turned against their former masters. So the Philistines fled headlong westward, and the Israelites rushed after them for fifteen or twenty miles, until the foe were safe on their own plains of Philistia at Aijalon.

SAUL'S RASH COMMAND. The precipitate flight of the Philistines without a cause showed that Jehovah was working for the Israelites. Saul wished to do something to show his religious zeal and retain Jehovah's presence, so he rashly proclaimed a fast for the entire day. No one was to stay in the pursuit of the Philistines to eat a mouthful. Saul's religion was half superstition, and all superstition is foolish. Fasting has a religious value, but not when strength of body is urgently needed, as it was on that day.

JONATHAN'S INNOCENT ERROR. In their pursuit through the forest, the Israelites came to a place "flowing with honey," as Palestine is in so many parts. "Few countries are more admirably adapted for bees than this, with its dry climate, and its stunted but varied flora, consisting in large proportion of aromatic thymes, mints, and other labiate plants, as well as of crocuses in spring; while the dry recesses of the limestone rocks everywhere afford shelter and protection for the combs." Tristram. In this case the honey was found (Hastings)“in hollow trees, from which it dropped to the ground."

A striking proof of the folly of Saul's rash injunction is that his own son Jonathan did not, in the confusion, get word of it. He was weary from his great exertions, and, as was natural, with the point of his staff (Ellicott) took up a piece of the honeycomb, and on eating it felt his weariness pass away. When a bystander told him of Saul's oath, Jonathan promptly repudiated it as unwise : My father hath brought disaster upon the land." "This disaster was the incompleteness of the victory, owing to the people's being too exhausted to continue the pursuit.". Pulpit Commentary. Godly men will sometimes be found less outwardly religious than some other men and will greatly shock them by being so. The godly man has an unction from the Holy One to understand his will; he goes straight to the Lord's business; like our blessed Lord he finishes the work given him to do, while the

merely religious man is often so occupied with his forms that, like the Pharisee, he neglects the structure for which forms are but the scaffolding; in paying his tithes of mint, anise, and cummin, he omits the weightier matters justice, mercy, and truth." W. G. Blaikie.

JONATHAN SAVED. Saul discovered Jonathan's innocent error through another evil to which his rash vow led the people were so ravenous from their fasting that, as soon as the sun was set and the day ended, they flew upon the captured sheep and oxen of the Philistines, and not only killed the calves on the same day with their dams, which was against the law (Lev. 22: 28), but, still worse, ate them with their blood. "The blood was the part of Jehovah, and for man to eat it was sacrilegious. This idea runs through the history of Israel (Deut. 12: 16; Lev. 19: 26).". International Critical Commentary. The Jews to this day refrain from eating the blood of slain animals.

When Saul heard of this infraction of the law, he was greatly shocked, and ordered a great stone rolled into a convenient position, that the cattle might be laid upon it, and the blood thus run away; moreover, he erected an altar, that the blood might be poured out upon it as a sacrifice.

All of this, however, was unavailing, for when Saul was minded to pursue the Philistines further that night, and asked the priest for a token of the divine favor, his mysterious oracle was silent. This led to an investigation as to whose fault it was, and the lot of the priest's ephod fell finally upon Jonathan. Saul's curse was upon him, and he must surely die.

"Saul's ban is regarded with as much reverence as Jephthah's vow (Judg. 11 : 35); but Jonathan's life, unlike that of Jephthah's daughter, is important to the whole nation, and Saul finds that his power is very strictly limited by the popular will." Dummelow. Indeed, when the people indignantly refused to allow the execution of the young hero who had saved the nation by his deed of valor, Saul was quite ready to submit.

JONATHAN'S ZEAL FOR OUR PRESENT-DAY TASKS. 'Jonathan's deed was more than brave; it was audacious to the point of madness. Reason would have laughed it to scorn; military men would have called it insanity; and people who count odds would have written it down impossible. Yet it succeeded. Jonathan's faith was of the kind that clothes itself with omnipotence." Hastings.

Equally heroic deeds have been accomplished by God's warriors in all ages. "History affords at every turn some impregnable fortress which was the despair of the wise and prudent, but was carried by some enthusiast with a rush." - Ian Maclaren.

"What we want is enthusiasm. Don't you be afraid of it. Some people the minute you speak about enthusiasm think it is fanaticism. Do you know what the word enthusiasm ' means?' in God,' that is what it means." D. L. Moody. "Enthusiasm is the genius of sincerity, and truth accomplishes no victories without it."- Bulwer Lytton.

"I would have you be like a fire well kindled, which catches at everything you throw in, and turns it into flame and brightness.' Marcus Aurelius.

“A youth without enthusiasm means maturity without faith and old age without hope." Westcott.

Illustrations. Morley, in his life of Gladstone, describes" that sovereign quality of Courage which became one of the most signal of all his traits." It was shown in parliamentary debates, in enduring criticism, in bold initiative, in patient waiting. "He had even the courage to be prudent, just as he knew when it was prudent to be bold. He applied in public things the Spenserian line, Be bold, be bold, and everywhere be bold,' but neither did he forget the iron door with its admonition, 'Be not too bold.'"

"At the battle of Missionary Ridge a regiment made a desperate charge against the enemy. Who ordered that charge? cried the commanding general of an officer. No one, sir,' was the response; the men saw the need and the opportunity, and they dashed forward without waiting for orders.' The world wants thousands of Christian warriors thus to see the need and the opportunity.'" Allan Sutherland.

world. The needs are clamant. The Our Captain is calling! What, then, Rev. J. H. Jowett, D.D.

"Our holy battlefield is as wide as the opportunities of victory are on every side. shall it be? Advance, or retreat ?".

GOLDEN TEXT.

LESSON X. — June 6.

SAUL'S FAILURE.

1 Samuel 15.

PRINT 1 Sam. 15:13-26.

Thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah hath

rejected thee. -1 SAM. 15: 26.

Devotional Reading: Ps. 119: 33-40, 57-60.

Additional Material for Teachers: 1 Sam. 14: 47-52.

Primary Topic: A KING WHO DISOBEYED GOD.

Lesson Material: 1 Sam. 15.

Memory Verse: We must obey God rather than men.

Junior Topic: How SAUL LOST HIS KINGDOM.
Lesson Material: 1 Sam. 15: 13-26.

Memory Verse: 1 Sam. 15: 22.

Intermediate and Senior Topic: WHY SAUL FAILED.

Acts 5:29.

Topic for Young People and Adults : THE Strength and WEAKNESS OF SAUL'S

CHARACTER.

Additional Material: 1 Sam., chaps. 13; 28; 31.

THE TEACHER AND HIS CLASS.

The Younger Classes. In the Primary and Junior departments the teacher will dwell lightly on the destruction of the Amalekites, speaking of their wickedness and the punishment due them, and not entering into grewsome details. Every child is tempted to disobey and to make excuses," as Saul did. This is a very practical lesson for the children. The Intermediate Classes. These pupils will be helped by a broad view of Saul's life, which started out with so much promise and came to so sad a conclusion. Study the reasons for Saul's failure, and be sure to apply the lesson to the lives of your pupils; they will be successes or failures as they obey God like Samuel or disobey him like Saul.

The Older Classes. Saul is a type of a class of men found everywhere, and each of us has probably a little of Saul in him. The more mature students will find this lesson to be a good opportunity for an analysis of the strength and weakof Saul his modesty, reserve, courage, prudence, religious bent, over against his wilfulness, fitfulness, superstition, and deceit. The application to our own lives is made inevitably.

ness

THE LESSON IN ITS SETTING. Time. Professor Beecher's conjectural date for the war with the Amalekites

THE TEACHER'S LIBRARY.

Life and Duty. Spurgeon's sermon on confession of sin (Vol. III.) has Saul's Maurice's Prophets and Kings of the confession for one of its seven texts. Old Testament. Wilberforce's Heroes of Talmage's Old Wells Dug Out. William Hebrew History. An admirable sermon, R. Huntington's A Good Shepherd. "Impulsiveness," in Vaughan's Temple Jeremy Taylor's sermon preached at Sermons. Another noble sermon, on the opening of the Parliament of Ire1 Sam. 15:22, in Dawson's On Daily land, May 8, 1661, on 1 Sam. 15: 22, 23.

I. SAUL'S HALFWAY OBEDIENCE, 1 Sam. 15: 1-9. The Amalekites were a powerful tribe occupying the wilderness south of Judah, extending southward to Sinai and southwestward to Egypt. Their founder may have been Amalek, the grandson of Esau (Gen. 36: 12). They were a wild and wandering tribe, and a constant menace to the Israelites.

The Amalekites were the first to oppose the Israelites as they escaped from Egypt, but were defeated at Rephidim by Joshua through the prayers of Moses (Ex. 17:816), on which occasion punishment was promised at some time in the future. After

the Israelites got to Canaan the Amalekites continued to attack them, combining now with the Moabites (Judg. 313) and now with the Midianites (Judg. 6:3). The time seemed ripe for bringing upon them the fate which their cruelty had so abundantly invited.

Another reason for the punitive expedition was that it might test Saul, and make clear whether he would rule under the authority of Jehovah, as the judges had done, or would set up his own will in opposition to Jehovah. Therefore the command which Samuel gave to Saul was very solemn and

explicit. Reminding the king of his selection and anointing by divine command, Samuel bade Saul, in just punishment for the sins of the Amalekites, to destroy the tribe completely with all their possessions, leaving no child, even, nor a single animal. THE REASON FOR THIS STERN DECREE. It does not at first thought seem like the God of love whom we worship to condemn an entire tribe, women and children and cattle, for the sins of their ancestors and for the wickedness of the fighting men among them. But this is precisely what happens to-day in all lands. If a community allows an infectious disease to get a start, it does not confine its ravages to the board of health. If an ambitious ruler starts a war, its ruin involves many thousands of innocent ones. God wishes us to learn that we are our brothers' keepers; and that where one member suffers, all the other members of the body suffer with it. Often in the course of history wide-reaching punishments like this have been necessary, involving the innocent with the guilty, because in no other way can nations be punished for national sins, and taught not to commit them in the future.

Saul made no objection to the commission; indeed, he may well have felt honored by it. He mobilized his troops at Telaim, in the south of Judah, an army of two hundred thousand infantry from other tribes, besides ten thousand from Judah, the region on the border of which the war was to be fought.

WHY THE KENITES WERE SAVED. The Kenites were nomads like the Amalekites, among whom they lived; but they were on quite a different footing. A portion of them seem to have dwelt with the Midianites. Jethro, whose daughter Moses married, was a priest of Midian and also a Kenite. The Kenites were kind to the Israelites when they escaped from Egypt, and some of them accompanied the Israel