what Jehovah said to him; and in this manner, Je

hovah was again, as in former times, manifested in Shiloh.

CHAP. iv, 8." with all the plagues in the wilderness." Between the words

and

insert,

upon the authority of the Chaldee and Arabic ver

; והעשים נפלאות,sions

--" with all the plagues, and

wrought wonders in the wilderness."

Verse 13. "Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside, watching." Read,

עלי ישב על הכסא בעד יד השער דרך מצפה

-"Eli sat upon the seat close by the side of the gate, watching the road." See the version of the LXX, and compare verse 18. The change of 7 into

is justified by many of Kennicott's MSS.; but this alone is not a sufficient emendation.

Verse 21." (because-husband)." I am inclined to think that the whole of this parenthesis is an interpolation.

Verse 22. "And-Israel: foris taken;" rather, "Now-Israel, because- was taken."

CHAP. V, 6." and smote them with emerods;" rather, "smote them in the fundaments. " See LXX, Vulgate, Aquila, and Symmachus. The Vulgate adds to this verse," Et ebullierant villæ et

agri in medio regionis illius et nati sunt mures, et facta est confusio mortis magnæ in civitate." The LXX have an addition to the same effect. Houbigant and Kennicott with good reason suppose that the corresponding words have been lost from the Hebrew text. See chap. vi, 4, 5.

Verse 9.-" and they had emerods in their secret parts;" rather, "and their fundaments became ulcerous." See Vulgate and Aquila.

Verse 12. —“ were smitten with the emerods;" rather as in verse 6, "were smitten in the fundaments."

CHAP. vi, 4. "five golden mice." In the LXX, according to the Vatican, the number of mice is not mentioned. The mice must have been many more than five, for they were according to the number of towns and cities, not of lordships: See verse 18.

Verse 18.-"the great stone of Abel, whereon," &c. For, two or three of Kennicott's MSS., and one of De Rossi's, have N, and this was the reading of the LXX. "the great stone, whereon," &c.

Verse 19.fifty thousand three score and ten men." Only three score and ten, according to the reading of three MSS. of Kennicott's, confirmed by

4

the authority of Josephus. See Kennicott's Disser

tation.

CHAP. vii, 2. "And it came to pass," &c. Rather,

2. "Now it was so, that from the day the ark was placed at Kiriath-jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years, that all the house of Israel pined after Jehovah: 3. Then Samuel spake," &c.

The sense is not, what our English Bibles seem to express, that the whole time of the residence of the ark at Kiriath-jearim was only twenty years. It was certainly much longer. For the ark continued there all the reign of Saul, and part of David's reign. See 2 Sam. vi, and 1 Chron. xiii. But the sacred historian affirms in this place, that from the first placing of the ark at Kiriath-jearim, twenty years passed of anxious expectation of Jehovah's interposition for the deliverance of his people, before Samuel gave them any hope. That at the expiration of that time Samuel promised them deliverance upon their complete renunciation of their idols. clearly expressed in the original,

This is the sense

and rendered in

the version of the LXX and Vulgate.

Verse 14." Eckron," &c. See Josh. xv, 45, 46;

xiii, 3.

This seventh chapter seems to contain a general account of things in Israel, from the twentieth year after the settlement of the ark at Kiriath-jearim, to Samuel's death. The subsequent chapters to xxv, 1, give the history of the same period in detail. It was from the end of the twentieth year that Samuel's government commenced. These twenty years formed an interregnum between Eli's death and Samuel's entrance upon the office of judge. The victory at Mizpeh was his first military exploit. The victories mentioned afterwards, by which Eckron and other cities were recovered, took place undoubtedly after Saul's elevation to the throne, and made a part of his victories.* For it cannot be supposed that, after the recovery of those towns, the Israelites should be without sword or spear, except what were in the hands of the king and his sons. See chap. xiii, 22. CHAP. Viii, 16. -" and your goodliest young men. men." "Goodliest young men" seem oddly coupled with For, the LXX certainly read "and your best herds."

"asses."

and * ;בקריכם

CHAP. ix, 9. This parenthesis is certainly mis

* I think there is great room to doubt whether the victory at Mizpeh was before it. See chap. ix, 16.

VOL. I.

X

placed. It would come in properly between the 11th and the 12th verse, where Houbigant places it.

Verses 12, 14, 19, 25. "high place;" rather, "house of worship."

Verse 14." city: and when they were come into the city," &c.; rather, "city. As they were going along through the middle of the city," &c.

;בתוך השער

Verse 18." in the gate." ; rather,

with LXX, ;"in the middle of the city." Verses 23, 24. Houbigant corrects this perplexed

from לאמר העם קראתי passage by bringing the words

the middle of the 24th verse, where they have no meaning, to the end of the 23d.

23. "And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by, saying I had invited the people.

24. "So the cook took up the haunch, with what belonged to it, and set it before Samuel, and said, Behold what was reserved is set before thee; Eat, for it was kept for thee for this occasion. So Saul ate with Samuel that day."

Verses 25, 26." Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. 26. And they rose early: and it came to pass," &c.

וירפדו לשאול על הגג וישכב: ,Read, with LXX