DANIEL. the minutiae of the prediction. Burckhardt traversed through all these countries, and they have since been visited by other travellers. Edom and Moab are in the possession of the Bedouin or wandering Arabs, whom the Turks have often attempted in vain to subjugate. The partial escape of Ammon from their dominion is not less discriminating than just. For although that territory lies in the immediate vicinity of the pachalic of Damascus, to which part of it is subjected-though it be extremely fertile by nature-though its situation and its soil have thus presented for several centuries, the strongest temptation to Turkish rapacity-though they have often attempted to subdue it, yet no fact could have been more explicitly detailed, or more incidentally communicated, than that the inhabitants of the greater part of that country, particularly what adjoins the ancient, but now desolate city of Ammon, 'live in a state of complete independence of the Turks."' of the middle of his forehead, In the reign of Archelaus of There is likewise an engraved gem in the Florentine collection, which is worthy of observation. It will be perceived Coin of Archelaus. by the engraving that by the ram's head with two horns, and the goat's head with one, is intended the kingdoms of Persia and Macedon, represented under their appro "He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries.' (v. 42.) How significantly do these words represent the vast extent of the Turkish empire, which alone has stretched its dominion over many countries of Asia, of Europe, and of Africa! Ill-fated Egypt was not to escape from subjection to such a master: "And the land of Egypt shall not escape, but he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt.' The Turks have drained Egypt of its wealth, of its gold, and of its silver, and (of its precious things: and such power have they exercised over it, that the kingdom of the Pharaohs, the land where everlasting pyramids were built, despoiled to the utmost, is now one of the poorest, as it has long been the basest of kingdoms. "The Libyans and Ethiopians shall be at his steps.' (v. 43.) These form the extremities of the Turkish empire, and were partially subject to its power. After the conquest of Egypt, the terror of Selim's victories,' says the historian, spreading wide, the kings of Africa, bordering upon Cyrenaica, sent their ambassadors with offers to become his tributaries. Other more remote nations also, towards Ethiopia, were priate symbols. From the circumstance of these chaeasily induced to join in amity with the Turks.' Ex-racteristic types being united, it is extremely probable clusive of Egypt, they still retain the nominal power over other countries of Africa. "Such is the prophetic description of the rise and extent of the power which was to possess Judæa in the latter days; and it is a precise delineation of the rise and extent of the Turkish empire, to which Judæa has been subject for centuries." that this gem was engraved after the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great. The relation of these emblems to Macedon and Persia is strongly confirmed by the eighth chapter of Daniel. The objections of modern neologians and deists to the Book of Daniel, have been collected and ably refuted by Dr. Hengstenberg, of Berlin, in his Treatise on The Authenticity of Daniel and the Integrity of Zechariah, the argument of which, the limits of this work will not admit of being stated, even in the most condensed form; the reader is, therefore, referred to the English translation, forming part of the Edinburgh Biblical Cabinet. The prophecy of Daniel, in reference to the kingdoms of Persia and Macedon, is illustrated in a very remarkable manner by the ancient coins of both countries, as well as by other monuments of antiquity. Ammianus Marcellinus acquaints us, that the king of Persia, when at the head of his army, wore a ram's head made of gold, In the Vulgate Latin edition of the Bible, as well as and adorned with precious stones, instead of a diadem, in Theodotion's Greek version, which was adopted by all and ram's heads, with horns, one the Greek churches in the East, instead of the ancient higher than the other, are still to be Septuagint translation, there is added, in the third chapter on the walls of Persepolis. of Daniel, between the twenty-third and twenty-fourth The type of Persia, the ram, is ob- verses, the Song of the Three Children, Hananiah, Miserved on a very ancient coin, un-chael, and Azariah, who were cast into the fiery furnace. doubtedly Persian. Alexander's son, The version of Theodotion also introduces, at the beginby Roxana, was named the Son of ning of this book, the history of Susanna, and at the the Goat. The kingdom of Macedon end, the story of Bel and the Dragon; this arrangement was represented by a goat, with this peculiarity, that it is also followed by the modern version in use in the had but one horn. In the reign of Amyntas I., about Greek church. But in the Latin Vulgate, both these B.C. 747, the Macedonians, upon being threatened apocryphal pieces were separated by Jerome from the with an invasion, became subject to the Persians, and, canonical books, and were dismissed to its close with an on one of the pilasters of Persepolis, this very event express notice that they were not found by him in the appears to be recorded, and in a manner that seems to Hebrew, but were translated from Theodotion. In a throw considerable light on the present subject. A later age, however, they were improperly made a contigoat is represented with an immense horn growing out nuation of Daniel, being numbered chapters 13 and 14; an arrangement which has been followed in all the modern versions from the Vulgate in use among the members of the Romish church, and sometimes with the unjustifiable omission of the cautionary notice of Jerome. The narratives of Susanna and of Bel and the Dragon, do not exist in the genuine Septuagint version of Daniel, recovered in the middle of the eighteenth century; nor were these apocryphal additions ever received into the canon of Holy Writ by the Jewish church; they are not extant in the Hebrew or Chaldee languages, nor is there any evidence that they ever were so extant, and they were never recognised as part of the sacred volume by the ancient Fathers of the Church. Sir Isaac Newton; More; Bishop Newton; Keith; Horne. DARIUS, 7 Aapelos, a name of several Persian kings; three of whom are mentioned in the Old Testament. I. Darius the Mede, spoken of in Daniel 11. 1. He is by profane writers termed Cyaxares II., and was brother to Mandane, the mother of Cyrus. II. Darius, son of Hystaspis. (Ezra 4. 5; 5. 6; 6. 12-16; Haggai 1. 1; Zech. 1. 1.) Darius Hystaspis, who reigned from 521 to 486 B.C., is represented by Herodotus as a mild and benevolent ruler. He strengthened his alliance with Cyrus by marrying a daughter of the genuine Smerdis, and two daughters of Cyrus, one of whom, Atossa, till that time had remained unmarried. Before his last war with the Greeks, he appointed Xerxes, his son by Atossa, successor to the throne, although he had an elder son by another wife. He then divided the empire into twenty satrapies, and made a new appointment of the taxes, which Smerdis the impostor had remitted for three years. As Smerdis (the Artaxerxes of Ezra 8.7) was a mere usurper, his prohibition of the building of the Temple was of no authority. The Jews, then, immediately on the accession of Darius, might have continued their work, especially as this prince was of so mild a disposition, and so highly esteemed everything which had its origin with Cyrus. When the Jews, therefore, pretended that the time to build the Temple had not come, because sixty-seven years only had elapsed since its destruction, and they would reckon the period at seventy years, according to the duration of the captivity, while they were erecting splendid dwellings for themselves, and adorning their apartments with ornamental work, and referred to the edict of Smerdis, this was a mere subterfuge; but in the second year of Darius, two prophets appeared, Haggai and Zechariah, who made such powerful appeals to the governor Zerubbabel, the high priest Joshua, and the whole people, concerning the Divine commands, that the building of the House of God was once more resumed. (Ezra 4. 28; Haggai 1. 2-15; Zech. 2. 5-17; 8. 1-17.) Upon this Tatnai, the Persian governor on the west of the Euphrates, came with his officers to call the Jews to account for their conduct; and when they referred to the permission of Cyrus, he was reasonable enough not to prohibit their undertaking, but wrote to Darius to have the affair investigated. Darius immediately caused search to be made among the royal edicts, and in the archives at Ecbatana, (Achmetha,) a decree was found which directed that the Temple should be built at the royal expense, and of much larger dimensions than before. Darius sent a copy of this edict to Tatnai, together with a letter, commanding him not to obstruct the building, but zealously to forward it, to defray the expenses from the royal treasury, and also to supply the priests with such animals as were requisite for the sacrifices, with wheat, salt, wine and oil, from day to -DARIUS. day, "that they might offer sacrifices to the God of Heaven, and pray for the welfare of the king and of his sons." He gave a positive command, that whoever obstructed the execution of this decree, should be put to death, and his house demolished; and he added an imprecation on all kings and people who should attempt to destroy that house of God. The work was now carried on with renewed vigour, and, in the sixth year of Darius, on the third day of the month Adar, (March,) the edifice was completed. It was then joyfully conse crated with festive solemnities. (Ezra 5. 3-17; 6. 1-22.) It appears that Darius had heard of the obstructions to the building of the Temple occasioned by the Samaritans, or at least had suspected something of the kind, from the circumstance that an edifice, ordered by Cyrus, still remained unfinished. This favouring of the Hebrews by Darius is well deserving of notice. He undoubtedly knew that Cyrus attributed all his victories to Jehovah, the God of Heaven. year During the disturbances occasioned by Smerdis, the Babylonians were preparing to revolt; and these preparations were privately carried on till the fourth or fifth of Darius, when they broke out in open rebellion They had taken every precaution, and to enable them to sustain a siege, which, by its long continuance, might exhaust the strength and the patience of their besiegers, they put to death all the females of the city, excepting one in each family, whom they retained as a servant. (Comp. Isai. 47. 9; 48. 20; Jerem. 50. 20; 51.6,47.) After a tedious blockade of nineteen months, Zopyrus, one of the seven princes of Persia, cut off his own ears and nose, and fled to the Babylonians, pretending that Darius had thus mutilated him; he was believed, gradually insinuated himself into their confidence, and finally became commandant of the city, when he opened two gates to the Persians. Darius ordered the immediate crucifixion of three thousand Babylonian nobles, who had been the authors of the revolt; he took away the one hundred brazen gates of the city, and threw down two hundred cubits from the height of the wall, owing to which circumstance, more recent writers assert that the walls were only fifty cubits high. Thus the prophecies against Babylon received a still further accomplishment. (Jerem. 51. 44,53; Zech. 6. 6.) The remainder of the reign of Darius was spent in unceasing wars, which the prophet Zechariah represents by the "four winds (spirits) of the heavens" riding in chariots of war. Darius died in the thirty-sixth year of his reign, B.C. 485. During these wars the Hebrews enjoyed peace in their own country, a circumstance to which Zechariah alludes in his prophecies. (1. 7-17; 6. 1-8.) In the last expedition against Egypt, however, they might have been obliged to participate, as the ren dezvous of the army was near their territory, but probably they merely supplied the army with provisions, without being forced to engage personally in the service. III. Darius Codomanus was of the royal family of Persia, but very remote from the crown. After Bagoas had removed Ochus out of the way, B.C. 338, that he might retain the direction of affairs in his own hands, he put to death all the elder sons of the king, and placed Arses, the youngest, on the throne. But as it soon appeared that the young king was determined not to leave unpunished the murderer of his father and brothers, Bagoas anticipated him, and in the second or third year of his reign, destroyed him and all his family. The old regicide then presented the sceptre to Darius Codomanus, governor of Armenia, who was a descendant of Darius Nothus, and had acquired great reputation in the Cadusian war. Bagoas soon repented of his choice and plotted the death of this king also; but Codomanus DARIUS discovered his design, and forced the wretch to swallow the poison himself which he had prepared for him. During the exhibition of these murderous scenes at the Persian court, preparations had commenced in Greece for the overthrow of the Persian monarchy. Alexander the Great invaded Persia, and defeated Darius in three successive battles. After the third battle, Darius fled towards Media, in the hope of raising another army. Here Bessus, governor of Bactria, and Narbazanes, a grandee of Persia, seized him, loaded him with chains, forced him into a covered chariot and fled, carrying Darius with them, towards Bactria. After a precipitate march of many days, Alexander overtook the traitors, who seeing themselves pressed, endeavoured to compel Darius to get upon horseback, and save himself with them; but on his refusing, they stabbed him in several places, and left him expiring in his chariot. He was dead when Alexander arrived, who could not forbear weeping at so sad a spectacle. Alexander covered Darius with his own cloak, and sent the body to his wife Sysigambis, that she might bury him in the tombs of the kings of Persia. Thus were verified the symbolic prophecies of Daniel. (ch. 8.) Jahn; Winer. DARKNESS, Thhoshech. The absence of light; the state of chaos as represented by the sacred writer in Genesis 1. 2. The plague of darkness in Egypt, (Exod. 10. 21,) was one so thick and intense as to seem almost palpable. The "palpable obscure" of Milton, appears to express the idea in a forcible manner. The Tamul translation gives, "darkness which causeth to feel," or so dark that a man is obliged to feel his way, and until he shall have so felt, he cannot proceed. Some expositors are disposed to contend for the literal palpableness of this darkness, by supposing that the agency employed was a wind, densely filling the air with particles of dust and sand. Such winds are not unknown in the Eastern deserts, and they are always very appalling and destructive in their effects. Others think that a dense fog was spread over the land, but a darkness, consisting of thick clammy fogs and exhalations, so condensed as to be perceived by the organs of touch, might have extinguished animal life in a few hours. Whether the darkness were exhibited in these or any other forms, the miracle must have struck the Egyptians with astonishment and horror, as the sun was one of their principal deities, and was supposed to be the source of life and the soul of the world, and with the moon to rule all things. The darkness at the crucifixion of Our Saviour, is thought to have lasted almost the whole of the time He was upon the cross. (Matt. 27. 45; Mark 15. 33.) Origen, Maldonatus, Erasmus, Vatablus, and others, were of opinion, that this darkness covered Judæa only, which is sometimes in Scripture called the whole earth. (Luke 23. 44.) Chrysostom, Euthymius, Theophylact, and others, thought it extended over a hemisphere. Origen says it was caused by a thick mist, which precluded the sight of the sun. That it was preternatural is certain; for, the moon being at full, a natural eclipse of the sun was then impossible. In the Acts of Pilate, which have been quoted by Justin Martyr and Tertullian, we find the following document, in which this preternatural darkness is referred to. See ACTS OF PILATE. "Pilate to Tiberius, &c. "I have been at length forced to consent to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, to prevent a tumult among the Jews, though it was very much against my will. For the world never saw, and probably never will see, a man | of such extraordinary piety and uprightness. But the high priests and Sanhedrim fulfilled in it the oracles of their prophets and of our sibyls. While he hung on the cross, a horrid darkness, which covered the earth, seemed to threaten its final end. His followers, who profess to have seen him rise from the dead and ascend into heaven, and acknowledge him for their God, do still subsist, and, by their excellent lives, show themselves the worthy disciples of so extraordinary a master. I did all I could to save him from the malice of the Jews, but the fear of a total insurrection made me sacrifice him to the peace and interest of your empire," &c. As light is the symbol of joy and safety, so darkness is the symbol of misery and adversity. It is thus used by Jeremiah, (13. 16,) and the prophet Isaiah (59. 9,10) employs similar images. "The morning darkness," (Amos 4. 13,) is supposed by a French commentator to be an allusion to the black clouds and smoke attending an earthquake. By a day of darkness," (Joel 2. 2,) the prophet intends to set forth the greatness of the distress of the people by the sudden calamity of the locusts. Darkness is represented as the accompaniment of idolatrous rites. (Ezek. 8. 12.) St. Paul also calls the heathen mysteries "works of darkness," (Ephes. 5. 11,) because the impure actions which the initiated performed under the sanction of religious rites, were done in the night time, and by the secrecy in which they were acted, were acknowledged by the perpetrators to be evil*. Darkness of the sun, moon, and stars, denotes a general darkness or deficiency in the government, as in Isaiah 13. 10; Ezekiel 32. 7. Darkness is occasionally the emblem of ignorance; and the fitness of the one to represent the other is sufficiently obvious. (Isai. 9. 2; 60. 2.) Darkness is also sometimes the emblem of captivity. (Isai. 47. 5; Lament. 3. 6.) The state of the dead is often represented in Scripture under the image of darkness. (Job 10. 21; 17. 13.) The term "outer darkness," (Matt. 8. 12,) refers to a final state of punishment. DARTS. It appears that among the Hebrews, darts were not unfrequently, by means of the shrub rothem, the Spartium junceum of Linnæus, or Spanish broom, (which grows abundantly in the desert regions of Arabia,) discharged from the bow while on fire, (Psalm 120. 4,) and it is doubtless in reference to this fact, that arrows are sometimes compared to lightnings. (Deut. 32. 23,42; Psalm 7. 13; Zech. 9. 14.) The Apostle Paul also alludes to fiery darts as used by the Romans. (Ephes. 6. 11-16.) According to Ammianus Marcellinus, these fiery darts consisted of a hollow reed, to the lower part of which, under the point or barb, was fastened a round receptacle made of iron, for combustible materials, so that such an arrow had the form of a distaff. This was filled with burning naphtha; and when the arrow was shot from a slack bow, (for if discharged from a tight bow the fire went out,) it struck the enemies' ranks and remained fixed, the flame consuming whatever it met with; water poured on it increased its violence, and there were no other means to extinguish it but by throwing earth upon it. Similar darts or arrows, which were twined round with tar and pitch, and set fire to, are described by Livy as having been made use of by the inhabitants of the city of Saguntum, when besieged by the Romans. See Arrow, in ARMS, ARMOUR, ARMY. *Milton refers to this in his Paradise Lost. "By the vision led His eye surveyed the dark idolatries Of alienated Judah." DATE, the fruit of the palm tree. See PALM. DATHAN, one of those who with Korah, Abiram, and On, conspired against Moses, and, with his accomplices, was swallowed up in the earth. (Numb. ch. 16.) DAUGHTER. This word, like other names implying relationship, is often used in Scripture as expressive of similitude no less than of kindred. The following may be considered the most usual of the senses in which the word is used in Scripture. 1. Female offspring. (Gen. 6. 1; 24. 23.) 2. Granddaughter; so the servant of Abraham calls Rebekah, "my master's brother's daughter," (Gen. 24. 48,) whereas she was daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, as appears from v. 24; consequently grand-daughter of Nahor, brother of Abraham. 3. Remote descendants, of the same family or tribe, but separated by many ages; "daughter of Heth," of his posterity; daughters of Canaan, of Moab, of Ammon; St. Luke (1.5) says, "Elizabeth was of the daughters of Aaron." 4. Daughter by nation. Dinah went out to see the young women of Shechem, called the "daughters of the land." (Gen. 34. 1.) 5. Daughter, by personification, of a people or city, whence daughter of Jerusalem or of Zion; of Babylon, (Isai. 47. 1-5;) of Edom, (Lament. 4. 21;) of Egypt, (Jer. 46. 11,14.) 6. Daughter by adoption, as Esther was to Mordecai, (Esther 2. 7,) and as God promises his people by his grace. (2Cor. 6. 18.) See CHILDREN; MARRIAGE. DAVID, CITY OF, a name given to Bethlehem, where our Saviour was born, and so called by the angels who announced the nativity to the shepherds. (Luke 2. 11.) A part of Jerusalem was also called by this name. See JERUSALEM. DAVID, the second king of Israel, was the youngest son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah, and the town of Bethlehem. He was the founder of the Jewish dynasty, and from him in the fulness of time descended the Messiah. Jesse, the father of David, was grandson of Ruth the Moabitess, whose history is recorded with beautiful simplicity in the book which bears her name. Elimelech, of the tribe of Judah, with Naomi his wife, and his two sons, went to sojourn in the land of Moab in consequence of a famine which prevailed in Judæa. Both the young men married women of the country, and died leaving them widows. On the death of Elimelech, Naomi returned to her native land; Orpah, one of her daughters-in-law, reluctantly quitted her; but Ruth, the other, resolved to accompany her, exclaiming, "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me." (Ruth 1. 16,17.) They arrived, in want and sorrow, at Bethlehem, and Ruth was led to claim kindred of Boaz according to the Mosaic law. He was a rich and generous person, and took her to be his wife. She became the mother of Obed, whose son was Jesse; and from his root, as the prophets foretold, was to spring that sacred branch which should rise to reign over the Gentiles, and in whom they should trust. (Rom. 15. 12.) After the rejection of Saul as to the descent of the crown in his family, the Lord sent the prophet Samuel to Bethlehem to secure the throne privately by a prophetic anointing to David, then a youth of eighteen or twenty years of age, who was shepherd of his father's flocks, a condition which in the East is by no means despised, but yet not so elevated that he who had hitherto had carried on no other wars than those against wild only governed his flocks, and in order to protect them beasts, in the common course of events, could expect a kingdom. The path to the throne was to be opened by circumstances. The anointing was therefore the sign and seal of an ultimate intention. Events were so overruled that Saul himself contributed the most towards rendering David fit for the position he was in time destined to occupy, for from continually brooding over the doom of exclusion that had been pronounced upon his family, he at last fell into a deep melancholy, and in order to divert his thoughts, by the advice of his servants, took David into his court as a private musician. Saul thus afforded him the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the nature and business of government. The personal bravery of the young minstrel did not long remain unnoticed by the veteran hero, and he soon elevated him to the honourable station of royal armour-bearer. (1Sam. ch. 16.) In an expedition against the Philistines, David, with feelings of the fullest confidence in the God of the armies of Israel, engaged in single combat with a champion of huge stature, and heavily armed, whom no one else dared to encounter. The triumph which he obtained struck the Philistines with a panic, they fled, and were pursued with great slaughter by the Israelites. The honour which this splendid achievement won for David was too great for his safety, though accompanied by the friendship of Jonathan, and being rendered famous throughout the nation. This act of heroism opened to David a new career, and he soon distinguished himself as an able soldier, but it also led to a series of persecutions and distresses, which, however, served to perfect and confirm his confidence in God. When Saul felt indignant that more merit should be ascribed in the triumphal songs to the vanquisher of Goliath than to the king himself, he began to suspect that David might be the man to whom the sceptre was to be transferred. He was now determined to put his hated rival out of the way. In one of his fits of melancholy he twice, as if by accident, hurled a javelin at his minstrel, who, on each occasion, dexterously avoided the blow. After this Saul became more calm, and was afraid, if he wished, to do David any open injury; but as he could not bear him any longer in his former close attendance upon his person, he resolved on another method of destroying him. He therefore gave David the command of a thousand men, and by repeated promises of marriage with his eldest daughter, induced him to undertake hazardous enterprizes, in the hope that he might fall in some of his encounters with the Philistines. But by this means he only afforded him still greater opportunities of distinguishing himself, and by his prudence and good conduct, to increase his renown in Israel. When Saul perceived that his hopes were frustrated, he gave his eldest daughter to another, but did not entirely relinquish his design. He caused a promise of Michal, the second daughter, to be made to David, on condition that he would undertake a new enterprise against the Philistines: from this he again returned victorious, with fresh pledges of his valour, upon which Saul could not consistently with his dignity refuse to fulfil his promise, and he accordingly became the father-in-law of David. An alliance of this kind rendered David yet more illustrious in the eyes of the people, and this tended also to increase the jealousy of Saul, who now determined to overcome every obstacle, and to destroy his son-in-law, cost what it might. He no longer made any secret of his intentions, but listened, however, to the representa DAVID. tions of Jonathan, and desisted awhile from his purpose. After David had gained a fresh victory over the Philistines, Saul resumed his resolution, and, in a fit of melancholy, hurled a javelin at David, who, though intent on his music, seasonably avoided the stroke. David now withdrew from the court, but Saul sent some of his attendants to watch the house, and David would undoubtedly have been murdered the next morning, had not his faithful wife managed his escape during the night, though with great difficulty. He went to Samuel, at Naioth, and was pursued thither by messengers, who were sent repeatedly, and at last by Saul himself; but David was rescued by a manifest intervention of Providence. Still Saul persevered in his intentions; even Jonathan endeavoured in vain to restrain him from deeds of violence against one who had rendered such services to his king and country. For the security of his friend, Jonathan gave him secret notice of his father's feelings, and assisted him to effect his escape. (1 Sam. ch. 17-20.) The more Saul endeavoured to secure the crown to his posterity, and to remove David out of the way, the more he endangered the succession of his own family, and riveted the attention of the Israelites on David. The massacre of eighty-five priests, and of the inhabitants of Nob, who were the Gibeonite servants of the sacred tabernacle, which, influenced by the calumny of Doeg the Edomite, he caused soon after the flight of David, secured to the latter the sacred lot, with which Abiathar fled to him to save his own life, and deprived Saul of the support of all the well-disposed Hebrews. After this, many influential men, even of the tribe of Benjamin, to which Saul himself belonged, joined the party of David. (1 Sam. 21. 1-9; 22. 6-23.) David, who was then in such danger, left no lawful means untried to effect his own deliverance; but still he kept his mind steadily fixed on the protection of Divine Providence. In difficult cases, he always consulted the Sacred Oracle, and obeyed its responses. He could scarcely have escaped from the hands of Saul, if Providence had not extended an especial care over him. At Gath, whither he went at first from the high priest, he was probably well received by King Achish; at least Achish seemed afterwards very favourable to him; but the Philistine princes excited his suspicions, and David, in order to escape their snares, was obliged to feign himself insane. After this, the cave of Adullam, in the tribe of Judah, concealed him for some time. But this must have eventually become a prison, in which he might be easily confined, or subdued by famine, for, besides his parents and relatives, who had now also become suspected by Saul, four hundred of the discontented flocked to him, and he became chief over them. From Adullam, David took an opposite direction to that which he had at first followed, and went into the land of Moab, and commended his parents and relatives to the protection of the king; but, by direction of the prophet Gad, he returned with his party to the tribe of Judah, and concealed himself in the forest of Hareth. His men had now increased to six hundred, and were trained to the exercises of war. With them he rescued the frontier fortress of Keilah from a siege of the Philistines, but the citizens would have betrayed him for fear of Saul, had he not been warned of their treachery by the sacred lot. In the wilderness of Ziph, to which he then withdrew, he received a very consolatory visit from his magnanimous friend Jonathan, who encouraged him in the most affectionate manner to place his confidence in God. His residence in this solitary retreat was soon made known to Saul, by the inhabitants of the desert, and he would unavoidably have fallen into the 337 power of the king, had not Divine Providence so ordered it, that Saul, when separated from David by a single mountain only, was called back by a report of an incursion of the Philistines. (1Sam. ch. 21-23.) Neither the lofty, rough, and rocky mountains of Engeddi, nor the remote frontier by the great sandy desert of Arabia Petræa, were secure retreats from the snares of Saul. David's movements were betrayed, and Saul scoured the mountains with three thousand men, and afterwards penetrated into the desert with the same number, in order to capture him, but in both enterprises he himself fell into David's power. In the mountains, Saul entered a large cave to repose himself during the heat of the day. Now it happened that David and his men were already in this cave; but being in the dark inner extremity, were unperceived by the king. As he lay asleep, David's men joyfully congratulated him that his enemy was now completely in his power; but they knew not what manner of spirit was in the son of Jesse. "Jehovah forbid," he said to them, "that I should do this thing to my master, the anointed of Jehovah, to stretch forth my hand against him; for the anointed of Jehovah is he;" and his men were, with difficulty, restrained, from these words, from putting the king to death. To lay violent hands on Saul, and thus open a way to the throne by regicide, was a crime which he justly abhorred; for what God had promised, he would wait, till He who had promised should deliver it to him in the ordinary course of providence. Saul's naturally good feelings were touched by this generous forbearance from one who knew that his own life was then sought by him. That which had been in David a forbearance, resulting from the natural and spontaneous impulse of his own feelings, seemed to the king an act of superhuman virtue, which forced upon him the recognition that he was indeed that "worthier" man to whom the inheritance of his crown had been prophesied. David's confidence in God never, however, lessened his care for his own security. As he had been several times betrayed to Saul by the members of his own tribe, he retired with his men to Gath, and received from Achish, the king of the Philistines, as a present, the small town of Ziklag, which was situated not far from the brook Besor. Here he resided one year and four months, until the death of Saul. He engaged in excursions against the ancient predatory enemies of the Hebrews, the Amalekites, the Geshurites, and the Gazrites, who roved about in Arabia Petræa, on the sea-coast, as far as Pelusium, and on the southern frontier of the tribe of Judah. Here he was secure from the attempts of Saul, but, in the last war with the Philistines against Saul, he was driven to the alternative of either taking the field with the Philistines against his brethren, or of appearing ungrateful to his benefactor Achish; but the jealousy of the chiefs of the Philistines, which had formerly been so dangerous to him, helped him out of this difficulty, and he was dismissed from the expedition. On his return to Ziklag, he found the city pillaged and laid in ashes. He immediately commenced a pursuit of the Amalekites, (who had thus revenged themselves for his inroads on them,) overtook them, recaptured all that they had taken, and gained, besides, so considerable a booty, that he was able to send presents to all the rulers of Judah who had favoured his cause. (1Sam. ch. 27, 29, 30.) In the war with the Philistines, Saul became at length so disheartened, that he applied for help even to enchantresses, whom he had formerly, in obedience to the law, punished with death. Presentiments of coming events cast deep shadows over his troubled mind. He sought counsel of God; but God had forsaken him-left him to his own devices-and answered |