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(^149) Besides its obvious falsehood, Saul must, of course, have known that all that
was "banned" by that very fact belonged unto God (Leviticus 27:29), and could
not, therefore, be again offered unto Him (Deuteronomy 13:16).
(^150) "Stay" (ver. 16), that is, "Stop! cease!"
(^151) It is scarcely necessary to indicate, that the words of Samuel (vers. 22, 23) do
not imply that sacrifices were not of primary importance. This would have run
counter not only to his own practice, but to the whole Old Testament economy. But
sacrifices, irrespective of a corresponding state of mind, and in actual
rebelliousness against God, - religiousness without religion, - were not only a mere
opus operatum, but a gross caricature, essentially heathen, not Jewish. Comp.
Psalm 50:8-14; 51:17, 19; Isaiah 1:11; Jeremiah 6:20; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8.
(^152) This, and not "delicately," as in our Authorised Version, is the meaning of the
Hebrew word (comp. Proverbs 29:21).
(^153) More than ordinary women, or rather most of women, since her son was king of
his people.
(^154) Calvin remarks: "We see here the prophet affected as other men. As Samuel
beholds the vessel which God's own hand had made, more than broken and
minished, he is deeply moved. In this he showed pious and holy affection. But he
was not wholly free from sin in the matter - not that the feeling itself was wrong,
but that it exceeded the proper measure, and that he too much indulged in personal
grief."
(^155) There is not a trace of attempted prevarication in the narrative. Calvin and
others have given too much attention to a cavil which is best refuted by an attentive
study of the history.
(^156) See our quotation on this subject from the Mishnah in Vol. 3 of this History.
(^157) So 1 Samuel 16:7, rendered literally.
(^158) A full knowledge of his being anointed to the kingdom is incompatible alike
with his after position in his father's house, and the bearing of his brothers towards
him. In general, we infer that each of the brothers only passed before Samuel, or
was introduced to him, and then left his presence when no further direction in
regard to him was given to the prophet.
(^)