4301. Chris. 1116, &c. or 1110. A. M. 2888, through the organs of heathen priests and priestesses, I am very far from calling in queArstion; but I cannot bring myself to believe that even the devil or any of his angels was ever at the call of all such old women as chose to denominate themselves witches, in order to maintain an undue influence over their neighbours, and support themselves at their expence. During the course of this work I have had repeatedly occasion to observe, that there must have been much more science and art in the earliest ages of the postdiluvian world, than we are in general disposed to allow; and if any tolerable knowledge of the sciences of acoustics and optics prevailed among the ancients, it is easy to conceive, how the arts of ventriloquism and phuntom-raising may have been invented by men of science, and taught even to the most illiterate;-nay, that these arts may have been handed down from generation to generation, long after the principles of science on which they are founded, were forgotten. I have myself conversed with a ventriloquist, who performed the most extraordinary feats in his art, who was extremely communicative on the subject of that art, and ready to answer every question which I put to him; but he was unfortunately so very illiterate as to speak a language which was hardly intelligible. I found no difficulty whatever in tracing his art to the principles on which it was founded, and have done so in another work (a); but he could not tell me, though I have no doubt but that he really wished to tell me, in language which I could understand, by what means he produced his acoustic deceptions. That he was a great master of his art however, he gave me, and thousands besides me, the most complete proofs, making his voice appear to come sometimes from the roof of the room; sometimes from without the door, sometimes from below the floor, and once from the pocket of a gentleman sitting close by me, and at the distance of at least ten or twelve feet from the artist himself. Had this man combined with his ventriloquism that phantasmagoric art, by which some of our modern jugglers frighten the vulgar in a darkened room, he could easily have exhibited, without the aid of the devil, such a ghost as I have no doubt the witch of Endor meant and expected to exhibit to Saul. The ghost however which really came, was sent by a different and a higher power, and sent for the same purpose that the dumb ass was made to reprove the madness of Balaam, and that inchanter himself compelled to bless Israel. Necromancy was among the arts forbidden by the law of Moses, as equally with human sacrifices an abomination to the Lord. Saul had, in obedience to that law, lately exterminated, as he thought, all such impious diviners from Israel; and yet finding himself in his capacity of king forsaken by God, he had recourse, in his extremity, to one of those wretched beings who had escaped from the effects of his righteous zeal. Whether that woman, in the usual practice of her art, was a mere juggler, which is not improbable, or whether some angel of darkness was occasionally permitted to aid her in deceiving the people and enticing them to the idolatrous and licentious rites of the heathen, are questions which I presume not to answer; but no man can suppose that either she or her familiar spirit had the power of calling from their state of repose the departed spirits of good men made perfect. Even Saul himself, conscious as he was of being forsaken by God, could not expect from her the information which he wished, but through some means forbidden by that law which it was his duty to enforce; and if she was not aided by a familiar spirit, she must have practised arts calculated to persuade the people that she These arts were of heathen invention, and led to that idolatry which Saul was bound to root entirely out of the land; and no method can be conceived better calculated to confound the impious monarch, and to prevent the wretched woman from prac was. (a) Encycl. Britannica, ed. 3. Article VENTRILO. QUISM. * The purpose for which I wished the information, enabled me to offer him at least an adequate reward for it. The late Professor Robison of Edinburgh consulted him at the same time, and for the same purpose; but every effort which he made to explain to us by what means he produced the deceptions was vain. He knew nothing of the principles on which his art was founded. tising her impious arts for the future, than that which the Supreme Disposer of events From 1 Sara. CHAPTER IV. FROM THE DEATH OF SAUL TO THAT OF ABSALOM. IN ALL 33 YEARS. tc. or 4341. THE HISTORY. A. M. 2949, DAVID was at Ziklag when news was brought him of the defeat of the Israelitish ar- From 2 Sam Ant. Chris. my, and of the death of Saul. The messenger was an Amalekite, † who pretended that i. to xix. 1055, &c. he was the person who dispatched the king, after he found himself mortally wounded; or 1070. and (however he came by them) produced Saul's crown and bracelet to verify what he By the account which we have of king Saul's death, in the conclusion of the foregoing book, viz. that he fell upon his own sword, and expired," 1 Sam. xxxi. 4. it seems very evident that the whole story of this Amalekite was a fiction of his own inventing, on purpose to ingratiate himself with David, the presumptive successor to the throne: But then the question is, how he came by Saul's crown and bracelet, since it is incongruous to think that he would ever wear them in the time of action, and thereby expose himself as a public mark? As therefore it is presumed that they were carried into the field of bat tle by some of his attendants, in order to be put on in case he had obtained the victory and returned in triumph; so the Jews have a conceit that Doeg, the infamous murderer of the priests at Nob, 1 Sam. xxii. 18. who at this time was his armour-bearer, had them in his possession, and before he killed himself + Though David, after Saul's demise, had a right Ant. Chris. A. M. 2919, forees † to Hebron, whither the princes of Judah in a short time came to congratulate &c. or 4341. his return into his native country, and to offer him the crown of their particular tribe; 1055, &c. for by this time Abner, the late king's uncle, and general of his army, who had proclaimed his son Ishbosheth successor to the throne, had taken up his residence at †* Mahanaim, on the other side of Jordan, and, by his interest and great authority, prevailed with all the other tribes to recognise him. or 1070. David, however, at the request of the princes of his own tribe, was anointed king of Judah. For two years there were no hostilities on either side; but not long after this a war commenced between the two rival princes, in which there were several engagements, but none so remarkable as that which was occasioned by Abner's sending Joab (who was the general of David's forces) a challenge +3 to fight twelve men with an equal number of his in single combat. The men met, and to a man killed one another upon the spot; whereupon a fierce battle ensued, in which Abner and his men were defeated and put to flight. In the pursuit, Asahel, a younger brother of Joab's, being very nimble and swift of foot, made after Abner. When he came up with him, Abner, who knew him, desired him to desist, and not pretend to attack him, because he was loath to kill him; but the young man, ambitious of taking a general prisoner, pressed so hard upon him, that, † with a back-stroke of his spear, Abner gave him a wound, whereof he immediately died. The victorious army, when they came to the place where Asahel's body lay slain, stood still, and ceased their pursuit; so that Abner had an opportunity to rally his scattered forces, and, making a stand upon an advanced ground where he could not well be attacked, sounded a parly, and reminded Joab, that they were all brethren, of the same nation, of the same religion, so that if they persisted in hostilities, both armies would have reason to rue it. Whereupon they parted, Abner (who had lost three hundred and sixty men in the engagement) to Mahanaim, on the other side of Jordan, and Joab, who (except his brother Asahel) had lost no more than nineteen, to Hebron. During the course of this civil war, which lasted for some years, David's forces, in most rencounters, had the advantage, and his interest in the nation increased as that of to the kingdom by virtue of God's designation; yet, + Hebron was situate in the midst of the tribe of + This was a place in the tribe of Gad, which had its name from the appearance of an host of angels to Jacob, as he came with his family and all his substance from Padan-aram, Gen. xxxii. 1. and the reasons for Abner's retreating hither in the beginning of the new king's reign, were, that he might secure the people on that side of the Jordan, and especially the gal lant inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, who were great lovers of Saul, and attached to his family; that he might prevent the Philistines from falling upon the king, whom he had under his protection in the infancy of his reign; and chiefly, that he might be at a great distance from David, have the new king more abso lutely under his command, and a better opportunity of raising recruits among a people, not only brave and courageous, but very well affected to the cause which he had espoused. Calmet's Commentary, and Pool's Annotations. +3 The expression in the text is, "Let the young men now arise and play before us;" by which Abner seems to have meant, not that they should · fall upon and destroy one another, but merely that they should practise a little their military exercises, or play at sharps, as gladiators anciently at Rome, and now a mong us, are wont to do, not with any purpose to kill one another, but only to divert the spectators. Cal met's Commentary. + The expression in the text is,-That, with the hinder part of the spear, he smote him under the fifth rib;" which Virgil, speaking of a mortal wound, has not unhappily imitated: -Haud multa moratus Excipit in latus, et, quà fata celerrima, crudum Transadigit costas et crates pectoris ensem. Æn. xii. i. Ishbosheth sensibly declined. Abner, indeed, as being both a brave and experienced From 2 Sam. warrior, and a man of great power and influence in all the tribes, more especially in that i to xix. of Benjamin, was his main support; but with him he unhappily differed, upon account of Rizpah, one of Saul's concubines, whom Abner had debauched. To have any commerce with the relicts of princes (of what denomination soever they were) was in those days looked upon as an indignity offered to the royal family, and an † affectation of the kingdom. For this reason Ishbosheth remonstrated the matter to Abner; but Abner, who was an hot man, and impatient of reproof, was so incensed at what he said, that he upbraided him with ingratitude, and threatened not only to +2 withdraw his own allegiance from him, but, as far as in him lay, to carry all Israel over to David's interest. And as he threatened, so he did. From that very moment he entered into a private correspondence with David, and not long after had a public interview with him. At this interview David entertained Abner and his attendants (which were 'in all but twenty persons) very splendidly; and in return Abner assured him, that he would use his utmost endeavours to prevail with the other tribes to come over to his side. But no sooner was he gone, than Joab, returning from an expedition against the Philistines, wherein he had been successful and taken abundance of spoil, and being soon informed that Abner had been there, and how kindly the king had received him, he not only expostulated the matter with the king in high terms, as having entertained a man that came only as a spy upon him, but sent likewise a messenger after Abner, desiring him to return, because the king had something more to communicate to him; and so, having way-laid him, under pretence of saluting him, he stabbed him to the heart, * out of jealousy partly, and partly in revenge of the blood of his brother Asahel. David was extremely displeased at this cruel and inhospitable action; but his affairs were in so unsettled a state, and Joab at that time had so much credit with the army, that he could not call him to an account for what he had done; and therefore contented himself with declaring publicly +3 his detestation of it, and with making What notion the world, at this time, had of mar rying any royal relict,, is evident from the case of Adonijah, whom Solomon put to death for desiring but to ask for Abishag, one of David's concubines, though he had employed Bathsheba, the king's mother, to be his intercessor, and was himself his brother, 1 Kings ii. 17. It may be said, perhaps, that Adonijah was at this time aspiring at the throne, which Solomon perceiving, took occasion from this his request to fall out with him, and prevent it. But however this be, a general rule it was, not among the Jews only, but among other nations, that no private person should presume to marry the king's widow; for this made him appear as a rival and competitor for the crown. Calmet's Commentary. + Abner is an instance of what a strange alteration the study of revenge will work in a man. It was but just lately, that we found him going about the country to confirm the Israelites in their attachment to the house of Saul, and opposition to David; but now, upon a slight disgust, he is not only for deserting himself, but for carrying all the strength of his interest over to the opposite party; for "such is the genius of many great ministers, says one, that upon slight occasions they are irritated, and do rather rule over kings than are ruled by them." Patrick's Commentary. Abner was a man longer versed in military affairs than himself, who, in the time of Saul's distraction, had been regent of the nation, and since the time that he had set up Ishbosheth to be king, prime mi- +3 And reason good he had to express his detesta- A. M. 2949, a magnificent funeral for Abner, wherein he himself followed the corpse as chief &c or 4341. Ant. Chris. 1055, &c. or 1070. mourner. David indeed had reason to lament the death of Abner, which, in all probability, had defeated the measures that were concerted for the union of the two kingdoms, had not the sudden and untimely death of Ishbosheth paved the way for it afresh. Ishbosheth, upon the loss of Abner, began to dispair of his affairs, grew negligent of himself, and fell under the contempt of his subjects; so that Rechab and Baanah, † two Benjamites that were of his household, came upon him as he was asleep in the heat of the day, and having cut off his head, †2 carried it as a present to David at Hebron ; but instead of the reward which they expected, he* rebuked them severely, and ordered their hands and feet to be cut off, and themselves hung up in a public place, for the terror of all regicides; but the head of Ishbosheth was honourably interred in Abner's tomb. tion, whereas Ishbosheth having never had such sacred unction, was no more than an usurper: And as for the latter, they may think that David's conduct, in relation to Abner's death, proceeded from art and policy, rather than any serious dislike of the thing itself; and in this opinion, they might the rather be confirmed when they saw Joab, instead of being punished, continuing in the very same post and power that he had before. Pool's Annotations. When Ishbosheth was dead, all the tribes of Israel sent their deputies to David, acknowledging his title, and promising him their allegiance, upon condition that he would reign righteously +3 over them; so that now he was anointed king over all the tribes, the Israelites from him for ever: And therefore Josephus gives us this account of David's behaviour upon so critical an occasion, not only to testify his abhorrence of so base a practice, but to purge himself likewise upon the strictest niceties of faith and honour, that he had been true to Abner. "The moment he heard of Abner's death, he stretched out his right hand towards heaven in an appeal, and protestation, that he was neither privy, nor consenting to the fact, and cursed most bitterly the assassin, (whoever he was) his family, and accomplices. He appointed by proclamation a public mourning for him, with all the solemnities of tearing garments, and putting on sackcloth, &c. Himself, with his great ministers and officers, assisted at the funeral, and gave sufficient demonstration by wringing their hands, beating their breasts, and other expressions of sorrow, both of the veneration they had for Abner's memory, and the sense they had of so inestimable a loss; so that in the conclusion, all the people were perfectly satisfied, that David was far either from approving or consenting to so execrable a deed." Jewish Antiq. lib. vii. c. 1. and Le Clerc's Commentary. This is added to shew us, that these two regecides were not only officers in the king's army, but of the same tribe with Saul, and therefore had more ties than one upon them, to be honest and faithful to his family. For there is reason to believe that Saul, who lived in the borders of Benjamin, conferred more favours upon that tribe than any other, and might therefore justly expect, both to him and his, a greater esteem and fidelity from those of his own tribe than from others. This patronymic is therefore very properly prefixed to the names of Rechab and Baanah, to shew what vile ungrateful villains they were, and how justly they deserved the severe and exemplary punishment which David inflicted on them. Le Clerc's Commentary. It may seem a little strange, that these two ruffians were not discouraged by David's punishing the Amalekite for killing of Saul, and by the detestation he had publicly shewn of Joab's baseness in murdering Abner: But the former of these cases, they might think, was not parallel to theirs; because Saul was anointed king by God's immediate direc * The manner in which Josephus makes David express himself upon this occasion, is to this effect :"Wicked wretches that you are! prepare yourselves immediately to receive the just reward of your vil lany. Do not you know that I requited the murder of Saul, when he who had taken away that sacred life had the confidence to bring me his golden crown, for an ostentation of the service he had done me in it? And yet it was at the instance of Saul that he did it, and to prevent the indignity of his being taken alive by his enemies. And am not I the same man now that I was then? or do you think that I am turned so abandoned a wretch since, as to countenance the most ptofligate of men and actions, or to account myself under any obligation to you, for dipping your hands (upon my account, as you would have it thought) in the blood of your Lord: for cutting the throat of a person (and in his bed too) so just, that he never did any man wrong, and so generous a patron and benefactor to your ungrateful selves, that all the advantages you can pretend to in this world are but what you stand indebted for to his bounty and goodness! you shall therefore now be sure to pay both for your breach of faith to your master, and the scandal you have cast upon me. For what greater wound can any man give me in my reputation, than to expose me for a person that can take pleasure in the tidings, or give countenance to the committing of so barbarous an assassination?" Jewish Antiq. lib. vii. c. 2. Which speech of David's has a good deal of the spirit of Alexander the Great in it, whose exacting of punishment of Bessus for his murder of Darius, drew from the historian this reflection, Reputabat enim, non tam hostem suum fuisse Darium, quam amicum ejus, a quo esset occisus; Justin. lib. xii. c. 5. +3 This was David's part of the covenant, which |