The LORD had shut up her womb. But the Lord afflicted her with barrenness. When the time was come about. When the full number of months were come about after her conception. I have also lent him to the LORD. I have, upon my vow, returned him to the Lord, as consecrated unto him by me formerly. Talk no more so exceeding proudly, &c. Now let not Peninnah, or any other adversaries, that were wont to insult over me, open their mouths against me. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased; so that the barren hath borne seven. Those, that were wealthy, are now so brought down, that they And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. Thou shalt find thyself suddenly endued with the same spirit, wherewith they are moved; and enabled to prophesy as they do; and shalt feel a sensible alteration in thyself, by reason of those extraordinary graces which shall be wrought in thee. God gave him another heart. God wrought a sensible change in him, by these new abilities which he infused into his heart. One of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Look not unto the men themselves, but look unto the hand of that God, who hath inspired them: what need you to marvel that Saul prophesies? These other, whom ye see, have not this power from their parents, but it is the gift of God; which is equally free, wheresoever he pleaseth to bestow it. For now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. That kingdom, whereinto thou wert elected, should have been, all thy life, established unto thee; which now, by this sin, thou hast lost the right unto, ere thou be thoroughly settled in it. Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel. Such was the jealousy and tyranny of the Philistines over their tributaries, the Israelites, that as they had despoiled them of those weapons, which were taken from the Ammonites, so they would not suffer a smith amongst them, who might furnish them with new. But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand. I find a strong instinct from God, assuring me, that if the Philistines shall say to us, Come up to us, God would have us go up, and we shall speed accordingly: this shall be a watchword from God to us, presaging our certain victory. His eyes were enlightened. He received new strength, whereby all his senses were cheered and revived. Give a perfect lot. Do thou, O Lord, by this lot clearly and perfectly shew who is guilty this day. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Thou wilt grant that witchcraft is a most heinous and abominable sin; I tell thee, that this thy disobedience to God's command, is no less odious to him, than that witchcraft, which thou justly hatest and punishest in others. And also the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent. He, that is the holy and strong God of Israel, as he hath decreed thy kingdom to another; so he will be sure not to falsify his word, nor retract that his just purpose. And the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel. And God did (as those do which repent them of their former actions) profess to undo that, which he had done in setting up Saul; and therefore did now cast him off, and anoint another in his stead. But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. And the Lord took from Saul those graces of wisdom and moderation, wherewith he had endued him; and gave power to an evil spirit to seize upon him, and to vex him with frenzy and distemper. And the evil spirit departed from him. By the sweet and holy music of David, the spirits of Saul were so composed for the time, and calmed, that he brake not forth into his wonted fury. What have I now done? Is there not a cause? Is it not a just reason that my father hath sent me hither for your good? Have I not a lawful business here? Wherein then have I given thee cause of displeasure or exception? And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And Saul, having never seen David, till this occasion of vanquishing the Philistine (which fell out before his frenzy, and David's playing before him) said unto David, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David. When Saul had called David to the court, and entertained him as an attendant there, it came to pass, that, upon his conference with Saul, the heart of Jonathan was deeply affected towards David. And he prophesied in the midst of the house. And he carried himself as a man distracted of his senses, both in his speeches and motions. And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually, in the room of Joab. Go, say to Amasa, Art not thou my near kinsman, my sister's son; of the same flesh and blood with me? As I look for any favour from God, or would avoid his heaviest judgments, my full purpose and resolution is, that thou shalt be the general of all my forces, during thy life, in the stead of Joab; whom, upon the just reason of his murders and insolency, I have decreed to discard. And they also prophesied. See chapter x. 6. and xviii. 10. Do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? Do not I know, that this is the day, wherein I am restored unto and settled in the kingdom of Israel? And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and laid down naked all that day and all that night. And he stript himself of his military habit, or of his kingly attire, and carried himself in a wild distracted fashion; and lay down so disrobed, all that day and that night; appearing before Samuel, in the habit and fashion of a prophet, amongst the rest.