and magnificence of Solomon's reign in x, after such a minute description of the events connected with his accession,-and have not said a word about the reigns of Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Uzziah, and Jotham, so much nearer to his own time,unless, indeed, his labours were cut short by death.*

* If it be said, 'Or unless the Jehovistic accounts of these reigns formed part of those annals of the kings of Judah and Israel, to which such frequent reference is made in the present books of Kings,' it may be replied that in that case we should probably have had some detailed narratives about the subsequent reigns extracted from this document, with full particulars like those about the early part of Solomon's reign in 1K.i,ii.

56

CHAPTER IV.

THE DEUTERONOMISTIC PORTIONS OF SAMUEL AND JUDGES.

61. WE have next to see whether we can trace the hand of D. in the other pre-exilic historical Books. Lord A. HERVEY admits that the whole history, from Judges to the end of 2Kings, forms properly but one Book (3). And, again, speaking of the two Books of Kings, he says, D.B. ii.p.21 :—

'The division into two books, being purely artificial and as it were mechanical, may be overlooked in speaking of them. And it must also be remembered that the division between the books of Kings and Samuel is equally artificial, and that in point of fact the historical books, commencing with Judges and ending with 2Kings, present the appearance of one work, giving a continuous history of Israel from the times of Joshua to the death of Jehoiachin. . . . The books of Judges, Ruth, Samuel, and Kings, form one unbroken narrative, similar in general character, which has no beginning, except at Ju.i; while, it may be added, the book of Judges is not a continuation of Joshua, but opens with a repetition of the same events with which Joshua concludes.'

This agrees with the judgment of GRAF, already quoted (56), except that the latter more justly regards the book of Joshua and the Pentateuch as forming part of this one historical work.

62. But, if Judges—2Kings forms one continuous work, it is not unlikely that, since we have found the plainest indications of D.'s hand in 1K.i-xi, we may also be able to detect interpolations by the same later editor in Judges and 1 and 2 Samuel. Rather, we should expect a priori to find such interpolations, as we have found them to be so numerous in the Pentateuch and Joshua. GRAF, indeed, writes, p.100

'Whereas in the books of Samuel there has nowhere appeared a trace of manipulation on the part of D., his additions begin again with the history of Solomon and lead us on to the history of the following kings.'

But this opinion of this eminent scholar seems to be based on insufficient grounds. It is true that in the books of Samuel there is comparatively much less evidence of D.'s hand than in the books of Kings; though we have found, apparently, some signs of it already in 2S.ii.10,11, v.4,5(50. v. note). But in 2S.vii we have very plain indications of it. It is obvious, in fact, at the first glance, that this chapter is wholly out of place, beginning with the statement that David was—

'sitting in his house, Jehovah having given him rest round-about from all his enemies,'

comp. also v.ll

'I have made-thee-to-rest from all thine enemies'—

whereas in the very next passage we read—

'after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines and subdued them,' viii.1,-' and he smote Moab,' v.2,—

and the historian goes on to describe his victories over the Syrians and Edomites, viii.3-8,13,14, and again over the Syrians in two fierce conflicts, x.6-14,15-19, and then over the Ammonites, xii.26-31, and comp. also xxi.15-22. This strongly suggests that ch.vii is a later interpolation; and, when we observe that its contents are repeatedly referred to, and the very words quoted in 1K.i-xi, but only in Deut. or yet later passages, ii.4,24, v.3,5, (where, however, v.3 recognizes the fact which in 2S.vii.1,11, is ignored, that David had wars about him on every side,' and that this prevented his building a house for Jehovah), [vi.12, L.L.], viii.13,20,24-26, ix.5, xi.4, &c., comp. xi.12,13,39, with 26.vii. 14-16-and see also 1K.xv.4, 2K.viii.19, xxi.4,7-there arises a strong presumption that the interpolation may be due to D. himself, as the Analysis abundantly shows (App.128).

63. Also 2S.v.11,12, appears to be due to D. The mention of David's house being built, v.11, is meant to prepare for

vii.1,2, which we have just ascribed to D. And the statement

that

'Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar-trees, and artificers of wood, and artificers of wall-stone'

corresponds to 1K.v.1, &c., by the same hand (26). Also for the language in v.12

'And David saw that Jehovah had confirmed him as king over Israel '— comp. 2S.vii.12,13,16, 1K.ii.12,24,45,466, all Deut. passages.

Again, in 2S.iii.18", we have the expression 'My servant David,' which occurs in 1K.iii.6, viii.24,25,26,66, xi.13,32,34, 36,38, xiv.8, 2K.viii. 19, 2S.vii.5,8,26, all Deut. passages, comp. also Jer.xxxiii.21,22,26, and in 2K.xviii-xx (viz. xix.34, xx.6)= Is. xxxvi-xxxix, but nowhere else in the books of Samuel and Kings, from which it appears probable that v.18—

'for Jehovah said of David saying, By the hand of David My servant I save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines and out of the hand of all their enemies'

is a Deut. addition to the original words in v.18a, 'Now then do !'

64. Further, 1S.xiii.8-15a,* gives an account of Saul's

* The Heb. Text has in v.15, And Samuel arose and went-up from the Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul reviewed the people that were found with him, about 600 men. And Saul and Jonathan and the people that were found with them were dwelling in (Geba) Gibeah of Benjamin, &c.'--where no mention is made of Saul leaving the Gilgal; and it seems also strange that Samuel, when he quitted Saul, apparently abandoning him as rejected by Jehovah, should have gone to Gibeah, the very place of Saul's head-quarters.

The LXX, however, has in v.15,-' And Samuel arose and went-up from the Gilgal. And the remnant of the people went-up behind Saul for encounter (eis amávτnow) behind the warrior-people. When they had arrived from the Gilgal, to Gibeah of Benjamin, (and) then Saul reviewed the people, &c.' It would seem as if, by an error in copying, a clause has been omitted in the Heb. Text, between the first from the Gilgal' and 'to Gibeah of Benjamin,' the writer's eye having been caught by the second 'from the Gilgal'-which clause, however, existed in the copy from which the LXX translation was made. So THENIUS, Sam. p.54, except that he omits for encounter' (Ew.), as not implied in the original Hebrew.

rejection by Jehovah, and the choice of another to be king in his stead, a man after Jehovah's own heart,' v.14, as a punishment for his not waiting sufficiently long for Samuel's coming to the Gilgal, as arranged by the latter in x.8. But not the slightest allusion is made to this ground of rejection in xv, where Saul is rejected, v.23,26, because of his not having utterly destroyed the Amalekites, which alone is mentioned again as the cause of his rejection in xxviii. 18; and, in fact, the language of xv.11 seems to exclude the idea of his having been already rejected. The phrase in v.13

'I would have confirmed thy kingdom over Israel for ever'—

indicates (63) that this passage also is most probably due to D.; and for 'a man after His own heart,' v.14, comp. Jer.iii.15, 'pastors after Mine own heart' (App. 129).

65. But if 1S.xiii.8-15a be due to D., so also must 1S.x.8 be, to which reference is made in xiii.8,11. And it is obvious that x.8 is interpolated. Let it be observed that in xi.14 Samuel himself summons the people to go with him to the Gilgal and renew the kingdom there, which they actually do in v.15, where they 'made Saul king before Jehovah at the Gilgal,' and 'there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah,' and 'there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.' With this transaction before us, what meaning can there possibly be in the command to Saul in x.8, to 'go-down before Samuel' to the Gilgal, and wait there seven days till Samuel came to him, when he would show him what he should do'?-whereas in v.7 Samuel bids Saul, when the signs of his kingship should have been fulfilled to him,

'do for thee what thy hand shall find, for Elohim is with thee.'

6

66. And Saul acts accordingly, moved by the Spirit of Elohim,' and without consulting anyone, when the occasion came by the savage conduct of Nahash the Ammonite towards the men of Jabesh-Gilead, 1S.xi.5,6, &c. For the men of Jabesh