been ignorant of its existence in his house? It was very possible under the arrangement of eastern habitations, which assigns a separate part of the house to the women; and particularly so in the case of David, who, as being now a high military commander, and especially as having married the king's daughter, doubtless dwelt in a large house, and showed to his wife all the consideration in these matters which a lady of her rank was entitled to expect. There has been some difference of opinion as to the form of the teraphim. The passage before us would seem to intimate that it had the human shape, being intended, when lying in the bed, and covered with the bed-clothes, to be taken for David, ill in bed. This is not, however, conclusive, seeing that almost anything of sufficient bulk might be made to suggest that idea in a darkened room, and in the dim of the morning, so long as the head was not visible. There is a very prevalent notion among the Jewish writers, that the teraphim were figures of brass, constructed under certain horoscopic and astrological aspects; and that a plate of gold being placed under the tongue, they were, on being invoked with ceremonies of divination, enabled to deliver oracles. To state this idea is to refute it.. The mention of a pillow of goats' hair in the present passage, leads Josephus astray into the odd fancy that Michal put in the bed the lungs of a goat recently killed, the palpitations of which would impart the motion caused by a man's breathing in bed. Then how was it with respect to the form of a man in bed, which the teraph must have presented? And how long do the lungs of a slain goat continue thus to palpitate? The thing is absurd. Nevertheless, we are not very sure that we understand this statement respecting 'the pillow of goats' hair.' The hair of a Syrian goat might form a good stuffing for a pillow-case; but how were the persons to be deceived to know that the pillow was filled with goats' hair? We incline to think that the pillow was of goats' skin, with the hair outside; and that such a pillow was then regarded as having a sanative property in some diseases; whence to see such a pillow in a bed would Q VOL. III. strengthen the illusion that a sick man lay there. Although this is a conjecture of our own, it seems to us more probable than the notion of some interpreters, that Michal made a kind of wig for the teraph with the goat's skin, to produce a passable resemblance to David's head. Thirty-third Week-Seventh Day. THE SCHOOL OF THE PROPHETS.- DAVID had now to evade not merely the sudden paroxysms of Saul's wrath, but the fixed and avowed purpose of the latter to effect his destruction, in the face of the oath which had been made to Jonathan. Any step he might now take was of the utmost importance to David, and might be pregnant with ulterior consequences. He, therefore, wisely resolved to repair to Samuel at Ramah, to obtain the advantage of his counsels and experience. Whether there had been any intercourse between them during the years which had passed since the anointing of David, we do not learn. On account of the suspicious character of Saul, and the probability that too close an intercourse would have led him to suppose that some collusion existed between them, and that Samuel was preparing to bring the son of Jesse forward, as the worthier man destined to fill the throne, it is probable that there had been little, if any, communication between him and David. It was not needed. They knew enough of each other without it. David knew that Samuel had relinquished all part in public affairs, and was solely occupied in his religious duties as prophet, and in the superintendence and instruction of the college o religious young men, which he had established at the rural hamlet of Naioth, in the vicinity of Ramah. There they were instructed in sacred learning and religious exercises, and were led to cultivate, especially by psalmody and music, the devotional feelings which might fit them, when occasion called, to become the messengers of God and teachers of the people. Samuel, on his part, could not be ignorant of the public history of David; and we may conceive the interest with which he beheld the providence of God gradually leading this young man forward in his appointed path and to his destined station. The purposes of God were ripening every hour; and Samuel was content to wait, knowing well what the end must be. David not only sought counsel of the prophet, but probably expected that with him he might find safety and protection. The school at Naioth formed a sanctuary which even Saul, he might think, would not be likely to invade. Besides, the presence of Samuel alone must surely be a sufficient protection from outrage. It is true, this step might confirm the suspicions of Saul as to his being the man whom Samuel had announced as the heir of his throne. Yet the movement would not be in itself conclusive, seeing that it was, doubtless, still the practice for every one who was in great perplexity, to repair to the venerable prophet for counsel and advice. At Ramah David reported to Samuel all the particulars of Saul's conduct towards him; and on hearing this, the prophet took him to his college at Naioth, as if to put him into sanctuary there. At this place the son of Jesse remained some time before Saul learned where he was. These were, no doubt, happy days with him. Here he was in an atmosphere congenial to his best feelings, his highest tastes, and his holiest aspirations; and here his accomplishments, in sacred minstrelsy and song, had ample scope and exercise, enabling him to join heart and soul in their harmonious 'prophesyings,' and doubtless endearing him greatly to the good men who had their quiet dwelling there. There were probably moments when, feeling sick of the turmoils of public life, and tired of the suspicions and persecutions which followed him, he would have been content to abandon his high career for the peaceful and holy life he was now allowed to share. It may even be possible that such was his intention, and that he hoped this voluntary retirement would abate the suspicions of Saul, and mollify his hatred. But it was not so to be. When Saul learned to what place David had retired, he sent a body of men to apprehend him. These men, however, no sooner came to the sacred place, and beheld the prophets engaged in their sacred exercises, led by the venerable Samuel, than their hearts were smitten. They felt that they dared not attempt any violence, and they stood contentedly, swelling by their voices the loud chorus of praise to God. This occurred to two other sets of emissaries-three in all; and at last Saul determined to go himself, and execute on the spot the fell purposes of his will. So forth he went. On his approach to Ramah, he came to the great well of Sechu, and finding there a number of people who had come from the town for water, he inquired of them where Samuel and David then were. On hearing that they were at Naioth, he turned his steps in that direction; but he had proceeded only a little way, when the Spirit which had moved his messengers, fell upon him also, —with this difference, that they had not thus been moved till they reached the presence of Samuel and his pupils; whereas Saul felt the Spirit come upon him while he was on the road, giving him, for the time, the heart of another man. This is very remarkable. The messengers, like Saul himself on a former occasion, may be supposed to have been influenced by a sympathy with what they saw and heard, when they came into the presence of the prophets; but now the heart of Saul is moved in the absence of all such associations, as if purposely to show, that the change wrought in him was the immediate work of Him who holds the hearts of all men in his hand. It showed, also, that this power was not confined to place or persons, and that the prophesyings at Naioth were owing to no influence of example-to no intoxicating vapours, or to the temperature of the air, as was suspected of some of the heathen oracles of old. Thus the king went on, singing in high excitement the praises of God; and when he came to Naioth, and entered the presence of Samuel-between whom and himself an angry scene might have been expected but for this divine intervention —he cast off his weapons, and the outer robes which belonged to his rank, and stood among the sons of the prophets as one of themselves, taking his part in their holy chants. Thus disarrayed of all that marked the king or the warrior, Saul, when the 'prophesyings' were ended, lay down exhausted or entranced all the remainder of that day, and all the ensuing night. It is said that he lay down naked,' which we have interpreted to mean, that he divested himself of his outer raiment, which from its looseness could be easily slipped off, and remained in his closer inner vesture and girdle. This is not the only instance in which the term 'naked' is thus applied in Scripture. We have another in the order given to the prophet Isaiah to put off his sackcloth, and go 'naked and barefoot' for three years. This was to denote, that the Egyptians and Æthiopians were to be carried away captives in the like guise by the Assyrians. It was not, however, the custom to strip captives altogether naked; but only to deprive them of good clothes and flowing vestures, and to give them others shorter and more sordid, that they might be the more fit for service. Apart from this, no one who reflects on the matter will imagine that the prophet literally remained three whole years without any covering, in a climate, the winter cold of which is much more severe than we are apt to think. The same use of the term 'naked,' may be recognised among other ancient nations. Thus Aurelius Victor relates, that those who were sent to summon L. C. Cincinnatus to assume the dictatorship, found him 'naked,' ploughing on the other side of the Tiber. This can hardly mean that he was entirely without clothing; and that it does merely signify that he wrought with no clothing but his inner garment, is intimated by Livy, who, in relating the same occurrence, says that, on being thus summoned, Cincinnatus called to his wife, Rucca, for his gown or toga, that he might appear fit to accompany them. Indeed, we need not go far to look for illustrations of this limited signification of the word 'naked;' for it is common enough with ourselves, especially among women, to say that one is 'naked' who has not adequate clothing. It will appear, then, that Saul's being naked consisted in his |