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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [First Chronicles, Chapter X].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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<h3><a href="http://www.biblesnet.com" target="_blank">Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page</a>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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</TD></TR></TABLE>
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>F I R S T C H R O N I C L E S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. X.</FONT>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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The design of Ezra, in these books of the Chronicles, was to preserve
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the records of the house of David, which, though much sunk and lessened
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in a common eye by the captivity, yet grew more and more illustrious in
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the eyes of those that lived by faith by the nearer approach of the Son
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of David. And therefore he repeats, not the history of Saul's reign,
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but only of his death, by which way was made for David to the throne.
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In this chapter we have,
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I. The fatal rout which the Philistines gave to Saul's army, and the
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fatal stroke which he gave himself,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+10:1-7">ver. 1-7</A>.
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II. The Philistines' triumph therein,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+10:8-10">ver. 8-10</A>.
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III. The respect which the men of Jabesh-Gilead showed the royal corpse,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+10:11,12">ver. 11, 12</A>.
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IV. The reason of Saul's rejection,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+10:13,14">ver. 13, 14</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Death of Saul.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1400.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of
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Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in
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mount Gilboa.
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2 And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his
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sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and
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Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
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3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit
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him, and he was wounded of the archers.
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4 Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and
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thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and
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abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid.
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So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
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5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell
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likewise on the sword, and died.
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6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died
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together.
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7 And when all the men of Israel that <I>were</I> in the valley saw
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that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then they
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forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and
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dwelt in them.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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This account of Saul's death is the same with that which we had,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+31:1-13">1 Sam. xxxi. 1</A>,
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&c. We need not repeat the exposition of it. Only let us observe,
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1. Princes sin and the people suffer for it. It was a bad time with
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Israel when they <I>fled before the Philistines</I> and <I>fell down
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slain</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+10:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
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when they quitted their cities, and <I>the Philistines came and dwelt
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in them,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+10:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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We do not find that they were at this time guilty of idolatry, as they
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had been before, in the days of the judges, and were afterwards, in the
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days of the kings. Samuel had reformed them, and they were reformed:
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and yet they are thus <I>given to the spoil and to the robbers.</I> No
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doubt there was enough in them to deserve this judgment; but that which
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divine Justice had chiefly an eye to was the sin of Saul. Note, Princes
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and great men should in a special manner take heed of provoking God's
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wrath; for, if they kindle that fire, they know not how many may be
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consumed by it for their sakes.
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2. Parents sin and the children suffer for it. When the measure of
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Saul's iniquity was full, and his day came to fall (which David
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foresaw,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+26:10">1 Sam. xxvi. 10</A>),
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he not only descended into battle and perished himself, but his sons
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(all but Ishbosheth) perished with him, and Jonathan among the rest,
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that gracious, generous man; for <I>all things come alike to all.</I>
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Thus was the iniquity of the fathers visited upon the children, and
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they fell as parts of the condemned father. Note, Those that love their
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seed must leave their sins, lest they perish not alone in their
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iniquity, but bring ruin on their families with themselves, or entail a
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curse upon them when they are gone.
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3. Sinners sin and at length suffer for it themselves, though they be
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long reprieved; for, although sentence be not executed speedily, it
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will be executed. It was so upon Saul; and the manner of his fall was
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such as, in various particulars, answered to his sin.
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(1.) He had thrown a javelin more than once at David, and missed him;
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but the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers.
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(2.) He had commanded Doeg to slay the priests of the Lord; and now, in
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despair, he commands his armour-bearer to <I>draw his sword and thrust
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him through.</I>
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(3.) He had disobeyed the command of God in not destroying the
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Amalekites, and his armour-bearer disobeys him in not destroying him.
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(4.) He that was the murderer of the priests is justly left to himself
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to be his own murderer; and his family is cut off who cut off the city
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of the priests. See, and say, <I>The Lord is righteous.</I></P>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch10_14"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came
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to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in
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mount Gilboa.
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9 And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his
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armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to
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carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people.
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10 And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and
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fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.
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11 And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had
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done to Saul,
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12 They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of
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Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and
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buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven
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days.
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13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed
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against the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, <I>even</I> against the word of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, which he
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kept not, and also for asking <I>counsel</I> of <I>one that had</I> a
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familiar spirit, to enquire <I>of it;</I>
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14 And enquired not of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>: therefore he slew him, and
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turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here,
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I. From the triumph of the Philistines over the body of Saul we may
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learn,
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1. That the greater dignity men are advanced to the greater disgrace
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they are in danger of falling into. Saul's dead body, because he was
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king, was abused more than any other of the slain. Advancement makes
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men a mark for malice.
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2. That, if we give not to God the glory of our successes, even the
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Philistines will rise up in judgment against us and condemn us; for,
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when they had obtained a victory over Saul, they <I>sent tidings to
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their idols</I>--poor idols, that knew not what was done a few miles
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off till the tidings were brought to them, nor then either! They also
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put Saul's armour <I>in the house of their gods,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+10:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
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Shall Dagon have so honourable a share in their triumphs and the true
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and living God be forgotten in ours?</P>
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<P>
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II. From the triumph of the men of Jabesh-Gilead in the rescue of the
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bodies of Saul and his sons we learn that there is a respect due to the
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remains of the deceased, especially of deceased princes. We are not to
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enquire concerning the eternal state; that must be left to God: but we
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must treat the dead body as those who remember it has been united to an
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immortal soul and must be so again.</P>
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<P>
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III. From the triumphs of divine Justice in the ruin of Saul we may
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learn,
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1. That the sin of sinners will certainly find them out, sooner or
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later: <I>Saul died for his transgression.</I>
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2. That no man's greatness can exempt him from the judgments of God.
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3. Disobedience is a killing thing. Saul died for <I>not keeping the
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word of the Lord,</I> by which he was ordered to destroy the
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Amalekites.
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4. Consulting with witches is a sin that fills the measure of iniquity
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as soon as any thing. Saul enquired of one that <I>had a familiar
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spirit,</I> and <I>enquired not of the Lord, therefore he slew him,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+10:13,14"><I>v.</I> 13, 14</A>.
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Saul slew himself, and yet it is said, <I>God slew him.</I> What is
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done by wicked hands is yet done <I>by the determinate counsel and
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foreknowledge of God.</I> Those that abandon themselves to the devil
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shall be abandoned to him; so shall their doom be. It is said
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+28:6">1 Sam. xxviii. 6</A>)
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that Saul did <I>enquire of the Lord</I> and he <I>answered him
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not:</I> but here it is said, <I>Saul did not enquire of God;</I> for
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he did not till he was brought to the last extremity, and then it was
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too late.</P>
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<!-- (End Body) -->
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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[<A HREF="MHC13009.HTM">Previous</A>]
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[<A HREF="MHC13011.HTM">Next</A>]<BR>
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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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