152 



at an earlier period. When he is first recommended to Saul, 

 he is described as a " valiant man and prudent," when 

 he could scarcely have been moie than sixteen 3'ears old. 

 (Saml.l6.18.) 



5th. The gloss and paraphrase which Vignoles attempts to 

 give the expressions of Scripture, that Samson " should begin 

 to deliver Israel;" and the idea he has introduced, " that the 

 sacred historian, from the commencement of Samson, sup- 

 poses a new state which does not conclude till the reign of 

 David," are not authorized by Scripture, " Samson is to begin 

 to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and the 

 deliverance is to be consummated by David, the new state is 

 the alternation of hostility and peace between the two people, 

 the Philistines and the house of Israel." (p. 68.) I can in no 

 place discover any indication of the sacred historian, intro- 

 ducing us to this new state, or supposing it himself. It is 

 plain indeed, that the Philistines appear nozo upon the scene 

 as principals, when they had before invaded Israel only as 

 predatory or auxiliary hosts, in the time of Shamgar and 

 of Jair. All the other surrounding nations, had been, at 

 different times since, extirpated or subdued ; while the in- 

 creasing commerce of Phoenicia, and the peculiar advan- 

 tages of situation they enjoyed, had contributed to strengthen 

 and to consolidate their power, and their resistance was con- 

 sequently more obstinate, as their resources became conti- 

 nually more efficient, productive, and inexhaustible. Hence, 

 -the duration of the hostilities between the two states, before 



the 



