1G7 



only saying " he judged Israel all the days of his life;" his 

 years are to be included in those of Saul. 



It is, indeed, true, that Josephus gives to Saul and Samuel 

 eighteen years in conjunction, and after his death, twenty-two 

 years to Saul alone — a supputation which has been adopted 

 by many, and more particularly by Vignoles, whose usual ac- 

 curacy, discrimination, and research, seems, on this occasion, 

 to have deserted him. His scrupulous adherence to the au- 

 thority of Josephus, has induced him to overlook the series 

 of facts related in the sacred history, an attention to which 

 would have perfectly convinced him of the infidelity of his 

 guide. After the conquest of Amalek, and the death of 

 their king, (Saml. 14. 33.) Ave are told, Samuel " came no 

 more to see Saul until the day of his death," (v. 35.) ; and the 

 next chapter gives an account of the choice of David to suc- 

 ceed Saul, and of the ceremony of anointing him by Samuel. 

 David, at this period, must have been at least 18 years of 

 age, since he was immediately sent for to attend on Saul, and 

 is described (v. 18.) as " a valiant man, a man of war, and 

 prudent in business," a character evidently not consistent with 

 an earlier age, perhaps scarcely with that which we have as- 

 signed to him. He became, on arriving at the court of the 

 sovereign, his " armour bearer," which certainly was an of- 

 fice of considerable responsibility and importance. The se- 

 ries of the history proceeds to relate the next war against the 

 Philistines in which David slew their champion, and which 



VOL. xr. z must 



