﻿*JO ON THE DESCENT OF THE 



Melic Taint was at that time a man of inferior con- 

 dition, and performed the humble employment of 

 feeding the goats and cows of others. One day a 

 cow under his charge was accidentally lost. Being 

 disappointed in his searches, he was greatly distressed, 

 and applied to Samuel, saying, " I have lost a cow, 

 <c and do not possess the means ol satisfying the owner. 

 " Pray for me, that I may be extricated from this 

 il difficulty." Samuel, perceiving that he was a man 

 of lofty stature, asked his name. He answered, Taint. 

 Samuel then said, " Measure Talut with the wand 

 " which the angel Gabriel brought." His stature 

 was equal to it. Samuel then said, " God has raised 

 Talut to be your king." The children of Israel an- 

 swered, " We are greater than our king. We are 

 f* men of dignity, and he is of inferior condition. 

 " How shall he be our king." Samuel informed them 

 they should know that God had constituted Talut 

 their king, by his restoring the ark ol the covenant. 

 He accoidingly restored it, and they acknowledged 

 him their sovereign. 



After Talut obtained the kingdom, he seized part 

 of the territories of Jalut, or Goliah, who assemble 

 large army, but was killed by David. Talut after- 

 wards died a martyr in a war against the infidels ; and 

 God constituted David king or the Jezvs. 



Melic Talut had two sons, one called Berkia, and 

 the other Irmia, who served David, and were beloved 

 by him. He sent them to fight against the infidels ; 

 and, by God's assistance, they were victorious. 



The son cf Berk/a was called Afghan, and the son 

 of Irmia was named Usbec. Those youths distin- 

 guished themselves in the reign of David, and 

 were employed by Solomon. ' Afghan was distin- 



