ent kinds of instruments, as was usual on such occasions. For further remarks on timbrels and dances, vid. notes on Gen. xxxi. 27 and Ex. xv. 20.

JUDGES, XXI. 21, 23.

21 And see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.

Reference is here made to the custom of dancing at the Jewish festivals. The one to which there is special reference here, was an annual feast, about to be celebrated at Shiloh (v. 19). It was usual at those festivals to have dancing, vocal and instrumental music. On this occasion, probably, the female dancers sung and played on timbrels and harps and perhaps other in

struments.

THE BOOK OF RUTH.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

THIS book is generally considered as an appendix to that of Judges, and an introduction to those of Samuel. In the ancient Jewish canon Ruth and Judges formed but one book. The events which are here described probably occurred about 1241 B. C. It is evident from the genealogy in Ruth iv. 17-22, that the narrative could not have been reduced to its present form until the time of Samuel; and the most probable supposition is, that it was composed by that prophet.

Its object is partly to give the descent of David through the line of Ruth, a heathen proselyte to the Jewish religion, and wife of Boaz, whose adoption into the line of Christ has generally been considered as a preintimation of the admission of the Gentiles into the Christian church. The further design of the book is to exhibit the care of Jehovah over those who fear and sincerely love him, by elevating pious Ruth from a state of great adversity to that of the highest prosperity.

There are no allusions here to music vocal or instrumental; but as the history is in reality an appendix to the book of Judges, this brief notice of it is not perhaps inappropriate.

THE TWO BOOKS OF SAMUEL.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

IN the Jewish canon the two books of Samuel are both in one. In the Septuagint they are called the first and second book of Kings, or of the kingdoms, being two of the four narratives in which is written the history of the kings of Israel and Judah. They seem to have been composed by more than one person. The most probable opinion is, that the first twenty-four chapters of the first book of Samuel were written by the prophet whose name they bear, and that the remainder of the first and all of the second book were prepared by the prophets Gad and Nathan. It is probable that the latter wrote all of the second book after the fifth chapter. The prophets were accustomed to write memoirs of the transactions of their respective times. Reference is made to such documents in 1 Chron. xxix. 29, as separate books; but it would be natural to suppose that Ezra, who completed the canon of Jewish scripture, would throw all the contents of those memoirs into the two books of Samuel.

The first book contains the history and polity of the Jewish church from the birth of Samuel 1135 B. C., or, according to Archbishop Usher, 1271 B. C., to the death of Saul, 1055 B. C., or, according to Usher, 1219 B. C., a period of about 80 or 52 years. This book is a continuation of the history of the Israelites under Eli and Samuel, the last two judges, and Saul their first monarch, and gives the reason why their form of government was changed from an aristocracy to a monarchy. It also ex

hibits the preservation of God's people amid all of their trials and dangers, and cites remarkable instances of mercy towards those who have trusted in Jehovah.

1 SAMUEL, iv. 5, 6.

5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.

It seems that the Israelites had sinned against God and consequently did not receive divine assistance as they led on their armies against the Philistines. The latter were victorious, and succeeded in seizing the ark of the covenant and conveying it to their own camp. They, however, found it to be a troublesome and dangerous treasure, and hastened to return it to the Israelites, for the curse of God rested upon them in consequence of their sacrilege. Many of those who laid their hands upon it were miserably destroyed.

The children of Israel had been mourning the loss of many of their number, and especially of the ark of the covenant; but when they saw the sacred treasure again returning into the camp, they were exceedingly rejoiced at this evident token of the divine favor, and shouted with a great shout. It is probable that they not only shouted for joy, but accompanied their songs of praise by instrumental music, in accordance with the custom on such occasions. In both verses the term shout is expressed by the same original word.

1 SAMUEL, X. 5.

After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place, with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy.

Reference is here made to Saul whom Samuel had anointed king. After that ceremony had been completed, Saul was directed by the prophet to go to Zelzah and Tabor, and then to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines was encamped. He was further informed that when he should approach the city, he would meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place, with various instruments of music. When he met them, in accordance with the prediction, he caught the flame of inspiration and began to prophesy.

This company of seers, probably, came from the schools of the prophets. Such institutions seem to have been established by Samuel while he was a judge and prophet in Israel. At least they are not mentioned before that time. Under the ministry of Eli, the degeneracy of the priesthood was alarming, and the spirit of prophesy had become almost entirely extinct.

These, it is thought, were the leading causes which resulted in the first establishment of those seminaries, in which there was ample provision made for the education of those who were to enter the prophetic office.

These schools were first established in the cities of the Levites, being dispersed through the several tribes of Israel for the more convenient instruction of the people (vid. 1 Sam. x.