elves, which were used, in this method of
illumination, in revealing the will of God, after a perfect and true
manner, to his people Israel: I say, these answers were not made by the
shining of the precious stones, after an awkward manner, in the
high priest's breastplate, as the modern Rabbins vainly suppose; for
certainly the shining of the stones might precede or accompany the
oracle, without itself delivering that oracle, see Antiq. B. VI. ch. 6.
sect. 4; but rather by an audible voice from the mercy-seat between the
cherubims. See Prideaux's Connect. at the year 534. This oracle had been
silent, as Josephus here informs us, two hundred years before he wrote
his Antiquities, or ever since the days of the last good high priest
of the family of the Maccabees, John Hyrcanus. Now it is here very well
worth our observation, that the oracle before us was that by which God
appeared to be present with, and gave directions to, his people Israel
as their King, all the while they submitted to him in that capacity; and
did not set over them such independent kings as governed according to
their own wills and political maxims, instead of Divine directions.
Accordingly we meet with this oracle [besides angelic and prophetic
admonitions] all along from the days of Moses and Joshua to the
anointing of Saul, the first of the succession of the kings, Numbers
27:21; Joshua 6:6, etc.; 19:50; Judges 1:1; 18:4-6, 30, 31; 20:18, 23,
26-28; 21:1, etc.; 1 Samuel 1:17, 18; 3. per tot.; 4. per tot.; nay,
till Saul's rejection of the Divine commands in the war with Amalek,
when he took upon him to act as he thought fit, 1 Samuel 14:3, 18, 19,
36, 37, then this oracle left Saul entirely, [which indeed he had seldom
consulted before, 1 Samuel 14:35; 1 Chronicles 10:14; 13:3; Antiq. B. 7
ch. 4 sect 2.] and accompanied David, who was anointed to succeed him,
and who consulted God by it frequently, and complied with its directions
constantly [1 Samuel 14:37, 41; 15:26; 22:13, 15; 23:9, 10; 30:7, 8, 18;
2 Samuel 2:1; 5:19, 23; 21:1; 23:14; 1 Chronicles 14:10, 14; Antiq. B IV
ch. 12 sect. 5]. Saul, indeed, long after his rejection by God, and
when God had given him up to destruction for his disobedience, did once
afterwards endeavor to consult God when it was too late; but God would
not then answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets, 1
Samuel 28:6. Nor did any of David's successors, the kings of Judah,
that we know of, consult God by t