inherited from his ancestors, together with
the spoil taken in battle.***

* The part taken by Samuel in the narrative of Saul's war
against the Amalekites (1 Sam. xv.) is thought by some
critics to have been introduced with a view of exalting the
prophet's office at the expense of the king and the
monarchy. They regard 1 Sam. xiv. 48 as being the sole
historic ground of the narrative.

** 1 Sam. xiv. 47. We may admit his successful skirmishes
with Moab, but some writers maintain that the defeat of the
Edomites and Aramaeans is a mere anticipation, and consider
that the passage is only a reflection of 2 Sam. viii. 8, and
reproduces the list of the wars of David, with the exception
of the expedition against Damascus.

*** Gibeah is nowhere expressly mentioned as being the
capital of Saul, but the name Gibeah of Saul which it bore
shows that it must have been the royal residence; the names
of the towns mentioned in the account of Saul's pursuit of
David--Naioth, Eamah, and Nob--are all near to Gibeah. It
was also at Gibeah that the Gibeonites slew seven of the
sons and grandsons of Saul (2 Sam. xxi. 6-9), no doubt to
bring ignominy on the family of the first king in the very
place in which they had governed.

All that he had, in addition to his former surroundings, were a
priesthood attached to the court, and a small army entirely at his own
disposal. Ahijah, a descendant of Eli, sacrificed for the king when the
latter did not himself officiate; he fulfilled the office of chaplain
to him in time of war, and was the mouthpiece of the divine oracles
when these were consulted as to the propitious moment for attacking the
enemy.

[Illustration: 319.jpg A PHOENICIAN SOLDIER]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from the bronze original in the
Louvre.

The army consisted of a nucleus of Benjamites, recruited from the
king's clan, with the addition of any adventurers, whether Israelites or
strangers, who were attracted to enlist under a popular military chief.*
It comprised archers, slingers, and bands of heavily armed infantry,
after the fashion of the Phoenician, bearing pikes. We can gam some
idea of their appearance and equipment from the bronze statuettes of an
almost contemporary period, which show us the Phoenician foot-soldiers
or the barbarian mercenaries in the pay of the Phoenician cities: they
wear the h