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The portion of the Book of Chronicles referring more particularly to the genealogy of Israel ends with the thirty-fourth verse of the ninth chapter. With the following verse commences the real history of the people. The history of a nation is the history of its head or king; and we commence that history with the history of Saul and David. They both appear on the scene in the following verses. We must not forget, in reading this history, that these two personages are representative characters. They are eminently typical. In Saul we must not omit to see the head of the great world-power, or that which is antagonistic to the kingdom of the Son of God. In David, likewise, we must see One greater than David, even the true David, the Lord Jesus Christ. Saul and David are from beginning to end in opposition, Saul's history comes first. He is the people's choice, the man of the world. His entire course is enmity against David. Hatred, opposition, and bitter persecution are the results of this enmity. The end of the world-power, as represented in him, is defeat and failure, ruin and death. Thus will this world's rule end also. Nevertheless, all this opposition and enmity are most needful to David and his few faithful followers. It disciplined and trained him for the kingdom for which he had been anointed of God. So this world's misrule and enmity are most needful for the Lord's anointed ones. David and his followers under Saul were strangers and pilgrims indeed. So Christ and his people are now. But their time is at hand when the weeds of sorrow shall be exchanged for the laurels of victory. I said Saul's history comes first. It is always so. Whether in the history of individuals or nations, whether in nature or in grace, in everything the dark background comes first, and then the lines of the picture of grace can be seen. The tenth chapter of this book is man at his best estate. It is the dark background. One chapter is enough for it. The eleventh chapter begins with the God-man, David, who is the type in it of a "Greater than David." It goes on unfolding chapter after chapter. It has not ended yet, for in the history of David's Son - the Lord Jesus Christ - it is still going on. The chapters are still unfolding him, and will throughout eternity, for he is "the everlasting God," the "I am that I am, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.' - W.

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KJV: And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.

WEB: The Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.