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PASSES NO JUDGMENT ON CHARACTER : OUJ BIVWN EJXEVTASIN POIEITAI AJLLA PIVSTEW " ENDEIXIN (T HEOPHLCT ).

D AU . TE K . S AM . K . T . PR . ] T HE GREAT KING AND THE GREAT STATESMAN - PROPHET SUM UP ALL THAT WAS NOBLEST IN THE SECOND STAGE OF THE DIVINE HISTORY OF I SRAEL . W ITH THEM ARE JOINED THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS OF THE PEOPLE THROUGH WHOM THE GROWING COUNSEL OF G OD WAS INTERPRETED THROUGH APPARENT FAILURE AND LOSS . D AVID AND S AMUEL APPEAR TO BE CLOSELY CONNECTED ( TE , KAIV ) AND THE PROPHETS ARE ADDED AS A SECOND ELEMENT .

( B ) C HARACTERISTIC ACHIEVEMENTS OF F AITH (H EB . 11:33-35 A ). T HE J UDGES , THE K INGS , AND THE P ROPHETS REPRESENT ADEQUATELY THE CHIEF TYPES OF BELIEVERS UNDER THE THEOCRACY AND THE KINGDOM . H AVING SIGNALISED THESE , THE WRITER GOES ON TO MARK THE CHARACTERISTIC MANIFESTATIONS OF THE POWER OF F AITH . T HESE ARE DESCRIBED WITH REMARKABLE SYMMETRY :
(
I ) KATHGWNIVSANTO BASILEIVA " ,

HJRGAVSANTO DIKAIOSUVNHN , EJPEVTUCON EJPAGGELIWN .

( II ) EFRAXAN STOVMATA LEOVNTWN ,

ESBESAN DUVNAMIN PUROV " , EFUGON STOVMATA MACAIVRH " . ( III ) EJDUNAMWVQHSAN AJPO AJSQENEIVA " ,

EJGENHVQHSAN IJSCUROI EJN POLEVMW , PAREMBOLA ;" EKLINAN AJLLOTRIVWN . I N EACH GROUP THERE IS A PROGRESS , AND THERE IS A PROGRESS IN THE SUCCESSION OF GROUPS IN THE DIRECTION OF THAT WHICH IS MORE PERSONAL .

11:33. T HE FIRST TRIPLET DESCRIBES THE BROAD RESULTS WHICH BELIEVERS OBTAINED :

M ATERIAL VICTORY . M ORAL SUCCESS IN GOVERNMENT . S PIRITUAL REWARD .

T HE SECOND TRIPLET NOTICES FORMS OF PERSONAL DELIVERANCE FROM : W ILD BEASTS .

P HYSICAL FORCES . H UMAN TYRANNY . T HE THIRD TRIPLET MARKS THE ATTAINMENT OF PERSONAL GIFTS : S TRENGTH .

T HE EXERCISE OF STRENGTH . T HE TRIUMPH OF STRENGTH ( THE BELIEVER AGAINST THE ALIEN ). OI DIA PIVSTEW " ...] T HE FORM PIVSTEI WHICH HAS BEEN USED BEFORE IS NOW CHANGED . T HE WRITER SPEAKS OF THE GENERAL INSPIRING POWER OF FAITH : H EB . 6:12. C OMPARE 11:39 DIA TH '" PIVSTEW " .

KATHGWNIVSANTO BASILEIVA " ] F OR EXAMPLE G IDEON (M IDIANITES ), J UDG . 7; B ARAK (C ANAANITES ), J UDG . 4; S AMSON (P HILISTINES ), J UDG . 14 F .; J EPHTHAH (A MMONITES ), J UDG . 11; J ONATHAN (P HILISTINES ), 1 S AM . 14:6 FF .; D AVID
(P HILISTINES ), 2 S AM . 5:17; (M OABITES & C .) 2 S AM . 8:2; (A MMONITES ) 2 S AM . 10:12; IN EACH CASE WITH WEAKER FORCES THAN THEIR ENEMIES .

HJRGAVSANTO DIKAIO " .] T HE PHRASE IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD NOT ONLY OF PURELY INDIVIDUAL VIRTUES , BUT OF THE VIRTUES OF LEADERS : 1 S AM . 12:4; 2


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