The  wearing  of  the  ephod,  however,  is  spoken  of  in
1  Sam.  xxii.  18  as  characteristic  of  the  priests,  and  in
Judg.  viii.  27,  xvii.  5,  xviii  14—20,  it  is  connected
with  idolatrous  worship.  It  is  also  to  be  noted  that  the
high  priest's  ephod  (Ex.  xxviii.  6,  8,  Ac)  was  made  of
shesh,  while  tne  garments  of  the  ordinary  priests,  as
well  as  the  ephods  of  Samuel  and  David,  were  of  had.
The  explanation  seems  to  be  that  the  ephod  of  bad  was
simply  a  garment  worn  by  any  one  engaged  in  a  religions
service,  and  it  is  used  in  1  Sam.  xxii  18  to  describe  the
priests,  because  such  service  constituted  their  ordinarj
life.  It  was  not,  therefore,  a  peculiarly  priestly  dress,
though  naturally  more  worn  by  them  than  by  any  one
else.
(16)  She  despised  him.— The  contrast  is  here
strongly  brought  out  between  the  spirit  of  Saul's  honse
in  which  Michal  had  been  bronspnt  up,  and  that  of
David.  In  Saul's  time  tiie  ark  had  been  neglected,  and
true  religion  was  uncared  for.  Michal,  therefore,  who
had  fallen  in  love  with  David  as  a  brave  hero,  conld
not  understand  the  religious  enthusiasm  which  led  him
to  rank  himself  among  the  common  people  before  the
Lord.
(17)  The  tabernacle.— Not  the  tabernacle  made
for  it  in  the  wilderness,  and  which  seems  to  have  been
now  at  Gibeon,  but  a  special  tent  which  David,  as  is
immediately  added,  had  prepued  for  it.
(18)  Peace  offerings.— \¥hile  the ''burnt  ofEerings"

were  dedicatory,  the  peace  offerings  were  eucharistic,
and  were  also  intended  here,  as  in  1  Kinffs  viii.  62—65,
to  supply  the  wants  of  the  people  by  a  rengions  lawt  of
oommumon  with  Gk)d.
