Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
1 Samuel 9:22-26
Samuel Honours Saul At The Feast And Then Explains To Him Privately What It Is All About (1 Samuel 9:22).
To the astonishment of Saul and his servant they now found themselves as guests of honour at the sacrificial meal, were seated in the chiefest place, and received the honoured portion.
Analysis.
a And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among those who were bidden, who were about thirty persons (1 Samuel 9:22).
b And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said unto you, Set it by you.” And the cook took up the thigh, and what was on it, and set it before Saul (1 Samuel 9:23 a).
c And Samuel said, “Look, that which has been reserved! Set it before you and eat, because it been has kept for you until the appointed time, for I said, I have invited the people” (1 Samuel 9:24 b).
b So Saul ate with Samuel that day (1 Samuel 9:24 c).
a And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he conversed with Saul on the housetop. And they arose early, and it happened about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, “Up, that I may send you away.” And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, from the house (literally ‘abroad, outside') (1 Samuel 9:25).
Note that in ‘a' Samuel takes Saul and his servant to the high place and into the guest chamber, and honours him, and in the parallel they leave the high place and Saul learns what it means before being sent away. In ‘b' the special portion is set before Saul and in the parallel Saul eats with Samuel the prophet of YHWH indicating the special, bond between them. Centrally in ‘c' the significance of the act is revealed.
‘ And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among those who were bidden, who were about thirty persons.'
Then Samuel led Saul and his servant into the guest-chamber at the Sanctuary, and gave them the highest place among all the guests. There were about thirty distinguished persons there (they would almost certainly have been distinguished in order to be invited into the special guest-chamber, and especially so as Samuel had invited them there to meet God's appointee), and no doubt they were dressed in their finest. Saul and his servant must have felt a little uncomfortable, even though they would have groomed themselves ready to meet the seer. But this was no ordinary situation. Samuel's aim was the presentation and exaltation and of Saul before important people.
‘ And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said unto you, Set it by you.” '
Then Samuel sent to the cook for the special portion which he had specifically set aside for YHWH's expected appointee. Saul was receiving royal treatment.
‘ And the cook took up the thigh, and what was on it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Look, that which has been reserved! Set it before you and eat, because it been has kept for you until the appointed time, for I said, I have invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.'
The thigh was the special portion reserved for the sacrificing priests and their guests (Leviticus 7:32). Thus to receive a portion of the thigh was a special honour. And this was set before Saul with the words, ‘Look, this has been reserved for you. Set it before you and eat.' Then Samuel added, ‘It has been kept for you until the appointed time'. This was deliberately in order to bring out that this was Saul's moment of destiny as determined by YHWH. It was not only for Saul's sake but for the sake of the guests. Samuel knew that it was most important that the right impression be made among these important guests, for their support would be vital for Saul's acceptance. We can, however, imagine how the young man's head must have been spinning. A few hours before he had been on the trail of his father's asses. Now here he was being feted as the guest of honour and prospective war-leader in the presence of some of the most important people in Israel.
“For I said, I have invited the people.” We should probably paraphrase this as meaning ‘since the time when I said, I have invited the people.' The emphasis is on the fact that all this had been made ready beforehand from the very moment that Samuel had sent out the invitations to these important men in readiness for the one whom YHWH would send to them when he came at the appointed time.
“So Samuel ate with Saul that day.” To eat together was to indicate friendship and welcome. Thus by this Samuel is welcoming Saul into a special relationship with himself as the prophet of YHWH.
‘ And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he conversed with Saul on the housetop.'
The meal over they returned from the high place to Samuel's house, and once they were there Samuel took Saul onto the flat roof to talk with him. We must assume that there he revealed all that YHWH had said to him, and possibly a great deal more. No doubt he used his long experience to try and put Saul at ease about what was to be expected of him. It was a lot for the young man to take in. Verse 26 reveals that this was also where Saul would sleep. At certain times of the year it was preferable to sleeping inside, and as the honoured guest the privilege was given to Saul.
‘And they arose early, and it happened about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, “Up, that I may send you away.” And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, from the house (abroad).'
Rising early was common practise among busy men, and thus as the day dawned all would rise from their beds and prepare for the day. Then Samuel called up to Saul to prepare to leave for home, because it was now time that he returned. Then they both left the house together because Samuel still had something that he wanted to do which required privacy.