1 Samuel 10:1-27

Israel’s First King

1 Samuel

Helen Pocock

Chapter 10

Samuel *anoints Saul

v1 Then Samuel took a jar of oil and poured the oil over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul. He said, ‘The *Lord has *anointed you as the leader of the people that he owns. v2 After you leave me today you will meet two men. They will be near Rachel’s grave at Zelzah. This is in the country that belongs to the *tribe of Benjamin. The men will say, “Someone has found the *donkeys that you have been looking for. Your father has stopped thinking about his *donkeys. Now he is worried about you. He keeps asking, ‘What shall I do about my son?’ ”

v3 Then you will go on from there until you reach the big tree at Tabor. Three men will meet you there. They are going to the town of Bethel to *worship God. One man will carry three young goats. Another man will have three loaves of bread. The other man will have a leather bag full of wine. v4 They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread. You must accept the bread. v5 Then you must go to the place of *worship at the town of Gibeah. There is a *Philistine camp there. When you arrive, you will meet a group of *prophets. They will come down from the place of *worship. They will be playing music on their instruments: *harps, tambourines, flutes and lyres. And they will be *prophesying. v6 The Spirit of the *Lord will take control of you. You will *prophesy too. You will become a different person. v7 When all these things happen, do whatever you need to do. God is with you.

v8 Go ahead of me to the town of Gilgal. I will certainly come down to you there and give *burnt sacrifices and friendship *offerings. You must wait for 7 days. Then I will come and tell you what to do’.

Samuel *anointed Saul in private first. He told Saul that God had *anointed him as leader. Men did not choose Saul, God chose him. In verses 17-25, all the *Israelites saw that God chose Saul. Then in 11:1-15 the *Israelites gave honour to Saul in public. The phrase ‘the people that he (God) owns’ (verse 1) refers to the people of *Israel. These people belonged to God. God was their king. The people did not belong to Saul. Saul was a leader under God’s rule. Samuel kissed Saul. This showed respect for him as ruler.

Saul was probably very surprised by what Samuel said to him. He needed evidence to prove that Samuel’s words were true. So, Samuel told him about three things that would happen on his way home. This would show him that God had especially chosen him. We do not know where Zelzah (verse 2) and Tabor (verse 3) were. And we do not know whether they were towns or just an area of land. Rachel was Jacob’s wife. She died when she gave birth to their son Benjamin (Genesis 35:16-20). The *tribe of Benjamin are the people who came from the family of Benjamin.

The first event showed that Samuel’s words about the *donkeys were true. Saul did not have to think about the *donkeys any more. The second event showed that he was a very important person. The three men had food for the priest. But they gave some of it to Saul instead.

The third event happened at Samuel’s home town. The *Philistines kept attacking the land of *Israel. They had a camp at Gibeah. But in 9:16 God said that the king would save his people from the *Philistines. The group of *prophets (verse 5) was different to single *prophets. The single *prophets listened to what God said and told people God’s words. The groups of *prophets usually lived together near places of *worship. They ‘*prophesied’ when the Spirit of *God took control of them. This means that they played instruments and they sang. They shouted and danced with great excitement. They may have looked as if they were out of control. Harps and lyres are instruments with strings. Tambourines make a sound when you shake them. Flutes are instruments that you blow into.

v9 Saul left Samuel and went on his journey. As Saul left, God gave him a new character. And everything happened just as Samuel had said that it would. v10 They arrived at Gibeah and a group of *prophets met them. The Spirit of God took control of Saul. He *prophesied with the *prophets. v11 There were some people who had known Saul for a long time. They saw him *prophesying. They said, ‘What has happened to the son of Kish? Has Saul really become a *prophet?’

v12 A man who lived there asked, ‘Who is the leader of these *prophets?’ Now there is this famous phrase ‘Has Saul really become a *prophet?’ This is when it started. v13 When Saul stopped *prophesying he went up to the place of *worship.

v14 Saul’s uncle asked Saul and his servant, ‘Where have you been?’ Saul said, ‘We were looking for the *donkeys. We could not find them so we went and visited Samuel’.

v15 Saul’s uncle said, ‘What did Samuel say to you’.

v16 Saul said, ‘He told us that someone had found the *donkeys’. But Saul did not tell his uncle that Samuel had *anointed him as king.

These events showed Saul that Samuel’s words were true. Everything happened just as he said it would. This proved that God was with Saul. Saul could not change himself but the Spirit of *God changed him. Then he had to do what God told him.

The groups of *prophets had had to learn to *prophesy. So people were surprised when Saul started to *prophesy. They knew that no one had trained him. He had not behaved like this before. In verse 10, the ‘Spirit of God’ means the Holy Spirit. The phrase ‘he *prophesied’ means that Saul behaved like a *prophet. It does not mean that he became a real *prophet. The same thing happened to Saul in 19:24. But it did not affect the way that he behaved afterwards. The Holy Spirit only changed Saul’s outer behaviour. The Holy Spirit did not enter Saul in the way that he entered people in *New Testament times.

Many people did not like the groups of *prophets. The *prophets behaved in strange ways. Perhaps people thought that a bad thing had happened to Saul. Perhaps they did not want him to join with the *prophets. In verse 12 the question ‘Who is the leader of these *prophets?’ was an insult. It meant ‘We do not know their leader so these *prophets are not important’. The people had no respect for the *prophets. And the people had no respect for Saul when he behaved like the *prophets.

In Acts 2, some people insulted the disciples (people who followed Jesus) when the Holy Spirit came. The people thought that the disciples had drunk too much wine. 1 Corinthians 2:14 refers to a person who does not have the Holy Spirit. This person cannot understand what the Holy Spirit does.

Saul’s uncle did not know that Kish had lost his *donkeys. Saul told his uncle only part of what Samuel had said to him. Saul kept everything else a secret.

Saul becomes the first king of *Israel

v17 Samuel sent a message to all the people of *Israel. He told them to meet with the *Lord at Mizpah. v18 He said to them, ‘This is a message from the *Lord, the God of *Israel. The *Lord says, “I led you *Israelites out from the country of Egypt. I saved you from Egypt’s control. And from the control of other nations that gave you trouble”. v19 The *Lord saves you from all your troubles and difficult situations. Now you have refused to accept the *Lord your God. You said, “No. We want a king to rule us”. So, come and stand in front of God. Stand together in your *tribes and as families’.

v20 Each *tribe went forward. God chose the *tribe of Benjamin. v21 Each family group from the *tribe of Benjamin went forward. And God chose the family group of Matri. Then God chose Saul, son of Kish, from the family of Matri. They looked for Saul but no one could find him. v22 So they asked the *Lord, ‘Has Saul come here yet?’ And the *Lord said, ‘Yes, but he is hiding among the luggage’.

v23 So they ran to Saul and brought him out. When Saul stood with the people, you could see his head above everyone else’s head. v24 Samuel said to all the people, ‘Here is the man that God has chosen. There is no one else among the people as good as he is’. Then the people shouted, ‘May the king live for a long time’.

v25 Samuel explained to the people all the duties and rights of a king. He wrote them in a book. He put the book in the holy place. Then Samuel told the people to go to their own homes. v26 Saul went to his home at Gibeah. A group of brave men went with him. The men went with Saul because God gave them the desire. v27 There were some other men who caused trouble. They said, ‘We do not think that this man can save us’. They did not approve of Saul. They did not bring him any gifts. But Saul said nothing.

In chapter 8 the *Israelites went to Samuel and asked him for a king. God said that he would give them a king. So Samuel sent the people home. Now Samuel called the people together again and gave them their king. We do not know whether there was a short or a long time between these two meetings.

First, Samuel reminded the *Israelites that they refused the *Lord as their king. Samuel did not declare Saul as their king. Instead, the people saw that God chose Saul. We do not know how this happened. In the *Old Testament, the priests used the Urim and Thummim (Exodus 28:30). We do not know what these were. However, they were a definite way that God told the priest his decision. They involved a choice. This contrasts with the messages of the *prophets which could be true or false. Each *tribe had thousands of people. Probably the leader of each *tribe went forward. In verse 19, ‘stand in front of God’ may mean that they stood in front of an *altar at Mizpah. Each family group had hundreds of people in it. God was able to choose Saul even when Saul was not there.

Saul knew that God had chosen him but Saul hid. Perhaps he was afraid and did not want to be king. But when the people saw their king, they were very happy. They thought that Saul would be a good king. The *Israelites had never had a king before. So Samuel had to explain about the king. The king was not to be like the kings of the nations round *Israel. A king had duties. God expected him to do particular things. He had to lead the people the proper way. The king also had rights. He could tell the people to do things for him. God also had rules for a king. He gave these rules to Moses in Deuteronomy 17:14-20. The ‘holy place’ (verse 25) was the place of *worship. It may have been a building. When Samuel finished all this, the people went home.

God was kind to Saul. He gave Saul a group of brave men to help him. They stayed with him at Gibeah. But a few people did not like Saul. They wanted to make trouble. They refused the man that God chose. This often happens, even now, when God chooses someone for a job. Saul behaved the right way. He said nothing.

anoint ~ to mark a person with oil to show that God has chosen him for a special job.
Lord ~ the name of God in the Bible. The special name of God that he announced only to the Israelites (Genesis 3:13-15). It links God with his covenant (promise) to them.

Israelites ~ the people of Israel; the people who speak the Hebrew language.
Israel ~ the group of people that God chose. Israel is the name of all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Israel is also the name of the land that God gave to the people of Israel.
Hebrew ~ the language of the Israelite people. A Hebrew is an Israelite person.
tribe ~ a family from one man. The first Israelites were the 12 sons of Jacob. The family of each son became a tribe.

Israelites ~ the people of Israel; the people who speak the Hebrew language.
Israel ~ the group of people that God chose. Israel is the name of all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Israel is also the name of the land that God gave to the people of Israel.
Hebrew ~ the language of the Israelite people. A Hebrew is an Israelite person.
donkey ~ an animal like a small horse. Donkeys can carry heavy loads on their backs. People ride on them.
worship ~ to thank God and to give him honour, usually with other people. Often, people pray and sing as they worship God. To bend down to God or to a false god to show him honour.
Philistines ~ the Israelites’ main enemies at that time. They lived on the west side of the country of Israel.

Israelites ~ the people of Israel; the people who speak the Hebrew language.
Israel ~ the group of people that God chose. Israel is the name of all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Israel is also the name of the land that God gave to the people of Israel.
Hebrew ~ the language of the Israelite people. A Hebrew is an Israelite person.
prophet ~ a person who speaks for God. He can sometimes say what will happen in the future.
harp ~ a musical instrument that has many strings.
prophesy ~ to speak on God’s behalf; to tell of things that will happen in the future.
offering ~ a gift for God (or false gods) from the priest and people; an Israelite’s gift to God.

gods ~ gods with a small ‘g’ are all the false gods.
Israelites ~ the people of Israel; the people who speak the Hebrew language.
Israel ~ the group of people that God chose. Israel is the name of all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Israel is also the name of the land that God gave to the people of Israel.
Hebrew ~ the language of the Israelite people. A Hebrew is an Israelite person.
Israelites ~ the people of Israel; the people who speak the Hebrew language.

Israel ~ the group of people that God chose. Israel is the name of all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Israel is also the name of the land that God gave to the people of Israel.
Hebrew ~ the language of the Israelite people. A Hebrew is an Israelite person.
Israel ~ the group of people that God chose. Israel is the name of all the people from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Israel is also the name of the land that God gave to the people of Israel.
gods ~ gods with a small ‘g’ are all the false gods.'New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible. Writers wrote it after the life of Jesus.
altar ~ a table, where the priests burned animals and gave other gifts as a sacrifice to God or false gods.

sacrifice ~ to give something to God, usually an animal, grain or wine; to ask God to forgive sins as the priest killed an animal. This sacrifice was a special animal. The priests killed and burned it on the altar.
sin ~ when people do things against God or other people; when people do not obey the commands of God; the things that people do that are wrong or evil.