1 Samuel 10 - Introduction
X. (1 Samuel 10:1) Saul is anointed King by Samuel. The Divine Signs given to him. The Election of King Saul.... [ Continue Reading ]
X. (1 Samuel 10:1) Saul is anointed King by Samuel. The Divine Signs given to him. The Election of King Saul.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN-SAMUEL TOOK A VIAL OF OIL. — The vial was a narrow-necked vessel, from which the oil flowed in drops. It was, of course, no common oil which the prophet used on this momentous occasion, but the oil of holy ointment, the sacred anointing oil which was used at the consecration of the priests, and... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU ART DEPARTED FROM ME TO DAY, THEN... — Here follows Samuel’s careful description of the three signs which should meet the future king as he went from Ramah to his father’s home in Benjamin. Each of these tokens, which were to strengthen the young Saul’s faith, contained a solemn lesson, th... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT COME TO THE PLAIN OF TABOR. — The accurate translation of the Hebrew is “to the terebinth or oak of Tabor.” There was evidently a history, now lost, connected with the “terebinth of Tabor.” Ewald suggests that “Tabor” is a different form for Deborah, and that this historic tree was the oa... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THAT THOU SHALT COME TO THE HILL OF GOD. — These words should be rendered to the _Gibeah of God._ The writer here is alluding to Saul’s own city, afterwards known as “Gibeah of Saul.” The name of Gibeah, or Hill of God, was given to it on account of a well-known high place or sacrificial heigh... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THESE SIGNS ARE COME UNTO THEE. — When these varied circumstances have happened to thee, _then_ be sure that the splendid and glorious life which I have foretold as thy lot will assuredly lie before thee in the immediate future. I will give thee no imperious directions by which thou art to shap... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHEW THEE WHAT THOU SHALT DO. — Considerable doubt exists among expositors as to the exact meaning and reference of these words of Samuel. In 1 Samuel 13., 1 Samuel 10:8 and following, a well-known and most important event in Saul’s life and reign is related, in which the circumstances strangely... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE HILL. — “To the hill:” more accurately rendered, _to Gibeah._ This was the home of Saul; the estate of the house of Kish lay evidently in the immediate vicinity of Gibeah, henceforward to be known as Saul’s royal city, “Gibeah of Saul.” “As he walked, the Spirit of God came upon him,” we read... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT IS THIS? — The natural expression of extreme surprise at the sudden change which had come over one so well known at Gibeah as Saul evidently was, shows us that this was _his home._ The words, “What is this that is come unto the son of Kish?” seem to tell us that the life hitherto led by Saul wa... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO IS THEIR FATHER? — As an instance of the extreme surprise with which the association of Saul with the sons of the prophets was witnessed by the inhabitants of Gibeah — an association apparently very foreign to his old habits and to the manner of life of his family — a short dialogue between two... [ Continue Reading ]
HE CAME TO THE HIGH PLACE. — After he had spent his fervour in the hymn, and probably ecstatic prayer, Saul, before he went to his home, we read, betook himself at once to the high place of Gibeah, whence the sons of the prophets had just come down when he met them on the hill-side. He went there, n... [ Continue Reading ]
SAUL’S UNCLE. — Most probably, this uncle was the subsequently famous Abner — so Ewald, Josephus, and others. Kish, the father of Saul, a quiet, plain man, evidently was quite content that his beasts were found, and that his son had returned in safety and so asks no curious questions about his son’s... [ Continue Reading ]
HE TOLD HIM NOT. — It has been suggested ingeniously that this reply was prompted by the characteristic Israelite caution — the fear of betraying prematurely an important secret. It is, however, far better to assume that Samuel had given the young Saul to understand that the revelation respecting hi... [ Continue Reading ]
SAMUEL CALLED THE PEOPLE TOGETHER. — “Samuel does all that further lies in his power to promote the great cause. He calls a national assembly to Mizpeh. Here the sacred lot, it is stated, fell, among all the tribes of Israel, upon Benjamin; and, in an ever narrowing circle, at length upon Saul, the... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD. — Before proceeding to the election, Samuel again reminds Israel of its folly and ingratitude in their voluntarily rejecting the glorious Eternal King for an earthly sovereign. It was perfectly true that, under the present circumstances of Israel, the establishment of a mortal k... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN WAS TAKEN. — How the “lots” were taken is not said; usually it was by throwing tablets (Joshua 18:6; Joshua 18:8), but sometimes by drawing from a vessel or urn, as in Numbers 33:54. The latter, from the Hebrew word used, was probably the method employed on this occasion.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FAMILY OF MATRI WAS TAKEN. — In none of the Benjamite genealogies connected with the royal house of Saul does this name occur. We cannot account for the omission. Ewald conjectures that the name Matri is a corruption from “Bikri” (see 1 Chronicles 7:8).... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THEY ENQUIRED OF THE LORD FURTHER, IF THE MAN SHOULD YET COME THITHER. — Saul and Samuel alone, of all the host gathered that day at Mizpeh, knew on whom the lot would fall. So certain was Saul, after the strange signs had sealed the truth of the prophet’s revelation, that he would be desi... [ Continue Reading ]
WROTE IT IN A BOOK. — The “Law of the Kingdom,” which Samuel rehearsed before the people, and which he wrote in a roll, and laid solemnly up and preserved among the State archives, related to the divinely established right and duties of the God-appointed king, and also clearly set forth the limitati... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL ALSO WENT HOME TO GIBEAH. — Saul departed for the present to his own home. We may conclude that his fellow citizens, proud of the honour conferred on one of themselves, were among his earliest devoted attendants. The young hero, however, as we shall see, had not long to wait for an opportun... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHILDREN OF BELIAL. — More accurately, _worthless men._ (See Note on 1 Samuel 2:12.) AND THEY DESPISED HIM. — As above suggested, these malcontents were probably princes and leading men of the great tribes of Judah and Ephraim, displeased that the new king should be selected from the small unimp... [ Continue Reading ]