1 Then Samuel H8050 took H3947 a vial H6378 of oil, H8081 and poured H3332 it upon his head, H7218 and kissed H5401 him, and said, H559 Is it not because the LORD H3068 hath anointed H4886 thee to be captain H5057 over his inheritance? H5159
2 When thou art departed H3212 from me H5978 to day, H3117 then thou shalt find H4672 two H8147 men H582 by Rachel's H7354 sepulchre H6900 in the border H1366 of Benjamin H1144 at Zelzah; H6766 and they will say H559 unto thee, The asses H860 which thou wentest H1980 to seek H1245 are found: H4672 and, lo, thy father H1 hath left H5203 the care H1697 of the asses, H860 and sorroweth H1672 for you, saying, H559 What shall I do H6213 for my son? H1121
3 Then shalt thou go on H2498 forward H1973 from thence, and thou shalt come H935 to the plain H436 of Tabor, H8396 and there shall meet H4672 thee three H7969 men H582 going up H5927 to God H430 to Bethel, H1008 one H259 carrying H5375 three H7969 kids, H1423 and another H259 carrying H5375 three H7969 loaves H3603 of bread, H3899 and another H259 carrying H5375 a bottle H5035 of wine: H3196
4 And they will H7592 salute H7965 thee, and give H5414 thee two H8147 loaves of bread; H3899 which thou shalt receive H3947 of their hands. H3027
5 After H310 that thou shalt come H935 to the hill H1389 of God, H430 where is the garrison H5333 of the Philistines: H6430 and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither H935 to the city, H5892 that thou shalt meet H6293 a company H2256 of prophets H5030 coming down H3381 from the high place H1116 with a psaltery, H5035 and a tabret, H8596 and a pipe, H2485 and a harp, H3658 before H6440 them; and they shall prophesy: H5012
6 And the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 will come H6743 upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy H5012 with them, and shalt be turned H2015 into another H312 man. H376
7 And let it be, when these signs H226 are come H935 unto thee, that thou do H6213 as occasion H4672 serve H3027 thee; for God H430 is with thee.
8 And thou shalt go down H3381 before H6440 me to Gilgal; H1537 and, behold, I will come down H3381 unto thee, to offer H5927 burnt offerings, H5930 and to sacrifice H2076 sacrifices H2077 of peace offerings: H8002 seven H7651 days H3117 shalt thou tarry, H3176 till I come H935 to thee, and shew H3045 thee what thou shalt do. H6213
9 And it was so, that when he had turned H6437 his back H7926 to go H3212 from Samuel, H8050 God H430 gave H2015 him another H312 heart: H3820 and all those signs H226 came H935 to pass that day. H3117
10 And when they came H935 thither to the hill, H1389 behold, a company H2256 of prophets H5030 met H7125 him; and the Spirit H7307 of God H430 came H6743 upon him, and he prophesied H5012 among H8432 them.
11 And it came to pass, when all that knew H3045 him beforetime H865 H8032 saw H7200 that, behold, he prophesied H5012 among the prophets, H5030 then the people H5971 said H559 one H376 to another, H7453 What is this that is come unto the son H1121 of Kish? H7027 Is Saul H7586 also among the prophets? H5030
12 And one H376 of the same place answered H6030 and said, H559 But who is their father? H1 Therefore it became a proverb, H4912 Is Saul H7586 also among the prophets? H5030
13 And when he had made an end H3615 of prophesying, H5012 he came H935 to the high place. H1116
14 And Saul's H7586 uncle H1730 said H559 unto him and to his servant, H5288 Whither H575 went H1980 ye? And he said, H559 To seek H1245 the asses: H860 and when we saw H7200 that they were no where, H369 we came H935 to Samuel. H8050
15 And Saul's H7586 uncle H1730 said, H559 Tell H5046 me, I pray thee, what Samuel H8050 said H559 unto you.
16 And Saul H7586 said H559 unto his uncle, H1730 He told H5046 us plainly H5046 that the asses H860 were found. H4672 But of the matter H1697 of the kingdom, H4410 whereof Samuel H8050 spake, H559 he told H5046 him not.
17 And Samuel H8050 called H6817 the people H5971 together unto the LORD H3068 to Mizpeh; H4709
18 And said H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 I brought up H5927 Israel H3478 out of Egypt, H4714 and delivered H5337 you out of the hand H3027 of the Egyptians, H4714 and out of the hand H3027 of all kingdoms, H4467 and of them that oppressed H3905 you:
19 And ye have this day H3117 rejected H3988 your God, H430 who himself saved H3467 you out of all your adversities H7451 and your tribulations; H6869 and ye have said H559 unto him, Nay, but set H7760 a king H4428 over us. Now therefore present H3320 yourselves before H6440 the LORD H3068 by your tribes, H7626 and by your thousands. H505
20 And when Samuel H8050 had caused all the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 to come near, H7126 the tribe H7626 of Benjamin H1144 was taken. H3920
21 When he had caused the tribe H7626 of Benjamin H1144 to come near H7126 by their families, H4940 the family H4940 of Matri H4309 was taken, H3920 and Saul H7586 the son H1121 of Kish H7027 was taken: H3920 and when they sought H1245 him, he could not be found. H4672
22 Therefore they enquired H7592 of the LORD H3068 further, if the man H376 should yet come H935 thither. H1988 And the LORD H3068 answered, H559 Behold, he hath hid H2244 himself among the stuff. H3627
23 And they ran H7323 and fetched H3947 him thence: and when he stood H3320 among H8432 the people, H5971 he was higher H1361 than any of the people H5971 from his shoulders H7926 and upward. H4605
24 And Samuel H8050 said H559 to all the people, H5971 See H7200 ye him whom the LORD H3068 hath chosen, H977 that there is none like him among all the people? H5971 And all the people H5971 shouted, H7321 and said, H559 God save H2421 the king. H4428
25 Then Samuel H8050 told H1696 the people H5971 the manner H4941 of the kingdom, H4410 and wrote H3789 it in a book, H5612 and laid it up H3240 before H6440 the LORD. H3068 And Samuel H8050 sent H7971 all the people H5971 away, H7971 every man H376 to his house. H1004
26 And Saul H7586 also went H1980 home H1004 to Gibeah; H1390 and there went H3212 with him a band of men, H2428 whose hearts H3820 God H430 had touched. H5060
27 But the children H1121 of Belial H1100 said, H559 How shall this man save H3467 us? And they despised H959 him, and brought H935 him no presents. H4503 But he held his peace. H2790
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 10
Commentary on 1 Samuel 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
1Sa 10:1-27. Samuel Anoints Saul, and Confirms Him by the Prediction of Three Signs.
1. Then Samuel took a vial of oil—This was the ancient (Jud 9:8) ceremony of investiture with the royal office among the Hebrews and other Eastern nations. But there were two unctions to the kingly office; the one in private, by a prophet (1Sa 16:13), which was meant to be only a prophetic intimation of the person attaining that high dignity—the more public and formal inauguration (2Sa 2:4; 5:3) was performed by the high priest, and perhaps with the holy oil, but that is not certain. The first of a dynasty was thus anointed, but not his heirs, unless the succession was disputed (1Ki 1:39; 2Ki 11:12; 23:30; 2Ch 23:11).
kissed him—This salutation, as explained by the words that accompanied it, was an act of respectful homage, a token of congratulation to the new king (Ps 2:12).
2. When thou art departed from me to-day—The design of these specific predictions of what should be met with on the way, and the number and minuteness of which would arrest attention, was to confirm Saul's reliance on the prophetic character of Samuel, and lead him to give full credence to what had been revealed to him as the word of God.
Rachel's sepulchre—near Beth-lehem (see on Ge 35:16).
Zelzah—or Zelah, now Bet-jalah, in the neighborhood of that town.
3. the plain—or, "the oak of Tabor," not the celebrated mount, for that was far distant.
three men going up to God to Beth-el—apparently to offer sacrifices there at a time when the ark and the tabernacle were not in a settled abode, and God had not yet declared the permanent place which He should choose. The kids were for sacrifice, the loaves for the offering, and the wine for the libations.
5. the hill of God—probably Geba (1Sa 13:3), so called from a school of the prophets being established there. The company of prophets were, doubtless, the pupils at this seminary, which had probably been instituted by Samuel, and in which the chief branches of education taught were a knowledge of the law, and of psalmody with instrumental music, which is called "prophesying" (here and in 1Ch 25:1, 7).
6. the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee—literally, "rush upon thee," suddenly endowing thee with a capacity and disposition to act in a manner far superior to thy previous character and habits; and instead of the simplicity, ignorance, and sheepishness of a peasant, thou wilt display an energy, wisdom, and magnanimity worthy of a prince.
8. thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal—This, according to Josephus, was to be a standing rule for the observance of Saul while the prophet and he lived; that in every great crisis, such as a hostile incursion on the country, he should repair to Gilgal, where he was to remain seven days, to afford time for the tribes on both sides Jordan to assemble, and Samuel to reach it.
9-11. when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart—Influenced by the words of Samuel, as well as by the accomplishment of these signs, Saul's reluctance to undertake the onerous office was overcome. The fulfilment of the two first signs [1Sa 10:7, 8] is passed over, but the third is specially described. The spectacle of a man, though more fit to look after his father's cattle than to take part in the sacred exercises of the young prophets—a man without any previous instruction, or any known taste, entering with ardor into the spirit, and skilfully accompanying the melodies of the sacred band, was so extraordinary a phenomenon, that it gave rise to the proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" (see 1Sa 19:24). The prophetic spirit had come upon him; and to Saul it was as personal and experimental an evidence of the truth of God's word that had been spoken to him, as converts to Christianity have in themselves from the sanctifying power of the Gospel.
12. But who is their father?—The Septuagint reads, "Who is his father?" referring to Saul the son of Kish.
17-25. Samuel called the people together … at Mizpeh—a shaft-like hill near Hebron, five hundred feet in height. The national assemblies of the Israelites were held there. A day having been appointed for the election of a king, Samuel, after having charged the people with a rejection of God's institution and a superseding of it by one of their own, proceeded to the nomination of the new monarch. As it was of the utmost importance that the appointment should be under the divine direction and control, the determination was made by the miraculous lot, tribes, families, and individuals being successively passed until Saul was found. His concealment of himself must have been the result either of innate modesty, or a sudden nervous excitement under the circumstances. When dragged into view, he was seen to possess all those corporeal advantages which a rude people desiderate in their sovereigns; and the exhibition of which gained for the prince the favorable opinion of Samuel also. In the midst of the national enthusiasm, however, the prophet's deep piety and genuine patriotism took care to explain "the manner of the kingdom," that is, the royal rights and privileges, together with the limitations to which they were to be subjected; and in order that the constitution might be ratified with all due solemnity, the charter of this constitutional monarchy was recorded and laid up "before the Lord," that is, deposited in the custody of the priests, along with the most sacred archives of the nation.
26. And Saul also went home to Gibeah—near Geba. This was his place of residence (see Jud 20:20), about five miles north of Jerusalem.
there went … a band of men, whose hearts God had touched—who feared God and regarded allegiance to their king as a conscientious duty. They are opposed to "the children of Belial."
27. the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents—In Eastern countries, the honor of the sovereign and the splendor of the royal household are upheld, not by a fixed rate of taxation, but by presents brought at certain seasons by officials, and men of wealth, from all parts of the kingdom, according to the means of the individual, and of a customary registered value. Such was the tribute which Saul's opponents withheld, and for want of which he was unable to set up a kingly establishment for a while. But "biding his time," he bore the insult with a prudence and magnanimity which were of great use in the beginning of his government.