22 And Samuel H8050 took H3947 Saul H7586 and his servant, H5288 and brought H935 them into the parlour, H3957 and made them sit H5414 in the chiefest H7218 place H4725 among them that were bidden, H7121 which were about thirty H7970 persons. H376
And they set on H7760 for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, H4713 which did eat H398 with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians H4713 might H3201 not eat H398 bread H3899 with the Hebrews; H5680 for that is an abomination H8441 unto the Egyptians. H4714
But G235 when G3752 thou art bidden, G2564 go G4198 and sit down G377 in G1519 the lowest G2078 room; G5117 that G2443 when G3752 he that bade G2564 thee G4571 cometh, G2064 he may say G2036 unto thee, G4671 Friend, G5384 go up G4320 higher: G511 then G5119 shalt thou G4671 have G2071 worship G1391 in the presence G1799 of them that sit at meat G4873 with thee. G4671
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Samuel 9
Commentary on 1 Samuel 9 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 9
Samuel had promised Israel, from God, that they should have a king; it is strange that the next news is not of candidates setting up for the government, making an interest in the people, or recommending themselves to Samuel, and, by him, to God, to be put in nomination. Why does not the prince of the tribe of Judah, whoever he is, look about him now, remembering Jacob's entail of the sceptre on that tribe? Is there never a bold aspiring man in Israel, to say, "I will be king, if God will choose me?' No, none appears, whether it is owing to a culpable mean-spiritedness or a laudable humility I know not; but surely it is what can scarcely be paralleled in the history of any kingdom; a crown, such a crown, set up, and nobody bids for it. Most governments began in the ambition of the prince to rule, but Israel's in the ambition of the people to be ruled. Had any of those elders who petitioned for a king afterwards petitioned to be king, I should have suspected that person's ambition to have been at the bottom of the motion; but now (let them have the praise of what was good in them) it was not so. God having, in the law, undertaken to choose their king (Deu. 17:15), they all sit still, till they hear from heaven, and that they do in this chapter, which begins the story of Saul, their first king, and, by strange steps of Providence, brings him to Samuel to be anointed privately, and so to be prepared for an election by lot, and a public commendation to the people, which follows in the next chapter. Here is,
1Sa 9:1-2
We are here told,
1Sa 9:3-10
Here is,
1Sa 9:11-17
Here,
1Sa 9:18-27
Providence having at length brought Samuel and Saul together, we have here an account of what passed between them in the gate, at the feast, and in private.