1Samuel anointeth Saul, and giveth him three signs in confirmation of what he had told him. 9Saul's heart is changed; the signs come to pass according to Samuel's prediction; Saul prophesieth. 14On his return he concealeth from his uncle the matter of the kingdom. 17The people are called together by Samuel to Mizpeh, where Saul is chosen king by lot. 26He is honourably attended by part of his subjects, but despised by others.
1THEN Samuel took a 1viala of oil, and 2poured it upon his head, and 3kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed theebto be captain 4over his inheritance?
1 Or, bottle, vessel. 1 Sam. 16:13, where is spoken of David’s anointing, there is mentioned a horn of oil. Saul and Jehu (2 Kings 9:1, 3) were anointed out of a vial of oil, but David out of an horn.
a flask
2 In the Old Testament three sorts of persons were installed into their offices by anointing, high priests, kings, and prophets.
3 Unto a sign of subjection, thereby acknowledging him to be his lord, for as much as God had called him to the kingly office. See the like example, 1 Kings 19:18 and compare Psalm 2:12.
b Acts 13:21.
4 That is, over His people of Israel, whom He Himself has chosen unto an inheritance out of all nations, Deut. 9:26; 32:9.
2When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s 5sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at 6Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
5 This sepulchre was near unto Bethlehemjudah, as appears Gen. 35:19, 20, but this border reached there to the border of the tribe of Benjamin.
6 This is the name of a place, nowhere else found but here, and signifies as much as a fair shadow.
3Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the 7plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to 8Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:
7 Other, the plain field of Tabor, or, at the oak of Tabor. There are different places called Tabor.
8 Some translate it: unto the house of God, namely, at Kirjath-jearim, as 1 Sam. 7:1, 2, 16, where the ark was at that time.
4And theyc will 9salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.
c Judges 18:15.
9 See Gen. 43:27.
5After that thou shalt come 10to the hill of God, where is the 11garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a 12company of prophets coming down fromd the high place with a 13psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall 14prophesy:e
10 This was an high place near the city of Gibeah, where there was a school of young prophets. In the city itself the Philistines had their garrison, as immediately follows. Other, to Gibeah of God.
11 Or, a military post, that is, garrison, keeping watch, as 1 Sam. 13:3.
12 Hebr. a cord or string, that is, a company of men who march in rank and order, and as it were draw one line or cord; and also verse 10.
d 1 Chron. 16:39.
13 With these musical instruments they refreshed themselves and roused up their spirit to prophesy. See similar example, 2 Kings 3:15. In the Hebrew these words are put in the singular number.
14 That is, speak and sing of heavenly, Divine, holy, edifying things.
e Num. 11:25.
6And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and 15thou shalt prophesy with them, and 16shalt be turned into another man.
15 That is, thou shalt for some space of time have the gift of prophesy. See Num. 11:25.
16 That is, thou shall receive a bold, courageous, wise, and understanding heart, capable for government and for managing warlike affairs, as it becomes a king to have.
7And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou 17do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.
17 That is, whatever the necessity and occasion require to be done for the good of the land, do it as a wise and courageous king. Saul has done this, when he went forth to fight against the Ammonites, 1 Samuel 11, and against the Philistines, 1 Samuel 13. Concerning the phrase, see Judges 9 on verse 33.
8And thou shalt go down before me 18to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, 19to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till If come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.
18 Yet understand first to Mizpeh, as appears verse 17 and 1 Sam. 11:14. Saul was by lot chosen king at Mizpeh, but installed at Gilgal.
19 See 1 Sam. 13:8.
f 1 Sam. 13:8.
9¶And it was so, that when he had turned his 20back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
20 Or, shoulder, that is, back.
10And when 21they came thither tog the hill, behold, a company of 22prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
21 Namely, Saul and his servant.
g 1 Sam. 19:18.
22 Understand here by the word prophets, the disciples of the prophets, who exercised themselves and studied in the Holy Scripture.
11And it came to pass, when all that knew him 23beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said 24one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
23 Hebr. from yesterday, ere yesterday.
24 That is, the one to the other.
12And 25one of the same place answered and said, But 26who ish their father? Therefore it became a proverb, 27Is Saul alsoi among the prophets?
25 Perhaps one out of the number of those prophets.
26 As if he had said: Even the same God and Father, Who has given to the rest the Spirit of prophesy, He is also able to give the same unto Saul. Some do here take the word father for teacher: as the disciples of the prophets are called sons of the prophets. Some take it thus: Who is their father? That is, the others have as insufficient fathers as Saul, but this is a special work of God.
h Gal. 1:24.
27 This proverb is commonly used, when we speak of anyone, who acts some great or special matter unawares, and unexpectedly.
i 1 Sam. 19:24.
13And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came 28to the high place.
28 Namely, into the school or synagogue, which was upon the hill of God, verse 5.
14¶And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.
15And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.
16And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us 29plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he 30told him not.
29 Hebr. telling told.
30 It seems that Samuel had forbidden him to do it; and that it might be kept the more a secret, Samuel had spoken to Saul to bid his servant to depart, 1 Sam. 9:27.
17¶And Samuel called the people together 31unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
31 Namely, to appear, as before the LORD, in the assembly of God’s people, to the choosing and installing of a king; or, according to the opinion of some, before the ark of the covenant, from where the Lord gave answer. For this cause the ark would be brought thither, but hereafter at Gilgal, as may be gathered from 1 Sam. 11:15.
18And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:
19Andj ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your 32adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said 33unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Nowk therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and 34by your thousands.
j 1 Sam. 8:7.
32 Hebr. evils.
33 That is, unto me, who am His prophet; see 1 Sam. 8:19; 12:12.
k 1 Sam. 8:19; 12:12.
34 The tribes of the Israelites were divided into certain companies, each company consisting of a thousand men, as Micah 5:1 and to be seen elsewhere.
20And when Samuel 35had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, thel tribe of Benjamin was 36taken.
35 Namely, to cast the lot. See the like example, Joshua 7:14. Before they cast the lot, they prayed unto the Lord, verse 22. Acts 1:24.
l Joshua 7:14.
36 Namely, with the lot. Hebr. caught, hit; that is, the lot fell upon the tribe of Benjamin, whereby the Lord would signify that it was one among the families of the tribes, whom He would appoint to be king.
21When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.
22Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the 37stuff.
37 That is, among the stuff or vessels of the people.
23And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, hem was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
m 1 Sam. 9:2.
24And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among 38all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, 39God save the king.
38 That is, the greatest part of the people; for there were some that despised him, as appears verse 27.
39 See 1 Kings 1 on verse 25.
25Then Samuel told the people 40the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it 41in a book, and laid it up 42before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
40 Understand this, not of the way, manner, or custom of acting, which kings sometimes take up contrary to law, (as the Hebrew word is taken 1 Sam. 8:9, 11), but of the laws which Samuel by God’s inspiration enacted concerning the government of kings; see Deut. 17:18, or of the ordinances to instruct as well the king as the subjects how they ought to carry, and demean themselves toward each other.
41 This book is not to be had.
42 That is, before the face of the LORD, Who manifested His presence above the ark.
26¶And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a bandn of men, whose hearts God had touched.
n 1 Sam. 13:2.
27But 43the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? Ando they despised him, and brought him 44no presents.p But he held his 45peace.
43 See Deut. 13:13.
o 1 Sam. 11:12.
44 As subjects were wont to do as a sign of obedience and fealty, and that they acknowledge him to be their king; see 2 Chron. 17:5; Mat. 2:11.
p 2 Chron. 17:5.
45 Or, as dumb, as silent.