1Saul the son of Kish is sent to seek his father's asses which were lost, and despairing to find them is counselled by his servant to apply to Samuel. 11He is directed by some young maidens where to meet with him. 15Samuel, having been told by God both of his coming and of his appointment to the kingdom, entertaineth him at a feast with great respect; 25and on the morrow, after a private conversation, bringeth him on his way.
1NOW there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of 1Abiel, thea son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the 2son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
1 Other, Ner, 1 Chron. 8:33; 9:39.
a 1 Sam. 14:51.
2 Other, a man that was a Benjamite.
2And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a 3goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
3 Hebr. good; also likewise Gen. 6:2.
3And the asses of Kish Saul's father were 4lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
4 This came not to pass by chance, but by the Providence of God, so to bring Saul unto Samuel, and to cause him to be anointed king.
4And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of 5Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of 6Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed 7through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
5 This is a plain country, as may be seen 2 Kings 4:42.
6 In this land, situated in the tribe of Benjamin, was the city of Salim, whereof mention is made, John 3:23, not far from Gilgal, at the Jordan.
7 Or, through the land of Jemini.
5And when they were come to the land of 8Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.
8 See 1 Sam. 1:1.
6And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a 9man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith 10cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew 11us our way that we should go.
9 That is, a prophet, namely, Samuel. See the annotation Judges 13 on verse 6.
10 Hebr. it cometh coming.
11 That is, which way we must go to find our she-ashes, for which cause we have undertaken this journey.
7Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, 12what shall we bring the man? for 13the bread is spent in our 14vessels, and there is not a 15present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
12 As if he had said: We know not this man of God, neither does he know us, and we shall be troublesome to him; decency truly requires that we should grace him with something. See the like example, 1 Kings 14:3; 2 Kings 4:42.
13 That is, our store or provision, so that we have nothing to present the man of God.
14 That is, out of our knapsacks or bags.
15 See the annotation on Judges 13:17 and 1 Kings 14:3.
8And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I 16have here at hand the fourth part of a 17shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
16 That is, I have in mine hand. It is said in 1 Peter 2:22: … neither was guile found in his mouth: that is, there was no guile in His mouth; See Isa. 53:9.
17 Of the value of the shekel, see the annotation on Gen. 20:16. The fourth part of a shekel of silver was not much more than three stivers; so that in this present more was looked on the thankful mind, than on the worth or value of the gift.
9 (18Beforetime inb Israel, when a man went to 19enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a 20Seer.)
18 The words of this verse are the words of the writer of this book, and some will conclude from this that not Samuel, but Ezra or some other man wrote this book.
b Gen. 25:22.
19 Namely, by a prophet.
20 So were the prophets called, because God revealed Himself unto them in visions, which they made known unto the people. See Num. 12:6; 24:4.
10Then said Saul to his servant, 21Well said; come, let us go. So they went 22unto the city where the man of God was.
21 That is, thou hast spoken well, or right.
22 Namely, unto Ramah.
11¶And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the 23seer here?
23 Other, Is here a seer?
12And they answered them, and said, 24He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is 25a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:
24 This is not to say that Saul and his servant did at that very instant see Samuel, or with the lifting up of their eyes could see him. They saw him not, till they came at him in the city, so that the words, he is before you, signify, close by, or near at hand.
25 Hebr. a slaughtering. Other, a feast, or, banquet, as Gen. 31:54; 1 Sam. 28:24; 1 Kings 19:21.
13As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because 26he doth bless 27the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.
26 Namely, by prayer and with thanksgiving, Deut. 8:10.
27 That is, the flesh that is offered, wherewith the feast or banquet is to be made.
14And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel 28came out against them, for to go up to the high place.
28 For he knew full well, that they would come to him at that time, as appears from verses 15, 16.
15 ¶ 29Nowc the LORD 30had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
29 Here the cause is shown, wherefore Samuel went forth to meet Saul, for whose sake he had caused that honorable feast to be made.
c 1 Sam. 15:1.
30 That is, the Lord had plainly told Samuel. See the like phrase, Ruth 4:4; 1 Sam. 20:12, 13; 2 Sam. 7:27: Job 33:16; Isa. 22:14; 48:8.
16To morrow about this time I will send 31thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
31 Namely, by a secret motion, for Saul thought not of this, but he was gone forth to seek the she-asses.
17And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD 32said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall 33reign over my people.
32 Namely, by a secret communication, as 1 Sam. 16:7, 12.
33 Hebr. restrain. It is as much to say as: he shall by his authority, command and punishment restrain, bridle, keep back wicked men from sinning, or from doing what they would.
18Then Saul drew near to Samuel 34in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.
34 That is, in the midst of the city. See verse 14.
19And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee 35all that is in thine heart.
35 That is, all that thou art troubled about, and all that thou wilt ask me.
20And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, 36set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is 37all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?
36 That is, take it not to heart.
37 That is, the best and choicest that is in Israel. See 1 Sam. 8:11. Others, unto whom is all the desire of Israel? That is, who do all the people of Israel desire for their king rather than thee? Others take it in this sense as if he had said: Upon whom shall the choice of a king, which all Israel desires, light, but upon thee?
21And Saul answered and said, Am not I 38a Benjamite, of the 39smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then 40speakest thou so to me?
38 Or, a son of Jemini.
39 This tribe, namely, the tribe of Benjamin, was almost quite destroyed by reason of the Levite’s concubine; so that but six hundred men were left. Judges 20:47.
40 Hebr. speakest thou to me according to this word.
22And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour,d and 41made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
d room
41 That is, he placed them in the uppermost seat of all. Hereby did Samuel, in some measure, intimate unto the guests that were there present, the dignity and excellence of the office, whereunto God had ordained Saul; as he likewise did so by setting the choicest and daintiest dish of meat before Saul. See the like, Gen. 43:34. Yea, for Saul’s sake he also honored his servant, and set him likewise at the upper end of the table.
23And Samuel said 42unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
42 From hence it appears sufficiently, that Samuel had caused this feast to be made chiefly for Saul’s sake, whom he knew was coming up that way.
24And the cook took up 43the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And 44Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: 45for unto this time hath it been kept for thee 46since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
43 The Hebrew word signifies as well a fore-joint of meat, as a hinder joint.
44 Or, And he, namely, Samuel, said:
45 He wanted to say: When I caused this feast to be made in thy honor, I gave charge that this choicest dish or portion of meat should be reserved for thee.
46 Namely, unto the cook or steward or ministers or servants, people.
25¶And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel 47communed with Saul 48upon the top of the house.
47 That is, he told him of the command of God that he would be king.
48 Namely, upon his, namely, Samuel’s roof. Heretofore the roofs or housetops among the Jews were built flat, so that a man could go and walk upon them. See Deut. 22:8.
26And they arose early: and it came to pass about the springe of the day, 49that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.f
e dawn*
49 Namely, there to commune with him alone about his calling to the kingdom.
f away from the house*
27And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant 50pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou 51still a while, 52that I may shew thee the word of God.
50 Namely, that he may not hear what we speak.
51 Hebr. as this day, that is, at this time.
52 Samuel indeed told Saul (when they were both together alone upon the housetop) of the will of the Lord concerning his election to the kingly office, but afterward, at their parting, he did more fully inform him concerning the same, foretelling him with all the signs that he would meet with for his confirmation and assurance therein, whereof further mention is made in 1 Samuel 10.