1 Samuel 9:1
_Abiel, who is also called Ner, 1 Paralipomenon viii. 33. (Cajetan) --- Strong. Hebrew, "a mighty man of power," either of body, or of riches._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Abiel, who is also called Ner, 1 Paralipomenon viii. 33. (Cajetan) --- Strong. Hebrew, "a mighty man of power," either of body, or of riches._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Goodlier, better proportioned, more handsome, (Haydock) as the daughters of men are styled good, or fair, Genesis vi. 1. People seek for corporal advantages in those who command. The poets always represent their deities and heroes as taller than the rest of men. A king of Sparta was fined for marry... [ Continue Reading ]
_Asses. The greatest noblemen rode upon such, Judges v. 10. A prince of Esau fed asses, Genesis xxx. 24. Agriculture, and keeping sheep, were the employment of men of the first eminence in the heroic ages, as hunting and other equally laborious exercises are now in fashion. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Salisa, the ancient Segor, (Menochius) or rather a place 15 miles from Diospolis. (Eusebius) --- Salim, or Sual, not far from Galgal, chap. xiii. 17._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Suph, where Ramatha, the birth-place of Samuel, was situated, chap. i. 1. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Famous. Chaldean, "honourable." Septuagint, "covered with glory." The observations of a servant may often claim attention. Saul seemed to be less acquainted with this extraordinary personage than his servant. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
What. Were they uninformed of the disinterestedness of Samuel? or did they think that he would sell his oracles? By no means. But the manners of the ancients were very different from ours, and people chose to shew their respect for God, the king, prophets, &c., by making them some presents. People s... [ Continue Reading ]
_Silver. About seven-pence English. --- Stater, (Haydock) is put instead of Hebrew, "sicle." (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_A seer. Because of his seeing, by divine light, hidden things, and things to come, (Challoner) by inspiration. (Worthington) --- They had the things which they foretold so clearly in view. The Sybil cries out, Bella, horrida bella._ Et Tiberim multo spumantem sanguine cerno. (Virgil) The Egyptian... [ Continue Reading ]
_Water, perhaps for the sacrifice. Thus Fab. Victor says, "Rhea, according to the established custom, by which young women went to draw water for the sacrifices, proceeded to the fountain in the grove of Mars." (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
A sacrifice. The law did not allow of sacrifices in any other place, but at the tabernacle, or temple, in which the ark of the covenant was kept; but Samuel, by divine dispensation, offered sacrifices in other places. For which dispensation this reason may be alleged, that the house of God in Silo,... [ Continue Reading ]
_The victim, begging the blessing, which was the office of the most honourable person at table, as he also gave thanks for all. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Midst. That is, simply in the city, or entering the gate, where Samuel met them, ver. 18._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ear, privately. (Calmet) --- Thus Jonathan promised to give David private information, chap. xx. 13. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ruler. Hebrew, Nagid, "Leader." Septuagint, "Archon." Chaldean, "King." The Israelites demanded a king, to lead them, and to fight for them; and Homer (Iliad iii.) gives this idea of the chief magistrate, "a good king and stout warrior," which Alexander so much admired. --- Philistines. They had be... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gate. Septuagint, "city." Chaldean, "within the gate," where business was transacted._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Place, while Samuel retired, for a while, to his own house. He sends Saul to the assembly, (Calmet) where he would meet him to dine. (Haydock) --- Heart, or desirest to know. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER IX. _ Best. The regal power, which all desired. Hebrew, "to or on whom is all the desire of Israel?" Any great felicity is called a desire, as the Messias, the spouse in the Canticle [of Canticles], v. 16. (Aggeus ii. 8.) Septuagint, "to whom the beautiful things of Israel?"_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jemini, or Benjamin, which was always one of the smallest tribes, and, since the unfortunate war, still more reduced; so that none of the other tribes could well take umbrage, or be filled with jealousy, when they saw a king selected from it. --- Last. Though all were equally noble, yet some famili... [ Continue Reading ]
_At the head. Septuagint, "among the first of those....seventy men," which number Josephus also has instead of 30. Saul's servant was probably an Israelite, who had hired himself for a time. The first place, at the head of the table, was the most honourable, Luke xiv. 8. The king of Persia placed hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Shoulder. It was the left, (Menochius) as the right shoulder belonged to the priest, and laymen were not allowed to taste of it after it had been offered in sacrifice, Leviticus vii. 32. Some suppose that Samuel had this right shoulder for his portion. But he was not a priest. (Calmet) --- This part... [ Continue Reading ]
House, probably giving him some instructions respecting his future dignity. --- As he, &c. This seems to be a second translation of the former sentence, taken from the Septuagint. It is omitted in several Latin manuscripts. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "and he went down from the Bama (perhaps "the steps... [ Continue Reading ]
_Before us, and. Hebrew, ("and he passed on,") agreeably to his master's order. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]