1 Samuel 10:1

1 Samuel 10:1. a vial of oil Rather, " the vial of oil." The word rendered vial(i.e. phial or flask) occurs again only in the account of the coronation of Jehu, in 2Ki 9:1; 2 Kings 9:3 (E. V. box). The definite article in the original may perhaps indicate the holy anointing oil used for the consecration of priests (Exodus 30:23-33).

and kissed him In token of reverence and homage to his royal dignity. Cp. Psalms 2:12.

Is it not because the Lord Lit., "Is it not the case that Jehovah" = Surely Jehovah, &c.

hath anointed thee The rite of anointing(a) signified the consecration of the king to the service of God; (b) was the outward sign of the gift of the Spirit to qualify him for his office (1 Samuel 10:9; 1 Samuel 16:13, cp. Acts 10:38); (c) marked his person as sacred and inviolable (ch. 1 Samuel 26:9; 2 Samuel 1:14).

The title "the Lord's anointed" (Sept. Χριστὸς Κυρίου, cp. Luke 2:26), designating the theocratic King as the Vicegerent of Jehovah, is characteristic of the books of Samuel and the Psalms. It never occurs in Kings, when the true idea of the kingdom had been lost.

Priests(Exodus 40:15; Leviticus 8:12), prophetsin some cases (1 Kings 19:16), and kings, were consecrated by anointing, and formed partial types and foreshadowings of The Messiah (derived from the Hebrew word Mâshîach = anointed, through the Greek form Μεσσίας), i.e. the Anointed one, the Christ, who united in Himself all three offices of Prophet, Priest, and King.

According to Jewish tradition, anointing was only necessary when a new dynasty came to the throne or the succession was disputed. Hence we only find mention of it in the case of Saul; David (ch. 1 Samuel 16:3; 2 Samuel 2:4; 2 Samuel 5:3); Absalom (2 Samuel 19:10); Solomon (1 Kings 1:39); Joash (2 Kings 11:12); Jehoahaz, who was not the eldest son of Josiah (2 Kings 23:30); Jehu (2 Kings 9:3).

The ceremonies of this first recorded coronation are still observed in England. The anointing is performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the kiss of homage is given by the Archbishop, bishops, and premier peer of each rank for the rest of his order.

The Sept. reads "Hath not the Lord anointed thee to be ruler over his people Israel? And thou shalt rule the people of the Lord, and thou shalt save them out of the hand of their enemies. And this shall be the sign unto thee that the Lord hath anointed thee to be ruler over his inheritance. When, &c." The Vulgate also contains the greater part of this addition, which seems to be required to connect 1 Samuel 10:1. Its omission in the Hebrew may be accounted for by what is called Homoeoteleuton. When two sentences end with the same words, the scribe's eye is liable to catch the second instead of the first, so that he omits the intervening words.

his inheritance Cp. Deuteronomy 32:9; Psalms 78:71, &c.