1 Samuel 9:9

Beforetime in Israel This verse is clearly an additionto the original narrative to explain the term "seer" which had become obsolete when the book was compiled in its present form, It is inserted here and not after 1 Samuel 9:11 where the term first occurs, to avoid interrupting the narrative.

(i) Two Hebrew words are translated "seer" in the E. V.

(1) That used here (rôĕh) is applied specially to Samuel in this chapter and in 1 Chronicles 9:22; 1 Chronicles 26:28; 1 Chronicles 29:29: to Hanani, 2 Chronicles 16:7; 2 Chronicles 16:10: generally, Isaiah 30:10. Apparently it fell out of popular use after Samuel's time, but was revived as a classical word by the compiler of Chronicles.

(2) Elsewhere in the E. V. "seer" represents the Heb. chôzeh= "gazer," a term applied first to Gad (2 Samuel 24:11) and used in the historical and prophetical books both of particular individuals and generally.

(ii) The term "prophet" (Heb. nâbî) maintains its ground throughout the O.T. The root of the word seems to denote "bubbling over" and so "ecstatic utterance:" and the passive form of the substantive signifies that the prophet is swayed by a divine afflatus.

The exact difference of meaning of these terms is much debated. Probably nâbîdesignates the prophet as the inspired interpreter of the will of God: rôehand chôzehrefer to the method of communication by dream and vision. Cp. Numbers 12:6.