CHAPTER IX _Saul's lineage and description; he is sent by his father to_ _seek some lost asses_, 1-5. _Not finding them, he purposes to go and consult Samuel_ _concerning the proper method of proceeding_, 6-14. _The Lord informs Samuel that he should anoint Saul king_, 15, 16. _Samuel invites... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:2. _FROM HIS SHOULDERS AND UPWARDS_] It was probably from this very circumstance that he was chosen for king; for, where kings were _elective_, in all ancient times great respect was paid to _personal appearance_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:3. _THE ASSES OF KISH - WERE LOST_] What a wonderful train of occurrences were connected in order to bring Saul to the throne of Israel! Every thing seems to go on according to the _common course_ _of events_, and yet all conspired to favour the election of a man to the kingdom who... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:5. _WERE COME TO THE LAND OF ZUPH_] Calmet supposes that Saul and his servant went from Gibeah to Shalisha, in the tribe of Dan; from thence to Shalim, near to Jerusalem; and thence, traversing the tribe of Benjamin, they purposed to return to Gibeah; but passing through the land o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:7. _THERE IS NOT A PRESENT TO BRING TO THE MAN OF GOD_] We are not to suppose from this that the prophets took money to predict future events: Saul only refers to an invariable custom, that no man approached a _superior_ without a present of some kind or other. We have often seen th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:8. _THE FOURTH PART OF A SHEKEL OF SILVER_] We find from the preceding verse, that the _bread_ or _provisions_ which they had brought with them for their journey was expended, else a _part of_ _that_ would have been thought a suitable present; and here the _fourth part of a shekel o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:9. _BEFORETIME IN ISRAEL_] This passage could not have been a part of this book originally: but we have already conjectured that Samuel, or some contemporary author, wrote the memoranda, out of which a later author _compiled_ this book. This hypothesis, sufficiently reasonable in it... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:11. _YOUNG MAIDENS GOING OUT TO DRAW WATER_] So far is it from being true, that young women were always kept closely shut up at home, that we find them often in the field, drawing and carrying water, as here.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:12. _HE CAME TO-DAY TO THE CITY_] Though Samuel lived chiefly in _Ramah_, yet he had a dwelling in the country, at a place called Naioth, where it is probable there was a school of the prophets. See 1 Samuel 19:18-9. _A SACRIFICE OF THE PEOPLE_] A great _feast_. The animals used we... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:13. _HE DOTH BLESS THE SACRIFICE_] He alone can perform the religious rites which are used on this occasion. _AFTERWARDS THEY EAT THAT BE BIDDEN._] Among the Arabs, often a large feast is made of sacrificed _camels_, c., and then the people of the vicinity are invited to come and p... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:14. _COME OUT AGAINST THEM_] Met them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:15. _NOW THE LORD HAD TOLD SAMUEL_] How this communication was made, we cannot tell.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:16. _THOU SHALT ANOINT HIM TO BE CAPTAIN_] Not to be _king_, but to be נגיד _nagid_ or captain of the Lord's host. But in ancient times no king was esteemed who was not an able warrior. _Plutarch_ informs us that Alexander the Great esteemed the following verse the most correct, as... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:17. _BEHOLD THE MAN WHOM I SPAKE TO THEE OF_] What an intimate communion must Samuel have held with his God! A constant familiarity seems to have existed between them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:19. _I_ AM _THE SEER_] This declaration would prepare Saul for the communications afterwards made.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:20. _AS FOR THINE ASSES_] Thus he shows him that he knew what was in his heart, God having previously revealed these things to Samuel. _AND ON WHOM_ IS _ALL THE DESIRE OF ISRAEL?_] Saul understood this as implying that he was chosen to be king.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:21. _AM NOT I A BENJAMITE_] This speech of Saul is exceedingly _modest_; he was now becomingly humble; but who can bear _elevation_ and _prosperity_? The tribe of Benjamin had not yet recovered its strength, after the ruinous war it had with the other tribes, Judges 20:29-7.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:22. _BROUGHT THEM INTO THE PARLOUR_] It might as well be called _kitchen_; it was the place where they sat down to feast.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:23. _SAID UNTO THE COOK_] טבח _tabbach_, here rendered _cook_; the singular of טבחות _tabbachoth, female cooks_, 1 Samuel 8:13, from the root _tabach_, to _slay_ or _butcher_. Probably the _butcher_ is here meant.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:24. _THE SHOULDER, AND_ THAT _WHICH_ WAS _UPON IT_] Probably the shoulder was covered with a part of the caul, that it might be the better roasted. The Targum has it _the shoulder_ and _its thigh_; not only the _shoulder_ merely, but the _fore-leg bone_ to the knee; perhaps the whol... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:25. _UPON THE TOP OF THE HOUSE._] All the houses in the East were flat-roofed; on these people walked, talked, and frequently _slept_, for the sake of fresh and cooling air.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:26. _CALLED SAUL TO THE TOP OF THE HOUSE_] Saul had no doubt slept there all night; and now, it being the _break of day_, "Samuel called to Saul on the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away." There was no calling him _to_ the house-top a _second_ time he was sleepi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 9:27. _AS THEY WERE GOING DOWN_] So it appears that Saul arose immediately, and Samuel accompanied him out of the town, and sent the servant on that he might show Saul the _word _- the _counsel_ or _design_, of the Lord. What this was we shall see in the 1 Samuel 10.... [ Continue Reading ]