1 Samuel Chapter 12 Part One (Verses 1-12)

SAMUEL'S SPEECH AT SAUL'S CORONATION
A. Testimony to Samuel's integrity

1. (1 Sam 12:1-3) Samuel talks about his leadership over Isreal
Then Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have listened to your voice all that you said to me and I have appointed a king over you. Now, here is the king walking before you, but I am old and gray, and behold my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth even to this day. Here I am; bear witness against me before the LORD and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind the eyes with it? I will restore it to you."

Then Samuel said to all Israel: While the people were assembled together in Gilgal after the grand victory of Saul over the Ammonites in 1 Samuel 11, Samuel knew that the nation would now be looking to King Saul for leadership. Samuel is setting the stage for the transition of the nation of Israel from the leadership of Samuel as judge to Saul as king. Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life (1 Samuel 7:15), but now that a king was being raised up, Samuel's role would change an diminish. Samuel never officially "stepped down" from leading Israel as a judge; however, he did not allow his role to eclipse Saul and his role as king. In this way, Samuel showed himself as a godly man. He was willing to fade from the scene when God raised up another leader. Samuel did not cling to his position as judge, but allowed God to bring up another leader to rule Israel.

Now, here is the king walking before you: The nation of Israel now had someone to protect and lead the nation. Whereas, Samuel's role was to raise Israel's moral and religious life. The metaphor is taken from the position of the shepherd in the East, where he goes before his flock to guide and guard them. The king's office would include the following duties: guiding and governing the people, and leading them in war. From henceforth, the nation of Israel must accept King Saul's authority on all occasions, not merely in times of great emergencies. Both the king and the people must understand that the days of when Saul could quietly follow his old pursuits of life on his father's farm were now in the past. Saul must lead, and the nation of Israel must follow.

I am old and grey, and behold my sons are with you: Samuel refers to the two reasons alleged by the elders in Ramah for asking for a king--his age and the misgovernment of his sons. In 1 Samuel 8:1-5, Samuel was challenged to take his sons out of leadership in Israel because they were not godly men. Although it must have been extremely difficult to yield to this request, Samuel did it. The words "my sons are with you" are proof of Samuel's actions. Samuel's sons are now simply part of the assembly of Israel and are not part of Israel's leadership with Samuel.

I have walked before you from my youth even to this day: Samuel's life had been constantly before the public from his very early days. The details of his life were well-known--his early consecration to sanctuary service, the "word of the LORD" came directly to him while he was still a boy, his recognition by the people directly afterwards as a prophet, then his unwearied work during the dark days which followed the fall of Shiloh. It was indeed a very public life. He would now have the nation of Israel (now that they had rejected his rule) think over his long busy life for a moment.

Here I am: Samuel puts himself on trial. The people of Israel are the accusers. God and His representative Saul are the judges. Samuel wanted the nation of Israel to know that he passed a good legacy of leadership to the new King Saul. He wanted Israel to recognize that he did not hand Saul a mess to clean up. If Saul proved to be a poor leader, no one could say it was from Samuel's bad example.

His anointed: "His anointed" is the Hebrew word "mashiach" which is often translated into English as "messiah". The title "messiah" had been given to the office of the high priest. ("If the anointed priest sins so as the bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD a bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he had committed" Leviticus 4:3.) But, this is the earliest instance of the king of Israel bearing the title of "messiah", and thus, it typifies the true Messiah as a King.

Whom have I oppressed: Whom have I wronged either by fraud and false accusation or by might and power.

From whose hand have I taken a bride: Literally, the Hebrew reads "the price of redemption". This was the price paid (i.e., ransom) to redeem an unjust and lost cause or person from the righteous sentence which they deserved. ("If a ransom is demanded of him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is demanded of him" Exodus 21:30.) The bribe alludes to the practice common in the East of giving a judge a gift (usually of money) to buy his favor, and thus a criminal who had financial means was often able to escape his punishment.

To blind the eyes with: This phrase is used of one who averts his eyes; one who ignores what is right in favor of taking a bribe. God warns against this in Exodus 23:8: "You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds that clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just."  A very similar warning is given by God in Deuteronomy 16:19: "You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous."

I will restore it to you: It seems as if Samuel meant, "I may have wronged someone without knowing it. If that is the case, please state it now so that I can make it right." Samuel does not want to leave any unfinished business. This is yet another example of Samuel's humble heart.


2. (1 Sam 12:4-5) Israel affirms the blameless leadership of Samuel
They said, "You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand." He said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that you have found nothing in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."

You have not defrauded us or oppressed us: Samuel had done them no harm, neither publicly or privately, by fraud of by force.

Taken anything from any man's hand: Samuel had not taken a gift, present or bribe from the people. Israel knew that Samuel was a good, godly leader. He did not lead them for what he could get from them, but for what he could give to them.

The LORD is witness against you: Samuel again calls the Eternal in the heavens and His anointed king to witness what the people have just acknowledged concerning his just rule. All parties agreed that Samuel led Israel well. If Israel were to later accuse Samuel of wrong, he could call them back to what they said here as a "witness against them". Moreover, if Israel ever tried to blame Saul's problems on Samuel, what they said here would be a "witness against them"


B. Samuel challenges Israel to serve God under their new king

1. (1 Sam 12:6-12) Samuel give a brief history lesson
Then Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. So now, take your stand, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did for you and your fathers. When Jacob went into Egypt and your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in the place. But they forgot the LORD their God, so He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king Moab, and they fought against them. They cried out to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baals and Ashtaroth; but now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve You.' Then the LORD sent Jerubaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around, so that you lived in security. When you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' although the LORD your God was your king."

Then Samuel said to the people: Having cleared and established his own character, Samuel proceeds to lay before the people some of the great things God has done for them in times past and down to the present time.

It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron: It is the LORD who advanced Moses and Aaron. He raised them from a low estate. Moses was in the foreign country of Midian while Aaron was in bondage in Egypt. Yet, God raised these two brothers up to be deliverers, guides and governors of His people Israel.

Who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt: The Exodus is mentioned in this and many places in these ancient records of the people as the great call of love by which God brings His people from a land of bondage into the Promised land--a land flowing with milk and honey.

So now, take your stand: The figure of a trial continues, but the relation of the parties is changed. Samuel is now the accuser, and Israel the defendant.

The righteous acts of the LORD: In this remembrance of God's work from the time of the Exodus until the present day, Samuel focuses not on the history of Israel, but on the history of "the righteous acts of the LORD".

When Jacob went into Egypt: Jacob traveled with his family into Egypt to see his son Joseph. They dwelt there many years and at length were oppressed by the Egyptians and brought into hard bondage.

Then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron who brought your fathers out of Egypt: After various messages carried by Moses and Aaron from the LORD to the Pharaoh of Egypt, and after many signs and wonders performed by Aaron and Moses, at last, Pharaoh allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt.

And settled them in this place: The land of Canaan is meant here. Moses and Aaron lead the Israelites through the Red Sea, guided them through the wilderness and Moses accompanied them to the border of Canaan. (Ultimately, Joshua, the successor to Moses, leads Israel into the land of Canaan and conquers the land for them. But it was through Aaron and Moses that the nation of Israel was lead to the Promised Land.) Israel should remember that their salvation from slavery and the new life God gave them in the Promised Land was one of "the righteous acts of the LORD".

But they forgot the LORD their God: Through idolatry and immorality, Israel acted in rebellion against the government of their Invisible King. They were subsequently punished by the withdrawal of the Divine protection.

He sold them into the hand of Sisera: God's abandonment of His people to their enemies is described as a figure of sale, just as the deliverance of them is called redemption or buying back. ("The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of the plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies" Judges 2:14. "Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim King of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years" Judges 3:8.)

The three chief oppressors of Israel during the period of the Judges is mentioned.
(1) The Canaanites who were led by Sisera, general of the army of King Jabin. Their chief city was Hazor (which means stronghold) situated on the high ground west of Lake Merom. This oppression lasted twenty years. (See Judges 4:5).

(2) The Philistines. The Philistines dwelt among the Israelites, were the most formidable foes to the chosen people for a long series of years. (See Judges 3:31, Judges 10:7, Judges 13:1) It was owing especially to these Philistines that for so long a period of such slow progress in wealth and civilization was made in Israel. The advancement of the nation of Israel, from the days of Samuel, who the first to defeat the Philistines, was quite rapid. In an incredibly short period of time, Israel changed from a poor agricultural society to a highly-cultured wealthy and powerful nation. This rapid progress was owing to the complete subjugation of the Philistines under the rule of Samuel, Saul and David.

(3) The Moabites. The king of Moab is Eglon, who was slain by Ehud. (See Judges 3)

Israel should remember how God allowed a disobedient Israel to be dominated by their enemies, as a chastisement, intended to bring them to repentance. We should recognize chastisement as one of "the righteous acts of the LORD". His discipline is just as righteous as His deliverance.

They cried out to the LORD: As soon as they were convicted of the sin and rebellion, and accused themselves and returned to their invisible King. God full of pity and tender compassion forgave them and sent them quick deliverance. This was one of "the righteous acts of the LORD".

Baals and Ashtaroth: See commentary on 1 Samuel 7:3.

Jerubaal: This was another name for Gideon. ("They said to one another, 'Who did this thing?' And when they searched about and inquired, they said, 'Gideon, the son of Joash did this thing.' Therefore on that day he named him Jerubaal, that is to say, 'Let Baal contend against him,' because he had torn down his altar" Judges 6:29, 32.)

Bedan: The name Bedan does not occur in the Book of Judges. Perhaps he was a known delivered in their time but not recorded in the Book of Judges. The Septuagint and Syriac versions read instead of Bedan, Barak. The letters forming these two names in Hebrew are very similar, and a scribe might easily have written one for the other. The famous Hebrew commentator Kimchi suggests that Bedan is written for Ben-Dan, the son of Dan the Danite, that is Samson.

When you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon: From this it appears that Nahash had levied war against Israel for some time before he came aginst them at Jabesh-Gilead, as mentioned in 1 Samuel Chapter 11. They took occasion for Nahash's first threat of war to demand a king. They were impatient and fearful to wait for God to raise them up a deliverer, or to command Samuel, who was their judge, to go out and fight against Nahash and the Ammonites.

Although the LORD your God was your king: That is, when God was your king and governor, who was willing and able to deliver you. If they had cried to Him as their ancestors before them had done, they would not have needed any other king. The desire of another king was a reproach against God.

1 Samuel Chapter 11 Part Two (Verses 9-15)

5. (1 Sam 11:9-11) The defeat of Nahash and the Ammonites
They said to the messengers who had come, "Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead, 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have deliverance.'" So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. Then the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you." The next morning Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot: The distance between Bezek and Jabesh-Gilead is about 20 miles. Saul would have probably marched most of the way that evening, and then stopping for food and sleep, would have continued his advance early the next morning.

Tomorrow we will come out to you: This message was intended to lull the Ammonites into a false sense of security. The Ammonites would assume that the men of Jabesh-Gilead had given up all hope of being delivered and would be unprepared for a military fight.

In three companies: In order to effectively rout the Ammonites, the men of Israel are divided up into three companies, which could then attack the Ammonites from three sides at once. This is a similar tactic which Gideon used to defeat Midian in Judges 7:16: "He [Gideon] divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hand of all them, with torches inside the pitchers."

The morning watch: The morning watch was the last of the three watches of the night, each lasting four hours. The first watch would be from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The second watch would be from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. And the third watch would be from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. Thus, the first onslaught of the men of Israel would have taken place sometime between 2 and 6 a.m.

Struck down the Ammonites...those who survived were scattered: Victory! Jabesh-Gilead was rescued from the cruel hands of Nahash and the Ammonites, and its inhabitants long remembered the debt of gratitude which they owed Saul. It was the men of Jabesh-Gilead who, at the risk of their lives, recovered the bodies of Saul and his sons from the Philistines and gave them an honorable burial (1 Samuel 31:11-13: "Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.")


B. Saul's coronation

1. (1 Sam 11:12-13) Saul shows mercy to his former opponents
Then the people said to Samuel, "Who is he that said, 'Shall Saul reign over us?' Bring the men, that we may put them to death." But Saul said, "Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has accomplished deliverance in Israel."

Then the people said to Samuel: Even after this glorious victory, the people turn to Samuel. It is doubtless that Samuel's presence and influence had great weight in gaining the obedience of the people to obey Saul's command (verse 7). It was to Samuel to whom the people looked to bring punishment to the men who had dared to question the wisdom of electing Saul as king.


Who is he that said, 'Shall Saul reign over us?': At this moment of great victory, the supported of Saul wanted to expose and kill those who did not support him as king (as described in 1 Samuel 10:27).

Not a man shall be put to death this day: This is a tremendously wise decision on Saul's part. Anything like a bloody vengeance would have been the start of future feuds and bitter feelings between the new king and the powerful families of the other tribes, who disliked and opposed the election of Saul as king. By this determined refusal to avenge the cruel hatred shown to him, Saul set a precedent for future kings, and showed how forgiving all past wrongs was a royal virtue.

Today the LORD has accomplished deliverance in Israel: It would have been so easy, after this incredible victory, for Saul to take credit for Israel's deliverance. Yet, Saul humbly acknowledges God and reminds Israel of God's mercy. Saul's words remind Israel that God had overlooked Israel's sins and had given them a glorious victory. In the same way, it was only right for Saul to forgive his neighbors' sins without bloodshed.


2. (1 Sam 11:14-15) Saul is accepted as king by the entire nation
Then Samuel said to the people, "Come and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there." So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they also offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

Then Samuel said to the people: Samuel knew that the people of Israel were not entirely behind Saul when he was proclaimed as king at Mizpah (1 Samuel 10:24-27). Samuel wisely sees this time of victory as a strategic opportunity to "renew the kingdom".

Although Saul had been selected by God and anointed king, he had to prove himself before many would accept his reign as king. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It was understandable for some to say, "Let's see what kind of man Saul is before we follow his leadership." But once it was demonstrated, as it was in this chapter, it would have been wrong for the people to fail to support Saul.

Let us for to Gilgal: This was a well-known sanctuary and was situated in the Jordan River Valley near Jericho. It was also not far from Jabesh-Gilead. It would be natural to move from the bloody field of battle to the nearest religious spot to consecrate the king.

They made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal: It wasn't that Saul was not king before this, but it is at Gilgal in which all the nation of Israel finally accepts Saul as their ruler. Saul was anointed king by Samuel in 1 Samuel 10:1 and recognized as king by much of the nation in 1 Samuel 10:24. But it is not until Saul demonstrates great leadership and rouses Israel to a stunning victory before all of Israel hail Saul as their king.

All the men of Israel rejoiced greatly: Indeed, after a great victory and all Israel finally being unfied by accepting Saul as their king, it was a great day of joy and celebration.

Concluding remarks: Saul lead Israel in battle, and God delivered Israel from the hands of Nahash and the Ammonites. But this chapter goes far deeper than just a triumphal win for Israel. It shows the strong and subtle temptations Saul had to overcome--pride, insecurity and revenge. As Saul becomes more and more success as a king, he must continue the inward battle, an inward battle which can only be won by being filled with the Spirit of the LORD and walking in that Spirit.

1 Samuel Chapter 11 Part One (Verses 1-8)

SAUL'S VICTORY AT JABESH-GILEAD

A. Saul's victory
1. (1 Sam 11:1-2) Nahash the Ammonite gives an ultimatum to an Israelite city
Now Nahash the Ammonite came up and besieged Jabesh-Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us and we will serve you." But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, "I will make it with you on this condition, that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, thus I will make it a reproach on all Israel."

Nahash the Ammonite: The name Nahash means serpent or snake. Nahash was the king of the nation of Ammon. ("When you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' although the LORD your God was your king" 1 Samuel 12:12.) Nahash's family was in some way related to King David. Using genealogy found in 2 Samuel 17:25 and 1 Chronicles 2:16-17, Abigail was the mother to Amasa and was the daughter (or perhaps grand-daughter) of Nahash. Abigail was the sister or half-sister of Zeruiah, David's aunt.

The Ammonites: South and east of the Israelite settlements on the eastern side of the Jordan River dwelt the Ammonites and the Moabites. The borders of their territories are unknown, but the Ammonites appear to have lived north and the Moabites south of the Arnon River. The Ammonites were a fierce marauding tribe. The Moabites were a settled and civilized nation. The Ammonites and Moabites were the offspring of Lot and his two daughters. The two nations were generally in an alliance against Israel. Twice during the period of the Judges, the Ammonites "oppressed Israel" (Judges 3:12-14; Judges 10:11). The Israelite Judge Jephthah attacked and greatly slaughtered the Ammonites. (See Judges 11:1-12:7 for more details.)

It is very likely that Nahash wanted to avenge the disgrace his people had suffered at the hands of Jephthah. Seeing the time as a favorable one--with the reigning judge, Samuel, old in age and no formal kingship had been established--Nahash seized the opportunity to invade Israel.

Jabesh-Gilead: Jabesh in the area of Gilead (part of the half tribe of Manasseh) was located on the east side of the Jordan River. Bashan was located to the north and Moab and Ammon were situated to the south and southeast.

We will serve you: The folks at Jabesh-Gilead were willing to offer themselves as subjects and to pay tribute to the Ammonites. The reason for this offer was that they saw no likelihood of relief from their fellow Israelites who lived far away on the other side of the Jordan River. At this time, the Israelites were a weak, divided nation.

I will gorge out the right eye of every one of you: Nahash made this demand for multiple reasons. First, it was to bring glory to himself by humiliating the men of Jabesh-Gilead and ultimately Israel. Half-blinding the men of Jabesh-Gilead would bring reproach on all Israel by making Israel look weak and unable to prevent such a covenant. Second, it would make the men of Jabesh-Gilead unable to fight in war. Using only one eye to see, depth perception is greatly reduced. In hand-to-hand combat, the men would not be able to see men coming from their right side. Usually, men used a shield to protect themselves. They would hold the shield over the left side of their body and fight only using his right eye and arm. Additionally, the ability to accurately shoot arrows would be lost due to the loss of depth perception.


2. (1 Sam 11:3) The elders of Jabesh-Gilead answer Nahash
The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Let us alone for seven days, that we may send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, is there is no one to deliver us, we will come out to you."

Let us alone for seven days: It is very probable that Nahash granted this request out of a foolish self-confidence. Knowing the broken state of the nation of Israel, Nahash thought it was impossible for Jabesh-Gilead to find help in such a short time.

That we may send messengers through the territory of Israel: Nahash probably allowed the messenger to go for two reasons. First, he was confident Israel's was not unified and could not save Jabesh-Gilead. Second, by allowing the messengers to go through all Israel, Nahash made his name big and his reputation feared throughout the land of Israel.


3. (1 Sam 11:4-5) Saul hears of the plight of Jabesh-Gilead
Then the messengers came out to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people lifted up their voices and wept. Now behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen, and he said, "What is the matter with the people that they weep?" So they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.

Then the messengers came out to Gibeah: As the messengers spread the news throughout all Israel, they came to Gibeah. Gibeah, located in the territory of Benjamin, was not far from Jabesh-Gilead. Although Scripture is silent on the exact course of the the messengers, it might have been that the messengers headed straight toward Gibeah, knowing that there only hope might be in the newly appointed King Saul.

Saul was coming from the field: Although Saul was anointed king, there was nothing for him to do. Israel never had an earthly king, and there was no protocol for Saul to follow to set up a bureaucracy. Thus, after being publicly anointed king, Saul went back home and went back to work in the field.

They related to him to word of the men of Jabesh: It is interesting to note that Saul was not the first person the messengers told when they came to Gibeah. There seems to have been no established system of government; otherwise, the king would have been first to know of the threat against Jabesh-Gilead, instead of hearing it second hand.


4. (1 Sam 11:6-8) Zealous for Israel's cause, Saul angrily gathers an army
Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he became very angry. He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen." Then the dread of the LORD feel on the people, and they came out as one man. He numbered them is Bezek; and the sons of Israel were 300,000 and the men of Judah 30,000.

The Spirit of God came upon Saul: The Hebrew for "came upon" describes a sudden and pervading impulse. Prevalent throughout the Book of Judges, this supernatural physical and mental vigor enabled Saul to act with extraordinary wisdom, valor and power to accomplish the difficult crisis which lie ahead of him.

He became very angry: Saul's anger was not out of personal offense or hurt, but it was Spirit-led. Scripture says we can "be angry and sin not" (Ephesians 4:26), but most of our anger is selfish. Saul's anger was out of a righteous concern for the LORD and His people.

He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces: It is very likely these oxen were the ones with which Saul was just plowing the field (verse 5). It is also very probable that Saul cut the oxen into twelve pieces, one for each territory of Israel. A similar act is done in the Book of Judges chapter 19 verse 29 when a Levite cuts up his concubine into twelve pieces and sends her throughout Israel after she had been raped (and subsequently dies) by the men of Gibeah. Considering both stories involve the city of Gibeah and the cutting up an animal/human into pieces and sending it throughout Israel, I do believe we are to connect these two stories. The outcome of both stories is the arousal of Israel to assemble and fight a war. Saul's actions are perhaps the redemption of his city (Gibeah) and tribe of Benjamin from the heinous crime it committed in the past.

By the hand of the messengers: These messengers are the same messengers who came from Jabesh-Gibeah.

Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel: It is interesting Saul includes Samuel in his decree to Israel. Samuel being well-known throughout Israel, probably gave more authority to Saul's words, considering he was newly elected and probably had gained little authority.

The dread of the LORD fell on the people: The arrival of hunks of freshly slain oxen meat seemed to have aroused the people of Israel to leave their homes and rally around Saul. The same Spirit of the LORD which had inspired Saul to rise to action was not giving strength and courage to the men of Israel to assemble to go to war.

Bezek: This village was in the tribe of Isaachar, in the plain of Jezreel, an open area well adapted for the assembling of a great multitude of people. It was within a day's march to Jabesh-Gilead.

The sons of Israel...the men of Judah: The separate numbering of Israel and Judah lead some commentators to believe that this part of First Samuel was written after the division of the nation of Israel into the northern and southern kingdoms. Others believe this is only an indication of Judah's tendency to isolate itself from the rest of Israel, which ultimately gave way to the later division of Israel. Regardless of the reason for the division, it is interesting to note that Judah (which also included the tribe of Benjamin) gave the same proportion of men for war as the other ten tribes.

1 Samuel Chapter 10 Part Two (Verses 17-27)

B. Saul proclaimed as king

1. (1 Sam 10:17-19) Samuel's speech to the nation before the appointment of Saul as king
Therefore Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah; and he said to the sons of Israel, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.' But you have today rejected your God who delivers you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have said, 'No, but set a king over us!' Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans."

Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah: Of all the places in which an assembly could be held, Mizpah is the place selected. Mizpah was the site of Samuel's triumphal prayer which invoked the LORD to fight the invading Philistines. (See 1 Samuel Chapter 7). Now as God is being rejected as Israel's king, it seems the Israelites are being reminded one last time (both in words and in the place in which they gather) that God has always fought for Israel and has always delivered Israel from the hands of their oppressors.

Thus says the LORD: Before proceeding to the election for king, Samuel again reminds Israel of its error and ingratitude in their rejecting God as their King for a carnal man. Under the present circumstances of Israel, the establishment of a mortal king seemed essential for the development of Israel as a powerful nation. However, such a change in leadership would not have been necessary had not the nation forsaken their own Eternal King, who in time past had saved them out of far greater dangers than any threatening them now. God gives Israel their desire for a king, but the change in acknowledged leadership would involve the loss of the higher blessedness for which the people of Israel had shown themselves to be utterly unworthy.

But you have today rejected your God: Once more, Samuel is directed to rebuke the people for their ingratitude and unbelief.

Present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans: The nation of Israel was subdivided into tribes, of the tribes into families or clan, of the families into houses, of the houses into men. (The division of the nation of Israel is described in Joshua 7:14, when lots are cast to determine who sinned against God and caused the Israelites to be defeated at Ai: "In the morning then you shall come near by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which the LORD takes by lot shall come near by families, and the family which the LORD takes shall come near by households, and the household which the LORD takes shall come near man by man.")


2. (1 Sam 10:20-21a) Saul is selected by lot
Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the Matrite family was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken.

The tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot: If the Israelites would have known their own Scripture, they would have known that the tribe which was to rule Israel was Judah as promised by Abraham in his blessing his sons. ("The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples" Genesis 49:10.) However, God in His wrath, was giving Israel a fleshly king, a king whose lineage is not from the tribe of Judah.

And Saul the son of Kish was taken: Saul was already anointed king over Israel, but God did this to show the whole nation that Saul was God's chosen man. It is important to note that Saul did not become king by chance--the casting of lots did not just happened to call Saul to the throne. Instead, Saul was chosen to be king, which was conferred by the word of the LORD which Samuel spoke to Saul.


3. (1 Sam 10:21a-24) Saul is revealed to be the king
But when they looked for him, he could not be found. Therefore they inquired further of the LORD, "Has the man come here yet?" So the LORD said, "Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage." So they ran and took him from there, and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people." So all the people shouted and said, "Long live the king!"

He could not be found: Having withdrawn himself out of modesty or fear, Saul declined the high authority of kingship. Although Saul already knew that he was God's choice for king, he would do his best to avoid courting any advancement and did not put himself forward to receive the office of king.

Therefore they inquired further of the LORD: Only Saul and Samuel, of all the people gathered that day at Mizpah, knew on whom the lot would fall. So certain was Saul, after the revelation and completion of the signs which Samuel proclaimed to Saul, that he would be chosen by sacred lot, that he drew back from waiting to hear the result and concealed himself among the baggage, tents and wagons of the vast assembly. A second Divine announcement was needed to reveal Saul's hiding place, and to force Saul to stand before the congregation.

He was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward: Tall people are often revered as being majestic and invoke a sense of awe and fear in those around them. Saul, being tall, seemed to fit the bill of the image Israel had for their king.

There is no one like him among all the people: Stress is again laid on Saul's imposing statue as a natural qualification for king. Perhaps Samuel said this with a bit of sarcasm. He wanted Israel to see the king according to their fleshly desires. Saul looked like a king, but no one ever seemed to interview Saul or find out if Saul was indeed fit for the job. Instead, Israel latched on to Saul's comely appearance and rejoiced that now they had a king who looked like royalty.

Long live the king: Literally, the Hebrew reads, "Let the king live!" I like the French translation "Vive le Roi." In their desire for the image and pageantry of having a human king, Israel yearned to shout these words for a long time. They had long witnessed other nations having royal ceremonies and functions. Now, it was Israel's turn to enjoy these royal proceedings.


4. (1 Sam 10:25-27) The monarchy established
Then Samuel told the people the ordinances of the kingdom, and wrote them in the book and placed it before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his house. Saul also went to his house at Gibeah; and the valiant men whose hearts God had touched went with him. But certain worthless men said, "How can this one deliver us?" And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent.

Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom: The laws and rules by which the king was to manage the land. It probably was a summary of the guidelines in Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

Wrote them in a book: It is possible that this important item was added to the book of the law kept by the side of the ark before the LORD. ("Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may remain there as a witness against you" Deuteronomy 31:26.)  This book contained not only the record of the Mosaic law (Exodus 24:7, Deuteronomy 28:61), but it also contained historical narratives (Exodus 17:14) and other records of importance such as the solemn renewal of the covenant at Shechem under Joshua (Joshua 24:26).

And Samuel sent all the people away: It is noteworthy that even after the formal election of Saul as king, it is Samuel who dismisses the assembly. Indeed, throughout the remainder of Samuel's life, whenever he appears on the scene, he is the principal person, occupying a position above the king or priest. However, after this time, Samuel makes relatively few public appearances. He seems to have entered retirement and only out of necessity, does he return back to the public eye for brief periods of time.

Saul also went to his house at Gibeah: At this time, there was no palace or capital. The only place for Saul to go was back home accompanied by a band of worthy men. Although God had called Saul to be king and lead the nation, yet, this was not something he could do alone. He needed "valiant men" around him "whose hearts God had touched".

They despised him: These malcontents were probably princes and leading men of the great tribes of Judah and Ephraim. They were probably displeased that the new king should be selected from the small and unimportant tribe of Benjamin. It is evident that Saul was a man of no special status. His early years had been spent in agriculture and working on his father's land in Gibeah.

Did not bring him any present: These gifts in the East were tokens of submission and homage. Not to offer them to Saul was tantamount to a deliberate and contemptuous rejection of his authority.

But he kept silent: The literal Hebrew is "He was a deaf man." Acting as though he had not heard the flippant remarks of the malcontents, Saul shows great self-control and self-denial. If Saul would have taken notice of this, he would have had to punish the offenders. Starting his tenure as king with an act of punishment would have been a bad way to start Saul's kingship.

Concluding Remarks: From the above, we see that Saul started with great promise. He was chosen and anointed by God, filled with the Holy Spirit, supported by Samuel (a great man of God), given gifts appropriate for royalty, enthusiastically supported by most of the nation, surrounded by valiant men whose hearts God had touched and was wise enough not to regard every doubter as an enemy. Despite all these great advantages, Saul's reign still ended badly. Saul had to choose between walking in the advantages God gave him or going his own way. The rest of the book of First Samuel reveals how Saul deals with this choice.

1 Samuel Chapter 10 Part One (Verses 1-16)

Saul anointed and proclaimed king

A. Saul is anointed as king over Israel

1. (1 Sam 10:1) Samuel anoints Saul
Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, kissed him and said, "Has not the LORD anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?"

Then Samuel  took the flask of oil: No where in the Bible do we read a protocol given by God for the anointing of kings. But as seen in several places in the Old Testament, anointing an official in the designation of prophets, priests and kings was the usual rite of passage. It is interesting to note in the Hebrew, it reads "the flask of oil". This leads many to conclude that this flask was the same flask which was filled with the holy oil used for the anointing of the priests. (For a detailed account of the holy oil used for anointing the priests, please read Exodus 30:23-33.) However, the idea of anointing is a much bigger concept. In the Bible, oil represents the Holy Spirit. What happened to Saul's head and body was simply an outward representation of what God was doing to him spiritually. The Holy Spirit was being poured upon Saul, equipping him for the enormous job of being king over Israel.

According to Jewish tradition, anointing was only necessary when a new dynasty came to the throne or the succession was disrupted. Henceforth, we only find mention of it in the case of Saul; David (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 oldest son of Josiah (2 Kings 23:30); Jehu (2 Kings 9:3). Similar coronation ceremonies 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 the premier.

Kissed him: This is a customary sign of reverential homage and not a sign of affection. ("Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him" (Psalm 2:11-12).)

His inheritance: That is God's chosen people. "For the LORD'S portion is His people; Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance" (Deuteronomy 32:9). "He also chose David His servant and took him form the sheepfolds; from the care of the ewes with suckling lambs He brought him to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance" (Psalm 79:70-71).


2. (1 Sam 10:2) Samuel tells Saul of a sign to confirm what God has done
"When you go from me today, then you find two men close to Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, 'The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. Now behold, your father has ceased to be concerned about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, "What shall I do about my son?"'"

When you go from me today: Here follows Samuel's careful description of three signs which would meet Saul as he traveled from Ramah to his father's home in Benjamin. Each of these signs was meant to strengthen Saul's faith and contained a solemn lesson.

Two men close to Rachel's tomb: Rachel was one of Jacob's wives and was the mother of Benjamin. Benjamin was the ancestor to the mighty war tribe Benjamin. Saul's family lineage was through the tribe of Benjamin. This sign reminds Saul about his roots to the patriarchs.

The donkeys which you went to look for have been found: The two men meeting Saul telling the whereabouts of his father's lost sheep symbolize that from now on, Saul was to dismiss all lower cares and give himself up to higher, more important matters. A king must take counsel and thought for the entire nation. Saul must put aside now and forever more all consideration for himself and his family. God, who had chosen Saul, would provide for these things, as He had done in the case of the lost donkeys.


3. (1 Sam 10:3-4) Samuel tells Saul of another sign to confirm what God has done
"Then you will go on further from there, and you will come as far as the oak of Tabor, and there three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine; and they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hand."

The oak of Tabor: Nothing certain is known about this place, but there are several traditions. The word "tabor" is thought to be a dialect variation for the name Deborah. It is conjectured that this is the oak under which Rebekah's nurse was buried. ("Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; it was named Allon-bacuth" Genesis 35:8.)  It is also conjectured that this was the tree between Ramah and Bethel under which Deborah judged Israel. ("Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment" Judges 4:4-5.)

Going up to God at Bethel: The three men appear to be going up to worship and sacrifice to the LORD. The town of Bethel (formerly called Luz) is one of the most sacred spots in Israel since the time of the patriarchs. Near Bethel, Abraham built one of the first altars in the Bible, and there he "invoked the name of the Lord" (Genesis 12:8). After Abraham fled to Egypt to escape a famine in Israel, he returned to the same place near Bethel, and once again invoked the name of the Lord (Genesis 13:1-4). When Jacob was fleeing from the wrath of his brother Esau, he stopped for the night at Bethel. It is here where he encounters God in a dream in which he saw a stairway to heaven, with angels of God ascending and descending on it (Genesis 28:10-22). Bethel was one of the first places in Israel where the Ark of the Covenant was set up and where the priests offered sacrifices and inquired of God (Judges 20:18, 26-28; Judges 21:2).

Three loaves of bread: This is the minchah, or the meal offering, which would accompany the meat from the animal sacrifice. ("Now when you bring an offering of a grain offering baked in an oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers spread with oil" Leviticus 2:4).

Another carrying a jug of wine: This was for the drink offering. The fourth part of a hin of wine being required for each kid (Number 15:5).

They will greet you: The three pilgrims would greet Saul, i.e., give him the usual friendly greeting of travelers, and would then present to him, a stranger, two loaves of bread intended for their offering at Bethel. By doing this, the men would acknowledge Saul as their lord (See 1 Samuel 9:7 for more commentary about gift giving.). Secondly, this sign indicated that the king would henceforth share with the sanctuary the offerings of the people. And Saul was to receive from the pilgrims' hands his present, as being now due to him, because Samuel had anointed Saul as king. As king, Saul will receive gifts. Henceforth, this was a way to confirm to Saul his position as king.


4. (1 Sam 10:5-7) Samuel tell Saul of a third sign to confirm what God has done
Afterward you will come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is; and it shall be as soon as you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute and a lyre before them, and they will be prophesying. Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man. It shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself what the occasion requires, for God is with you.

Hill of God: A better translation would be "Gibeah of God". Gibeah is a term used to denote bald rounded hills of central Israel. This place was distinguished as Gibeah of God, for there was a well-known place of worship on its summit. Many believe this was the same place which would later become Saul's place of residence, which was called Gibeah of Saul.

The garrison of the Philistines: A military post established by the Philistines to main their hold upon the Israelites.

A company of prophets: These young men probably belonged to one of the seminaries called "schools of the prophets" which were founded by the prophet Samuel for the training of young men. The founding of these schools in different parts of the country was one of the greatest works of Samuel. These schools seemed to have flourished during the time of the kings. Some of the youth who received training in these schools became public teachers of the Word. The main duty of a prophet's calling was to proclaim God's Word rather than foretell future events. Members of prophetic bands were often young (2 Kings 5:22), they frequently lived together (2 Kings 6:1-2), ate together (2 Kings 4:38), and were supported by the generosity of their fellow Israelites (2 Kings 4:42-43). Samuel provided guidance and direction for the prophetic schools in their early years, while Elijah and Elisha continued the schools during their lifetimes.

They will be prophesying: The word has nothing to do with prediction here, but rather it denotes the expression of religious feeling under the influence of inspiration in hymns. Elsewhere in Scripture, the word prophesying can also mean to chant.

The Spirit of the LORD will come mightily upon you: The Hebrew wording here is very strong and implies the Spirit will come upon you with such force it will overpower you. Although Saul was anointed with oil (an outward symbol of being anointed with the Holy Spirit), here the Holy Spirit will actually come upon Saul and dwell within him. The same Hebrew is used to describe the Holy Spirit coming upon Samson: "Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily, and he [Samson] went down to Askelon and killed thirty of them and took their spoil and gave the changes of clothes to those who told the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his father's house" (Judges 14:19). "When he [Samson] came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds dropped from his hands" (Judges 15:14).

You shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man: Before this time, Saul never seems to have been a spiritual man. So for him to prophesy--that is to break forth into praises of God and utter divers truths--was evidence that God had turned Saul into another man.

When these signs come to you: When these various circumstances happened to Saul, then he could be sure that the splendid and glorious life foretold by Samuel will indeed lie in Saul's near future. God will surely cause these things to happen and will indeed install Saul as king over Israel.


5. (1 Sam 10:8) Saul is commanded to wait for Samuel at Gilgal
"And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you should do."

You shall wait seven days until I come to you: This is an important command for Saul. By the nature of their office, kings do not wait for anyone. On the contrary, the king's subjects are expected to wait patiently for the king. However, Samuel commands Saul to wait for him because the prophet of God had more authority than the king had over Israel. Saul had to know that even though he was a king, he had to submit to the LORD, and the LORD'S prophet. Failing to wait for Samuel will get Saul into trouble on a future occasion.


6. (1 Sam 10:9-13) The signs come to pass
Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day. When they came to the hill there, behold, a group of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them. It came about, when all who knew him previously saw that he prophesied now with the prophets, that the people said to one another, "What had happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?" A man there said, "Now, who is their father?" Therefore it became a proverb: "Is Saul also among the prophets?" When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.

God changed his heart: This is a remarkable lesson for us. No matter what we do, we cannot change our own hearts, and we cannot change others' hearts. Only the Spirit of the LORD can change a man. In Scripture, "heart" means the center of a person--his spiritual life, desire, thought, feelings, etc. Saul's new heart was a gift from God.

Is Saul also among the prophets: This phrase became a proverb describing the astonishment that someone became a devout follower of the LORD. Saul was a non-spiritual man who became very spiritual at the time when the Spirit of the LORD came upon him. This proverb makes me think about drug abusers and alcoholics who hear the Gospel and turn their lives around to become devout Christians. When their family and friends hear of their conversion, they often think it is a joke or a game. "You can't be serious!? You go to church? You read the Bible? You stopped drinking/gambling/beating your wife?" Profound disbelief and astonishment accompany these questions. When the Spirit of the LORD comes mightily upon a person, their whole lives change.

Now who is their father: The meaning of the question asked by the man is: You asked about the son of Kish. But, what has birth to do with prophecy? None of these young men have inherited these gifts, and if Saul can take part in the prophesyings, why should he not? Kish, Saul's father, is no worse than the other prophets' fathers.

He came to the high place: After Saul had spent time prophesying with the company of prophets, the prophets continued on their way, descending from the high place. Saul decides to go up to the high place to offer prayers and praises to God.


7. (1 Sam 10:14-16) Saul hides his experience from his family
Now Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, "Where did you go?" And he said, "To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they could not be found, we went to Samuel." Saul's uncle said, "Please tell me what Samuel said to you." So Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found." But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingdom which Samuel had mentioned.

Saul's uncle: Most probably, this uncle was Abner. Kish, the father of Saul, was evidently content that his donkeys were found and that his son had returned safely back home. No questions or dialog about his son's journey is recorded. Abner, on the other hand, was a very ambitious and restless man. He very likely sensed a change about Saul since the last time he saw him. Perhaps, Abner also may have questioned Saul's servant about the journey and found out about the high honors Samuel bestowed upon Saul and to a lesser extent on the servant as well.

But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingdom: Most likely, when Samuel revealed God's revelation to Saul regarding his future, he underscored the importance that this information was for him alone. Remember, Samuel did not even allow Saul's servant to hear the revelations, but requested for the servant to walk ahead of Saul and Samuel. God would in His own time, reveal Saul as king of Israel. It was important for Saul to keep his future a secret, especially from Abner--a man known for scheming and devising ways to trick people. If Abner would have had any information about Saul's future as king, who knows what kind of stunts and ploys he may have developed to further his family's status.

1 Samuel Chapter 9 Part Two (Verses 15-27)

B. Samuel and Saul Meet

1. (1 Sam 9:15-17) God tells Samuel that Saul is the man who will be king
Now a day before Saul's coming, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel saying, "About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel; and he will deliver My people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have regarded My people, because their cry had come to Me." When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, "Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you? This one shall rule over my people."

The LORD had revealed this to Samuel: Literally, the Hebrew reads, "Had uncovered Samuel's ear". This is a figure of speech said to be derived from the practice of removing the hair or a corner of the turban from another's ear in order to whisper a secret into it. The same idiom is used in Ruth 4:4, "So I thought to inform you, saying, 'Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.' And he said, 'I will redeem it.'"

About this time tomorrow: God gave the prophet Samuel specific details regarding future events. Samuel received this guidance and looked for the fulfillment of God's words to confirm His choice for a king. Moreover, Samuel was very wise in that he did not manipulate circumstances to make what God had said come true. Samuel received God's word and patiently waited for the LORD to fulfill His prophecy.

I will send you: Even though Israel had rejected the LORD God as their king (1 Samuel 8:7), God was still on the throne. God did not bequeath His ultimate authority because Israel had asked Him to. Instead, God would give Israel a king, not a perfect king to lead Israel to peace and prosperity, but a king which fulfilled Israel's flawed ideals of what their king should be.

He shall deliver My people from the hand of the Philistines: This sentence maybe confusing for we are told in 1 Samuel 7 that the Philistines had been defeated. . Although Samuel had decreased the yoke of the Philistines by his prayerful victory at Mizpeh; yet, the Philistine power by no means had completely been broken (See 1 Samuel chapter 7). Many times in the historical books of the Bible, distant and ultimate results of a historical event are included in the account of it. In 1 Samuel 7:13 it reads, "So the Philistines were subdued and they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel." So we must conclude that the victory at Mizpeh did not fully defeat the Philistines. But rather, Saul's wars against the Philistines are included in the summary of events of 1 Samuel 7:13. Samuel's life ended near the end of Saul's reign as king.

Furthermore, Saul's office was essentially a military commander. This was in direct fulfillment of Israel's request for a king "that we also may be like all nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battle" (1 Samuel 8:20). So although the triumphal victory God gave Israel over the Philistines occurred  in 1 Samuel chapter 7, Saul continued to fight a much weakened Philistine army until their ultimate defeat came during King David's reign.

Because their cry had come to Me: Although God would not hear Israel's cry to relieve them from the oppression of their kings ("Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day" 1 Samuel 8:18); yet God was so gracious as to make Israel's kings instruments of deliverance from the oppression of their invading neighbors.

When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him: The literal Hebrew translates as "the LORD answered him".  When Samuel saw Saul, he perhaps wondered to himself if this was the man of God's prophecy. God answered the question posed by Samuel's heart with an affirmation.

This one shall rule over My people: The Hebrew phrasing here is a bit odd. The word translated as "rule over" is better rendered as coerce and restrain. Saul would rule Israel sternly and rigidly, with absolute power.


2. (1 Sam 9:18-21) Samuel and Saul meet
Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, "Please tell me where the seer's house is." Samuel answered Saul and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is on your mind. As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind of them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's household?' Saul replied, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin Why then do you speak to me in this way?"

In the gate: The preposition used here is translated "into the city" in verse 14. Some commentators suppose that they have found a contradiction between verse 14 and verse 18. However, it must be remembered that prepositions constantly lose their original meaning when translated. The literal translation from Hebrew means "in the middle", but it commonly means simply "within". So a better translation of verse 18 would be, "Saul and his servant were just going within the city when they met Samuel coming out."

Go up before me to the high place: Samuel's desire to have young Saul precede him to the place of public sacrifice was a sign of honor. Samuel, being a highly respected prophet and judge, granting this special privilege would have been a huge honor for Saul. Moreover, the wording "go up before me" is in the singular. Samuel addresses this special mark of honor to Saul alone and does not include Saul's servant. We have a similar custom in our society. At dinners and other special occasion meals, it is always a high honor to precede someone famous and introduce them to the audience.

For you shall eat with me today: The Hebrew switches here back to the plural. Both Saul and his servant were to eat the special meal, but only Saul was to precede Samuel to the feast. The servant would have less honor shown to him by walking behind Samuel.

And tell you all that is on your mind: Again, the Hebrew switches back to the singular. This seems to be a remark of comfort by Samuel. Saul was probably very overwhelmed with the whole situation. Here, Saul and his servant had simply wanted to inquire with the seer about the lost donkeys. In an instant, Saul's world is flipped upside down. He is now being told he is to be the guest of honor and is invited to a lavish banquet. Samuel comforts Saul by stating he will tell Saul everything that he wants to know.

And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel?: These words are intended to indicate to Saul, albeit in an obscure manner, that the supreme power of Israel would be his. Samuel hints at Saul's destiny. All Israel desired a king, and Saul would be the answer to the desire. Saul would have probably understood the meaning of these words to mean he was chosen to be the king. Moreover, Saul is not to trouble himself about the donkeys. Although the donkeys were a valuable piece of property, Saul was about to become king, to whom would belong everything that was the best and most precious. A more modern paraphrase of this sentence would be: "Why care about the donkeys? They are found. And even if they were lost, what does it matter? Is not the best that Israel has to offer at your service?"

Of the smallest tribe of Israel: This was a well known fact about the tribe of Benjamin. It was in fact very small. During the time the tribes of Israel were numbered in the wilderness, only the tribe of Manasseh was smaller than Benjamin. Then, in Judges chapter 20, all but 600 men were killed after a civil war broke out between Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. After the decimation of the tribe of Benjamin, they never recovered. They were scarcely a tribe and often were thought of as a remnant of a tribe. When the division occurred dividing Israel into a northern and southern kingdom, the tribe of Benjamin was in-grafted into Judah. The tribe of Benjamin in a certain sense lost their identity and together with Judah were often counted as one tribe.

Why then do you speak to me in this way?: This was a humble and reverent response by Saul. Perhaps Saul's humility was one reason God chose Saul to be king. Unfortunately, during his time as king, his humble spirit left him and pride and jealously filled his soul.


3. (1 Sam 9:22-24) Samuel makes certain that Saul received the seat and portion of honor at the feast.
Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men. Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion that I gave you, concerning which I said to you, 'Set it aside.'" Then the cook took up the leg with what was on it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, "Here is what has been reserved! Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, since I said I have invited the people." So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

Then Samuel took Saul: Samuel gives Saul no answer to his question, in which Saul expressed his bewilderment that he, being one of such insignificance, should be chosen for such a high position. Instead, it appears Saul's question was ignored, and the group of three set out for the feast.

Gave them a place at the head of those who were invited: In the Eastern culture, dinners had a special seating assignment. The seat of honor was always on a  particular side of the table next to the host. It would have been a  great honor to be seated next the the prophet Samuel. Moreover, not only was Saul highly exalted in public, but his servant also. In the Hebrew tradition, it is held that Saul's servant was Doeg the Edomite. On this occasion, Doeg would have had a foretaste of his future position as one of Saul's great herdsmen. ("Now one of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's shepherds" (1 Samuel 21:7).) Doeg also is the person who reports to Saul the whereabouts of David after David flees from Saul's service. Doeg subsequently is asked by King Saul to go to Nob and slay all the priests for their involvement in helping David by giving him food and prayer. (See 1 Samuel 22.) I can only imagine Doeg the Edomite, after killing all the priests and their families, probably received a nice promotion by King Saul.

About thirty men: Here we are given an important detail about the feast. It was limited to only 30 of the most distinguished people in the area. It is easy to see how the honor bestowed upon Saul is growing. First he is invited to the feast. Then, he is made to go ahead of Samuel. Then he is given a place of honor among the select few who were invited to the feast.

Samuel said to the cook: The meaning of the statement is this--all that took place in the meeting of the prophet and Saul at the sacrificial feast (and subsequent events) was arranged beforehand. Every event was foreseen and provided for, even the most trivial details.

Additionally, there is an error here in the English translation. Samuel's name is not given in Hebrew. Instead, the Hebrew reads the cook is the speaker. A more correct translation would be: "And the cook lifted up the thigh, with that which was upon it, and set it before Saul, and said, 'Behold, that which has been reserved is set before you onto the appointed time, of which he (Samuel) spoke, saying, I have invited the people.'"

Then the cook took up the leg: In addition to all the other previous honors, Saul is also given the best, most special portion. In the Eastern culture, every meal had a special portion which would be given to the one the host most wanted to honor. The portion very likely saved for Saul was the right thigh. The right thigh was reserved for the priest. ("You shall give the right thigh to the priest as a contribution from the sacrifices of the peace offerings" (Leviticus 7:32).) The right thigh would have been Samuel's, but instead of the host eating the best portion, he allocates it to Saul. The meaning of the special portion would not have been lost on the invited guests. It would have been a clear statement to all who attended that a very great honor was being set upon Saul.

Additionally, the right shoulder portion may have been a secret sign of the tremendous burden about to be placed upon Saul. Enormous strength was going to be necessary for Saul reign as king. The shoulder is both the seat of burdens and the subject of strength.


4. (1 Sam 9:25-27) Samuel and Saul talk together through the night.
When they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. And they arose early; and at daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, "Get up, that I may send you away." So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went into the street. As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Say to the servant that he might go ahead of us and pass on, but you remain standing now, that I may proclaim the word of God to you."

Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof: After the public sacrifice, in which tremendous honors were bestowed upon Saul, now we learn that Samuel has invited Saul and his servant to stay at his place for the night. The flat rooftop in the Eastern culture was a place for quiet conversation, rest and where the honored guest was frequently lodged.

That I may proclaim the word of God to you: Samuel is now going to reveal to Saul the word of God which Samuel had received. Saul is about to discover all of Samuel's abundant honors are just a foretaste of the innumerable privileges Saul will receive as king of Israel.

1 Samuel Chapter 9 Part One (Verses 1-14)

GOD LEADS SAUL TO SAMUEL

A. Saul searches for his father's donkeys

1. (1 Sam 9:1-2) Kish, the father of Saul, and his son Saul
Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjaminite, a mighty man of valor. He had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from the shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.

Another stream of events: Chapter 8 recorded the events of the Israelites rejecting Samuel's sons as being judges over them and demanding a king to reign over them. At the end of chapter 8, Samuel tell the elders of Israel to return back to their homes. Now, the story shifts. We are introduced to Saul, the future first king of Israel. We begin another adventure as we learn how Saul meets Samuel and is anointed king of Israel.

Genealogy: The genealogy of Saul given here is incomplete. As is the Jewish custom, this is only an abbreviated summary of his family ancestry. Other abbreviated versions of Saul's genealogy are given in the Book of First Chronicles, which includes some of the same names, omits some names and includes other names. The best genealogy which can be generated based on the information is as follows: Benjamin, Becher, Aphish (perhaps the same as Abiah), Bechorath, Zeror (or Zur), Abiel, Ner, Kish, Saul.

A mighty man of valor: The Hebrew here may either mean Kish was a man of valor as is the Hebrew used in 1 Samuel 16:18: "Then one of the young men said, 'Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him.'" Or the Hebrew may imply Kish was a wealthy man, as used in Ruth 2:1: "Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz." The verse most likely implies Kish was a man of valor based upon Saul's remark about his family's low status in 1 Samuel 9:21: " Saul replied, 'Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin why then do you speak to me in this way?'" If you wish to have the Greek Septuagint influence your decision which meaning of the Hebrew to render for this verse, the Greek version translates this verse as "a powerful man".

Saul: The name Saul means "asked". It was one of the most distinguished names in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. (The Apostle Paul's Hebrew name was Saul.)

A choice and handsome man: Saul had a fine appearance. He probably "looked" like a king. Israel wanted a king to rule over them, and Saul was just the man for them. Notice how we are told all about Saul's family and his appearance, but there is no mention of his relationship with God? This represents Israel's current state as well. They were all about appearances, wanting to look like other nations while at the same time, turning their backs on God.

From the shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people: Some scholars believe Saul was almost a giant, measuring in at just under seven feet tall. I, on the other hand, think Saul was probably more about six feet tall. In general, Jews are not tall. From my experience, a Jew six feet tall is considered to be a giant. So Saul may not have been extremely tall, just tall for a Jew.


2. (1 Sam 9:3-10) Saul and his servant search for his father's donkeys
Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to his son Saul, "Take now with you one of the servants, and arise, go search for the donkeys." He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them. When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come, and let us return, or else my father will cease to be concerned about the donkeys and will become anxious for us." He said to him, "Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; all that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out." Then Saul said to his servant, "But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sack and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?" The servant answered Saul again and said, "Behold, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God and he will tell us our way." (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, "Come, and let us go to the seer"; for he who is called a prophet now was formerly called a seer.) Then Saul said to his servant, "Well said; come, let us go." So they went to the city where the man of God was.

The donkeys of Kish...were lost: Donkeys in ancient times were valuable animals. With the scarcity of horses, donkeys were a valuable commodity for farm work and travelling. Shepherds in pastoral regions often let their animals roam abroad during the grazing season. At the close of grazing season, search parties were dispensed to find the roaming animals. Saul's original mission was nothing extraordinary. (Interesting to note, Saul's mission which resulted in Samuel anointing him as king involves the search for donkeys. Jesus, the ultimate King of kings, rides into Jerusalem seated on a donkey.)

Saul's journey: The route which Saul traveled cannot be traced with any certainty. He would have started at his home in Gibeah, traveling in a northwest direction through Mount Ephraim and through the land of Shalishah. Then turning south, he traveled through the land of Shaalim in the territory of Dan. Then turning east, he searched the western part of the land of Benjamin until the reached the land of Zuph (in which lay Samuel's hometown of Ramah). It seems probable that the unnamed city of 1 Samuel 9:6 is Ramah  for Saul's servant speaks of it as the prophet's regular residence (1 Sam 9:6). Moreover, it is easy to connect the land of Zuph, in which it was situated, with Ramah's full name Ramathaim-Zophim (see 1 Samuel 1:1).

They did not find them...they were not there...did not find them: It is interesting to read about Saul's long journey to find the lost donkeys. Although Saul and his servant tried and tried to find the donkeys, they never completed their mission. Instead, God was directing the donkeys. God was using this journey to lead Saul to Samuel. I wonder how frustrated Saul and his servant must have been after not finding the donkeys? Little did they know, God had other plans for their journey. How often are we on a seemingly unsuccessful mission? We search and search for something, only never to find. Or we desire to accomplish a task only to be lead astray on another mission. Are we able to keep our eyes open and appreciate God is directing our paths Or are we too consumed with the task at hand and are blind to God's handiwork?

Come, and let us return: This is such an loving insight into Saul's relationship with his father. Saul is searching for valuable donkeys; yet, he knows if he is gone from home too long, his father will be worried about him. What a beautiful relationship Saul must have had with his father.

Behold now, there is a man of God in this city: Seeing they were in Ramah, the home residence of Samuel the prophet, Saul's servant suggests going to inquire of Samuel. It seems strange that Saul did not know anything about Samuel. But, perhaps, the days of Samuel's triumphal prayer to God, which defeated the Philistines, and his long history of judging Israel was now being forgotten. Samuel was growing old. Saul's family might not have kept up the oral tradition of passing down the past to their children. With Saul tending the donkeys and busy with the work of the farm, he may not have had little knowledge of people beyond his neighborhood.

What shall we bring the man?: It might seem strange that a man of God would need a gift in order to proclaim God's Word. But, what is more probably being referred to here is the custom of offering a gift as a respectful homage to a superior than as a fee for service charge. In fact, in 2 Kings chapter five, we read about Elisha refusing a lavish gift for his prophet services. When Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, visits Israel to ask to be cleansed of his leprosy, the prophet Elisha tells Naaman to dip himself seven times in Jordan River and he will be cleansed. After following Elisha instructions and being cleansed from leprosy, Naaman offers Elisha a large sum of money and ten sets of clothing; Elisha refuses the gift. "When he [Naaman] returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him [Elisha], he said, 'Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.' But he said, 'As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.' And he urged him to take it, but he refused" (2 Kings 5:15-16).

There are many accounts in which gifts are given to honor a person. When Jacob sends his sons back to Egypt with Benjamin to obtain more food during the time of famine, he sends an abundance of gifts: "Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and carry them down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds" (Genesis 43:11). The Queen of Sheba sends an elaborate amount of goods to Solomon when she visits him at Jerusalem: "She gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great amount of spices and precious stones. Never again did such abundance of spices come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon" (1 Kings 10:10).

Moreover, gifts are almost always mentioned whenever a person inquired of a prophet. In 1 Kings 14:3 we read: "Jeroboam said to his wife, 'Arise now, and disguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh; behold, Abijah the prophet is there, who spoke concerning me that I would be king over this people. Take ten loaves with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.'"

Fourth part of a shekel of silver: Little is known about the shekel during this time in history. We do not know the size of the coin or the worth of the coin. The only thing we can surmise from the narrative is a shekel could be broken into four parts. It is likely that a shekel was a single coin. When a person needed to purchase something, the coin could be broken into four parts.

Formerly in Israel...:And now for a little Hebrew. This parenthetical statement appears to have been added by a scribe as a point of clarification in the text. The word "seer" is the Hebrew word "ra'ah". It is an ancient title which denotes a man inspired by God. "Ra'ah" was the word used most often to describe Samuel. During Samuel's lifetime, the word "nabi" began to be the commonly used word to describe a prophet. There are a few places in the Bible in which Samuel is referred to as "nabi. As time passed, "ra'ah" became an obsolete word and no longer was exclusively used for a man of God. The scribe who added this point of clarification did so to point out that when Samuel lived, "ra'ah" was the word always used for a prophet of the LORD.

So they went to the city where the man of God was: The name of the city where Samuel and Saul first meet is strangely not given. It seems implied the city was Ramah, for we know from 1 Samuel 7:17, Samuel had a house in Ramah. Saul's servant seemed to know that Samuel dwelt in this city, and in 1 Samuel 9:18, Saul asks Samuel where his house is. Like other mysteries in the Bible, it is unknown why the name of the city is not specifically mentioned in the text. However, using the narrative as a guide, we can guess the city in which Saul and his servant are about to enter is the city of Ramah.


3. (1 Sam 9:11-14) Saul and his servant inquire where to find the seer
As they went up the slope to the city, they found young women going out to draw water and said to them, "Is the seer here?" They answered them and said, "He is; see, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has some into the city today, for the people have a sacrifice on the high place today. As soon as you enter the city you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up for you will find him at once." So they went up to the city. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the high place.

As they went up: Ramah was situated on a hill. The city wells were usually located outside the city gates on low ground or in a valley. Women going out to draw water from the well was a common task in the ancient mid-east. Isaac's servant meet Rebekah at a well as she came to draw water (Genesis 24:15). Jacob meets Rachel at the well as she came to water her father's sheep (Genesis 29). Moses also meets his future wife at a well in Midian. "Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father's flocks" (Exodus 2:16).

For the people have a sacrifice: The exact celebration for the sacrifice is not mentioned. Since it was not an area-wide event, we can probably rule out the special occasion was a main feast day such as Passover, Shavuot or Tabernacles. Instead, it could have been a lesser feast such as a new moon celebration or possibly come other special thanksgiving offering.

In the high place: Here was the altar which Samue built in 1 Samuel 7:17 ("Then his return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel; and he built there an altar to the LORD.") A natural instinct is to build a place of worship on top of hills. Such high places were frequently used as places to worship God. These high places were not against the Torah as long as there was no formal place of worship. With Shiloh being destroyed by the Philistines and the Ark of the Covenant being housed in a private residence at Kiriath-jearim, the altar built at Ramah was a place for public worship to God. Since there was no formal place to worship God, this altar was not against Deuteronomy 12:11-14: "Then it shall come about that the place in which the LORD your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the LORD. And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you. Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every cultic place you see, but in the place which the LORD chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you."