1Then SamuelH8050 tookH3947 a vialH6378 of oilH8081, and pouredH3332 it upon his headH7218, and kissedH5401 him, and saidH559, Is it not because the LORDH3068 hath anointedH4886 thee to be captainH5057 over his inheritanceH5159? 2When thou hast departedH3212 from meH5978 to dayH3117, then thou shalt findH4672 twoH8147 menH582 by Rachel’sH7354 sepulchreH6900 in the borderH1366 of BenjaminH1144 at ZelzahH6766; and they will sayH559 to thee, The donkeysH860 which thou wentestH1980 to seekH1245 are foundH4672: and, lo, thy fatherH1 hath stoppedH5203 caringH1697 for the donkeysH860, and sorrowethH1672 for you, sayingH559, What shall I doH6213 for my sonH1121? 3Then shalt thou go onH2498 forwardH1973 from there, and thou shalt comeH935 to the plainH436 of TaborH8396, and there shall meetH4672 thee threeH7969 menH582 going upH5927 to GodH430 to BethelH1008, oneH259 carryingH5375 threeH7969 kidsH1423, and anotherH259 carryingH5375 threeH7969 loavesH3603 of breadH3899, and anotherH259 carryingH5375 a bottleH5035 of wineH3196: 4And they willH7592 greetH7965 thee, and giveH5414 thee twoH8147 loaves of breadH3899; which thou shalt receiveH3947 from their handsH3027. 5AfterH310 that thou shalt comeH935 to the hillH1389 of GodH430, where is the garrisonH5333 of the PhilistinesH6430: and it shall come to pass, when thou hast come thereH935 to the cityH5892, that thou shalt meetH6293 a companyH2256 of prophetsH5030 coming downH3381 from the high placeH1116 with a psalteryH5035, and a tabretH8596, and a pipeH2485, and a harpH3658, beforeH6440 them; and they shall prophesyH5012: 6And the SpiritH7307 of the LORDH3068 will comeH6743 upon thee, and thou shalt prophesyH5012 with them, and shalt be turnedH2015 into anotherH312 manH376. 7And let it be, when these signsH226 have comeH935 to thee, that thou doH6213 as occasionH4672 shall serveH3027 thee; for GodH430 is with thee. 8And thou shalt go downH3381 beforeH6440 me to GilgalH1537; and, behold, I will come downH3381 to thee, to offerH5927 burnt offeringsH5930, and to sacrificeH2076 sacrificesH2077 of peace offeringsH8002: sevenH7651 daysH3117 shalt thou tarryH3176, till I comeH935 to thee, and showH3045 thee what thou shalt doH6213. 9And it was so, that when he had turnedH6437 his backH7926 to goH3212 from SamuelH8050, GodH430 gaveH2015 him anotherH312 heartH3820: and all those signsH226 cameH935 to pass that dayH3117. 10And when they cameH935 there to the hillH1389, behold, a companyH2256 of prophetsH5030 metH7125 him; and the SpiritH7307 of GodH430 cameH6743 upon him, and he prophesiedH5012 amongH8432 them. 11And it came to pass, when all that knewH3045 him in times pastH865 H8032 sawH7200 that, behold, he prophesiedH5012 among the prophetsH5030, then the peopleH5971 saidH559 oneH376 to anotherH7453, What is this that hath come to the sonH1121 of KishH7027? Is SaulH7586 also among the prophetsH5030? 12And oneH376 of the same place answeredH6030 and saidH559, But who is their fatherH1? Therefore it became a proverbH4912, Is SaulH7586 also among the prophetsH5030? 13And when he had finishedH3615 prophesyingH5012, he cameH935 to the high placeH1116. 14And Saul’sH7586 uncleH1730 saidH559 to him and to his servantH5288, WhereH575 wentH1980 ye? And he saidH559, To seekH1245 the donkeysH860: and when we sawH7200 that they were no whereH369, we cameH935 to SamuelH8050. 15And Saul’sH7586 uncleH1730 saidH559, TellH5046 me, I pray thee, what SamuelH8050 saidH559 to you. 16And SaulH7586 saidH559 to his uncleH1730, He toldH5046 us plainlyH5046 that the donkeysH860 were foundH4672. But of the matterH1697 of the kingdomH4410, of which SamuelH8050 spokeH559, he toldH5046 him not. 17And SamuelH8050 calledH6817 the peopleH5971 together to the LORDH3068 to MizpehH4709; 18And saidH559 to the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478, Thus saithH559 the LORDH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478, I broughtH5927 IsraelH3478 out of EgyptH4714, and deliveredH5337 you out of the handH3027 of the EgyptiansH4714, and out of the handH3027 of all kingdomsH4467, and of them that oppressedH3905 you: 19And ye have this dayH3117 rejectedH3988 your GodH430, who himself savedH3467 you out of all your adversitiesH7451 and your tribulationsH6869; and ye have saidH559 to him, Nay, but setH7760 a kingH4428 over us. Now therefore presentH3320 yourselves beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 by your tribesH7626, and by your thousandsH505. 20And when SamuelH8050 had caused all the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 to come nearH7126, the tribeH7626 of BenjaminH1144 was takenH3920. 21When he had caused the tribeH7626 of BenjaminH1144 to come nearH7126 by their familiesH4940, the familyH4940 of MatriH4309 was takenH3920, and SaulH7586 the sonH1121 of KishH7027 was takenH3920: and when they soughtH1245 him, he could not be foundH4672. 22Therefore they enquiredH7592 of the LORDH3068 further, if the manH376 should yet comeH935 thereH1988. And the LORDH3068 answeredH559, Behold, he hath hidH2244 himself among the baggageH3627. 23And they ranH7323 and broughtH3947 him from there: and when he stoodH3320 amongH8432 the peopleH5971, he was tallerH1361 than any of the peopleH5971 from his shouldersH7926 and upwardH4605. 24And SamuelH8050 saidH559 to all the peopleH5971, SeeH7200 ye him whom the LORDH3068 hath chosenH977, that there is none like him among all the peopleH5971? And all the peopleH5971 shoutedH7321, and saidH559, God saveH2421 the kingH4428. 25Then SamuelH8050 toldH1696 the peopleH5971 the mannerH4941 of the kingdomH4410, and wroteH3789 it in a bookH5612, and laid it upH3240 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068. And SamuelH8050 sentH7971 all the peopleH5971 awayH7971, every manH376 to his houseH1004. 26And SaulH7586 also wentH1980 homeH1004 to GibeahH1390; and there wentH3212 with him a band of menH2428, whose heartsH3820 GodH430 had touchedH5060. 27But the worthlessH1100 menH1121 saidH559, How shall this man saveH3467 us? And they despisedH959 him, and broughtH935 him no presentsH4503. But he held his peaceH2790.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 SAMUEL ANOINTS SAUL, AND CONFIRMS HIM BY THE PREDICTION OF THREE SIGNS. (1Sa. 10:1-27)
Then Samuel took a vial of oil--This was the ancient (
Judg 9:8) ceremony of investiture with the royal office among the Hebrews and other Eastern nations. But there were two unctions to the kingly office; the one in private, by a prophet (
1Sam 16:13), which was meant to be only a prophetic intimation of the person attaining that high dignity--the more public and formal inauguration (
2Sam 2:4;
2Sam 5:3) was performed by the high priest, and perhaps with the holy oil, but that is not certain. The first of a dynasty was thus anointed, but not his heirs, unless the succession was disputed (
1Kgs 1:39;
2Kgs 11:12;
2Kgs 23:30;
2Chr 23:11).
kissed him--This salutation, as explained by the words that accompanied it, was an act of respectful homage, a token of congratulation to the new king (
Ps 2:12).
2 When thou art departed from me to-day--The design of these specific predictions of what should be met with on the way, and the number and minuteness of which would arrest attention, was to confirm Saul's reliance on the prophetic character of Samuel, and lead him to give full credence to what had been revealed to him as the word of God.
Rachel's sepulchre--near Beth-lehem (see on
Gen 35:16).
Zelzah--or Zelah, now Bet-jalah, in the neighborhood of that town.
3 the plain--or, "the oak of Tabor," not the celebrated mount, for that was far distant.
three men going up to God to Beth-el--apparently to offer sacrifices there at a time when the ark and the tabernacle were not in a settled abode, and God had not yet declared the permanent place which He should choose. The kids were for sacrifice, the loaves for the offering, and the wine for the libations.
5 the hill of God--probably Geba (
1Sam 13:3), so called from a school of the prophets being established there. The company of prophets were, doubtless, the pupils at this seminary, which had probably been instituted by Samuel, and in which the chief branches of education taught were a knowledge of the law, and of psalmody with instrumental music, which is called "prophesying" (here and in
1Chr 25:1,
1Chr 25:7).
6 the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee--literally, "rush upon thee," suddenly endowing thee with a capacity and disposition to act in a manner far superior to thy previous character and habits; and instead of the simplicity, ignorance, and sheepishness of a peasant, thou wilt display an energy, wisdom, and magnanimity worthy of a prince.
8 thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal--This, according to JOSEPHUS, was to be a standing rule for the observance of Saul while the prophet and he lived; that in every great crisis, such as a hostile incursion on the country, he should repair to Gilgal, where he was to remain seven days, to afford time for the tribes on both sides Jordan to assemble, and Samuel to reach it.
9 when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart--Influenced by the words of Samuel, as well as by the accomplishment of these signs, Saul's reluctance to undertake the onerous office was overcome. The fulfilment of the two first signs [
1Sam 10:7-8] is passed over, but the third is specially described. The spectacle of a man, though more fit to look after his father's cattle than to take part in the sacred exercises of the young prophets--a man without any previous instruction, or any known taste, entering with ardor into the spirit, and skilfully accompanying the melodies of the sacred band, was so extraordinary a phenomenon, that it gave rise to the proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" (see
1Sam 19:24). The prophetic spirit had come upon him; and to Saul it was as personal and experimental an evidence of the truth of God's word that had been spoken to him, as converts to Christianity have in themselves from the sanctifying power of the Gospel.
12 But who is their father?--The Septuagint reads, "Who is his father?" referring to Saul the son of Kish.
17 Samuel called the people together . . . at Mizpeh--a shaft-like hill near Hebron, five hundred feet in height. The national assemblies of the Israelites were held there. A day having been appointed for the election of a king, Samuel, after having charged the people with a rejection of God's institution and a superseding of it by one of their own, proceeded to the nomination of the new monarch. As it was of the utmost importance that the appointment should be under the divine direction and control, the determination was made by the miraculous lot, tribes, families, and individuals being successively passed until Saul was found. His concealment of himself must have been the result either of innate modesty, or a sudden nervous excitement under the circumstances. When dragged into view, he was seen to possess all those corporeal advantages which a rude people desiderate in their sovereigns; and the exhibition of which gained for the prince the favorable opinion of Samuel also. In the midst of the national enthusiasm, however, the prophet's deep piety and genuine patriotism took care to explain "the manner of the kingdom," that is, the royal rights and privileges, together with the limitations to which they were to be subjected; and in order that the constitution might be ratified with all due solemnity, the charter of this constitutional monarchy was recorded and laid up "before the Lord," that is, deposited in the custody of the priests, along with the most sacred archives of the nation.
26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah--near Geba. This was his place of residence (see
Judg 20:20), about five miles north of Jerusalem.
there went . . . a band of men, whose hearts God had touched--who feared God and regarded allegiance to their king as a conscientious duty. They are opposed to "the children of Belial."
27 the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents--In Eastern countries, the honor of the sovereign and the splendor of the royal household are upheld, not by a fixed rate of taxation, but by presents brought at certain seasons by officials, and men of wealth, from all parts of the kingdom, according to the means of the individual, and of a customary registered value. Such was the tribute which Saul's opponents withheld, and for want of which he was unable to set up a kingly establishment for a while. But "biding his time," he bore the insult with a prudence and magnanimity which were of great use in the beginning of his government.