062. XLI. Saul’s Call And Election To The Kingship
§ XLI. SAUL’S CALL AND ELECTION TO THE KINGSHIP
1. Saul’s family and appearance. Now there was a man of Gibeah, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a man well to do. And he had a son whose name was Saul, a man in the prime of life and handsome; and there was not one among the Israelites more handsome than he. From his shoulders and upwards he was higher than any of the people.
2. His search for the lost asses. Now the she-asses of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with you and arise and go, seek the asses. And they passed through the hill-country of Ephraim, and the land of Shalishah, but did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. And they passed through the land of the Benjamites, but did not find them.
3. Appeal to Samuel. When they were come into the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, Come, let us return, lest my father cease thinking of the asses and become anxious for us. And he answered him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and the man is held in honor; all that he says is sure to come true. Now let us go thither; perhaps he can show us the way we should go. Then Saul said to his servant, But, suppose we go, what shall we take to the man? for the bread is gone from our sacks, and there is no present to take to the man of God. What have we? And the servant answered Saul again, and said, See I have with me a fourth part of a silver shekel, and you shall give it to the man of God that he may furnish us information regarding our mission. Then Saul said to his servant, Your advice is good; come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was.
4. Meeting with the seer. As they were going up the ascent to the city, they met young maidens going out to draw water and said to them, Is the seer here? And they answered them and said, He is; behold, he is before you. Make haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for the people have a sacrifice to-day on the high place. As soon as you come to the city, you will at once find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, for he is to bless the sacrifice; and afterward the guests eat. Now therefore go up; for at this time you will meet him. So they went up to the city. When they came within the city gate, Samuel was just coming out toward them, to go up to the high place. Now Jehovah had given to Samuel, a day before Saul came, this revelation, At this time tomorrow I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be a prince over my people Israel. And he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen the affliction of my people, and their cry has come to me. And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah indicated to him, This is the man of whom I spoke to thee! He it is who shall rule over my people. Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, if you will, where the seer’s house is. And Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer; go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me to-day; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart. And as for your asses that were lost three days ago, do not trouble yourself about them, for they have been found. And to whom belongs all that is desirable in Israel? Does it not to you, and to your father’s house? And Saul answered and said, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and is not my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak thus to me?
5. At the sacrificial meal. And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall and made them sit at the head of the guests (who were about thirty in number). And Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion I gave you, which I told you to put aside. And the cook took up the leg and placed it before Saul. And Samuel said, See, the meat is served! eat! for it was kept for you until the appointed time, that you might eat with those whom I have invited. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
6. Public anointing by Samuel. And after they came down from the high place into the city, they spread a bed for Saul on the roof, and he lay down. Then at daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, Up, that I may send you away. So Saul arose, and he and Samuel went out into the street. As they were going down at the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, but you stand here that I may make known to you the word of God. Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said, Hath not Jehovah anointed you to be a prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of Jehovah and deliver them from the power of their enemies around about. And this shall be the sign that Jehovah hath anointed you to be a prince over his heritage: when you go from me to-day you shall find two men at Rachel’s tomb, in the boundary of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The asses which you went to seek are found, and now your father has dismissed the matter of the asses and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do for my son?”‘ Then you shall go on from there and come to the oak of Tabor; and there three men going up to God to Bethel will meet you, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. And they will salute you and give you two loaves of bread which you shall take from their hand. After that you shall come to Gibeah, where is the garrison of the Philistines; and furthermore, when you come thither to the city, you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a lyre, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. And the spirit of Jehovah will rush upon you, and you shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man. And when these signs come to you, you shall do as the occasion offers; for God is with you.
7. Meeting with the band of prophets. Accordingly when he turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart, and all those signs came to pass that day. And just as he came thence to Gibeah, a band of prophets met him, and he prophesied among them. And when every one who knew him saw him in the act of prophesying with the prophets, the people said to one another, What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? And one of the bystanders answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? And when he had made an end of prophesying, he went to the high place.
8. Return home. And Saul’s cousin said to him and to his servant, Where did you go? And he said, To seek the asses; and when we saw that they were not found, we went to Samuel. And Saul’s cousin said, Tell me, I pray, what Samuel said to you. And Saul said to his cousin, He told us definitely that the asses were found. But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel had spoken, he told him nothing.
9. The invasion of Nahash the Ammonite. Now it came to pass after about a month, that Nahash the Ammonite came up and besieged Jabesh in Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make terms with us and we will serve you. But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this condition will I make terms with you: that I bore out the right eye of each of you, and thereby bring a reproach upon all Israel. And the elders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days respite, that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there be none to save us, we will come to you.
10. Reception of the news by Saul. So the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and recounted the facts in the hearing of the people, and all the people wept aloud. And Saul was just coming from the field after the oxen. And Saul said, What is the trouble with the people, that they are weeping? Then they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. And the spirit of Jehovah rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly aroused. And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever does not come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.
11. The deliverance by the Israelites under Saul. Then a terror from Jehovah fell upon the people, and they rallied as one man. And he mustered them in Bezek. And they said to the messengers who came, Thus say to the men of Jabesh in Gilead, ‘To-morrow, by the time the sun becomes hot, deliverance shall come to you.’ So the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, and they were glad. Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we will come out to you, and you shall do to us whatever you please. Accordingly on the following day, Saul divided the people into three divisions; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And then they who remained scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
12. Saul’s election as king. Then all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed peace-offerings before Jehovah; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced exceedingly.
I. The Need of a King. The Philistine oppression revealed to the Israelites the absolute necessity of united action. In that early age the only known form of political organization that promised permanent independence, was the kingship. Already Gideon’s kingdom had demonstrated the advantages of that form of union. The Hebrews, however, were loyal to their desert instincts, and therefore very loath to acknowledge any central authority. An exceedingly strong pressure was required to make them unite. That pressure was at last furnished by the Philistines. The bitter experiences of the period of settlement had demonstrated clearly that unless they stood shoulder to shoulder and followed a common leader, they could expect in hostile Canaan only oppression and slavery. The Philistines energetically followed up their victories over the Hebrews. Garrisons were established at strategic points in central Canaan. All attempts at local uprisings were quickly suppressed. Tribute was doubtless exacted from the different tribal chieftains, who were permitted, on these conditions, to exercise a limited authority. The account of the later Ammonite invasion indicates that the Philistines felt no responsibility in protecting the Hebrews from foreign foes. Like the earlier Egyptian rulers of Palestine, the Philistines apparently had but one object in their conquest, and that was spoil and tribute. For the Hebrews the Philistine rule meant an arrest of their material and social development. As has already been noted, it also threatened their faith in Jehovah. The victories of the Philistines were doubtless interpreted by the majority of the Israelites as evidence that Jehovah was powerless, or else that he did not care to arouse himself in behalf of his people. Meantime, the Israelites were being subjected to the severest temptations, not only through the Philistines, but also through the closer contact with the old Canaanite population, whose civilization and customs and institutions they were rapidly absorbing. The great danger was that in the presence of the alluring cults of Canaan the religion of Jehovah, proclaimed by the austere prophet of the desert, would be completely forgotten. To preserve that faith intact, it was absolutely essential that the Hebrews unite, and in the name of Jehovah throw off the yoke of the Philistines, and develop a kingdom which would worthily represent before the nations the God of their race. The crisis, therefore, was religious as well as political. On the battle-fields of Canaan the future faith of the race was to be decided. It was a crisis to call forth not only a patriot but a prophet.
II. The Patriots of Israel. The conditions resulting from the Philistine oppression probably gave rise to the bands known as the sons of the prophets, which appear for the first time in Israel’s history. From the different references to these sons of the prophets it is evident that they were religious enthusiasts associated together in bands or guilds. These guilds were connected with the local sanctuaries, such as Bethel and Gilgal. In later times the members of these guilds lived together with their wives in communities, sharing a common table. Like the modern dervishes, ecstasy, induced by music and other external means, was a prominent element in their religious life. The exact object of these religious guilds is not revealed by the few Old Testament references to them. Throughout their history, however, the sons of the prophets are closely connected, on the one hand with the great prophetic leaders like Samuel and Elijah and Elisha, and on the other with the important political movements of their day. Like the zealots of later Jewish history, they appear to have represented an impassioned protest against the political oppressors of their race. Their patriotism and zeal for Jehovah did not deter them from resorting to intrigue or from even appealing to the sword. Their prominence at this period of Hebrew history is therefore a symptom of political unrest. Though the form in which their religious and patriotic zeal found expression was crude, there is little doubt of its sincerity. Their presence reveals one of the many powerful underlying forces at work in Israel.
Very different and yet equally hostile to the Philistine oppressors, were the Hebrew warriors and tribal chieftains. They lacked not courage but leadership. Tribal jealousies still held them apart. No great leader, like Gideon of old, had appeared to command their confidence and call forth their loyal support. A great prophet was needed, acquainted with the men and forces in Israel, able to analyze the meaning of the situation, and, with divine authority, to suggest a definite course of action. As at every great crisis in Israel’s unique history, a prophet arose at the moment of greatest need and delivered the nation from its oppressors and introduced the race to a new epoch of achievement and development.
Later traditions give an exquisite picture of the birth and boyhood and youthful training of Samuel. They also magnify his position, making him judge of all Israel, and attribute to him miraculous powers. The oldest narrative, however, pictures him as simply the local seer of Ramah, known to the servant of Saul, although not to the young Benjamite chieftain. Both groups of tradition agree in recognizing the supreme importance of his work. With divine insight he grasped the needs of the situation, realized that the moment had arrived for the birth of united Israel and found the man to lead the nation. In so doing he won a place beside Moses, Deborah, Saul and David as one of the makers of Israel.
III. Saul, the Benjamite. The situation called for a man large of stature, courageous, enthusiastic, able to bring together rival factions and to command absolute obedience in the face of the most desperate odds. These difficult conditions were met in the fullest measure by Saul, the son of Kish, a Benjamite noble, possessed of wealth and influence. Geographically, the tribe of Benjamin also stood midway between the north and south. Its comparative insignificance delivered it from the bitter jealousies which separated the larger tribes. Saul’s later interview with Samuel suggests that already the sense of responsibility was strong within him, and that the other leaders in Israel were beginning to regard him as a possible deliverer. What was needed was that some one with authority sound the call to action.
IV. Saul’s Meeting with Samuel. A seeming chance brought together the two men who held the key to the situation in Israel. In quest for information regarding the lost asses, Saul found Samuel presiding at the sacrificial meal in the high place at Ramah. About the prophet were gathered the elders of the city. Already Samuel was aware of Saul’s approach and had made provision for his reception. The young Benjamite was accordingly assigned the seat of honor and, after the feast, was entertained overnight within the city. The reception thus accorded Saul was significant, and the words which Samuel addressed to him contained a deeper meaning, which Saul evidently understood. When Saul was about to depart, Samuel publicly anointed him with oil and told him that he was called to rule over his people. In the old Semitic symbolism, anointing with oil meant consecration to a definite task. In the case of a priest it was to minister at the sanctuary. In the case of Saul it was to represent Jehovah as the chosen leader of the nation. As he went forth, Samuel significantly commanded him to be ready to improve the opportunity when it presented itself. Also, in keeping with the prophet’s statement, Saul met a band of prophets under the influence of religious ecstasy. As he joined them, rough warrior though he was, he was seized with the same religious enthusiasm. The incident gave rise to the famous proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets.” The scene revealed the depths to which the words of Samuel had stirred the soul of Saul. It symbolized his consecration to his high calling, to be Jehovah’s agent in delivering his people. It also symbolized that union between the religious enthusiast and the warrior class in Israel which was necessary if the nation as a whole was to be aroused to effective action.
V. The Choice of Saul as King. The opportunity for action soon appeared. The Ammonites east of the Jordan advanced to the conquest of the Hebrew town of Jabesh in Gilead. The cruel and humiliating terms which they proposed called forth no champion from among the Israelites until the messengers came to the man whom Samuel had fired with patriotic zeal. Slaying the oxen with which he had been ploughing, Saul sent these gory reminders of battle and bloodshed to the chieftains of Israel, demanding with a grim threat that they follow him to deliver their endangered kinsmen. At last the Hebrews recognized that they had found a true leader. In taking up arms against the common foe, they encountered no opposition from the Philistines. A rapid march and an early morning attack left Saul and the Hebrews masters of the battle-field and the Ammonites in flight.
Returning either to Gilgal, beside the lower Jordan, or to that famous northern sanctuary at Gilgal near Shiloh, Saul’s warriors proclaimed him king. Thus, as to Gideon of old, the Hebrews turned for leadership and protection to the one who had demonstrated on the battle-field his ability to deliver them. It was to a throne yet to be established and to a kingdom that must be won that Saul was called. His election, however, was deeply significant, for it proved that at last under the pressure of dire necessity, the Israelites were ready to lay down their tribal jealousies and to acknowledge a common leader. Out of this simple beginning rose the united Hebrew kingdom and that empire of David which left so deep an impression upon all Hebrew literature and thought