1 Samuel 10

Chap. X. Ver. 1—27. Saul anointed and instructed, joins a company of the prophets, and is chosen by lot king of Israel.—Samuel is supposed to have been the founder of what are called Schools of the Prophets, wherein young persons were trained in the knowledge of the Mosaic law, and the practice of the Hebrew poetry and music, the principal arts in which they appear to have excelled; and it may be proper to remark, that in the earliest times these professions were always united. The praises of God were always sung in verse, in a kind of chant, or recitative, accompanied with musical instruments; with flourishes or symphonies, probably between the stanzas. This formed, no doubt, the employment of the young prophets here assembled, with whom Saul united; an employment so different from what he had been accustomed to, that it excited great surprise, and led them with astonishment to ask, “What is become of the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” Soon after this event, Samuel called the people again to the Lord at Mizpeh, and after gently reproaching them with ingratitude for rejecting the Lord from being their King, and demanding to have a mortal sovereign, he tells them that the Lord had consented to their request, and Saul is drawn by lot to be their king. Saul now seems to have shrunk from his engagement. Perhaps when he came to hear that the Lord was offended by their requiring to have a king, and especially when he came to reflect on the weight of care and responsibility that would lie upon him, he trembled; and ambitious as he might be of distinction, he wished, at least for the present, to avoid it, and therefore hid himself among the stuff; that is, among the wagons and baggage belonging to the multitude now assembled.

He was too tall, however, to remain undiscovered: and when brought forward among the people, they directly hailed him, by shouting, “God save the king!” or, as the Hebrew phrase is, “Let the king live!” which phrase is preserved in all the ancient versions. Before the prophet dismissed the assembly, he thought it necessary to explain the nature of the kingdom now established, and the duties, we may suppose, both of king and people, and having written them in a book, laid up that book in the ark before the Lord. When God calls men to any particular work, he gives the necessary abilities to perform it; thus it was in the building of the tabernacle and temple; and thus it was in the present instance.

The Spirit of prophecy came upon Saul, and he

Notes on the verses

Virgil professes to be a seer:—“Wars, horrid wars, and Tyber foaming with blood, I view.” —Bagster. Ver. 19. I will tell thee all that is in thy heart.—By this it should seem, that even at this early period there were some risings of ambition in Saul’s heart, though he could scarcely aspire to the honour that was intended him. Ver. 24. The shoulder, and that which was on it.—Probably the whole fore quarter.—That which is left.—Margin, “reserved;” i.e. as follows: it had been ‘kept for him’ several days, perhaps to make it the more tender. Dr. Clarke thinks the shoulder was emblematical, and intended to teach him that he was to bear the cares of government, as it were, ‘upon his shoulder.’

Ver. 25. Upon the top of the house.—The Eastern houses were always flat-roofed, and often used for walking and conversation, and sometimes for sleeping, as appears to have been the case here with Samuel; and therefore, at the spring or dawn of day, he called up Saul, to dismiss him. Cul. Chap. X. Ver. 1. And kissed him.—This is what the Jews called the “kiss of homage,” as one of the ceremonies of inauguration. See (Psalms 2:12).—Captain.—The early Jewish kings were all military chieftains as were those also of the Greeks. Ver. 5. A company of prophets.—These were doubtless the sons of the prophets referred to in the exposition, who were now occupied in singing the high praises of God, accompanied by instruments of music, as was frequently, if not always the case; as, Sener Lowth has shown.

It appears also, that these instruments were sometimes played by minstrels, employed to accompany the holy prophets. See (2 Kings 3:15). Ver. 9. All those signs.—(The following history of Saul is given by the Afghans, a people generally supposed to be of Jewish origin: “In a war which raged between the children of Israel, and the Amalekites, the latter being victorious, plundered the Jews, and obtained possession of the Ark of the Covenant. Considering this as the God of the Jews, they threw it into the fire, which did not affect it. They afterwards attempted to cleave it with axes, but without success: every individual who treated it with indignity, was punished for his temerity. They then placed it in their temple; but all their idols bowed to it.

At length they fastened it upon a cow, which they turned loose in the wilderness. When the prophet Samuel arose, the Children of Israel said to him, ‘We have been totally subdued by the Amalekites, and have no tribes: Raise to us a king, that we may be enabled to contend for the glory of God.’ Samuel said, “In case you are led out to battle, are you determined to fight?” They answered, ‘What has befallen us, that we should not fight against infidels? That nation has banished us from our country and children.’ At this time the angel Gabriel descended, and delivering a wand, said, ‘It is the command of God, that the person whose stature shall correspond with this wand, shall be king of Israel.’ Melec Talut was at that time a man of inferior condition and performed the humble employment of feeding the goats and cows of others. One day, a cow under his charge was accidentally lost. Being disappointed in his searches, he was greatly distressed, and applied to Samuel, saying, ‘I have lost a cow, and I do not possess the means of satisfying the owner. Pray for me, that I may be extricated from this difficulty.’ “Samuel perceiving that he was a man of lofty stature, asked his name. He answered Talut. Samuel then said, ‘Measure Talut, with the wand which the angel Gabriel brought.’ His stature was equal to it. Samuel then said, ‘God has raised Talut to be your king.’ The Children of Israel answered, ‘We are greater than our king. We are men of dignity, and he is of inferior condition. How shall he be our king?’

Samuel informed them, they should know that God had constituted Talut king, by his restoring the Ark of the Covenant. He accordingly restored it, and they acknowledged him their sovereign.” Asiatic Researches. —Bagster. Ver. 12. Who is their father?—If we adhere to the present text, and read “their father,” in the plural, it must refer to the sons of the prophets, and means, “What school is this? Who is at the head of it?” Style perfectly agreeable to the Hebrew idiom. The sons of Asaph and Heman, &c. were doubtless the singing boys under their care, (1 Chronicles 25:1). Some editions of the LXX. read singular “Who is his father? Is it not Kish?” But this is supported by no Hebrew MSS.

Ver. 14. His uncle.—The Hebrew Dod is a term of affection, and may be rendered friend, but is often translated “uncle.” Ver. 21. Saul was taken.—That is, by lot, as is generally understood: and this method is supposed to have been adopted to prevent contention among the tribes. But did not the Lord choose him? Certainly. See (Proverbs 16:33),