1 Samuel 9

Chap. IX. Ver. 1—27. Saul being sent to seek his father’s asses, visits Samuel, who intimates to him that he is to be king. —In the history of this chapter we meet with little that requires explanation; but there are two or three particulars which may afford practical hints, which we are always glad to introduce when circumstances will admit. 1. We remark presents to be tokens of honour; not intended as offers of payment, or enrichment. —the ground of worldly promotion. Saul was the son of “a mighty man” in Israel, and was himself a choice young man and a goodly,” which plainly refers, neither to his mental or moral character, but to his stature, which must have been (by ver.

2. nearly seven feet high, and his whole appearance portly and majestic: a circumstance, that, in the first instance, no doubt strongly recommended him to the admiration of the people; but nothing is said either of his religion or good sense. One trait in his character, however, in this early period deserves to be mentioned, as a model for young persons; namely, his tenderness towards the parental feelings of his father, “Let us return,” said he, “lest my father leave off caring for the asses, and take thought for us.” 2. We have in Samuel the character of a true prophet: he is “a man of God,” that is, of true piety; and (which should always blend with it) a man of strict probity—“an honourable man: for it sinks miserably the character of a professed man of God, when he can stoop to evasion and prevarication, even though he should not descend to downright falsehood.

It is added, “All that he saith surely cometh to pass,” which corresponds exactly with the account of Samuel in a preceding chapter (iii. 20.) “that all Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.” And though it may seem a degradation for such a man to be consulted about lost animals, yet, in fact, it was in perfect consistence with his duty—to ‘instruct the ignorant and them that are out of the way.’ Ministers should never think any thing degrading that is not foreign to their duty. Henry has here a pithy remark, (as most of his remarks are,) that “prophets must first be seers: they who undertake to speak to others of the things of God, must have an insight into those things.” 3.

We must remark the leadings of Providence in the narrative before us. Nothing is so great as to be without the range of Providence; nothing so minute as to be overlooked in his designs. Bishop Hall remarks, “How far God fetches his purposes about! The asses of Kish (Saul’s father) are strayed away: What is that to the news of a kingdom? God lays these small accidents for the ground of greater designs. The asses must be lost; none but Saul must go with his father’s servant to seek them: Samuel shall meet them in the search; and Saul shall be premonished of his ensuing royalty. Little can we, by the beginning of any action or event, guess at God’s intention in the conclusion.” 4. God sometimes disappoints us by exceeding our expectation, as well as at others by falling short of them.

Saul went to seek his father’s asses, but found a kingdom and a crown. Well for him would it have been, had he shown the same solicitude in fulfilling his duties as a king of Israel, as he did in seeking his father’s asses; but, alas! this station required a higher class of qualifications than he appears to have possessed. Strength and stature might assist him in the former; but the latter required wisdom and prudence, and the fear of the Lord, so as to yield to him an obedience no less implicit than what he required of his own subjects.

Notes on the verses

Each owner, also, has a particular mark imprinted on his animals. “Zuph 5. Land of Zuph (or Suph.)—See note on (Deuteronomy 1:1). Ver. 7. There is not a present.—(We are not to suppose from this that the prophets took money to predict future events: Saul only refers to an invariable custom, that no man approached a superior without some present or another, however small in value. Dr. Pococke tells us of a present of fifty radishes! Other authors mention a flower, an orange, or similar trifles; and Bruce says, that one who wished to solicit a favour from him, presented him with about a score of dates! “I mention this trifling circumstance,” says B. “to show how essential to humane and civil intercourse presents are considered to be in the East; whether it be dates, or whether it be diamonds, they are so much a part of their manners, that, without them, an inferior will never be at peace in his own mind, or think that he has hold of his superior for protection.

But superiors give no presents to their inferiors.” Presents then Ver. 8. The fourth part of a shekel.—If the shekel was equal to 66 cents of our money, as we have reckoned, ((Exodus 30:15). note) this is equal to about 16 1-2 cts.; which shows that it was not the value of the thing that was looked to, but the custom. It does not appear, however, that even this was presented. Ver. 9. Go to the seer.—Prophet was the word in the time of Moses—put in the barbarous times of the judges, the word Seer had been introduced; now that of Prophet was recovered.—Dr. Wall.—[The word ro’eh literally signifies one who sees; particularly preternatural sights. A seer and a prophet were the same in most cases; only with this difference, the seer was always a prophet, but the prophet was not always a seer.

A seer seems to imply one who had seen or met with and seen some symbolical representation of God. All prophets, true or false, profess to see God; (see (Numbers 24:4, 16). (Jeremiah 14:4).) As diviners, in their enthusiastic flights, boasted that Seer had those things exhibited to their sight which should come to pass. ‘Thus the Sybil in