1 Samuel 9

The Genealogie of Kis is related, verse 1. Sauls person is described, 2. Kis sendeth Saul to seek the asses, 3. He travelleth thorough the country, but findeth not the she-asses, 4. By the advice of his servant he goeth unto Samuel to meet Saul, 14. God revealeth unto Samuel that Saul would come to him, 15. And commandeth him to make him King, 16. Samuel inviteth Saul to a feast,19. He telleth him that the she-asses were found, and that he should King, 20. Which seemeth most strange unto Saul, 21. Samuel placeth him in the highest room at the feast, 22. Andgraceth him with a special dish of meat, 23. Samuel talketh with Saul alone upon the roof, 25. And he revealeth to him that he should be King,26.

1. Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kis, a son of Abiel, [Oth. Ner, 2 Chron.8.33. and 9.39.] the son of Zecor, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a man of Jemini, [Oth, a man that was a Benjamite] a mighty man of power.

2. The same had a son whose name was Saul, a young man, and beautiful [Heb. Good, also, Gen.6.2.] Then there was not a more beautiful man then he among the children of Israel: from his shoulders and upward, he was taller than all the people.

3. Now the she-asses of Kis Sauls father were lost: [This came not to pass by chance, but by the providence of GOD, so to bring Saul unto Samuel, and to cause him to be anointed King] therefore said Kis unto his son Saul, Take now the lads with thee, and get thee up, go thy ways, seek the she-ashes.

4. He then went through the mountain of Ephraim, and he went through the land of Salisa, [This is a plain country, as may be seen 2 King. 4.42.] but they found them not: therefore they passed thorough the land of Sahalim, [In this land, lying in tribe of Benjamin. Lay the city of Salan, whereof mention is made, Job .3.23. not far from Gilgal by Jordan] But they were not there: moreover he passed thorough the land of Jemini, [Or thorough the land of the Benjamites,] but they found them not.

5. Then they came into the land of Zuph, [See above chap.1.1.] Sauk said unto his lad that was with him, Come and let us return: left perhaps my father cease (thinking) of the she-asses, and he careful for us.

6. He on the contrary said unto him, Behold now, there is a man of God [i.e. Prophet, viz Samuel: see the annotat. Judg.13 on verse 6] in this city, and he is an honourable man, all that he speaketh what cometh surely ( to pass): [Heb. it cometh coming] Now let us go thither, per adventure he will show us our way that we should go. [i.e. which way we must go, for to find our she-asses, for which cause we have undertaken this journey.]

7. The said Saul unto his lad, But behold, if we go, what shall we bring unto that man: [As if he had said, We know not this man of God, neither doth he know us: we shall be troublesome to him: and it is both suitable honesty and decency, that we should grace him with some present or other: see the like example, 1 King. 14.3. and 2 King 4.42.] for the bread [i.e. our store, or provision] is gone [i.e. all our provision is spent: so that we have nothing to present the man of God with] out of our vessels, [i.e. out of our knapsacks or budgets] and we have no man of gift [see the annotations of Judge.13.17. and 1 king 14.3] to bring unto man of God, what have we?

8. And the lad answered Saul further, and said, Behold, there is found in mine hand. [i.e. I have mine hand: see 1 Pet 2.22. It’s said, There was no guile found in his mouth: i.e. there was no guile in his mouth see Isa53. 9.] the fourth part of s shekel of silver. [Of the value of the shekel, see the annotate. On Genesis 20:16. The fourth part of a shekel of silver was not much more than three styvers, that is about three pence half penny of our English money: So that in this present, more was looked on the thankful mind, then on the worth or value of the gift] that will I give to the man of God that he may show us our way.

9. (Before time everyone spake thus Israel, [The words of this verse are the words of the writer or Penman of this book, and hence some other man, wrote this book] when he went to enquire of God, [to wit, by a prophet] Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that this day, (is called) a Prophet, was before time called a seer.)[So were the prophets called , because God revealed that unto them in visions, which they made known unto people, see Numb. 12.6 and 24.4]

10. Then said Saul unto his lad, thy word is good, [i.e Thou hast spoken well, or right] come let us go : and they went unto the City, [Viz. Unto Rama] where the man of God was.

11. As they went up by the ascent of the city, they found maidens that went forth to draw water; and they said unto them, is the seer here? [Otherwise, is here a seer?]

12. Then answered they them, and said, behold, he is before your face : [This doth not intimate, that Saul and his servant did at that very instant, see Samuel, or with the lifting up of their eyes could see him : They saw him not, till they came to him in the City. So that the words, before your face, signifie, hard by, or neer at hand] make haste now, for he came to day into the city, for as much as the people have to day into the city, for as much as the people have to day a sacrifice [Heb. a slaughtering. Oth. a feast, or, banquet, as Genesis 31:54 and I Sam.28.24, I Kings 19.21.] on the high place.

13. When ye come into the city, so shall ye find him, before he go up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat till he come, for he bleeseth [Viz. By prayer : and with thanksgiving, Deut.8.10.] the offering, [i.e the flesh that is offered, wherewith the feast or banquet is to be made] afterwards they eat that be hidden : therefore now go up, for him, as to day ye shall find him.

14. So they went up into the city : when they came into the midst of the City, behold, Samuel went out to meet them, [For he knew full well, that they should come to him at that time, as appeareth from verse 15. and 16] for to go up to the high place.

15. For the LORD had revealed it (before) Samuels ear, [i.e. the Lord plainly told Samuel. See the like phrase, Ruth.4.47 and I Sam.250.12,13. and 2 Sam.7.27. Job.33.16. Isai.22.14. and chap 48.8] a day before Saul came, saying, [here the cause is shewed, wherefore Samuel went forth to meet Saul, for whole sake he had caused that sumptuous feast to be made.]

16. Tomorrow about this time I will send unto thee [Viz. by a secret motion or instinct, for Saul thought not of this, but he was gone forth to seek the She-asses] a man out of the land of Benjamin, him shalt thou anoint to be a leader over my people of Israel, and he shall deliver my people out of the hand of the Philistines., for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

17. When Samuel beheld Saul, then the LORD answered, [viz. By a secret discourse, as below chapter 16. Verse 8,12.] Behold, this is the man of who I said unto thee, this (same) shall reign [Heb. keep back. ‘Tis as much as to say , as he shall by his authority, command, and punishment keep back, bridle, retrain wicked men from sinning, or from doing what they would] over my people.

18. And Saul drew neer to Samuel in the midst of the gate [i. E. In the midst of city. See above verse. 14.] and said, shew me, I pray thee, where is here the Seers house?

19. And Samuel answered Saul , and said, I am the seer, go up before my face unto the high place, that ye may eat with me today: and tomorrow betimes I will let thee go, and I will tell thee all that is in thine heart, [i.e. all that thou art troubled about, and all that thou wilt ask me.]

20. For as touching the she-asses, today (being) the third day thou didst lose them, set not thy heart thereon, [i.e. take it not to heart] for they are found; and whose shall be all desirable that is in Israel? [i.e. the best and choicest that is in Israel. See above chap 8 verse 1. Others, unto whom is all the desire for their King rather than thee? Others take it in this sense, as if he had said, upon whom shall the choice of a King, which all Israel desireth, light, but upon thee?] is it not thine, and of all thy fathers house?

21. Then answered Saul and said, Am I not a son of Jemini, [i.e. of a Benjamite] of the least of the tribes of Israel/ [This tribe, to wit, the tribe of Benjamin, was almost quite destroyed, by reason of the Levites wise; so that but six hundred men were left, Judges 20:47] and my family (is it not) the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speaketh thou to me with such words? [Heb. speakest thou to me according to this word.]

22. Then Samuel took Saul, and his servant and he brought them into the chamber: and he gave them place in the uppermost (feat) of them that were hidden: [i. e. He placed them in the chiefest or uppermost feat of all. Hereby did Samuel, in some measure, intimate unto the guests that were there present, the dignity and excellency of the office, whereunto God had ordained Saul: As he likewise did so, by setting the cosiest and daintiest dish of meat before Saul. See the like, Gen.43.34. Yea for Sauls sake he also honoured his servant, and let him likewise at the upper end of the table] who were now about thirty man.

23. Then said Samuel unto the cook, bring that piece, which I gave thee; whereof I said unto thee, set it away by thee. [From hence it approached sufficiently, that Samuel had caused this feast or banquet to be made chiefly for Sauls sake, whom he knew was coming up that way.]

24. Now the cook brought up a shoulder, [The Hebrew word signifieth as well as a fore-joynt of meat, as an hinder joint] with that that was on it, and set them before Saul, and be [viz. Samuel] said; Behold, this is that which is left, set it before thee, eat, for it was kept in due time for thee, [As if he had said, when I caused this feast to be made for thy honourable entertainment, I gave charge that this choicest dish, or portion of meat should be reserved for thee] when I said [viz. unto the Cook, or, Steward, or, to the servants, ministers, folks that waited] I have invited the people: so Saul did eat with Samuel that day.

25. Afterward they went down from the high place into the City: and he spake with Saul [i.e. he told him of the command of God, that he should be King] upon the roof [viz. upon his, to wit Samuels-roof. Heretofore among the Jews the roofs or house-tops were built flat, so that a man could go and walk upon them. See deut.22.8.]

26. And they rose up early: and it came to passé about the rising of the morning, that Samuel called Saul up into the roof, [viz. there to commune with him alone about his calling to the Kingdom] saying, a rise, that I may let thee go: then Saul arose, and they both went out, he and Samuel abroad.

27. When they were gone down to the end of the City, Samuel said unto Saul, say to the servant, that he passé on before our faces: [viz. that he may not hear what we speak] then he passed on: but stand thou now still, [Heb. as this day: i.e. at this time] and I will cause thee to hear the word of God, [Samuel indeed told Saul (when they were both together alone upon the house-top) of the will of the Lord concerning his election to the Kingly office; but afterward, at the parting, he did more fully inform him concerning the same, fore-calling him with all the signs, and tokens that he should meet with for his confirmation and assurance therein, whereof further mention is made in chapter 10.]