1 Samuel 9

as appears from many plaees in (his book; yet the more common word, which now prevailed, when Saul was anointed king (for in all languages words arc in and out of fashion, in several times), was roeh (a seer). But in following years, when Samuel wrote this book, nabi was become the more usual word in all men’s mouths. This is a fair account of these words, from whence some argue, that Samuel was not the author of this book, nor Moses the author of the Pentateuch: where Abraham is called nabi; (xx. 7.) which shews that this was no new word in these days, as they would have this place understood. But it might he sufficient to answer unto this, that nabi did not signify, in ancient times, one that foretold things to come; but only one that was familiar with God, and was instructed in his will, that he might instruct others. But now, in Samuel’s time, it came to be appropriated to the revealing future things, and foretelling what should come to pass, or revealing secrets, which none could know but God. a punishment for throwing off the kind and gentle government of God. * ■

1 Samuel 9:1

JS OW there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son ofAbiel, the son ofZeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite. In this genealogy, there is no difficulty. but one; which is, that in two places of the Chronicles it is said, that Ner begat Kish, (l,Chron. viii. 37. ix. 39.) But by begetting there must be meant, the giving him his breeding and education. For it is evident Ner was Kish’s brother, (1 Sam. xiv. 51.). D. Kimchi will have it that he had two names, Abiel and Ner., > A mighty man of power.] This seems not to be meant of his wealth or interest in his country, (for Saul himself saith he was of a mean family, ver. 21.) but of his great strength, courage, and fortitude; which is therefore mentioned, because it hath been often observed, that fortes creantur fortibas;

1 Samuel 9:2

And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly; and there ivas not among the, children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people,] They desired a king like the rest of the nations, who looked upon persons of an heroic stature and countenance to be marked out for.empire. Whence, the saying of Euripides, ElSoc afyov Tvpavv&oc; and that of Curtius, " Quippe hoininibus barbaris in corporum majestate veneratio est." But no words are more memorable, to this purpose, than those of Pliny, in the conclusion of his fourth chapter of his panegyric to Trajan, where he saith, the strength and tain ess of his body, the nobleness of his aspect, the dignity of his mouth, the gracefulness of his speech, &c. " Nonne longe lateque principem ostentant?" Do they not every where proclaim a prince? This was a thing so carefully provided for in ancient times, to have a goodly race of kings, that the Lacedemonians set a fine upon their king Archidamus (as Plutarch tells us in the beginning of his book, ntpi ncti- Ifov ayuynq) for marrying a wife of a low stature; who was likely to bring them, oh fiaaikiag aWa fiaaikiaKQvg > not kings but kinglings, to reign over them.

1 Samuel 9:3

And the asses of Kish, SauVs father, were lost. Wandered out of their pasture. And Kish said unto Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, und arise, go and seek the asses.] It is no wonder that he was employed in, this inquiry, for I suppose he had the charge of looking after his father’s cattle: which was an employment the greatest men did not disdain in ancient time: as we learn from the history of Her-. cules and Paris, and others among the Greeks. And in Judea asses were a considerable part of their -substance: for the greatest persons rode upon asses till the time of Solomon, when horses began to be multiplied, (Judg. x. 4.),

1 Samuel 9:4

And they passed through Mount Ephraim, and they passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not; then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not, &c] They searched, that is, all the mountainous country of the tribe of Ephraim, which" lay next to Benjamin, after they had first gone through that tribe, as it here follows: -.-•" And they passed through the land of Benjamin, &c] Or, they had passed through the land of Benjamin; where hear-: ing no tidings of them, they went into the next country, to*, see if they were strayed thither.

1 Samuel 9:5

And when they were come to the land ofZuph. A territory in the tribe of Ephraim, where some of Samuel’s ancestors had lived, (i. 1.) and Raman, where Samuel now dwelt, seems to have been in it; as we may gather from the next verse..’•:. Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, let us return.] Being uncertain whither to go next, after they had sought so many places in vain. Lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.] Be afraid that we are lost. The Hebrew word, as Dr. Hammond observes, (upon Psal. xxxviii. 18.) signifies solicitude of mind, mixed with grief and sorrow.

1 Samuel 9:6

And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God. A prophet. And he is an honourable man.] A person of great fame, and held in high esteem. All that he saith comes surely to pass.] Which procured him such honour. Now, let us go thither; peradventare he can shew us our way that we should go.] To find the asses.

1 Samuel 9:7

Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man?. This was a part of the honour they did to great men in those countries, to make them a present, when they had occasion to address themselves to them. Particularly prophets were thus honoured; being men of God; before whom they were not to appear empty. Thus also they demonstrated their reverence to their king, in the next chapter of this book, (ver. 27.) For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?] Provision for their table was as acceptable a present as money: which appears from what Jeroboam’s wife brought to Ahijah the prophet, (1 Kings xiv. 3.).

1 Samuel 9:8

And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand a fourth part of a shekel ofsil-, ver; that ivill I give to the man of God to tell us our way. r A small present, but as acceptable as the widow’s mite; being all they had left in, their travels.

1 Samuel 9:9

Beforetime in Israel, when a?nan wentto inquire of God. By consulting a prophet. Thus he spake,. Come, let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a prophet, was beforetime called a seer.] Though the word nabi (a prophet) had. been anciently known, as appears by the books of Moses; and used in Samuel’s days,

1 Samuel 9:10

Then said Saul to his servant. Well said; let us go. So they went to the citytvhere the man of God dwelt. That is, to Raman.

1 Samuel 9:11

And as they went up the hill to the. city, they found young maidens going down to draw water. At the fountain, which (as usual) was at the bottom of the hill* And said unto them, Is the seer here?] Of which there might be somo doubt; because some time he was wont to go circuit about the country.

1 Samuel 9:12

And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now. That is, they could not fail to find him, if they lost no time, but went speedily to the city, before he went to sacrifice; when it would not be proper to interrupt him. For he cometh to-day to the. city.] He either lived without the gate of the city; or returned from his country circuit. For there is a sacrifice of the people to-day.] Either at some solemn festival (the new moon some imagine), or upon some special occasion of prayer and thanksgiving to God;* for the people of that city, or for all Israel. In the high place.] All sacrifices were regularly to be offered before the ark, in the place which the Lord should choose. But while this choice stood suspended, because- Shiloh was laid desolate, and no other place appointed; they sacrificed in other places, where neither the ark, nor the tabernacle was: the tabernacle being void of the ark, which was its principal furniture; and the ark being without a house for God to dwell in. What place then, in this condition, could be more commodious, than those cities where the priests and Levites lived; to which the people went for instruction? and they chose the highest parts of those cities for this purpose* Corn. Bertram (cap. 11. dc. Repub.JucL) imagines, that from this example high places came to be in use in after-ages (unless we suppose them to be the relics of the Canaanites, or more ancient people), for this is the first time we read of a high place among tho people of God. Yet wo read before of the thing, though not of the name. See Judg. vi. 20. xiii. 19. and so early as Abraham’s time we read (Gen. xxii.) he was directed to Mount Moriah to offer his son. The same learned man also thinks, that this was the beginning of synagogues and schools, as our Mr. Thorndike doth in his Religious Assembly, p. 29. For though, when the ark w^s settled, it became unlawful to offer sacrifices in high places; yet it was no offence to continue there for public prayer, and the praised of God,, and the learning of the law. The Jewish doctors take this high place to h&ve been some house, where, after they had sacrificed, they feasted when they had done. And so the Targum here translates these words, the house of feasting.

1 Samuel 9:13

As soon as ye come into the city, you shall straightway find him. For on this day he appeared publicly. Before he go up to the high place to eatz for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice.] That is, tho feast upon the sacrifice, which were peace-offerings; the greatest part whereof belonged to him that brought the sacrifice; wherewith he entertained his friends. And afterward they eat that be bidden.] The guests of him that offered the sacrifice; who, at this time, I suppose, was Samuel. For God having told him, that he should that day sec the man whom he intended for their king, it is likely he appointed more sacrifices to be added unto those which were usually offered at such times, at his own charge. That there might be tho greater feast, unto which he invited the people, (ver. 24.) that is, the principal of the people; and placed the guests, (ver. 22.) and carved at the table, (ver. 23.) which are all tokens that he was at tho expense of the sacrifice, and made this feast for his friends.

1 Samuel 9:14

And they went up into the city; and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go to tlte high place. Met them directly in his way to the feast: for so God in his providence had disposed things; as it follows in the next words.

1 Samuel 9:15

Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying. In the Hebrew the words are, He revealed or uncovered the ear of Samuel; as is noted in the margin. Now that was done in order to tell him something; and therefore the meaning is, God told him a secret; using, in all likelihood, a whispering voice

1 Samuel 9:16

To-morrow, about this time, I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin. This shews still that all was done by God’s direction. And thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel^ that he may save my people dut of the hand of the Philistines.] AVho had grievously oppressed them for forty years together: and though driven out of the country by Samuel, yet were ready to invade them again; as they did, it appears, by the following history. Fori have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.] Though he would not hear their cry to relieve them from the oppression of their kings, (viii. 18.) yet he was so gracious as to make those kings instruments of their deliverance from tho oppression of their cruel neighbours.

1 Samuel 9:17

And when Samuel saw Saul, tlte Lord said unto him. With such a low voice as he heard the day before, (ver. 15.) Behold the man tvhom I spake to thee of! the same shall reign over my people.] The word we translate reign, signifies something of coercion and restraint, as is observed in the margin; and denotes, he should rule them with an absolute, uncontrollable power, sternly and rigidly, after the manner of the eastern monarchs. Which was, as I said,

1 Samuel 9:18

Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate. He came up to him, as he was going out of his house. And said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seers house is.’] It is an argument that Saul had led a very private life, since he had never seen Samuel, who went about into so many places to judge the people.

1 Samuel 9:19

And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go tip before me unto the high place. This seems to be spoken out of respect to him. For thou shall eat ivith me to-day; and to-morrow I will let thee go, and tell thee all that is in thine heart.] All that I he desired to know. This shews it was a supper, not a! dinner, to which he invited him; otherwise he might have: dismissed him as well after dinner, as the next morning. But the custom of that country was to make their entertainment in the evening, when business was over.

1 Samuel 9:20

And as for thy asseswhich were lost three days ago. This satisfied Jiim he was a prophet, that he knew what he came to him for, though he had not told him. Set not thy mind on them, for they arefound.] He frees his mind from all care about the asses; that he might cat and drink the more cheerfully at the feast. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? is it not on thee, and on all thyfatlier’s house?’] The meaning is, all Israel desire a king, and there is none fitter for it than thyself; whose family God is resolved to advance. Ven 21. And Saul answered and said, Am I not a Ben jamite y of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe. of Benjamin?] He thought no person moro unfit for the dignity.; both because the tribe of which he was had been lamentably impaired in the time of the Judges, (chap, xx.) and his own family was very inconsiderable in this little.tribe. Wherefore then speakesjt thou so unto me?] He concluded therefore, that Samuel did but jest with* him.

1 Samuel 9:22

And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. Such as they desired, like those of other nations: for so it appears in the following history many of them were, as Samuel had predicted. Witness the words of the people to Rehoboam, concerning Solomon’s government, (L Kings xii. 4.) And the tyrannical words of Jezabel to Ahab, about Naboth’s vineyard, (1 Kings xxi. 7.) And all the violence of Manasseh, who shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem with it, (2 Kings xxi. 16.) And what David himself did, in the matter of Uriah, when he had defiled his wife, (2 Sam. xi. 15, 16.) And Samuel said unto the men of Israel.’] To the elders of the people, who had attended him about this matter. Go ye every man unto his city.] He bade them leave the business unto him; and God, he doubted not, would set a king over them. And Samuel took Said and his servants and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chief est place among them tliutwere bidden.) He convinced him he was in earnest, by setting him uppermost at tho table, in the most.honourable place among the guests. Which were about thirty persons.] The principal persons, T supposo, of the city, who were witnesses of the extraordinary respect which he paid him.

1 Samuel 9:23

And Sitmnel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said, Set it by thee. The master of the feast distributed to every one their portion; or ordered what dish should be set before them: and Samuel had commanded the cook(bcfore they sat down) not to set one dish upon the table, but keep it til I he called for it.

1 Samuel 9:24

And the cook took up tlie shoulder, and that which was upon it. The left shoulder and breast; for tho right shoulder and the right breast belonged to the priest. (Lev. vii. 33, 34.) And set it before Saul.] As the principal place was given hiin at the feast, so the principal dish also was set beforo him, to express still the great Tegard ho had to his person. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left I] Reserved on purpose for his entcrtamment. Set it.before thee, and eat,] Let it tftand, as it U set before thee, am] eat of it, as thy portion. For unto this time hath it been kept for thee, since I said, I have invited the people.] The plainest translation of these words, is that of laid, de Dieu, Eat, because till this appointed time it hath been reserved for thee, when I said 9 I have invited certain persons. That is, besides the thirty persons, he told the cook he had invited some others (which were Saul and his attendant) for whom he would have this shoulder to be reserved. For by inviting the people, he understands only these two persons; the word people sometimes signifying (as he shews) very few. He thinks, indeed, the feast was not made by Samuel, who brought along with him only these two guests: but that seems to me not to agree with the whole story. And Saul did eat with Samuel tliat day.] Who entertained him very nobly; for tho left shoulder was always accounted the best part of the sacrifice: being the same with that which the priest had for his portion. And therefore set before the king, if lie was present at the feast, and thence called by JosephusMepic BamXttcrj, the royal portion: for the arm and shoulder, as Philo discourses, were the symbols of strength and fortitude.

1 Samuel 9:25

And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Said tipon the top oftlie house. Concerning his advancement to the royal dignity, and his administration of the government.

1 Samuel 9:26

And they rose up early: and it came to pass, about the spring of the day. Before the people of the place were stirring. That Samuel called Saul to the top of tlie house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away.] According to his promise, (ver, 19.) And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.] For Samuel intended, out of respect to him, to conduct him part of his way. But w$nt without any of his usual attendants; that what he did, might, for the present, be kept a secret.

1 Samuel 9:27

And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid thy servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still awhile, that I may shew thee tlie word of the Ijord.] Which ho would have none to hear but himself: because he now meant only to give him private satisfaction, that God had chosen him to be the.king of his people; before whom afterward he was publicly chosen by lot.