1 Samuel 10

1Sa 10:1-27.

SAMUEL

ANOINTS

SAUL, AND

CONFIRMS

HIM BY THE

PREDICTION OF

THREE

SIGNS.

1. Then Samuel took a vial of oil--This was the ancient

(Jud 9:8)

ceremony of investiture with the royal office among the Hebrews and

other Eastern nations. But there were two unctions to the kingly

office; the one in private, by a prophet

(1Sa 16:13),

which was meant to be only a prophetic intimation of the person

attaining that high dignity--the more public and formal inauguration

(2Sa 2:4; 5:3)

was performed by the high priest, and perhaps with the holy oil, but

that is not certain. The first of a dynasty was thus anointed, but not

his heirs, unless the succession was disputed

(1Ki 1:39;

2Ki 11:12; 23:30;

2Ch 23:11).

kissed him--This salutation, as explained by the words that accompanied

it, was an act of respectful homage, a token of congratulation to the

new king

(Ps 2:12).

2. When thou art departed from me to-day--The design of these specific

predictions of what should be met with on the way, and the number and

minuteness of which would arrest attention, was to confirm Saul's

reliance on the prophetic character of Samuel, and lead him to give

full credence to what had been revealed to him as the word of God.

Rachel's sepulchre--near Beth-lehem

(see on

Ge 35:16).

Zelzah--or Zelah, now Bet-jalah, in the neighborhood of that

town.

3. the plain--or, "the oak of Tabor," not the celebrated mount, for

that was far distant.

three men going up to God to Beth-el--apparently to offer sacrifices

there at a time when the ark and the tabernacle were not in a settled

abode, and God had not yet declared the permanent place which He should

choose. The kids were for sacrifice, the loaves for the offering, and

the wine for the libations.

5. the hill of God--probably Geba

(1Sa 13:3),

so called from a school of the prophets being established there. The

company of prophets were, doubtless, the pupils at this seminary, which

had probably been instituted by Samuel, and in which the chief branches

of education taught were a knowledge of the law, and of psalmody with

instrumental music, which is called "prophesying" (here and in

1Ch 25:1, 7).

6. the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee--literally, "rush

upon thee," suddenly endowing thee with a capacity and disposition to

act in a manner far superior to thy previous character and habits; and

instead of the simplicity, ignorance, and sheepishness of a peasant,

thou wilt display an energy, wisdom, and magnanimity worthy of a

prince.

8. thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal--This, according to

JOSEPHUS,

was to be a standing rule for the observance of Saul while the prophet

and he lived; that in every great crisis, such as a hostile incursion

on the country, he should repair to Gilgal, where he was to remain

seven days, to afford time for the tribes on both sides Jordan to

assemble, and Samuel to reach it.

9-11. when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him

another heart--Influenced by the words of Samuel, as well as by the

accomplishment of these signs, Saul's reluctance to undertake the

onerous office was overcome. The fulfilment of the two first signs

[1Sa 10:7, 8]

is passed over, but the third is specially described. The spectacle of

a man, though more fit to look after his father's cattle than to take

part in the sacred exercises of the young prophets--a man without any

previous instruction, or any known taste, entering with ardor into the

spirit, and skilfully accompanying the melodies of the sacred band, was

so extraordinary a phenomenon, that it gave rise to the proverb, "Is

Saul also among the prophets?" (see

1Sa 19:24).

The prophetic spirit had come upon him; and to Saul it was as personal

and experimental an evidence of the truth of God's word that had been

spoken to him, as converts to Christianity have in themselves from the

sanctifying power of the Gospel.

12. But who is their father?--The Septuagint reads, "Who is his

father?" referring to Saul the son of Kish.

17-25. Samuel called the people together . . . at Mizpeh--a shaft-like

hill near Hebron, five hundred feet in height. The national assemblies

of the Israelites were held there. A day having been appointed for the

election of a king, Samuel, after having charged the people with a

rejection of God's institution and a superseding of it by one of their

own, proceeded to the nomination of the new monarch. As it was of the

utmost importance that the appointment should be under the divine

direction and control, the determination was made by the miraculous

lot, tribes, families, and individuals being successively passed until

Saul was found. His concealment of himself must have been the result

either of innate modesty, or a sudden nervous excitement under the

circumstances. When dragged into view, he was seen to possess all those

corporeal advantages which a rude people desiderate in their

sovereigns; and the exhibition of which gained for the prince the

favorable opinion of Samuel also. In the midst of the national

enthusiasm, however, the prophet's deep piety and genuine patriotism

took care to explain "the manner of the kingdom," that is, the royal

rights and privileges, together with the limitations to which they were

to be subjected; and in order that the constitution might be ratified

with all due solemnity, the charter of this constitutional monarchy was

recorded and laid up "before the Lord," that is, deposited in the

custody of the priests, along with the most sacred archives of the

nation.

26. And Saul also went home to Gibeah--near Geba. This was his

place of residence (see

Jud 20:20),

about five miles north of Jerusalem.

there went . . . a band of men, whose hearts God had touched--who

feared God and regarded allegiance to their king as a conscientious

duty. They are opposed to "the children of Belial."

27. the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they

despised him, and brought him no presents--In Eastern countries, the

honor of the sovereign and the splendor of the royal household are

upheld, not by a fixed rate of taxation, but by presents brought at

certain seasons by officials, and men of wealth, from all parts of the

kingdom, according to the means of the individual, and of a customary

registered value. Such was the tribute which Saul's opponents withheld,

and for want of which he was unable to set up a kingly establishment

for a while. But "biding his time," he bore the insult with a prudence

and magnanimity which were of great use in the beginning of his

government.