1 Samuel 10:13. When he had made an end of prophesying Herein he differed from the prophets who met him, in that he prophesied but for a short time, this not being his office. And when he had done he went up to the high place from which they came down, they probably returning with him, to praise God for these wonderful favours, and to beg counsel and help from him in this high business. read more
1 Samuel 10:16. He told him not In obedience to Samuel, who enjoined him to keep it secret, and from an humble modesty. read more
Samuel’s prediction about Saul (9:1-10:16)Saul, who became Israel’s first king, originally had no desire for political power and little interest in the spiritual ministry of Samuel. As the son of a wealthy landowner, he was more concerned about the loss of his father’s donkeys, and the worry he might cause his father by being away so long in search of them (9:1-5). This concern led him to seek help from Samuel. He thought that Samuel, with his ability to see visions and make predictions, could... read more
SAUL KEEPS THE ANOINTING A SECRET"Saul's uncle said to him and to his servant, "Where did you go"? And he said, "To seek the asses; and when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel." And Saul's uncle said, "Pray tell me what Samuel said to you." And Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the asses had been found." But about the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him anything."The manner in which the name of Samuel is mentioned so casually in... read more
2. The anointing of Saul 9:1-10:16In chapters 9-11 the writer painted Saul as the ideal man to serve as king from the human viewpoint. This pericope (1 Samuel 9:1 to 1 Samuel 10:16) sets forth his personal conduct. [Note: See the series of three articles on Saul by W. Lee Humphries listed in the bibliography of these notes. Especially helpful is, "The Tragedy of King Saul: A Study of the Structure of 1 Samuel 9-31."] read more
God’s enablement of Saul 10:9-16We should probably not interpret the reference to God changing Saul’s heart (1 Samuel 10:9) to mean that at this time Saul experienced personal salvation. This always takes place when a person believes God’s promise, and there is no indication in the context that Saul did that at this time. Probably it means that God gave him a different viewpoint on things since he had received the Holy Spirit. Some interpreters have taken this as Saul’s conversion. [Note: E.g.,... read more
Saul is anointed King by Samuel1. LXX is probably right in reading at the end Of this v. ’and this is the sign that the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain’ (RV ’prince’) ’over his inheritance.’ 2. Rachel’s tomb] was not far from Bethlehem (Genesis 35:19-20).3. Plain] RV ’oak.’5. The hill of God] The word is really ’Gibeah,’ which was Saul’s own home. It is here called ’God’s Gibeah’ because Samuel had established a school of the prophets there. Cp. the common term for a prophet, ’man of God’... read more
(13) He came to the high place.—After he had spent his fervour in the hymn, and probably ecstatic prayer, Saul, before he went to his home, we read, betook himself at once to the high place of Gibeah, whence the sons of the prophets had just come down when he met them on the hill-side. He went there, no doubt, because, conscious of the change that had passed over him, and aware of his new powers, he felt a desire for solitary communing in the quiet of a holy sanctuary with God, who had come so... read more
(14) Saul’s uncle.—Most probably, this uncle was the subsequently famous Abner—so Ewald, Josephus, and others. Kish, the father of Saul, a quiet, plain man, evidently was quite content that his beasts were found, and that his son had returned in safety and so asks no curious questions about his son’s journey. Not so Abner, who was a restless, ambitious man, and who, very probably, had heard something already from the servant who accompanied Saul (traditionally supposed to have been Doeg) of the... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 10:14
From the order of the narrative, and the mention of Saul’s servant, it looks as if Saul found his uncle at the high place. Perhaps some solemnity similar to that mentioned in 1 Samuel 9:19 was going on at this time, in which the prophets had been taking part. read more