(13) He doth bless the sacrifice.—It has been well remarked that we have here, in this note of the people’s conduct at the sacrificial banquet of “Raman of the Watchers,” a very early instance of the devout practice among the Hebrews of asking a blessing on meals. read more
The Choice Young Man 1 Samuel 9:0 This was Saul the son of Kish. This description was given of the Benjamite early in life, and as a young man he was in some respects at least most exemplary. It is a mistake to think of Saul as throughout an objectionable and wicked character. His later life was most unsatisfactory; but as we have him here, the son of Kish is not without many admirable traits. I. The first thing to notice about young Saul is his fine physique. As he is introduced to us, the... read more
CHAPTER XI.SAUL BROUGHT TO SAMUEL.1 Samuel 9:1-14.GOD’S providence is a wonderful scheme; a web of many threads, woven with marvelous skill; a network composed of all kinds of materials, great and small, but so arranged that the very smallest of them is as essential as the largest to the completeness of the fabric. One would suppose that many of the dramas of the Old Testament were planned on very purpose to show how intimately things secular and things sacred, as we call them, are connected... read more
2. The Story of Saul and His Anointing CHAPTERS 9:1-10:16 1. Saul the son of Kish and the lost asses (1 Samuel 9:1-10 ) 2. Samuel and Saul (1 Samuel 9:11-24 ) 3. Saul anointed King (1 Samuel 9:25-27 ; 1 Samuel 10:1-16 ) And now the Lord gives them a king according to their choice. “He should possess all the natural attractions and martial qualities which the people could desire in their king; he should reflect their religious standpoint at their best; but he should also represent their... read more
9:13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth {h} bless the sacrifice; [and] afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.(h) That is, give thanks and distribute the meat according to their custom. read more
The word of God now transfers out attention to a man of Benjamin whose genealogy is given us for four generations, and he a mighty man of power. From men's point of view everything was favorable as regards the background of Saul, the son of Kish. More than this, he himself was a physically striking young man, outstanding above everyone else, head and shoulders taller than the average person. The honor of being from Benjamin too, "the son of my right hand," was a matter in which man in the... read more
SEEKING ASSES AND FINDING A KINGDOM The drama in this chapter and the next disposes itself into five scenes: We have first the country lad seeking his father’s asses (1 Samuel 9:3-5 ). Like the cattle on our western plains they were allowed to roam at will during the grazing season and were brought home at its close. Secondly, there is the meeting with the prophet (1 Samuel 9:6-21 ). That he should have been consulted on so trifling a matter, and that it should have been thought proper to... read more
Saul 1Sa 9:3 THE threads of daily life often appear to be either loose and unrelated or hopelessly entangled. At times we seem to have nothing to do with each other. We go on our separate ways. It is only now and then that we find lines touch each other, and form figures, and see that under the apparent simplicity of daily affairs there are being wrought out strange plots, romances which no human dreamer had ever conceived, and combinations which give life new interest and enhanced... read more
(10) Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was. (11) ¶ And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? (12) And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came today to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people today in the high place: (13) As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway... read more
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John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 9:1-27
Saul and Samuel meetFor the picture of Samuel in this c, as a person of local rather than national importance, cp. Intro. § 6. On early prophecy, see Intro. § 4.1 Samuel 9:1 to 1 Samuel 10:16 comes from a different source from 1 Samuel 8 : see intro. there. The author of this section gives no hint that the choice of a king was displeasing to God. But we meet with the views of 1 Samuel 8 again when we come to 1 Samuel 10:17.1. Power] RV ’valour.’ 4, 5. The districts of Shalisha, Shalim, and Zuph... read more