1 Samuel 9:16 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:11-17

Here, I. Saul, by an ordinary enquiry, is directed to Samuel, 1 Sam. 9:11-14. Gibeah of Saul was not twenty miles from Ramah where Samuel dwelt, and was near to Mizpeh where he often judged Israel, and yet, it seems, Saul had lived so very privately, and had taken so little notice of public affairs, that he had never seen Samuel, for when he met him (1 Sam. 9:18) he did not know him, so that there was no cause to suspect any secret compact or collusion between them in this matter. I knew him... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:16

Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin ,.... Who without any thought or design of his own, but merely directed by the providence of God, should come to him, not expecting a kingdom; at most only to hear of his father's asses, and which way he should take to find them; missing the finding of which would and did bring him thither: and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel ; the leader, ruler, and governor of them; to which high... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 9:16

Thou shalt anoint him to be captain - Not to be king, but to be נגיד nagid or captain of the Lord's host. But in ancient times no king was esteemed who was not an able warrior. Plutarch informs us that Alexander the Great esteemed the following verse the most correct, as to its sentiment, of any in the whole Iliad of Homer: - Ουτος γ ' Ατρειδης ευρυκρειων Αγαμεμνων,π Αμφοτερον βασιλευς τ ' αγαθος, κρατερος τ ' αιχμητης. "The king of kings, Atrides, you survey;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:11-17

Man's accidents God's ordinations. The facts are— 1 . On entering the city Saul inquires for the seer, and is informed that he is present for a special religious service. 2 . Following the directions given, he meets Samuel ascending to the high place. 3 . Samuel is already instructed by God to expect during the day the man whom he is to anoint as king. 4 . On seeing Saul, an intimation is given from God that he is the chosen man. In some respects this narrative of events... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:16

That he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines. Though Samuel had lightened the yoke of the Philistines by his victory at Mizpah, yet he had by no means altogether broken their power. It is so constantly the habit of the historical books of the Bible to include the distant and ultimate results of an act in their account of it, that we must not conclude that what is said in 1 Samuel 7:13-15 was the immediate consequence of Samuel's victory. Especially, when it said that "the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 9:16

That he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines, etc. - These words are not very easily reconcileable with 1 Samuel 7:13. It is possible that the aggressive movements of the Philistines, after the long cessation indicated by 1 Samuel 7:13, coupled with Samuel’s old age and consequent inability to lead them to victory as before, were among the chief causes which led to the cry for a king. If this were so the Philistine oppression glanced at in this verse might in a general survey... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 9:16

1 Samuel 9:16. To-morrow I will send thee a man, &c. This shows still that all was done by God’s direction. Out of the hand of the Philistines Though driven out of the country by Samuel, they were now ready, as appears by the following history, to invade it again; and being the constant and nearest enemies of the Israelites, they were most dreaded by them. And from these did Saul in some measure save them, and would have saved them much more, if his and the people’s sins had not... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:1-27

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

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 9:16

captain = leader. My people . Aramaean and Syriac read "the oppression". In that case the Figure of speech Ellipsis should be supplied after it, "of My People" being implied. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 9:1-16

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