1 Samuel 9:1-10 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:1-2

We are here told, 1. What a good family Saul was of, 1 Sam. 9:1. He was of the tribe of Benjamin; so was the New-Testament Saul, who also was called Paul, and he mentions it as his honour, for Benjamin was a favourite, Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5. That tribe had been reduced to a very small number by the fatal war with Gibeah, and much ado there was to provide wives for those 600 men that were the poor remains of it out of that diminished tribe, which is here called, with good reason, the smallest of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:3-10

Here is, I. A great man rising from small beginnings. It does not appear that Saul had any preferment at all, or was in any post of honour or trust, till he was chosen king of Israel. Most that are advanced rise gradually, but Saul, from the level with his neighbours, stepped at once into the throne, according to that of Hannah, He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, to set them among princes, 1 Sam. 2:8. Saul, it should seem, though he was himself married and had children grown up, yet lived... read more

John Gill

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

Now there was a man of Benjamin ,.... Of the tribe of Benjamin, which had its name from the youngest son of Jacob, and one of this tribe was the first king of Israel: whose name was Kish : whom the apostle calls Cis, Acts 13:21 , and Josephus F9 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 4. sect. 1. Cises; his name, according to Hillerus F11 Onomastic. Sacr. p. 405. , signifies "ensnared"; for what reason it was given him is not certain: the son of Abiel ; in 1 Chronicles 8:33 , he is called... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:2

And he had a son whose name was Saul ,.... Of this name was the great apostle of the Gentiles before his conversion, and was of the same tribe also; but very different in stature; he was a little man, this a large tall man, like his father perhaps: a choice young man, and a goodly ; 1 Samuel 2:1 of a goodly aspect, a comely man, tall and well shaped, in the prime of his age, a very agreeable person, one among a thousand: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:3

And the asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost ,.... Had got out of the stables or fields, in which they were kept, and strayed from thence: and Kish said to Saul his son, take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses ; he chose not to send his servants only, who might not be so careful and diligent in searching for them, but his son, and not him alone, but a servant with him to wait upon him, and assist him. And it was quite agreeable to the simplicity of those... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:4

And they passed through Mount Ephraim ,.... The mountainous part of that tribe, which lay contiguous to the tribe of Benjamin, where it might be supposed the asses had strayed to: and passed through the land of Shalisha ; a tract in the tribe of Benjamin, so called from some illustrious person, prince, and duke of it; in it very probably was the place called Baalshalisha; 2 Kings 4:42 and which perhaps is the same Jerom calls F24 De loc. Heb. fol. 89. K. Bethshalisha; and says... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:5

And when they were come to the land of Zuph ,.... In which was Ramathaimzophim, the native place of Samuel, 1 Samuel 1:1 and so the Targum here,"the land in which was the prophet" Saul said to the servant that was with him, come, and let us return ; home, despairing of finding the asses after so long a search in divers places: lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us ; fearing some evil should have befallen his son and his servant, in comparison of whom,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:6

And he said unto him ,.... That is, the servant of Saul: behold, now, there is in this city a man of God ; a prophet of the Lord, as the Targum; such were called men of God, because not only partakers of the grace of God, but of extraordinary gifts, which qualified them for the office of prophets. The city near to which they now were was Ramah, the place where Samuel lived, and he is the man of God here meant: and he is an honourable man ; of great esteem among men for his wisdom and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:7

Then Saul said to his servant, but behold, if we go ,.... The Targum is,"if he receives money,'which it seems Saul was not clear in; some sort of persons that set up for prophets, and a sort of diviners and fortune tellers, did; but he could not tell whether so eminent and honourable a person as Samuel was, did; in as much he was not better known by him, who had been so many years a judge in Israel: what shall we bring the man ? it being usual, when persons addressed great men for a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:8

And the servant answered Saul again, and said ,.... As he had answered him before, when Saul proposed to return home, by telling him there was an honourable man of God in the city near at hand, that might possibly be able to direct them which way they should go to find the asses: so he answers him again with respect to the present it was proper to carry with them, and what he had in his hands to make: behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver : a "zuze" of silver,... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:1-2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:3-10

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 9:8

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