1 Samuel 10:9-16

God’s enablement of Saul 10:9-16

We 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., Zane C. Hodges, "The Salvation of Saul," Grace Evangelical Society News 9:4 (July-August 1994):1, 3.] In Hebrew psychology the heart was the seat of the intellect, emotions, and will.

God’s Spirit also gave Saul the ability to prophesy (1 Samuel 10:10). This was the outward evidence that God was with Saul. It apparently involved the Holy Spirit controlling these men, and their manifesting His control by praising God (cf. 1 Samuel 19:20-24; 1 Chronicles 25:1-3). The evidence of this new gift surprised people who knew Saul, and they took note of it (1 Samuel 10:11). Some students of this passage have concluded that Saul demonstrated this gift with ecstatic behavior. [Note: E.g., Bright, p. 166.] Others have not. [Note: E.g. Leon J. Wood, "Ecstasy and Israel’s Early Prophets," Bulletin of the Evangelical Theological Society 9 (Summer 1966):125-37. See also idem, The Prophets . . ., pp. 40-56, 91-92.] I see no evidence of it in the text.

This is the first of several references to groups of prophets in the historical books (cf. 1 Samuel 19:20; 2 Kings 2:1-7; 2 Kings 2:15-18; 2 Kings 4:38-41; 2 Kings 6:1-2). Though the term "school of the prophets" does not appear in the Old Testament, the texts noted identify groups of prophets who gathered together, sometimes under the leadership of a prominent prophet (e.g., Samuel, Elijah, or Elisha), apparently to learn how to present messages from the Lord and lead the people in worship. Some of them even had buildings in which they met, including ones at Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho (2 Kings 2:1-5; 2 Kings 4:38-41; 2 Kings 6:1-2). Samuel evidently had such a "school" or group of disciples, and this group apparently also met in their own buildings (cf. 1 Samuel 19:18-19). [Note: For further discussion, see Ibid., pp. 164-66.]

The question, "Who is their father?" (1 Samuel 10:12) inquired about the source of the behavior of all the prophets including Saul. Their conduct was indeed an evidence of God’s presence and working in their lives. [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, pp. 104-5.] The proverb that evolved from this incident (cf. 1 Samuel 19:24) was derogatory. Some of the people felt that the behavior of prophets was inappropriate, especially for their king (cf. 2 Samuel 6:13-16). Ironically their question did not express doubt that Saul was a prophet but confidence that God had empowered him. Another view is that the question expressed a negative opinion such as, "Saul is no prophet." [Note: See John Sturdy, "The Original Meaning of ’Is Saul Also Among the Prophets?’ (1 Samuel X 11, 12; XIX 24)," Vetus Testamentum 20:2 (April 1970):210.]

The high place referred to in 1 Samuel 10:13 is probably the same one mentioned earlier (1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Samuel 10:10), namely, Geba. Geba was only four miles from Saul’s hometown, Gibeah (lit. hill). Saul’s uncle may have been Ner, the father of Abner (1 Samuel 14:50-51), or some other uncle. [Note: See D. R. Ap-Thomas, "Saul’s ’Uncle’," Vetus Testamentum 11 (1961):241-45.]

"These passages in 1 Samuel indicate that the writer of Samuel had no problem with high places so long as they were dedicated to Yahweh.

"In Kings, however, the attitude of the historian is clearly hostile to high places. He conceded the necessity of the people worshiping there (and by inference Solomon also) because of the lack of a temple. However, the historian was writing from a later perspective when religion had become syncretistic, and the high places were a snare to the people." [Note: Heater, p. 126.]

This section closes with another reference to Saul’s humility (1 Samuel 10:16; cf. Philippians 2:8; James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6).