1 Samuel 10

SECTION 1. The Birth, Rise, Prophetic Ministry And Judgeship of Samuel (1-12).

This first section of the book covers the life of Samuel from his birth to the setting up of Saul as king in response to the people’s request. The first three chapters deal with the birth and spiritual growth of Samuel. This is then followed in chapter 4 by the Philistine invasion in which the Ark of YHWH of hosts is lost to Israel, something which takes place while Samuel is still a youth. That loss indicates YHWH’s demonstration of the fact that He no longer sees Himself as king over an Israel that has forsaken Him. However, He then goes on to demonstrate His authority over the gods of the Philistines by bringing disaster on them, so that His Ark is restored to Israel by the Philistines, who also pay Him generous tribute. The Ark is then placed with due honour (after a previous unfortunate incident) in the house of Abinadab where it will remain for many years. It is a recognised symbol that YHWH is still present as King over His people, and will therefore, once they turn back to Him, act on their behalf through His appointed deliverers.

This will firstly be through Samuel in this section, then through Saul before he is finally rejected, in the next section, and then through the young David in the final section, until he is outlawed and then exiled as a result of Saul’s activities. As a result of his exile there will be a lull, and the Philistines triumph. But in the second part of the book David will become the Spirit inspired king, the Philistines will be defeated, and then the Ark will be restored for public worship, having been ‘purified’ by its period spent in the house of Abinadab. The Kingship of YHWH has triumphed.

C). The Judgeship of Samuel At The End Of Which The People Seek And Are Granted A Human King (7:15-12:25).

In this subsection from 7:15-12:25 the writer describes the desire of the people for a king and the way in which that king is appointed. Such an appointment would inevitably be a tricky one in Israel, for Israel was comprised of a number of semi-independent tribes, each of which was jealous for its own position, with Judah and Ephraim, the two largest, being especially protective about their rights. And yet someone had to be found who once appointed would have the support of them all. Furthermore, on top of this, Samuel would want to ensure that whoever was appointed was YHWH’s choice.

Samuel clearly recognised the dangers and therefore waited on YHWH’s guidance, and it is the reconciling of these different problems that explains the slow process towards the appointment of the king, a process which in fact went as follows:

1). Samuel waits and prays for YHWH to indicate the right man for the position. When YHWH brings that man to him he must have been relieved to discover that the man was a Benjaminite. They were only a small tribe (which would serve to prevent tribal jealousy among the larger tribes) and were famed for their warlike ability. So he first interviews him, and then secretly anoints him with oil as YHWH’s chosen appointee. The man’s name is Saul. This satisfies Samuel that he has found the right man (1 Samuel 9:1 to 1 Samuel 10:1).

2). He subsequently arranges for Saul to prophesy among the prophets indicating both to him and to others his suitability as a man of God, and that he is acceptable YHWH. This will serve to satisfy the righteous in Israel, and the prophets themselves, who seemingly had an important part to play in the running of affairs. They too are now satisfied that this is their man (1 Samuel 10:5-13).

3). The next step is to have him accepted in the eyes of popular opinion. So Samuel arranges for the assembly of the tribes of Israel to be called together and in view of the fact that there was no precedent for choosing a king, choice is then made by sacred lot in the sight of all. As expected by Samuel the lot falls on Saul. This method of choice by sacred lot was an accepted one in Israel and was seen as revealing the mind of YHWH. We can compare its use under different circumstances in Joshua 7:16-18. In view of the fact that the choice by sacred lot was seen as publicly revealing the mind of YHWH, was carried out before their eyes, and was accepted as a standard way of making such decisions in Israel, it would be enough to satisfy the people that Saul was their man. Thus this would satisfy the common people (1 Samuel 10:17-24).

However, there was inevitably some dissension, from some ‘worthless men’ who did not see how this upstart from a small tribe could ‘save Israel’. Nevertheless the vast majority were with Saul, and preparations would begin for having him officially enthroned and acclaimed in accordance with practise elsewhere.

4). Meanwhile an Ammonite invasion across the Jordan in Transjordan provides an opportunity for Saul to prove his suitability by gaining a victory over the invading Ammonites. This quells the dissension and makes him acceptable to all (1 Samuel 11:1-13).

5). Having been fully established as the right candidate Saul is then acclaimed as king at Gilgal before YHWH (1 Samuel 11:14-15).

6). Samuel resigns his judgeship and YHWH expresses His anger at the people’s decision with a storm at harvest time (1 Samuel 12:1-25).

By these means the acceptability of Saul as king was established, both among the prophets and throughout all the tribes. This would ensure that there would only be minimal dissension in the future, because Saul was now seen as ‘YHWH’s anointed’. All recognised that Samuel had selected him, that YHWH was pleased with him, that the lot had confirmed his acceptability to God, that he had proved himself a suitable war-leader (a most necessary qualification in those days), and that he had been finally and officially crowned and acclaimed.

The whole subsection may be analysed as follows:

a Samuel judges Israel faithfully and well (1 Samuel 7:15-17).

b Samuel’s sons prove unworthy and the people call for a King (1 Samuel 8:1-6).

c The manner of the King that they will receive (1 Samuel 8:7-22).

d Saul is brought to Samuel by God and is revealed and greeted by him as the new king (1 Samuel 9:1-21).

e Saul is feasted and then secretly anointed, and learns that the asses have been found (1 Samuel 9:22 to 1 Samuel 10:2).

f The signs of Saul’s acceptance and his coming enduing with the Spirit of YHWH (1 Samuel 10:3-7).

g Saul is to go to Gilgal and wait seven days for Samuel to come in order to offer offerings and sacrifices and to show him what he is to do (1 Samuel 10:8).

f The promised signs are fulfilled and the Spirit of YHWH comes on Saul (1 Samuel 10:9-13).

e Saul returns to his uncle and informs him that Samuel had told him that the asses had been found, but maintains the secret of the kingship (10:14-16).

d Saul is brought before the people, revealed as their king by lot and greeted by them as the king (1 Samuel 10:17-24).

c Samuel records ‘the manner of the kingship’ and writes it in a book (1 Samuel 10:25-27).

b YHWH delivers His people from the Ammonites through Saul and the kingship is finally confirmed at Gilgal (1 Samuel 11:1-15).

a Samuel hands back the judgeship to the people and charges the people to be faithful to YHWH (1 Samuel 12:1-25).

Samuel Secretly Anoints Saul With Oil And As A Result Of Three Signs And The Coming Of The Spirit Of YHWH On Him Saul Becomes A New Man, But Keeps What It All Means In His Heart (1 Samuel 9:27 to 1 Samuel 10:16 ).

On being anointed by Samuel and leaving him Saul is given three signs which will reveal the truth of what Samuel has done, the first that he will learn that the asses have been found, the second that he and his servant will be provided with bread by pilgrims, and the third that he will meet a company of prophets, and that when he does so the Spirit of YHWH will come on him. But when he arrives home he keeps his anointing secret.

At the same time Samuel gives him clear instructions as to how in the future he is to know the mind of God. It will be by going to Gilgal and waiting there seven days before YHWH, until Samuel comes to him and offers up burnt offerings and sacrifices, at which point he will receive the mind of YHWH and learn what he has to do (1 Samuel 10:8). The purpose of this was clearly in order that Saul might constantly remember that his future success must wholly depend on YHWH.

Analysis.

a As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but you stand still first, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.” Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, “Is it not that YHWH has anointed you to be war-leader over his inheritance?” (1 Samuel 9:27 to 1 Samuel 10:1).

b “When you have departed from me today, then you will come across two men by Rachel’s sepulchre, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, ‘The asses which you went to look for are found, and, lo, your father has ceased caring for the asses, and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do for my son?” ’

c “Then shall you go on forward from there, and you will come to the oak of Tabor, and there will meet you there three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine, and they will salute you, and give you two loaves of bread, which you will receive from their hand” (1 Samuel 10:3-4).

d After that you will come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is, and it will come about that when you are come there, to the city, that you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, before them, and they will be prophesying” (1 Samuel 10:5).

e “And the Spirit of YHWH will come mightily on you, and you will prophesy with them, and will be turned into another man” (1 Samuel 10:6)

f “And let it be, when these signs are come to you, that you do as occasion shall serve you, for God is with.” (1 Samuel 10:7).

g “And you shall go down before me to Gilgal, and, behold, I will come down unto you, to offer burnt-offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings. Seven days shall you tarry, till I come to you, and show you what you will do” (1 Samuel 10:8)

f And it was so, that, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart, and all those signs came about that day (1 Samuel 10:9).

e And when they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them (1 Samuel 10:10).

d And it came about that, when all who knew him previously saw that, “behold, he prophesies with the prophets”, then the people said one to another, “What is this that is come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” ’And one of the same place answered and said, “And who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” (1 Samuel 10:11-12).

c And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place (1 Samuel 10:13).

b And Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To look for the asses, and when we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel.” And Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, I pray you, what Samuel said to you.” And Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the asses were found” (1 Samuel 10:14-16 a).

a But concerning the matter of the kingship, of which Samuel spoke, he did not tell him (1 Samuel 10:16 b).

Note that in ‘a’ Saul is secretly anointed as ‘war-leader’ over YHWH’s inheritance and in the parallel he says nothing about the kingship. In ‘b’ he will learn that the asses were found, and in the parallel Samuel had told him that the asses were found. In ‘c’ he meet pilgrims going to a high place and partakes of their food, and in the parallel he himself comes to a high place. In ‘d’ they are to meet a band of prophets who will be prophesying, and in the parallel all know that Saul has been prophesying among the prophets. In ‘e’ it is promised that the Spirit of YHWH will come mightily on him, and in the parallel the Spirit of YHWH comes mightily on him. In ‘f’ these signs are to come to him, and in the parallel the signs have come to him. Centrally in ‘g’ he is given the key to his future understanding of the mind of YHWH.