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Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
Verse 1. Abiel, who is also called Ner. 1 Chronicles 8:33. Cajetan.—Strong. Hebrew “a mighty man of power,” either of body, or of riches.
He had a son whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.
Verse 2. Goodlier, better proportioned, more handsome, ( Bible.) as the daughters of men are styled good, or fair. Genesis 6:1. People seek for corporal advantages in those who command. The poets always represent their deities and heroes as taller than the rest of men. A king of Sparta was fined for marrying a little woman. Arist. Polit. iv. The Ethiopians give their highest offices to those who have the most engaging appearance. Herod. iii. 20. Calmet.—Little people may be elegant, but never majestic or perfectly beautiful. Arist. Ethic. iv. 3. Menochius.—Choice, is taken in the same sense as goodly, and does not intimate that Saul was one of the elect. Carthus.
The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, “Now take one of the servants with you, and arise, go look for the donkeys.”
Verse 3. Asses. The greatest noblemen rode upon such. Judges 5:10. A prince of Esau fed asses. Genesis 30:24. Agriculture, and keeping sheep, were the employment of men of the first eminence in the heroic ages, as hunting and other equally laborious exercises are now in fashion. Calmet.
He passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they weren’t there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they didn’t find them.
Verse 4. Salisa, the ancient Segor, ( Menochius.) or rather a place 15 miles from Diospolis. Euseb.—Salim, or Sual, not far from Galgal. Calmet. 13:17.
When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come! Let’s return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys and be anxious for us.”
Verse 5. Suph, where Ramatha, the birth-place of Samuel, was situated. Calmet. 1:1. Calmet.
The servant said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says surely happens. Now let’s go there. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
Verse 6. Famous. Chal. “honourable.” Septuagint “covered with glory.” The observations of a servant may often claim attention. Saul seemed to be less acquainted with this extraordinary personage than his servant. Bible.
Then Saul said to his servant, “But behold, if we go, what should we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our sacks, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
Verse 7. What. Were they uninformed of the disinterestedness of Samuel? or did they think that he would sell his oracles? By no means. But the manners of the ancients were very different from ours, and people chose to shew their respect for God, the king, prophets, and so forth by making them some presents. People still never go to visit one another in Syria without something of the kind, as it would be deemed uncivil or cruel to act otherwise. See 3 Kennicott. 14:1. Mic. 3:11.—Bread. They would have made a present of some. Saul received two loaves. Calmet. 10:4. See Calmet. 16:20. Hence we may form some idea of the beautiful simplicity of those ages. People were then forced to carry their own provisions, as there were no inns which supplied any. Calmet.—Present. Sportula means a little basket. Bible.—But here it is taken for a present, as meat was commonly given. Menochius.—Cyrus sent his friends geese half eaten, from his own table, for greater distinction. Xenop. Bible.—Hebrew “what have we?” Syr. “we have none of our provisions left.” Calmet.
The servant answered Saul again and said, “Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.”
Verse 8. Silver. About seven-pence English.—Stater, ( Bible.) is put instead of Hebrew “sicle.” Menochius.
A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, so 1/4 shekel would be a small coin of about 2.5 grams.
(In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come! Let’s go to the seer;” for he who is now called a prophet was before called a seer.)
Verse 9. A seer. Because of his seeing, by divine light, hidden things, and things to come, ( Ch). by inspiration. Worthington.—They had the things which they foretold so clearly in view. The Sybil cries out,
Bella, horrida bella.
Et Tiberim multo spumantem sanguine cerno. Virg.
The Egyptians had their “seers of the gods.” Manetho.—Balaam styles himself “the man seeing visions.” Numbers 24:4, 16. Some suppose that Samuel wrote this towards the close of his life, when the title of prophet was become more common, though the former was in use many years afterwards. 1 Chronicles 21:9. 2 Chronicles 16:10. Others think that this verse was added by Esdras, and so forth
Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said. Come! Let’s go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?”
Verse 11. Water, perhaps for the sacrifice. Thus Fab. Victor says, “Rhea, according to the established custom, by which young women went to draw water for the sacrifices, proceeded to the fountain in the grove of Mars.” Calmet.
They answered them and said, “He is. Behold, he is before you. Hurry now, for he has come today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.
Verse 12. A sacrifice. The law did not allow of sacrifices in any other place, but at the tabernacle, or temple, in which the ark of the covenant was kept; but Samuel, by divine dispensation, offered sacrifices in other places. For which dispensation this reason may be alleged, that the house of God in Silo, having lost the ark, was now cast off; as a figure of the reprobation of the Jews. Psal. 77:60, 67. And in Cariathiarim, where the ark was, there was neither tabernacle, nor altar. Challoner.—At least that of Moses was in the tabernacle. See Calmet. 6:21. Bible.—Samuel was just come up to the city, from a place called Naiot, where he instructed some of the prophets., Calmet. 19:19. The maids point him out to Saul; and God, at the same time, reveals to his prophet, that the person who addressed him should be king. Calmet.—The high place. Excelsum. The excelsa, or high places, so often mentioned in Scripture, were places of worship, in which were altars for sacrifice. These were sometimes employed in the service of the true God, as in the present case: but more frequently in the service of idols, and were called Excelsa, which is commonly (though perhaps not so accurately) rendered high places; not because they were always upon hills, for the very worst of all, which was that of Topheth, or Geennom, (Jeremiah 19) was in a valley; but because of the high altars, and pillars, or monuments erected there, on which were set up the idols, or images of their deities; ( Ch). so that they might be called “the high things.” Bible.—Before Solomon built the temple, from the time that the tabernacle was deprived of the honour of having the ark, people immolated on such heights, 3 Kennicott. 3:2. Menochius.—On one of these, at Ramatha, Samuel was going to offer a peace-offering, and to feast with the heads of the city, ( Calmet.) or perhaps of the nation, who were expecting the result of his consultation of the Lord, respecting their petition of a king. Bible.
As soon as you have come into the city, you will immediately find him before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards those who are invited eat. Now therefore go up; for at this time you will find him.”
Verse 13. The victim, begging the blessing, which was the office of the most honourable person at table, as he also gave thanks for all. Calmet.
They went up to the city. As they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them to go up to the high place.
Verse 14. Midst. That is, simply in the city, or entering the gate, where Samuel met them, verse 18.
Now the LORD had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying,
Verse 15. Ear, privately. Calmet.—Thus Jonathan promised to give David private information. Calmet. 20:13. Bible.
“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me.”
Verse 16. Ruler. Hebrew Nagid, “Leader.” Septuagint “Archon.” Chal. “King.” The Israelites demanded a king, to lead them, and to fight for them; and Homer (Iliad iii.) gives this idea of the chief magistrate, “a good king and stout warrior,” which Alexander so much admired.—Philistines. They had been repressed by Samuel; but they had begun to gain the ascendancy, so as not to suffer the Israelites to have a blacksmith among them, and so forth Saul gained some victories over them, and over the other enemies of his people, towards the beginning of his reign. Calmet. 13. and 14. Calmet.—To me. God threatened that he would not hear them, when they should grow weary ( Bible.) of their king. Calmet. 8:18. But he protects his people against the efforts of their foreign enemies. Menochius.—Oppression of the innocent cries to heaven for vengeance. Worthington.
When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, “Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! He will have authority over my people.”
Then Saul approached Samuel in the gateway, and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”
Verse 18. Gate. Septuagint “city.” Chal. “within the gate,” where business was transacted.
Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you are to eat with me today. In the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart.
Verse 19. Place, while Samuel retired, for a while, to his own house. He sends Saul to the assembly, ( Calmet.) where he would meet him to dine. Bible.—Heart, or desirest to know. Menochius.
As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don’t set your mind on them, for they have been found. For whom does all Israel desire? Is it not you and all your father’s house?”
Verse 20. Best. The regal power, which all desired. Hebrew “to or on whom is all the desire of Israel?” Any great felicity is called a desire, as the Messias, the spouse in the Canticle, 5:16. Ag. 2:8. Septuagint “to whom the beautiful things of Israel?”
Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?”
Verse 21. Jemini, or Benjamin, which was always one of the smallest tribes, and, since the unfortunate war, still more reduced; so that none of the other tribes could well take umbrage, or be filled with jealousy, when they saw a king selected from it.—Last. Though all were equally noble, yet some families were more numerous, possessed greater riches, or had filled the posts of honour more frequently than others. Nothing can be more charming than the modesty of Saul on this occasion. Calmet.—Happy would he have been, had he continued always to cherish the like sentiments. Bible.—He and his posterity might then have long enjoyed the regal dignity. Calmet. 13:13. Menochius.
Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the guest room, and made them sit in the best place among those who were invited, who were about thirty persons.
Verse 22. At the head. Septuagint “among the first of those … seventy men,” which number Josephus also has instead of 30. Saul’s servant was probably an Israelite, who had hired himself for a time. The first place, at the head of the table, was the most honourable. Luke 14:8. The king of Persia placed his most trusty friend at his left hand, and those of the highest dignity, in order at his right. Cyropæd. vii. and so forth Calmet.
Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it aside.’”
The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it before Saul. Samuel said, “Behold, that which has been reserved! Set it before yourself and eat; because it has been kept for you for the appointed time, for I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
Verse 24. Shoulder. It was the left, ( Menochius.) as the right shoulder belonged to the priest, and laymen were not allowed to taste of it after it had been offered in sacrifice. Leviticus 7:32. Some suppose that Samuel had this right shoulder for his portion. But he was not a priest. Calmet.—This part was assigned to the most eminent man at table; and Josephus calls it “the royal portion.” Menochius.—Hebrew “the shoulder, and what was upon it, (or he held it up) and set it (the whole quarter) before Saul.” Aquila, and so forth translate “the thigh,” left or reserved. Septuagint “laid by.” It was then the fashion to place large pieces of meat before those who were to be most honoured. Genesis 18:6. Homer, and so forth—People. Hebrew “till now it has been ket for thee, I said, I have invited the people.” He insinuates that he knew of his coming, though it seemed so accidental, even when he invited the company. Septuagint “eat, for it is placed before thee, as a memorial, by the people, cut it in pieces.” Bible.—As the shoulder supports a burden, so the king was reminded to maintain the interests of the commonwealth. Menochius.
When they had come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Saul on the housetop.
Verse 25. House, probably giving him some instructions respecting his future dignity.—As he, and so forth This seems to be a second translation of the former sentence, taken from the Septuagint It is omitted in several Latin MSS. Calmet.—Septuagint “and he went down from the Bama (perhaps “the steps” or high places, where the sacrifice and feast had been celebrated) into the city; and they made a bed for Saul, on the house top; and he lay down, (26) and when the day dawned, Samuel,” and so forth The roofs are flat in those countries, and such an airy situation would be most agreeable in such hot climates. Bible.—The common people, generally, only spread a mat on the ground, and covered themselves with a sheet; to take their rest, either under a gallery, or in the open air. Homer places his strangers, with their upon the ground under the gallery, which was erected before the house. Aristophanes (in Vespis) mentions the custom of sleeping on the house top. See 2 Kennicott. 16:22. Calmet.—Saul had not been educated with the greatest delicacy. Menochius.
They arose early; and about daybreak, Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, “Get up, that I may send you away.” Saul arose, and they both went outside, he and Samuel, together.
As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” He went ahead, then Samuel said, “But stand still first, that I may cause you to hear God’s message.”
Verse 27. Before us, and. Hebrew (“and he passed on,”) agreeably to his master’s order. Bible.