Had told Samuel in his ear. — Literally, had uncovered the ear of Samuel. The image is taken from the action of pushing aside the head-dress, in order the more conveniently to whisper some words to the ear. This is one of the few more direct intimations in the sacred records of one of the ways in which the Spirit of God communicated Divine thoughts to the human spirit. Here the Eternal Spirit is represented as whispering in the ear of man. “The true spirit of Jahveh (Jehovah), full of compassion, had already on the preceding day whispered to Samuel that for the deliverance of Janveh’s people... a Benjamite must be anointed king.” — Ewald.
1 Samuel 9:15
15 Now the LORD had toldh Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,