That I may shew thee the word of God. — The wonderment of Saul at the strange honour and distinction shown to him, a comparatively unknown Benjamite, by the famous prophet-judge, was, no doubt, increased by this proposal of Samuel to accompany him a little way on his journey homeward. The meaning of all that had happened to him on the day before was, however, now to be revealed: the gracious welcome as a distinguished guest evidently looked for, the courteous hospitality in the judge’s house; and, more than all, the long private instructions Samuel had given him in the evening on the state of Israel. The prophet now directs that the servant should be sent on alone, that he might in all solemn confidence impart to Saul “the word of God,” that is, all that the God of Israel had revealed to him, the seer, concerning Saul’s appointment.
It would have been interesting to have learned something of Saul’s state of mind when this startling revelation of the choice of God was first made to him.
The writer here is silent, but in the next chapter (1 Samuel 9:6) we read that the Spirit of the Lord was specially promised to this chosen one. When new duties are imposed by God, He never forgets to bestow the gift of new powers.