1 Samuel 10:5 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

To the hill of God; a hill near Geba, or Gibeah of Benjamin, where a garrison of Philistines was, 1 Samuel 13:3, called here the hill of God, because it was a place devoted to the service of God; either for sacrifice, this being a high place, as it here follows; or for a school or college of prophets. To the city, adjoining to that hill. A company of prophets: by prophets here, and in such-like places, he understands persons that did wholly devote themselves to religious studies and exercises, such as preaching, praying, praising of God, &c. For the term of prophesying is not only given to the most eminent act of it, viz. foretelling things to come; but also to preaching, as Romans 12:6 1 Corinthians 14:31,32 1 Thessalonians 5:20, and to the making or singing of psalms or songs of praise to God, as 1 Chronicles 25:1-3. And they that wholly attended upon these things are oft called sons of the prophets, which were commonly combined into companies or colleges, as 2 Kings 2:3,5, that they might more conveniently edify and assist one another in God's work; which institution God was pleased so far to honour and bless, that sometimes he communicated unto those persons the knowledge of future things, as 2 Kings 2:3,5. From the high place; where either their habitation was, or they had now been offering sacrifice. And although they used to perform this following exercise, either in their college, or in the place of their sacrifices; yet now they did it in the descent of the hill, which probably was beside their custom, and therefore more proper for a sign to Saul of a more than ordinary hand of God towards him. A psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; such instruments of music being then used by prophets and other persons, for the exhilaration and excitation of their spirits in God's service. See 2 Kings 3:15. They shall prophesy; either sing God's praises, or speak of the things of God.