Sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel; wisely considering, that the sight of men's eyes do much more affect their hearts than what they only hear with their ears. He joins Samuel with himself, both because he was present with him, as appears from 1 Samuel 11:12, and that hereby he might gain the more authority to his command, and strike the greater terror into all despisers of it. The fear of the Lord; either,
1. A great fear; great things being oft thus expressed; as cedars of God, mountains of God, &c. Or,
2. A fear sent upon them by God, as Genesis 35:5, that they should not dare to deny their help.