CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES—
1 Samuel 9:15. “Told Samuel to his ear.” lit., had uncovered his ear. See on 1 Samuel 3:7.
1 Samuel 9:16-17. “The reason here assigned for the establishment of a monarchy is by no means at variance with the displeasure which God had expressed to Samuel at the desire of the people for a king; since this displeasure had reference to the state of heart from which the desire had sprung.” (Keil).
1 Samuel 9:17. “This same shall reign,” literally shall restrain. “This characteristises his government as a sharp and strict one.” (Erdmann).
1 Samuel 9:19. “Go up before me.” “Letting a person go in front was a sign of high esteem.” (Keil).
1 Samuel 9:20. “On whom is all the desire of Israel,” not all that Israel desires, but all that Israel possesses of what is precious or worth desiring. See Haggai 2:7 (Keil).
1 Samuel 9:21. “The smallest of the tribes,” etc. “The tribe of Benjamin, originally the smallest of all the tribes (Numbers 1), if Ephraim and Manasseh are reckoned as one tribe, had been nearly annihilated by the civil war recorded in Judges 20. It had, of course, not recovered from that calamity in the time of Samuel.” (Biblical Commentary).
1 Samuel 9:22. “He brought them into the parlour,” i.e., the apartment set apart for the most distinguished guests, the rest of the people no doubt encamped in the open air.
1 Samuel 9:24. “The shoulder.” “If it was the right shoulder, then Samuel, to whose share it fell, as performing the functions of priest (Leviticus 7:32), gave Saul of his own portion; or, if it were the left shoulder, then he admitted Saul to the next share after his own.” (Wordsworth).
1 Samuel 9:25. “Upon the top of the house.” “Not surely for privacy, as some expound it, for the house-top was the proverbial expression for publicity (Isaiah 15:3; Luke 12:3), but in order to let all the people of the city see the honour done to the stranger by the great prophet.” (Biblical Commentary).
1 Samuel 9:26. “Samuel called Saul from the top of the house,” rather to the top of the house. Saul was most likely sleeping on the roof, a common sleeping place in summer in the East, and Samuel called to him from below within the house.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— 1 Samuel 9:15-27
THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO SAUL OF THE DESTINY THAT AWAITED HIM.
I. God has respect to the freedom of the human will. Although God had decided that Saul should be king of Israel, He would not do violence to his will, and oblige him to take the office against his inclination. All the dealings of Samuel with Saul on the occasion of this their first meeting were designed to impress him with the fact that great honour and responsibility were in store for him, and to lead him to acquiesce in the will of God concerning him. He was led gradually to accept as true the startling announcement with which Samuel greeted him, that upon him and upon his father’s house was all the desire of Israel. Little by little the reality must have dawned upon him, and little by little, we may suppose, he was made willing to fall in with the Divine plan concerning him. We can well understand how far from his thoughts it was that, in seeking his father’s asses, he should find a crown, and how inclined he would be to think that the prophet was mistaken when he intimated that some great promotion was in store for him. But when he found himself in the place of honour at the table of the chief magistrate of Israel, he must have begun to think that some great change awaited him, and it is probable that any lingering doubts were banished, and all his future made plain to him in the private communion which Samuel held with him on the following morning. In all these dealings with Saul we see how God has regard to the human will, which He has made free.
II. In the reception which Samuel gave to Saul we have an instance of true humility. Hitherto Samuel had been the first man in Israel; to him had belonged, and to him had been accorded the place of highest honour, and the choicest viands on the occasions of public assembly, but now he, although an aged man, not only willingly gives way to the young man who is in some things to take his place, but is the person who informs him of his call to the throne, and is the first to do him honour. No man could have acquitted himself with such grace and dignity under such circumstances, if he had not been possessed by the spirit of true humility.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
1 Samuel 9:15; 1 Samuel 9:27. The history of Saul’s call brings before our eyes three points:
(1) What an abundant blessing there is for obedience—the call to the service of God.
(2) What a great danger lies hid in this blessing—idle self-exaltation because of this call.
(3) To what a blessed stillness the danger leads when overcome—to preparation for the calling.—Disselhoff.
1 Samuel 9:17. What an intimate communion Samuel must have held with his God! A constant familiarity seems to have existed between them.—A. Clarke.
1 Samuel 9:22. How kindly doth Samuel entertain and invite Saul! Yet it was he only that should receive wrong by the future royalty of Saul.… Wise and holy men, as they are not ambitious of their own burden, so they are not unwilling to be eased, when God pleaseth to discharge them; neither can they envy those whom God lifteth above their heads. They make an idol of honour that are troubled at their own freedom, or grudge at the promotion of others.—Bp. Hall.
The heads of the tribes accompanied Samuel to the altar, and then sat around his board. The chief of the government was godly in both alike, and he could hold the sweetest fellowship with those who were officially his inferiors in the land. He lost not the respect of the people for his piety by his conduct at table, nor did the majesty of law provoke contempt by the familiarity of judge with people.—Steel.
1 Samuel 9:26-27. Saul must wait patiently until God shall bring him out of concealment and make it manifest who he was. So should we also, if God has lent us gifts and wishes them to remain concealed with us, not be displeased at the fact that they are not recognised, but quietly wait until the Lord Himself, as it seemeth Him good, carries further the matter that He has begun.—Berlenberger Bible.