1 Samuel 10:1-27 - Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

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Bible Comments

1 Samuel 10:1. Captain. This refers to his command, as a fighting captain. The title of king was superior to that of nag id, or captain.

1 Samuel 10:3. To Bethel. The people would, and did worship at this hallowed altar, where God had spoken to Jacob their father. Genesis 28.

1 Samuel 10:5. A company of prophets, called in other places, the sons of the prophets. They were returning from a sacrifice at the hill, where the ark was placed, and gladdened the road with music and sacred songs. Samuel, no doubt, encouraged those schools, which were superintended by some inspired man. Ministers should all be trained and learned for their Master's work. An illiterate man must labour under the greatest difficulties, in the exercise of his ministry. Psaltery, that is, a harp of a smaller kind.

1 Samuel 10:12. But who is their father? All the copies of the Septuagint read, “But who is his father? Is it not Kish?”

1 Samuel 10:21. And Saul was taken. They proceeded as in the case of Achan, Joshua 7:14; where the Vulgate reads lot. Others think the oracle was by voice.

REFLECTIONS.

Saul entered on the high duties of a king, though in afflictive times, under the highest auspices that could possibly attend a favourite of heaven. He was designated by revelation, and anointed as Moses anointed Aaron. So also the holy prophets were sometimes anointed. 2 Kings 19:16. From the moment that this oil came on a man's head, whether prophet, priest, or king, their persons were sacred as the Lord's anointed.

God realized the exterior anointing in the gifts of grace. When Saul saw the young prophets, and heard them sing, he caught the spirit. His heart was renovated by gratitude, devotion, and love. He was endowed with talents for the administration of justice, and with an elevation of soul becoming the dignity of the throne. His faith was confirmed; for he received the loaves, and met this messenger of his father as Samuel had foretold. Hence we learn the duty of praying for the king; for his ministers, and for magistrates; as no man can adequately fill those high stations without the aid and direction of heaven.

Samuel, faithful to his God, even in a duty to which his feelings were disinclined, and faithful as the tutor of Saul, proceeded to convene the people in Mizpeh. Obedience in these circumstances, marks the integrity of the soul, and confers on virtue the purest lustre.

The divine lot corresponded with the secret revelation. Look on the eager faces of the tribes, when the twelve lots or tickets were cast into the urn or lap; for precedence had long been a subject of contention among them: and behold, Benjamin the youngest, Benjamin the weakest was taken. Now let Reuben the eldest, Judah the strongest, and Ephraim the haughtiest, hold their peace. Presently Saul was taken by name; and when they wished to contemplate the person of their king, no Saul could be found. The harmony however of all these circumstances demonstrates that God was never defective in extending his promised care over his people.

What shall Israel now do to find their king? Nobody knew where he was. Confident of his election, from the accomplishment of the three tokens Samuel had given him a week before, he was hid among the stuff: nor could even Samuel say where he was without a revelation. Surely God had given him a spirit of meekness, modesty, and abasement. Conscious of his weakness, and trembling at the greatness of the duty, he shunned the public eye, and all the plaudits of the crowd. So it used to be with the primitive bishops. The trembling presbyter was sometimes dragged from his closet to be inaugurated into the sacred office. But modesty of this kind seems scarcely to have reached beyond the ages of Greece and Rome. Our numerous candidates for civil and religious preferment, conscious of their own superior merits, never blush to obtrude themselves in newspapers on the notice of the public. What times: what manners!

Saul's modesty was productive of the greatest good to his cause. A choice band of men followed him, surrounding his person as guards, from the purest principles of loyalty and affection. The monarch who reigns in the hearts of good men, and who is revered as the father of his people, finds in that attachment the surest supports of his throne.

The elevations of rank and honour are invariably counterpoised by afflictions. No sooner had the multitude saluted the Lord's anointed, than the sons of Belial despised his humble birth, and want of military skill. So it is, that greatness is peculiarly exposed to calamities, as high towers and lofty mountains are most exposed to the anger and fury of the tempest. This should be a gratifying consideration to the poor, and make every man thankful for the peaceful retreat of a cottage, and the purer happiness of private life.

Related Commentaries of 1 Samuel 10:1

1 Samuel 10:1-27

1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

2 When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the carea of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

4 And they will saluteb thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.

5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:

6 And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.

8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.

9 And it was so, that when he had turned his backc to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said oned to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

12 And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

14 And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.

15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.

16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

17 And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;

18 And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:

19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.

20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.

22 Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.

23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.

25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

27 But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.