About 1 Samuel

1 Samuel records the transition from judges to monarchy, including Samuel's ministry, Saul's rise and fall, and David's anointing.

Author: Samuel, Nathan, GadWritten: c. 1050-900 BCReading time: ~3 minVerses: 27
TransitionKingshipObedienceRejectionGod's SovereigntyHeart

King James Version

1 Samuel 10

27 verses with commentary

Saul Anointed King

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?

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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?</strong><br><br>The Hebrew word for 'vial' (pak) denotes a small flask, distinguishing this private anointing from the later public ceremony. The term 'anointed' (mashach) carries profound theological weight, as it designat...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(1) **Then-Samuel took a vial of oil.**—The vial was a narrow-necked vessel, from which the oil flowed in drops. It was, of course, no common oil which the prophet used on this momentous occasion, but the oil of holy ointment, the sacred anointing oil which was used at the consecration of the priests, and also of the Tabernacle and the sacred vessels. (See Exodus 29:7; Exodus 30:23-33, &c.) The so...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 3 Ru 3:1-13. By Naomi's Instructions, Ruth Lies at Boaz's Feet, Who Acknowledges the Duty of a Kinsman. **2. he winnoweth barley to-night in the threshing-floor--**The winnowing process is performed by throwing up the grain, after being trodden down, against the wind with a shovel. The threshing-floor, which was commonly on the harvest-field, was carefully leveled with a large cylindric r...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 10 Chapter Outline Samuel anoints Saul.(1-8) Saul prophesies.(9-16) Saul chosen king.(17-27) **Verses 1-8** The sacred anointing, then used, pointed at the great Messiah, or Anointed One, the King of the church, and High Priest of our profession, who was anointed with the oil of the Spirit, not by measure, but without measure, and above all the priests and princes of ...
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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 care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? care: Heb. business

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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 care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?</strong><br><br>Samuel provides the first of three confirming signs to valid...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(2) **When thou art departed from me to day, then . . .**—Here follows Samuel’s careful description of the three signs which should meet the future king as he went from Ramah to his father’s home in Benjamin. Each of these tokens, which were to strengthen the young Saul’s faith, contained a solemn lesson, the deep meaning of which, as his life went on, the future sovereign would be able to ponder ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 10 Chapter Outline Samuel anoints Saul.(1-8) Saul prophesies.(9-16) Saul chosen king.(17-27) **Verses 1-8** The sacred anointing, then used, pointed at the great Messiah, or Anointed One, the King of the church, and High Priest of our profession, who was anointed with the oil of the Spirit, not by measure, but without measure, and above all the priests and princes of ...
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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:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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 Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:</strong><br><br>The second sign involves an encounter with pilgrims traveling to Bethel for worship. The Hebrew 'elon' (translated 'pl...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(3) **Thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor.**—The accurate translation of the Hebrew is “to the terebinth or oak of Tabor.” There was evidently a history, now lost, connected with the “terebinth of Tabor.” Ewald suggests that “Tabor” is a different form for Deborah, and that this historic tree was the oak beneath which Deborah, the nurse of Rachel, was buried (Genesis 35:8). **Going up to God to ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**4. go in, and uncover his feet and lay thee down--**Singular as these directions may appear to us, there was no impropriety in them, according to the simplicity of rural manners in Beth-lehem. In ordinary circumstances these would have seemed indecorous to the world; but in the case of Ruth, it was a method, doubtless conformable to prevailing usage, of reminding Boaz of the duty which devolved ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 10 Chapter Outline Samuel anoints Saul.(1-8) Saul prophesies.(9-16) Saul chosen king.(17-27) **Verses 1-8** The sacred anointing, then used, pointed at the great Messiah, or Anointed One, the King of the church, and High Priest of our profession, who was anointed with the oil of the Spirit, not by measure, but without measure, and above all the priests and princes of ...
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And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands. salute: Heb. ask thee of peace

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.</strong><br><br>The pilgrims' spontaneous gift to Saul carries multiple layers of significance. The Hebrew 'sha'al leshalom' (salute) literally means 'ask concerning your peace/welfare,' a formal greeting recognizing dignity. Their offering of two loaves from their three demonstrates gene...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 10 Chapter Outline Samuel anoints Saul.(1-8) Saul prophesies.(9-16) Saul chosen king.(17-27) **Verses 1-8** The sacred anointing, then used, pointed at the great Messiah, or Anointed One, the King of the church, and High Priest of our profession, who was anointed with the oil of the Spirit, not by measure, but without measure, and above all the priests and princes of ...
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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:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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:</strong><br><br>The third sign occurs at Gibeah (gib'at ha'elohim, '...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(5) **After that thou shalt come to the hill of God.**—These words should be rendered to the *Gibeah of God. *The writer here is alluding to Saul’s own city, afterwards known as “Gibeah of Saul.” The name of Gibeah, or Hill of God, was given to it on account of a well-known high place or sacrificial height in or hard by the town. We know that this sacred place was chosen by Samuel as the site of o...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 10 Chapter Outline Samuel anoints Saul.(1-8) Saul prophesies.(9-16) Saul chosen king.(17-27) **Verses 1-8** The sacred anointing, then used, pointed at the great Messiah, or Anointed One, the King of the church, and High Priest of our profession, who was anointed with the oil of the Spirit, not by measure, but without measure, and above all the priests and princes of ...
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And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.</strong><br><br>This verse marks a pivotal moment in redemptive history as Samuel predicts the Spirit's empowerment of Israel's first king. The Hebrew 'tsalach' (come upon) implies a rushing or overwhelming force, the same word used of Samson (Judges 14:6, 19; 15:14). Un...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 10 Chapter Outline Samuel anoints Saul.(1-8) Saul prophesies.(9-16) Saul chosen king.(17-27) **Verses 1-8** The sacred anointing, then used, pointed at the great Messiah, or Anointed One, the King of the church, and High Priest of our profession, who was anointed with the oil of the Spirit, not by measure, but without measure, and above all the priests and princes of ...
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And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee. And: Heb. And it shall come to pass, that when these signs, etc that: Heb. do for thee as thine hand shall find

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.</strong><br><br>Samuel's instruction 'do as occasion serve thee' translates the Hebrew 'aseh leka asher timtsa yadeka' - literally, 'do for yourself what your hand finds.' This grants Saul significant freedom to act according to circumstances as they arise. The foundation for such...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(7) **When these signs are come unto thee.**—When these varied circumstances have happened to thee, *then *be sure that the splendid and glorious life which I have foretold as thy lot will assuredly lie before thee in the immediate future. I will give thee no imperious directions by which thou art to shape thy course. Go bravely on; do well and truly whatever thy hand findeth to do, being confiden...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 10 Chapter Outline Samuel anoints Saul.(1-8) Saul prophesies.(9-16) Saul chosen king.(17-27) **Verses 1-8** The sacred anointing, then used, pointed at the great Messiah, or Anointed One, the King of the church, and High Priest of our profession, who was anointed with the oil of the Spirit, not by measure, but without measure, and above all the priests and princes of ...
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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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>This verse establishes the critical test that Saul would later fail catastrophically (1 Samuel 13). The command is precise: go to Gil...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(8) **And shew thee what thou shalt do.**—Considerable doubt exists among expositors as to the exact meaning and reference of these words of Samuel. In 1 Samuel 13., 1Samuel 10:8 and following, a well-known and most important event in Saul’s life and reign is related, in which the circumstances strangely fit in with the words of the warning of Samuel. Only between this first meeting of the seer an...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**9. I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman--**She had already drawn part of the mantle over her; and she asked him now to do it, that the act might become his own. To spread a skirt over one is, in the East, a symbolical action denoting protection. To this day in many parts of the East, to say of anyone that he put his skirt over a wo...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 10 Chapter Outline Samuel anoints Saul.(1-8) Saul prophesies.(9-16) Saul chosen king.(17-27) **Verses 1-8** The sacred anointing, then used, pointed at the great Messiah, or Anointed One, the King of the church, and High Priest of our profession, who was anointed with the oil of the Spirit, not by measure, but without measure, and above all the priests and princes of ...
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And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day. back: Heb. shoulder gave: Heb. turned

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.</strong><br><br>The Hebrew 'haphak lev acher' (gave him another heart) indicates a genuine divine work of transformation. The verb 'haphak' means to turn, overturn, or transform completely. This is not merely outward change but internal renewal enabling ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-16** The signs Samuel had given Saul, came to pass punctually; he found that God had given him another heart, another disposition of mind. Yet let not an outward show of devotion, and a sudden change for the present, be too much relied on; Saul among the prophets was Saul still. His being anointed was kept private. He leaves it to God to carry on his own work by Samuel, and sits sti...
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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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>The third sign's fulfillment marks Saul's public spiritual authentication. The Hebrew 'ruach elohim' (Spirit of God) explicitly identifies the source of his prophetic experience. The term 'prophesied' (yitnabbei') in the hithpael ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(10) **To the hill.**—“To the hill:” more accurately rendered, *to Gibeah. *This was the home of Saul; the estate of the house of Kish lay evidently in the immediate vicinity of Gibeah, henceforward to be known as Saul’s royal city, “Gibeah of Saul.” “As he walked, the Spirit of God came upon him,” we read. The coming of the Spirit of God upon him may be looked on as the sequel of that Divine gift...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-16** The signs Samuel had given Saul, came to pass punctually; he found that God had given him another heart, another disposition of mind. Yet let not an outward show of devotion, and a sudden change for the present, be too much relied on; Saul among the prophets was Saul still. His being anointed was kept private. He leaves it to God to carry on his own work by Samuel, and sits sti...
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And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? one: Heb. a man to his neighbour

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?</strong><br><br>The neighbors' astonishment reveals their perception of Saul before his transformation. The question 'What is this that is come unto' (mah-zeh hayah le...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(11) **What is this?**—The natural expression of extreme surprise at the sudden change which had come over one so well known at Gibeah as Saul evidently was, shows us that this was *his home. *The words, “What is this that is come unto the son of Kish?” seem to tell us that the life hitherto led by Saul was a life very different in all respects to the life led by the sons of the prophets in their ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-16** The signs Samuel had given Saul, came to pass punctually; he found that God had given him another heart, another disposition of mind. Yet let not an outward show of devotion, and a sudden change for the present, be too much relied on; Saul among the prophets was Saul still. His being anointed was kept private. He leaves it to God to carry on his own work by Samuel, and sits sti...
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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? of: Heb. from thence

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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?</strong><br><br>This enigmatic response 'who is their father?' has generated much scholarly discussion. The question likely redirects attention from Saul's natural parentage to his spiritual calling. Just as the prophets' authority came not from physical des...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(12) **Who is their father?**—As an instance of the extreme surprise with which the association of Saul with the sons of the prophets was witnessed by the inhabitants of Gibeah—an association apparently very foreign to his old habits and to the manner of life of his family—a short dialogue between two of the citizens of Gibeah is here related: a conversation important, owing to the words uttered b...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-16** The signs Samuel had given Saul, came to pass punctually; he found that God had given him another heart, another disposition of mind. Yet let not an outward show of devotion, and a sudden change for the present, be too much relied on; Saul among the prophets was Saul still. His being anointed was kept private. He leaves it to God to carry on his own work by Samuel, and sits sti...
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And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.</strong><br><br>This brief transitional verse carries subtle significance. The prophesying 'made an end' (kalah) - it was a discrete experience, not a permanent state. Saul's charismatic encounter with the Spirit concluded, and normal life resumed. This pattern characterizes Old Testament Spirit empowerment: powerful bu...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(13) **He came to the high place.**—After he had spent his fervour in the hymn, and probably ecstatic prayer, Saul, before he went to his home, we read, betook himself at once to the high place of Gibeah, whence the sons of the prophets had just come down when he met them on the hill-side. He went there, no doubt, because, conscious of the change that had passed over him, and aware of his new powe...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-16** The signs Samuel had given Saul, came to pass punctually; he found that God had given him another heart, another disposition of mind. Yet let not an outward show of devotion, and a sudden change for the present, be too much relied on; Saul among the prophets was Saul still. His being anointed was kept private. He leaves it to God to carry on his own work by Samuel, and sits sti...
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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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>The inquiry from Saul's uncle introduces a test of discretion. Saul mentions the donkeys and consulting Samuel but withholds the matter of the kingdom. His partial answer is technically true but strategically incompl...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(14) **Saul’s uncle.**—Most probably, this uncle was the subsequently famous Abner—so Ewald, Josephus, and others. Kish, the father of Saul, a quiet, plain man, evidently was quite content that his beasts were found, and that his son had returned in safety and so asks no curious questions about his son’s journey. Not so Abner, who was a restless, ambitious man, and who, very probably, had heard so...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**15. Bring the veil that thou hast upon thee, and hold it--**Eastern veils are large sheets--those of ladies being of red silk; but the poorer or common class of women wear them of blue, or blue and white striped linen or cotton. They are wrapped round the head, so as to conceal the whole face except one eye.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-16** The signs Samuel had given Saul, came to pass punctually; he found that God had given him another heart, another disposition of mind. Yet let not an outward show of devotion, and a sudden change for the present, be too much relied on; Saul among the prophets was Saul still. His being anointed was kept private. He leaves it to God to carry on his own work by Samuel, and sits sti...
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And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.</strong><br><br>The uncle's persistent inquiry 'tell me, I pray thee' (haggidah-na li) uses the emphatic particle 'na,' intensifying his request. He presses beyond the journey's itinerary to the substance of Samuel's message. This pressure tested Saul's discretion. Samuel was not merely a local seer but Israel's prophe...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-16** The signs Samuel had given Saul, came to pass punctually; he found that God had given him another heart, another disposition of mind. Yet let not an outward show of devotion, and a sudden change for the present, be too much relied on; Saul among the prophets was Saul still. His being anointed was kept private. He leaves it to God to carry on his own work by Samuel, and sits sti...
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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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>Saul's response reveals measured discretion: he shares one truth while withholding another. The phrase 'told us plainly' (higgid higgid) uses emphatic doubling to stress certainty about the donkeys. The matter of the kingdom (d...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(16) **He told him not.**—It has been suggested ingeniously that this reply was prompted by the characteristic Israelite caution—the fear of betraying prematurely an important secret. It is, however, far better to assume that Samuel had given the young Saul to understand that the revelation respecting his future, and the great state change involved in it, was, in the first instance, for him alone;...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**17. six measures of barley--**Hebrew, "six seahs," a seah contained about two gallons and a half, six of which must have been rather a heavy load for a woman.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-16** The signs Samuel had given Saul, came to pass punctually; he found that God had given him another heart, another disposition of mind. Yet let not an outward show of devotion, and a sudden change for the present, be too much relied on; Saul among the prophets was Saul still. His being anointed was kept private. He leaves it to God to carry on his own work by Samuel, and sits sti...
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Saul Chosen by Lot

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

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;</strong><br><br>Samuel's convocation at Mizpah (Mitzpah, meaning 'watchtower') shifts from private anointing to public selection. The phrase 'unto the LORD' (el-YHWH) emphasizes the sacred, covenantal nature of this assembly - it was not merely political convention but religious convocation. Mizpah held significant history: Jac...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(17) **Samuel called the people together.**—“Samuel does all that further lies in his power to promote the great cause. He calls a national assembly to Mizpeh. Here the sacred lot, it is stated, fell, among all the tribes of Israel, upon Benjamin; and, in an ever narrowing circle, at length upon Saul, the son of Kish. If we consider the general use in those ages of the sacred lot, we shall find th...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 17-27** Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employm...
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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:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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:</strong><br><br>Samuel begins with the prophetic messenger formula 'Thus saith the LORD' (koh amar YHWH), establishing divine authority for his words. He rehearses ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(18) **Thus saith the Lord.**—Before proceeding to the election, Samuel again reminds Israel of its folly and ingratitude in their voluntarily rejecting the glorious Eternal King for an earthly sovereign. It was perfectly true that, under the present circumstances of Israel, the establishment of a mortal king was needful for the development of the Hebrew power, but it was none the less true that s...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 17-27** Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employm...
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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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>Samuel's prophetic indictment is severe: requesting a king constituted rejecting God (ma'as, a strong term implying spu...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 4 Ru 4:1-5. Boaz Calls into Judgment the Next Kinsman. **1. Then went Boaz up to the gate of the city--**a roofed building, unenclosed by walls; the place where, in ancient times, and in many Eastern towns still, all business transactions are made, and where, therefore, the kinsman was most likely to be found. No preliminaries were necessary in summoning one before the public assemblage; ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 17-27** Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employm...
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And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.</strong><br><br>The selection by lot begins with tribal level identification. The Hebrew 'laqad' (taken/caught) is the same word used for capturing prey or enemies, suggesting the lot 'seized' Benjamin from among the tribes. Casting lots was Israel's sanctioned method for discerning God's wil...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(20) **The tribe of Benjamin was taken.**—How the “lots” were taken is not said; usually it was by throwing tablets (Joshua 18:6; Joshua 18:8), but sometimes by drawing from a vessel or urn, as in Numbers 33:54. The latter, from the Hebrew word used, was probably the method employed on this occasion.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**2. he took ten men of the elders of the city--**as witnesses. In ordinary circumstances, two or three were sufficient to attest a bargain; but in cases of importance, such as matrimony, divorce, conveyancing of property, it was the Jewish practice to have ten (1Ki 21:8).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 17-27** Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employm...
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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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>The selection progressively narrows: tribe to family (mishpachah, clan) to individual. The family of Matri, otherwise unknown, suggests Saul came from no distinguished lineage despite his...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(21) **The family of Matri was taken.**—In none of the Benjamite genealogies connected with the royal house of Saul does this name occur. We cannot account for the omission. Ewald conjectures that the name Matri is a corruption from “Bikri” (see 1Chronicles 7:8).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**3. Naomi ... selleth a parcel of land--**that is, entertains the idea of selling. In her circumstances she was at liberty to part with it (Le 25:25). Both Naomi and Ruth had an interest in the land during their lives; but Naomi alone was mentioned, not only because she directed all the negotiations, but because the introduction of Ruth's name would awaken a suspicion of the necessity of marrying...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 17-27** Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employm...
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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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>The assembly's response to Saul's absence was to seek the LORD further (sha'al od ba-YHWH), demonstrating proper dependence on divine guidance. The verb 'sha'al' (inquired) puns on Saul's name (Sha'ul, 'asked for'), creating wo...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(22) **Therefore they enquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither.**—Saul and Samuel alone, of all the host gathered that day at Mizpeh, knew on whom the lot would fall. So certain was Saul, after the strange signs had sealed the truth of the prophet’s revelation, that he would be designated by the sacred lot, that he shrank from waiting to hear the result, and concealed himse...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**4. there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee--**(See on De 25:5). The redemption of the land of course involved a marriage with Ruth, the widow of the former owner.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 17-27** Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employm...
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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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>The people 'ran' (ruts) to retrieve Saul, suggesting eager excitement at discovering their king. When presented, his physical stature immediately distinguished him: 'higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward' (gavoah ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 17-27** Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employm...
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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. God: Heb. Let the king live

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>Samuel's presentation uses emphatic language: 'See ye' (hare'item) commands visual attention; 'whom the LORD hath chosen' (bachar YHWH) affirms divine election; 'none like him' (ein kamohu) declar...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Ru 4:6-8. He Refuses the Redemption. **6. The kinsman said, I cannot redeem it ..., lest I mar mine own inheritance--**This consequence would follow, either, first, from his having a son by Ruth, who, though heir to the property, would not bear his name; his name would be extinguished in that of her former husband; or, secondly, from its having to be subdivided among his other children, which he ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 17-27** Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employm...
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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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. Then Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.</strong><br><br>Samuel formally establishes constitutional boundaries by declaring 'the manner of the kingdom' (mishpat hammelukah). This 'manner' or 'judgment' likely expanded upon the royal regulations of Deuteronomy ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(25) **Wrote it in a book.**—The “Law of the Kingdom,” which Samuel rehearsed before the people, and which he wrote in a roll, and laid solemnly up and preserved among the State archives, related to the divinely established right and duties of the God-appointed king, and also clearly set forth the limitations of his power. The vice-gerent on earth of the invisible King could be no arbitrary despot...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**7-8. a man plucked off his shoe--**Where the kinsman refused to perform his duty to the family of his deceased relation, the widow was directed to pull off the shoe with some attendant circumstances of contemptuous disdain. But, as in this case, there was no refusal, the usual ignominy was spared; and the plucking off the shoe, the only ceremony observed, was a pledge of the transaction being co...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 17-27** Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employm...
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And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.</strong><br><br>Saul returns to Gibeah, his hometown and future capital, accompanied by divinely motivated supporters. The phrase 'whose hearts God had touched' (nega elohim belibam) indicates supernatural influence producing loyalty. The verb 'touched' (nega) implies a gentle contact - ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(26) **And Saul also went home to Gibeah.**—Saul departed for the present to his own home. We may conclude that his fellow citizens, proud of the honour conferred on one of themselves, were among his earliest devoted attendants. The young hero, however, as we shall see, had not long to wait for an opportunity of displaying his prowess, and of rallying the hearts of the people generally firmly to h...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**7-8. a man plucked off his shoe--**Where the kinsman refused to perform his duty to the family of his deceased relation, the widow was directed to pull off the shoe with some attendant circumstances of contemptuous disdain. But, as in this case, there was no refusal, the usual ignominy was spared; and the plucking off the shoe, the only ceremony observed, was a pledge of the transaction being co...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 17-27** Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employm...
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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. held: or, was as though he had been deaf

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>The chapter concludes with immediate opposition from 'children of Belial' (benei beliya'al) - literally 'sons of worthlessness,' a Hebrew idiom for thoroughly wicked individuals. Their contemptuous question 'How shall this man save us?' (ma...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(27) **The children of Belial.**—More accurately, *worthless men. *(See Note on 1Samuel 2:12.) **And they despised him.**—As above suggested, these malcontents were probably princes and leading men of the great tribes of Judah and Ephraim, displeased that the new king should be selected from the small unimportant tribe of Benjamin. It will be remembered that the tribe of Benjamin had been almost e...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Ru 4:9-12. He Marries Ruth. **9. Boaz said unto the elders, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was ... Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi--**Although the widow of Chilion was still living, no regard was paid to her in the disposal of her husband's property. From her remaining in Moab, she was considered to have either been married again, or to have renounced all righ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 17-27** Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employm...
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