The First Book of Samuel, otherwise called the First Book of the Kings
1 Samuel 9
Chapter IX · Vol. II, pp. 641–642
1 Saul despairing to find his father's asses, 6 by the counsel of his servant, 11 and direction of young maidens, 15 according to God's revelation, 18 cometh to Samuel. 19 Samuel entertaineth Saul at the feast. 25 Samuel, after a private conversation, bringeth him on his way.
1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was aKish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite,1 a mighty man of 2power.
2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, ba choice young man, and a goodly; and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
b Ge.6.2. ch.10.23; 16.7. 2 Sa.14.25. Je.9.23.
3 And the casses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost: and Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
4 And he passed 3through dmount Ephraim, and passed through the land of eShalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of fShalim,4 and there they were not; and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
3 This narrative presents a curious picture of the open state of the country, and scantiness of inhabitants, to which the most mountainous districts of Great Britain can furnish the only intelligible parallel.—C.
d Jos.17.15,18. Ju.17.1; 19.1.
e 2 Ki.4.42.
4 Shalisha was the Beth-shalisha of 2 Ki.4.42, 15 miles north of Lydda, and Shalim a place mentioned by Jerome as in the tribe of Dan; thus Saul's search extended as far as to the former place to the north, and the latter to the south.—I.
5 And when they were come to the gland of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.5
g ch.1.1.
5 In so imperfect a character as that of Saul, it is pleasing to observe this filial remembrance of his father.—Note, There is scarcely, perhaps never, any character so bad, as to be totally destitute of all good qualities—a merciful mixture of salt to preserve the mass from putrefaction.—C.
6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city ha man of God, and he is an ihonourable man; kall that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can show us our way that we should go.
7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, lwhat shall we bring the man?6 for the bread is spent7 in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?8
8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand9 the fourth part of a shekel of silver[≈ 2.9 g · 0.1 oz · silver worth ≈ US$4.90];1 that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.2
9 Heb. there is found in my hand.
1 About seven pence.
2 Nothing can be more unjust or absurd than to charge or suspect Samuel of exercising his prophetic office for money, it merely proves the opinion entertained of him by two ignorant and inexperienced young men. What man would think it right to be judged by the opinion formed of him by ignorant men that did not know him? Would infidels so choose to be judged? No. Then let them not so judge Samuel.—C.
9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to minquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet, was beforetime called na Seer.)2
A.M. 2939 B.C. 1065
m Ge.25.22. Ju.1.1. Probably Ezra inserted this whole verse.
n 2 Sa.24.11. 2 Ki.17.13. Am.7.12. Is.29.10; 30.10.
2 As seeing visions of God, as Moses; or of futurity, as all the prophets saw. Beforetime means, not always before this period, but some time formerly, that is, between the settlement under Joshua and the coronation of Saul. Such temporary changes take place in all titles and offices. Thus the followers of our Lord were first called disciples, then apostles, then were they called Christians first at Antioch, Mat.10.24. Ac.6.1. Mat.10.2. Ac.11.26. C.——This verse is most probably an explanatory interpolation inserted by some later prophet, to throw light on the archaic word Seer.—P.
10 Then said Saul to his servant, oWell said,3 come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.
11 And as they went up the hill4 to the city, they found young maidens pgoing out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to-day to the city; for there is a sacrificeq of the people to-day in the high place.
q Or, feast, ch.16.2. Le.26.30. 1 Ch.16.39. 1 Ki.3.2,5.
13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth rbless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time5 ye shall find him.
r De.8.10. Mat.26.26. Lu.24.30. 1 Ti.4.4. ch.1.4. Le.7.15,16.
5 Heb. to-day.
14 And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.6
6 The object of this simple narrative is to exhibit the great purposes of Providence as dependent upon little things. Some straying animals, a vain search, an ignorant opinion of a prophet's duties, the casual meeting of a few water drawers, all combine to bring Saul to Samuel; where a direct revelation from God selects him whom Providence had so mysteriously led.—C.
16 To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for xI have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
17 And when Samuel saw Saul, ythe LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall zreign over my people.
y ver.15; ch.16.8,12. Pr.3.5,6.
z Heb. restrain, Ne.13.19,25. Ro.13.3,4.
18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.7
7 In addition to the object mentioned in the note on ver. 14, another intention of the narrative may have been to demonstrate to the dissatisfied party, that the choice of Saul was from God, and not from any previous knowledge and favouritism on the part of Samuel. This may have been the more necessary, as there were many discontented, probably because disappointed, ch.10.27—C.
19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to-day, and to-morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago,8 set not thy mind on them; for they are found.9 And aon whom is all the desire of Israel? is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?
A.M. 2939 B.C. 1065
8 Heb. to-day three days.
9 The office of king, being one of extreme difficulty, was not to Saul an object of desire or ambition; and Samuel therefore, by telling Saul his private thoughts, gives evidence that his wisdom came from God; and that Saul should obey him in undertaking the deliverance of the people.—C.
a ch.8.5,19; ver.2.
21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a bBenjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so1 to me?
b Ps.68.27. Ju.20.46,48; 6.14,15. ch.15.17.
1 Heb. according to this word.
22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and cmade them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
c Ge.43.33.
23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the dportion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
d ch.1.5. Ge.43.34.
24 And the cook took up the eshoulder,2 and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is fleft! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people.3 So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
e Le.7.32,33.
2 The shoulder was a distinguished part of some sacrifices, as Ex.39.2?; it is also frequently mentioned in Scripture as an emblem of power, as Is.9.6; also in relation to slavery and deliverance, Ge.49.15. Is.10.27. These emblems of power and deliverance may have been in the eye of the prophet in the choice of food for his guest. 'That which was upon it,' some interpreters think it some appropriate sauce; is it not rather a cover for its protection from flies during the time it was kept?—C.
f Or, reserved, ver.15.
3 The Hebrew is literally as follows:—'And the cook set up the shoulder and what was on it (perhaps part of the fat not used for sacrifice), and placed it before Saul, and said, Behold what was reserved for thee; place it before thee; eat, for on purpose it has been kept for thee, saying (or, since I said), I have called the people.' The speaker must, according to the rules of grammar, be the cook. Samuel is introduced arbitrarily.—P.
25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul gupon the top of the house.
Notes
[Ver. 12. There is a sacrifice of the people to-day in the high place. Why the ark was permitted to remain in Kirjath-jearim does not appear; and that Shiloh had ceased to be the place of sacrifice is historically evident, though the fact is not recorded. The city where Samuel now was seems from ver. 6 to have been his ordinary residence, and that was Ramah, where, as God's prophet, he had localized the national worship. C.]
Reflections.—When nations provoke God to give them magistrates or ministers according to their heart, they are like to have portly figures, but little piety or sense. If men have much of this world, they may lay their account with frequent losses. Persons may be affectionate children, and yet destitute of grace. How sadly many mistake the ministerial office and work, and look on the messengers of God as but cunning diviners that need to be hired; and are more solicitous about outward trifles than about their eternal salvation! But it is shameful when handmaids know more of Christ and his ministers than the sons of the great; and when men, like beasts, feast on their daily provision, and attend the ordinances of God, without first asking his blessing thereon! With what deep designs are the most fortuitous circumstances ordered by God; and the most trivial beginnings issue in the most important events! Humility is the most direct road to distinguished honour. And whom God honours we must respect for his sake; never envying those whom he is pleased to advance, though we ourselves should be eclipsed by them.
Measures in square brackets are modern equivalents added for this edition. They are not in the King James text or in Brown’s notes. They use common scholarly estimates: a cubit is about 45.7 cm (18 in), a shekel about 11.4 g (0.4 oz), an ephah about 22 litres. Money values give the worth of the silver or gold at spot prices on 28 October 2026, not what the sum would buy in the ancient world.