1 Samuel 10: Saul's Anointing and New Birth
10:1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “Is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over His inheritance?”
“Then Samuel took a vial of oil.— Not a horn, as when David and his posterity were anointed, but a vial made of earth, or glass; brittle matter, to signify, say some, the short continuance of his kingdom.“ (John Trapp) “Anointing with oil was a symbolic act in Israel that pictured consecration to service. The only things anointed with oil before this anointing were the priests and the tabernacle. [The people had been sprinkle with the blood of the covenant, the atonement for sin.] The oil symbolized God's Spirit, and anointing with oil represented endowment with that Spirit for enablement (cf. 1 John 2:27)... Samuel was setting him apart as God's vice-regent and endowing him with God’s power to serve effectively. [if he is but obedient to the Word appointed to him. But he was not to act independent of God's prophet.]... Samuel’s kiss was a sign of affection and respect since now Saul was God’s special representative on the earth [to the nations].
Samuel [then] reminded Saul that the Israelites were the Lord’s inheritance...", (Dr. Thomas B. Constable) “which He had acquired as the people of His own possession through their deliveranceout of Egypt (Deuteronomy 4:20; Deuteronomy 9:26).” (Keil & Delitzsch Commentary)
2 “When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?” 3 Then you shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4 And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands. 5 After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.
After being anointed king of Israel, “Samuel gives him some signs as further proof that God has indeed chosen him to be king (10:2–8). Samuel predicts the location at which Saul will meet various individuals and what they will do, demonstrating again that he is a legitimate prophet of the Lord (see Deut. 18:21–22).” (Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary)—and giving “full credence to what had been revealed to him as the word of God.” (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown)
First Saul would find two men “by Rachel’s sepulcher" (2) where "he must read a lecture of his own mortality, and, now he had a crown in his eye, must think of his grave, in which all his honour would be laid in the dust.” (Benson) They would tell him that his father was no longer worried about the donkeys, but that his concern had turned to his safety— “What shall I do about my son?” Has my handsome and strong son died, joining the patriarchs in sleep until resurrection?
Secondly, he shall come to “the terebinth tree of Tabor” (3)— actually “the plain or the oak of Tabor; not the celebrated mount, for that was far distant. ‘Three men going up to God to Bethel’ — apparently to offer sacrifices there at a time when the ark and the tabernacle were not in a settled abode, and God had not yet declared the permanent place which He should choose.“ (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown) As in the days of old, we discover that righteous men in that day “would, and did worship at this hallowed altar, where God had spoken to Jacob their father, Genesis 28.” (Joseph Sutcliffe) — still in a centralized place- Bethel. They did to resort to building altars in every place, as of old, according to their houses.
They brought blood-sacrifices, meal offerings and drink offerings of wine symbolic of the sustenance of the body and blood of Christ. (3) Thus in giving Saul the two loaves (4), they offered him abundant access to the grace, namely the provisions formerly found within the holy place of the tabernacle to feed the priest, which should have been ”an omen that God Himself would feed and sustain him, if he would only obey Him…” (Wordsworth), even partaking of His ordinances.
Thirdly, at “‘the hill of God’ where the Philistine garrison is” (5) — hill— “The word is really 'Gibeah,' which was Saul's own home. [Here a new realm is opened to Saul.] It is here called 'God's Gibeah' because Samuel had established a school of the prophets there… — “you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them.” “’They shall prophesy’— RV 'they shall be prophesying,' lit. acting as prophets. Music was a recognised means of promoting the exaltation of spirit necessary for inspiration (2 Kings 3:15).” (John Dummelow) Here was a place of learning of the torah and based upon that knowledge, the granting of the Spirit of prophecy, from time time based thereon.
Saul had received instruction from Samuel, as well, in a short course on his roof. Thus: “While the band of prophets is prophesying, Saul will join with them and the Spirit of the Lord will come upon him in power (6), just as it came upon Othniel (Judg. 3:10), Gideon (Judg. 6:34), and Jephthah (Judg. 11:29). Each of these judges was designated as God’s chosen leader in this fashion, and the same is true for both Saul and David. When God gives an individual an assignment, he also supplies divine power to perform that assignment.” (Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary)
As Saul speaks the truth of the future, that is likely concerning the coming of the Messiah, he would be turned into another man (6), that is “suddenly endowed and acted with another spirit, filled with skill of Divine things, with courage, and wisdom, and magnanimity, and other qualifications befitting thy dignity.” (Matthew Poole) — "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10)
7 And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you. 8 You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do.”
“And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you 'do as the occasion demands'"; literally “Do what your hand finds to do”; “that is, as thou shalt have a call and opportunity. As if he had said, I cannot give thee particular directions about every thing that is to be done by thee: but God’s Spirit shall guide thee to do that which the present occasion requires.“ (Benson)— for God is with you
Before Saul does anything, even as a new man in Christ, he must wait on the prophet who would intercede for him and instruct him in righteousness. “Even though Saul will have the authority of a king, verse 8 is a reminder that he also needs to obey the word of God. At a forthcoming gathering at Gilgal—the sacred town near the Jordan River—Saul is instructed to wait a full week for Samuel to advise him.” (Bakers illustrated Bible Commentary)— a model for the future, royal actions.
The victory is found in the Sabbath rest, believing that God created in six days and rested on the Sabbath and in the sharing of that rest with Him, as pledge of the one to come.
9 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.
As a pledge for the new man predicted in 1 Samuel 10:6, as Saul turned to leave Samuel, “God gave him another heart- Lit. ‘turned him another heart’ [that day]… The heart in Scripture denotes ‘the centre of the whole mental and spiritual life of will, desire, thought, perception, and feeling.’” (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges)
1 Samuel 10: Saul Prophesied Among the Prophets
10 When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 Then a man from there answered and said, “But who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
This was the public sign. When they came there to the hill— “Gibeah”— which was Saul's own hometown, Saul prophesied among the prophets of the local school. “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” “Compare the astonishment of the people of Capernaum [Jesus’ hometown] at the words and works of Christ (Matthew 13:54-57).”(Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) ’Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” (Matt. 13:54-56)
Jesus was full of the Spirit from birth, but Saul was never interested in religious matters until now. He was “a man never instructed nor exercised in nor inclined to these matters; a man ever thought fitter to look to his father’s asses, than to bear a part in the sacred exercises of the prophets.” (Poole) "Who is their father?" The reputation of the entire school in brought in into question as a result of Saul joining them.— “Therefore it became a proverb: ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’... it became a proverb, applied probably to the unexpected appearance of any person in a novel character alien to his former occupation and habits.” (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges)
Many, likewise, have questioned my authority to teach. I knew him in college. Let me tell you some stories, he has no right to teach Sunday school. ”Is Saul also among the prophets?”
14 Then Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” So he said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel.” 15 And Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you.” 16 So Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said.
Then Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” What is revealed in the public event would suffice. “There is a time to speak and a time to keep silence. Saul told enough to the uncle to establish belief in the supernatural power of Samuel, but nothing to gratify mere curiosity. Thus in many ways Saul commends himself to us in this chapter, and in no way does he provoke our blame.” (Expositor's Bible Commentary) “According to 1 Samuel 14:50; 1 Samuel 14:51; 1 Chronicles 8:33, this would be Abner…
He was evidently excited by his nephew’s visit to the prophet, and struck perhaps by the change in Saul himself, and would gladly have heard more. But Saul does not gratify his curiosity. ‘Of the matter of the kingdom … he told him not.’ It was not merely prudent, but right to keep the matter secret. An able man like Abner would probably have begun to scheme for so great an end. Saul’s silence left the fulfilment of the prophet's words entirely to God.” (The Pulpit Commentaries)
1 Samuel 10: Saul of Benjamin Chosen at Mizpah
17 Then Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah, 18 and said to the children of Israel, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.’ 19 But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.” 20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21a When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen.
The Scriptures speak of no spiritual leader in Israel except the prophet Samuel. It should’ve been enough that he had anointed Saul as king of Israel and announced the Lord’s choice but “the tribes of Israel would now also have to be persuaded as to who should be king, and given the jealousy between the tribes and the determination of the prominent ones that their rights should not be overlooked, and that their rivals should not gain any advantage over them, it was not going to be easy.” (Peter Pett)
Samuel called once more a national gathering at Mizpeh, “a city of Benjamin, Joshua 13:26, where all Israel had met before upon a public and solemn occasion, 1 Samuel 7:5....” (Matthew Poole) of consecrating themselves to Yahweh after the most recent, signal victory against their oppressors. “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.” (18)- from the wilderness of Egypt to the conquest Canaan to the present time of kings, “including the victory at Mizpah, of which the stone before their eyes bore witness. The reference to the kingdoms, from which God had delivered Israel is noteworthy, because, after the pattern of these very kingdoms, the Israelites wished to have a king and an outward kingdom.” (Lange Comm.)
“But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before Yahweh..." (19) etc. It appears that Yahweh God of Israel proved Saul by lot. "'The tribe. The thousands or grand divisions by families. The smaller divisions by families. And, the individual.' When the lot was cast for the tribe, Benjamin was taken...“ etc. (Adam Clarke)-preferred by Yahweh "before Judah, because the kingdom was freely promised by God to Judah, and was to be given to him in love; but now the kingdom was in a manner forced from God, and given them in anger, and therefore conferred upon an obscure tribe.” (Joseph Benson) Of little Benjamin, Matri, then Saul.
Are You Hiding Among the Baggage? 1 Samuel 10:21b But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.” 23 So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. “After the lot had fallen upon this family they would next cast lots upon its smaller subdivisions, as in Joshua 7:17, Joshua 7:18, until at last they came to households, when first Kish, and finally Saul was taken. The latter, foreseeing that this would happen, had concealed himself…” (The Pulpit Commentaries) "Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, 'Has the man come here yet?' And the LORD answered, 'There he is, hidden among the equipment (baggage).'" He hid himself among the baggage. Here was the first sign of fatal insecurities of the big and handsome Saul that could only be quieted by the psalms of the little shepherd boy of Judah, meditating on blood sacrifice. “For the fulfilment of high offices in Church and State men need the fellowship of those whose experience will impart a new impulse to life as well as a new education. [Yet they]... hide themselves among feeling arising from a sense of unworthiness. Such a sentiment must be cherished, but not elevated above the call of God. We have a large number of good people who withhold their persons and their influence from the Church of Christ, because they are unfit. Poor stuff! Come to your own coronation, God is calling. Your first fitness is obedience to the call. Be ruled by a sense of the greatness of the Savior.” (T. Davies) When all men doubt my calling, yet will I answer it— not according to their imagination but according as I am called— for as the old hymn goes, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.”
Helpers and Hinderers 1 Samuel 10:24b So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!” 25 Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, 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 valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some rebels said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace. “So ALL the people shouted and said, ‘Long live the king!’ “Heb., ‘Let the king live’; that is, live happily, as 1 Samuel 25:6. To live, is to live in prosperity.” (John Trapp) “Hereby they accept and own him for their king, and promise subjection to him.” (Matthew Poole) “Though it appeared that the general voice was with Saul, yet there were some who [privately] rejected him. Alas! is not this human nature in all ages the same? So our adored Redeemer, while those precious souls whose hearts the Lord hath regenerated, follow Jesus wheresoever he goeth; bend the knee, bow the heart, and bring presents of all their poor offerings can show to testify their love and attachment, there are men of Belial who slight redemption, and do in effect, if not in word, virtually say, we will not have this man to reign over us.” (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary) “Samuel then communicated to the people the right of the monarchy, and laid it down before Jehovah. ‘The right of the monarchy’ (meluchah) is not to be identified with the right of the king (melech), which is described in 1 Samuel 8:11 and sets forth the right or prerogative which a despotic king would assume over the people; but it is the right which regulated the attitude of the earthly monarchy in the theocracy, and determined the duties and rights of the human king in relation to Jehovah the divine King on the one hand, and to the nation on the other. This right could only be laid down by a prophet like Samuel, to raise a wholesome barrier at the very outset against all excesses on the part of the king. Samuel therefore wrote it in a document which was laid down before Jehovah, i.e., in the sanctuary of Jehovah.” (Keil & Delitzsch) in Kiriath Jearim at Abinadab's house on the hill. (1 Samuel 7:1) "And Saul also went home to Gibeah”- “Of course there was no palace in which the king was privileged to live: the people went back to their homes and Saul did the same, though a band of men accompanied him ‘whose hearts God had touched.’” (L. M. Grant) Yahweh touched hearts forming “’a band of men’…— a royal guard to attend and conduct him on the way, as was fit… But some rebels— aweless, lawless, yokeless, the children of Belial —said, ‘How shall this man save us?’ And they despised him, and brought him no presents.” (John Trapp) "It is not improbable that they who thus spoke belonged to the princes of Judah and Ephraim, and were envious at his election. They were certainly unbelieving, neither recognising the hand of God therein, nor looking further than man for deliverance. They were contemptuous, deeming him unfit to rule over them. ‘This man.’ And they were disloyal and disobedient. The law said, ‘Thou shalt not revile God, nor curse a ruler of thy people.’ (Exodus 22:28); but they ‘despised him, and brought him no presents.’ like others, as an expression of their submission. They might, therefore, have been justly punished as traitors. Yet ‘he was as though he were deaf;’ although he heard them, he did not retaliate, but went on his way in silence.” (The Pulpit Commentaries) "Saul held his peace.—‘or, He heard them not.’ This was kingly indeed. What could great Alexander have done more? or Augustus Caesar? or Queen Elizabeth? whose motto was, ‘I see and say nothing.’ [Yet still they] ‘despised him.’ Vilified and nullified him, as a king of clouts…Thus they slighted manna and the Messiah.” (John Trapp) Let us be open in our affections and loyalties, as our hearts are moved- “In one of his most perilous experiences, in the midst of a wild and savage mob, John Wesley was attended by four devoted followers, three men and a woman, who were fully prepared to die with their teacher and friend if God so willed. At the critical moment the leader of the mob turned to Mr. Wesley and said, ‘Sir, I will spend my life for you. Follow me, and none shall hurt a hair of your head.’ With two companions this man conducted the preacher to a place of safety.” (The Biblical Illustrator)