Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Samuel · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Verſ. 1. THen Samuel took a viall of oyl, and poured it upon his head, and kiſſed him, &c.] Two ceremonies are here mentioned which Samuel uſed, when he conferred upon Saul the ſupreme power of being king of Iſrael. The firſt is, that he took a viall of oyl, and poured it upon his head; which he did by Gods command; as we find it expreſſed chap. 15.1. Samuel alſo ſaid unto Saul, The Lord ſent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Iſrael: and this was doubtleſſe to ſignifie, firſt, that the Lord had choſen him and ſet him apart to that ſacred and ſupreme office of being Gods Vicegerent, in ruling and governing his people; for oyl being ordinarily uſed in the conſecrations of the Old Teſtament; by the anointing of the kings of Iſrael, the Lord was pleaſed to ſhew forth, that he had called them and ſeparated them to this place of ſingular and higheſt authoritie over the people; and the rather ſay ſome Expoſitours, beauſe oyl being mingled with other liquours will be ſtill uppermoſt; and ſo was the fitter to ſhadow forth that eminencie of dignitie and power whereto God had advanced them; and ſecondly, that the Lord would poure forth upon him an extraordinary meaſure of the gifts of his Spirit, figured by the oyl, thereby to enable him for that great ſervice whereto he was called: whence it is noted in the ninth verſe of this chapter; to ſhew as it were, the accompliſhment of that which was ſignified by this outward ceremony, that God gave him another heart, and verſ. 6. that he was turned into another man, he was not the ſame man that he was before. Beſides, becauſe by that ſpeech of Jothams, Judg. 9.8. The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them, it is evident that it had been many years before this, a conſtant cuſtome amongſt other nations to anoint their kings, and ſo was alwayes continued: whence it is that Cyrus the king of Perſia is called the Lords anointed, Eſa. 45.1. it may well be that the people deſiring a king like other nations, the Lord might in this regard appoint this their new choſen king to be deſigned to his ſoveraignty by the ſame ceremony that was uſed amongſt other nations. It is a great queſtion amongſt Expoſitours whether the kings of Iſrael were anointed with that holy anointing oyl of the Tabernacle, wherewith the Preiſts were anointed, or with any other ordinary oyl; but becauſe there is nothing can be alledged that gives the leaſt intimation, that Saul was anointed with the oyle of the Sanctuary, but onelyonly that David and his ſucceſſours were, I ſhall referre the reſolving of this doubt to the note upon chap. 16.1. The ſecond ceremony uſed here by Samuel at the anointing of Saul was, that he kiſſed him: which he did either by way of congratulation for that dignitie whereto God had now advanced him, as making this a token of Gods favour, and his own voluntary and peaceable reſigning the government over to him; or rather by way of homage; for in thoſe times, it ſeems, ſubjects uſed to acknowledge the ſovereignty of their kings by kiſſing them, whence is that expreſſion concerning Chriſt, of whom it is ſaid there, that God had ſet him to be king upon his holy hill of Sion, Pſal. 2.11, 12. Serve the Lord with fear — Kiſſe the ſonne leſt he be angry: and the ground of this civill ceremony was▪ to ſignifie the willingneſſe of their ſubjection, that they loved their kings, and not ſo much out of fear as love would be ready to ſerve them. And thence it well may be too that in times of idolatry they uſed to kiſſe their idols, as is evident, 1. King. 19.18. Yet I have left me ſeven thouſand in Iſrael▪ all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kiſſed him: and again, Hoſ. 13.2. And now they ſinne more and more, and have made them molte… images of their ſilver, and idols according to their own underſtanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they ſay of them, Let the men that ſacrifice, kiſſe the calves.
And ſaid, Is it not becauſe the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?] In rendring this reaſon why he had uſed thoſe outward ceremonies, the Prophet chiefly preſſeth him to remember, firſt, that it was not he but the Lord that had choſen him to be king: and ſecondly, that it was Gods own inheritance over whom he was to reigne; a ſtrong argument to render him the more carefull how he ruled over them: 1. Kings 3.9. Give therefore thy ſervant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may diſcern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy ſo great people? Why the Iſraelites were called the Lords inheritance, ſee the note Deut. 32.9.
Verſ. 2. Thou ſhalt find two men by Rachels ſepulchre in the border of Benjamin.] Though Bethlehem was in the portion of Judah, Mich 5.2. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thouſands of Judah, yet out of thee ſhall he come forth unto me, that is to be a ruler in Iſrael: and Rachels ſepulchre in the way to Bethlehem; Gen. 35.19, 20. And Rachel dyed, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob ſet a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachels grave unto this day. yet might her ſepulchre be in the border of Benjamin, or near to it: for the portion of theſe two tribes lay together.
Verſ. 3. And there ſhall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, &c.] To wit, becauſe they were going thither to ſacrifice: whereby it appears that as in many other places, ſo in Bethel alſo there was an high place at this time, wherein they uſed to ſacrifice: to which they might partly be induced out of an opinion of the holyneſſe of the place, becauſe there God appeared to Jacob, Gen. 28.19. Now the more punctually theſe particulars are here expreſſed which theſe men carried with them, the more it muſt needs ſtrengthen Sauls faith, when the leaſt thing failed not of that which was now foretold him.
Verſ. 4. And they will ſalute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread, which thou ſhalt receive of their hands.] It is moſt probable that theſe men did never formerly know Saul, nor were at all acquainted with him, becauſe Samuel gives him order to take the loaves which they ſhould proffer him, which there would have been no need to have done, had they been his known and familiar freinds; now the leſſe reaſon could be conceived why mere ſtrangers ſhould carry themſelves thus towards him, the more admirable it was that God ſhould ſecretly move their hearts thus to honour him, as it were with a preſent, as if they had known of the advancement which the Lord had conferred upon him; and the more admirable and ſtrange this was which Samuel foretold, the more it muſt needs confirm Sauls faith when it came to paſſe.
Verſ. 5. After that thou ſhalt come to the hill of God, where is the garriſon of the Philiſtines.] Concerning the garriſons which the Philiſtines kept now in the land of Iſrael ſee the note chap. 7.14. It is probable that this was in Gibeah of Benjamin where Sauls father dwelt, or near to it: firſt, becauſe this happened towards the end of his journey, where his uncle dwelt, and where himſelf was well known, as is evident verſ. 11. And it came to paſſe when all that knew him before time, ſaw that behold he prophecyed among the Prophets, then the people ſaid one to another, What is this that is come unto the ſonne of Kiſh? Is Saul alſo among the Prophets? and again verſ. 13.14. And when he had made an end of prophecying, he came to the high place. And Sauls uncle ſaid unto him, and to his ſervant, Whither went ye? and ſecondly, becauſe we reade, chap. 13.3. of a garriſon of the Philiſtines which was kept in Gibeah. However it was doubtleſſe called the hill of God, both becauſe there was in that place a Colledge of the prophets conſecrate to the ſervice of God, and alſo becauſe of the high place there, wherein the people uſed to offer ſacrifices to God.
Thou ſhalt meet a companie of Prophets coming down from the high place with a pſalterie, &c.] Not onelyonly thoſe that had the extraordinary gift of foretelling things to come, are in the Scripture called Prophets, but alſo, firſt, thoſe who did interpret the holy Scriptures; and as the meſſengers of God did teach and inſtruct the people concerning the will of God revealed in holy writ: ſee Rom. 12.6. Having then gifts, differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecie, let us prophecie according to the proportion of faith: Eph. 4.11. And he gave ſome Apostles, and ſome Prophets: 1. The…ſ. 5.20. Despiſe not prophecying: 1. Cor. 14.31, 32. For ye may all propheſie one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the ſpirits of the Prophets are ſubject to the Prophets: Prov. 29.18. Where there is no viſion, the people periſh; but he that keepeth the law happie is he: and ſecondly, thoſe alſo that were ſet apart to compoſe and ſing ſongs, and Pſalmes of praiſe; and that happely becauſe theſe were intended for inſtruction, and oft contained predictions of future things: 1. Chron. 25.1, 2, 3. Moreover, David and the captains of the hoſt ſeparated to the ſervice of the ſonnes of Aſaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who ſhould propheſie with harps, with pſalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen, according to their ſervice, was: Of the ſons of Aſaph, Zaccur, and Joſeph, and Nethaniah, and Azarelah: the ſonnes of Aſaph, under the hands of Aſaph, which propheſied according to the order of the king. Of Jeduthun: the ſonnes of Jeduthun, Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeſhaiah, Haſhabiah, and Mattithiah; ſix, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who propheſied with a harp, to give thanks and to praiſe the Lord: and to this ſome applie that place alſo, 1. Cor. 11.4. Every man praying, or prophecying, having his head covered, diſhonoureth his head. And ſuch doubtleſſe were theſe prophets. It appears by this and other places, that there were in theſe times certain Colledges erected, wherein many holy men lived conſecrated to God; whoſe continuall employment it was to ſtudie the Law, and other holy writings, to teach and inſtruct others therein; to ſing in a ſolemne manner Pſalmes of praiſe unto the Lord; and to train up other young ſtudents who ſtudied this way of prophecying under them. One of theſe there was at Bethel, another at Jericho: 2. Kings 2.3.5. Yea, ſo did the Lord bleſſe this courſe, that upon many of them he beſtowed that extraordinary gift of foretelling future things, as is evident by that place before-cited, 2. Kings 2.3. And the ſons of the Prophets that were at Bethel, came forth to Eliſha, and ſaid unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy Maſter from thy head to day? And he ſaid, yea, I know it, hold you your peace. And ſo verſ. 5. where the ſame is ſaid of the ſonnes of the Prophets that were at Jericho. Such a Colledge there was here; and of theſe were the Prophets that met Saul; whence it is ſaid, that they had a pſalterie, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp before them: for theſe they made uſe of in their ſinging and praiſing God; and if that were not all that was intended, when they are ſaid to have propheſied, we may conceive that this muſick was uſed to ſtirre up their own hearts, and the hearts of the people before they propheſied; as Eliſha did, 2. Kings 3.15. But now bring me a minſtrell. And it came to paſſe when the minſtrell played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. Concerning this their prophecying, ſee the note upon Numb. 11.25.
Verſ. 6. Thou ſhalt propheſie with them, and ſhalt be turned into another man.] That is, he ſhould become a man of a more princely and heroicall ſpirit then now he was, and filled with new and divine gifts and qualities; and ſo thoſe whom God advanceth to be ſpiritually Kings and Prieſts, Rev. 1.6. And hath made us Kings and Prieſts unto God and his Father: to whom be glorie and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. he makes them new men, 2. Cor. 5.17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are past away, behold, all things are become new.
Verſ. 7. Do as occaſion ſhall ſerve thee, for God is with thee.] That is, as any occaſion or opportunitie ſhall be given of doing any thing that belongs to this regall dignity whereunto God hath now advanced thee, fear not to undertake it, for God who hath called thee to this honour, is with thee to proſper thee in it.
Verſ. 8. And thou ſhalt go down before me to Gilgal, and behold I will come down unto thee to offer burnt-offerings, &c.] In theſe words Samuel appoints Saul, 1. to go down to Gilgal, promiſing that he would come thither to him, to offer up ſacrifices for him, and to direct him what he ſhould do: & 2. to ſtay there for him ſeven dayes, as it is in the laſt words of this verſe, ſeven dayes ſhalt thou tarry till I come to thee, & ſhew thee what thou ſhalt do: and the joyning of this to that which went before, may ſeem to import that he enjoyned Saul to do this immediately upon the accompliſhment of the ſignes before mentioned; whereas indeed it is evident in the 13. chapter, that it was two years after Sauls being anointed by Samuel, ere Saul waited for Samuel at Gilgal, and was ſharply reproved becauſe he did not wait fully to the end of the ſeventh day, as Samuel had enjoyned him; for ſo we reade 1. Sam. 13.1, 2. Saul reigned one yeare, and when he had reigned two years over Iſrael, Saul choſe him three thouſand men▪ &c. & then it follows v. 8. And he tarried ſeven dayes, according to the ſet time that Samuel had appointed, &c. Either therefore we muſt conceive that this charge wch Samuel now gave to Saul, concerning his ſtaying for him at Gilgal, was ſo delivered by him, that Saul might know that it was meant of that particular time when he was to raiſe an army at Gilgal, that he might fight with the Philiſtines, which was at leaſt two years after this, c. 13.1.4. (which may well be; for happely Samuel expreſſed this charge more fully and particularly then it is here related) or elſe that it was mean: by Samuel indefinitely, of the firſt difficulties he ſhould meet wth after the kingdome was ſettled upon him, to wit, that if he were in any ſtrait, & Samuel were not with him, he ſhould then reſort to Gilgal, & ſtay there for Samuel ſeven dayes, within which time he would not fail to come unto him, both to offer up ſacrifices for him, & to direct him what he ſhould do. And this indeed ſeems to be moſt probable: for though Saul went not to Gilgal in his firſt enterpriſe againſt the king of Ammon, the reaſon of that was becauſe Samuel was then wth him, c. 11.7. & therefore that cannot be juſtly objected: ſo that this clauſe I conceive is added here by way of encouragement; viz. that as occaſion was offered of any difficult & perilous enterpriſe to be undertaken by Saul, Samuel would be ready to aſſiſt him, both by offering up ſacrifices in his behalf, and by adviſing him in all doubtfull caſes; onelyonly withall he gives him charge to wait for him in Gilgal for that purpoſe ſeven dayes; wch was doubtleſſe of God for the triall of Saul.
Verſ. 11. What is this that is come unto the ſon of Kiſh? is Saul alſo amongſt the prophets?] Becauſe Saul had not been trained up amongſt the ſons of the Prophets, but in his fathers countrey-affairs, as when he was ſent to look the aſſes that were loſt, therefore they admired to hear him propheſie amongſt the prophets; inſomuch that in aftertimes this became a proverb among the Iſraelites, as it is in the next verſe, Is Saul alſo among the prophets? when they beheld any thing in any man that was ſtrange and …nexpected, they would ſay, what have we here, Is Saul alſo among the prophets? And indeed all ſudden & ſupernaturall changes wrought in men muſt needs make them a matter of wonder in the world: for thus we ſee they wondred in the dayes of the Goſpel at that Saul, who was alſo of the tribe of Benjamin, and was afterwards called Paul, Rom. 11.1. Is Saul alſo among the Apoſtles? Acts 9.21. All that heard him were amazed, and ſaid, Is not this he that deſtroyed them which called on this name in Jeruſalem? &c. Yea, and ſo it was alſo with Chriſt and the other Apoſtles. Becauſe they were not trained up in a way of learning, they wondered to find them endued with thoſe excellent gifts which God had beſtowed upon them. Matt. 13.55, 56. Is not this the Carpenters ſonne? (ſay the Jews of Chriſt) whence then hath this man all theſe things? and John 7.15. The Jews marvelled, ſaying, How knows this man letters having never learned? and when the Apoſtles ſpake divers languages at the feaſt of Pentecoſt, Acts 2.7, 8. They were all amazed and marvelled, ſaying one to another; Behold are not all theſe which ſpeak Galileans? And how heare we every man in our tongue wherein we were born?
Verſ. 12. And one of the ſame place anſwered and ſaid, But who is their father?] Three ſeverall expoſitions are given of theſe words; for firſt, ſome underſtand it to have been ſpoken concerning Saul and his ſervant, (as inferring from theſe words, that he alſo propheſied among the Prophets together with Saul) and that to expreſſe the reaſon why it ſeemed ſo ſtrange to them, that Saul and his ſervant ſhould propheſie among the Prophets; namely, becauſe their fathers being countrey-men, men unskilfull in muſick and prophecying, could never inſtruct them in ſuch high things. Secondly, others conceive it was by way of amplifying the wonder of Sauls prophecying among the Prophets; to wit, that ſome breaking out into thoſe words of admiration, What? is Saul alſo among the Prophets? another neighbour that ſtood by, added, But who is their father? thereby willing them, as it were, to take notice that he did not onelyonly prophecie among the Prophets, but was as their father, in the chief place among them, that he led them as their head, as Samuel the father of the Prophets was wont to do, being endued with a kind of majeſtie and eminency of gifts above the reſt that prophecyed with him; which did much increaſe the wonder. And thirdly, others conceive that this was ſpoken by way of correcting thoſe that made ſuch a matter of wonder of it, that Saul ſhould prophecie among the Prophets; But who is their father? ſaid one that ſtood by and heard them; that is, the father of thoſe Prophets among whom Saul prophecyed? as if he ſhould have ſaid, Is not God their father? did not he teach and inſtruct them? and is not he able to give the ſame gift of prophecie to Saul that he hath given to them? thoſe that were trained up in the Colledges of the Prophets, were called the ſonnes of the Prophets, 2. Kings 2.3. Now becauſe that which theſe men wondered at was, that one not trained up under the father or fathers of theſe Prophets ſhould be able to prophecie: To this it is anſwered, that it was God indeed that was their father, it was God that inſtructed them, and not the Prophets under whom they were trained up, and the ſame God that by his ſpirit enabled them to prophecie could likewiſe conferre the ſame gift upon Saul too: and this I conceive is the moſt probable expoſition of theſe words; and that becauſe the words ſeem plainly to imply, that they were ſpoken by way of anſwering thoſe that were ſo amazed, that Saul ſhould prophecy among the Prophets.
Verſ. 13. And when he had made an end of prophecying, he came to the high place.] To wit, to praiſe God for his ſingular favour, and to pray to him for the aſſiſtance and guidance of his holy ſpirit: for in this high place no doubt they uſed to ſacrifice, and had perhaps a ſynagogue and houſe of prayer.
Verſ. 14. And Sauls uncle ſaid unto him, and to his ſervant, Whither went ye?] It is likely that this uncle of Sauls, was Ner the father of Abner, chap. 14.50. and that ſeeing Saul prophecie among the Prophets, or at leaſt hearing of it, he enquired thus where they had been, as thinking thereby to find it out how he ſhould come to this extraordinary gift: for by this change that was ſeen in him, he concluded that ſome ſtrange thing had happened to him in his journey.
Verſ. 16. But of the matter of the kingdome, whereof Samuel ſpake, he told him not.] This is noted, doubtleſſe by way of commending Saul; and three reaſons may be probably given why Saul forbare to tell his uncle what Samuel had ſaid to him concerning the kingdome, notwithſtanding that by the late accompliſhment of thoſe ſeverall ſignes that Samuel had given him, he might be aſſured that Samuel was indeed ſent of God to anoint him king, to wit, Firſt, becauſe he was not at firſt puffed up with this dignity that God had conferred upon him, but of a modeſt and humble ſpirit, and therefore not prone to boaſt and brag of it, as others would have been. Secondly, becauſe he feared to provoke his uncle and others of his family and kindred to envy him for this honour, to which God had deſigned him. And thirdly, becauſe he remembred how carefull Samuel had been to anoint him in ſecret where no body ſhould be preſent, chap. 9.25, 26, 27. which was intimation enough to Saul, not to diſcover this ſecret till God ſhould himſelf openly make known his will herein. Notwithſtanding this prudence of Saul in concealing what had paſſed betwixt Samuel and him, yet when he was publickly choſen, certain ſonnes of Belial did openly deſpiſe him, verſ. 27. and what then would they have done had it been known that Samuel had beforehand anointed him? would not this have been a fair pretence for them to have ſaid, that this had been plotted beforehand betwixt Samuel and him?
Verſ. 17. And Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpeh.] See the note upon Judges 20.1.
Verſ. 18. Thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, I brought up Iſrael out of Egypt, &c.] This recitall of the mercies which God had afforded the Iſraelites is premiſed, for the aggravation of their preſent ſinne in rejecting the government which God had eſtabliſhed amongſt them.
Verſ. 19. And ye have this day rejected your God, &c.] That is, by your deſiring a king, the buſineſſe which this day you are come about. And herein doth Samuel covertly ſtrike at their willfull perſiſting in this their requiring a king. Samuel had done what he could to beat them from it; but they continued reſolved that ſo they would have it: whereupon it was, that he had now called them together to diſcover by lots who it was that God had choſen: and therefore Samuel uſeth theſe words, Ye have this day rejected your God, &c. See the notes, chap. 8.7.
Now therefore preſent your ſelves before the Lord by your tribes, and by your thouſands.] That is, your families, Mich. 5.2. But thou Beth-leem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thouſands of Judah, yet out of thee ſhall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Iſrael: and this was done, that by caſting lots it might be diſcovered whom God had choſen to be their king.
Verſ. 22. Therefore they enquired of the Lord further, if the man ſhould yet come thither.] To wit, either by Urim and Thummim in the high Preiſt, or by deſiring Samuel as a Prophet to enquire of the Lord for them.
And the Lord anſwered, Behold, he hath hid himſelf among the ſtuff.] That is, among the publick carriages of the camp, or among the baggage and implements of his own tent, and this he did out of modeſty, as not deeming himſelf fit for ſo high an advancement, or able to bear ſo great a burden, eſpecially the commonwealth of Iſrael being in ſuch an unſettled and perillous condition as now it was.
Verſ. 25. Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdome, &c.] That is, both the duty of the king towards his ſubjects, and the ſubjects toward their king; and theſe were the fundamentall laws of the kingdome: all, which he wrote in a book, as it follows in the next words, and laid it up before the Lord, that is, before the Ark, or in the Tabernacle; and the reaſons why this book vvas thus carefully laid up before the Lord, we may well conceive were theſe: Firſt, for the ſure preſervation of it: Secondly, to ſignifie that even theſe civill laws were the ordinance of God, which men were bound to obey, not onelyonly for wrath, but for conſcience ſake, Rom. 13.2, 5. And thirdly, to intimate, that God would take care of thoſe laws to uphold and maintain them, and to puniſh thoſe that ſhould vilifie and break them.
Verſ. 26. And there went with him a band of men, whoſe hearts God had touched.] Though he was but a mean man to ſpeak of, and onelyonly yet choſen and deſigned to the kingdome, not inthroned, (for afterward he was ſolemnly confirmed and ſettled in the kingdome) yet ſome were moved of God to think that it was fit they ſhould attend upon him in his return home, and accordingly there was a band of men who did voluntarily yeild him this ſervice, going along with him as a royall guard, to attend and conduct him on the way.
Verſ. 27. But the children of Belial ſaid, How ſhall this man ſave us? and they deſpiſed him and brought him no preſents.] Becauſe Saul was but a mean man to ſpeak of, therefore there was a company of proud, diſſolute, lawleſſe wretches that deſpiſed him, as one altogether unfit to be king, and unlikely to govern them and defend them from their enemies as a king ſhould do; and hence it was, that they brought him no preſents, as it ſeems the reſt of the people did, to wit, as a ſigne of their ſubjection and their acknowledging him to be their king: for that was the cuſtome of thoſe times, as is noted concerning Jehoſhaphat, 2. Chron. 17.5. The Lord eſtabliſhed the kingdome in his hand, and all Judah brought to Jehoſhaphat preſents; whence it was alſo, that when the wiſe men had found out Chriſt, to whom they were directed by a ſtarre as the king of the Jews, they fell down and worſhiped him, Matt. 2.11. And when they had opened their treaſures they preſented unto him gifts, gold and frankincenſe and myrrhe. And indeed obſervable it is, that though the Lord was highly diſpleaſed with the Iſraelites for deſiring a king, yet when he had once choſen Saul to be their king, and conferred the royall dignity upon him, thoſe that deſpiſed him, and would not ſubmit to his government, are for that branded to be children of Belial, concerning which expreſſion, ſee the note Deut. 13.13.
But he held his peace.] To avoid ſedition and to winne them by lenity, as conſidering that it was no wiſdome to uſe ſeverity, being not yet ſettled in the kingdome.