Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Samuel · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Verſ. 1. NOw there was a man of Benjamin, whoſe name was Kiſh, the ſonne of Abiel.] Who is alſo called Ner, 1. Chron. 8.33. and 9.39. Out of what tribe the Lord choſe their firſt king, is a circumſtance very obſervable, and therefore here expreſſed; to wit, firſt, becauſe the tribe of Benjamin, through the deſolation they brought upon themſelves, Judges 20.46. was become the leaſt and moſt obſcure tribe, and yet yields Iſrael her firſt king: ſecondly, becauſe in the victories of this king of Benjamins tribe, Jacobs prophecie was in part accompliſhed, Gen. 49.27. Benjamin ſhall ravine as a woolf: in the morning he ſhall devoure the prey, and at night he ſhall divide the spoil: and thirdly, becauſe this ſhews that the kingdome was not to be ſettled upon the poſterity of this their firſt king: for it was to be ſettled in the tribe of Judah, Gen. 49.10. The ſceptre ſhall not depart from Judah, nor a law-giver from between his feet, untill Shiloh come: and unto him ſhall the gathering of the people be.
Verſ. 2. And there was not among the children of Iſrael a goodlier perſon the… he, &c.] Becauſe goodlineſſe and comelineſſe of perſon in princes, breeds a kind of reverence in the hearts of the people, and makes men judge them the fitter for high places and great employments, therefore is this ſo expreſſely noted of Saul, whom God had deſigned to be the King of Iſrael; that there was ſcarce ſo proper and goodly a perſon in all the land as he was.
Verſ. 3. And Kiſh ſaid to Saul his ſonne, Take now one of the ſervants with thee, and ariſe, go ſeek the aſſes.] It ſeems that in thoſe times aſſes were highly eſteemed in the land of Iſrael; as appears alſo by this, that their princes and great men uſed to ride upon aſſes, Judg. 10.4. and 12.14. and hence it was perhaps, that Kiſh though a great and rich man, was yet ſo deſirous to recover the aſſes that he had loſt, that he ſent his ſonne Saul together with one of his ſervants to ſeek them out: but withall, there was a ſecret hand of Gods all-ruling providence in this, that by this means led Saul to Samuel, that by him he might be anointed King of Iſrael.
Verſ. 4. And he paſſed through mount Ephraim, and paſſed through the land of Shaliſha.] This Shaliſha is taken to be a plain countrey in the tribe of Benjamin, called Baal-ſhaliſha, 2. Kings 4.42. and ſo alſo the land of Shalim afterwards mentioned, is thought to be the ſame that is called Salim, Joh. 3.23.
Verſ. 5. And when they were come to the land of Zuph, &c.] To wit, the countrey where Ramah Samuels citie was ſituate, which thereupon was called Ramathaim-zophim, chap. 1.1.
Verſ. 6. Behold now, there is in this citie a man of God, and he is an honourable man.] That is, highly eſteemed for his ſupernaturall knowledge of things ſecret.
Now let us go thither; peradventure he can ſhew us our way that we ſhould go.] God gave the gift of prophecie to his ſervants, to be employed in directing the people in weightier matters then ſuch as this, concerning the finding of aſſes that were loſt; which makes the beſt interpreters blame this courſe, as a diſhonourable abaſing of the gift of prophecie: yet it ſeems to have been the uſuall practice of thoſe times, as we ſee by Jeroboams ſending his wife to the Prophet, to know whether his ſick child ſhould recover or no, 1. Kings 14.2. and perhaps the Lord did herein ſatisfie them oftentimes, that he might keep them from ſeeking to witches, or to the oracles of the heathens: 2. Kings 1.3. But the angel of the Lord ſaid to Elijah theTiſhbite, Ariſe, go up to meet the meſſengers of the King of Samaria, and ſay unto them, Is it not becauſe there is not a God in Iſrael, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
Verſ: 7. Then ſaid Saul to his ſervant, But behold, if we go, what ſhall we bring the man?] This queſtion proceeded either from an opinion, that it was not fit they ſhould go to the Prophet without ſome preſent, as a teſtimonie of the reverend eſteem they had of his perſon, (and then this care was commendable); or elſe, out of a baſe conceit of hiring Gods Prophet, as they would have done a ſoothſayer, to tell them tidings of their aſſes, which had been inexcuſable. But this laſt agreeth not with the ſervants ſpeaking before ſo honourably of him, though otherwiſe his following words might ſeem to implie ſo much, verſ. 8. And the ſervant anſwered Saul again, and ſaid, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a ſhekel of ſilver; that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way: and beſides, we ſee that it was a conſtant cuſtome in thoſe dayes, to go with a preſent to the Prophets, 1. Kings. 14.2, 3. And Jeroboam ſaid unto his wife, Ariſe, I pray thee, and diſguiſe thy ſelf, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam, and get thee to Shiloh: Behold, there is Ahijah the Prophet, which told me that I ſhould be king over this people: And take with thee ten loves, and cracknels, and a cruſe of honey, and go to him; he ſhall tell thee what ſhall become of the child: 2. Kings, 4.42. And there came a man from Baal-ſhaliſha, and brought the man of God bread of the firſt-fruits, twentie loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof, &c.
Verſ. 12. Behold, he is before you; make haſte now, for he came to day to the citie.] The citie they ſpeak of was Ramah, where Samuel dwelt, as is evident by the ſervants words, verſ. 6. And he ſaid unto him, Behold now there is in this citie a man of God, and he is an honourable man, &c. how then do theſe young maidens ſay, He came to day to the citie? I anſwer: either they intend onelyonly his going forth out of his houſe into the citie; or elſe, that he was come out of that Ramah, where his dwelling was, into this where the feaſt was to be kept (for here were two towns joyned in one; whence it is called in the duall number Ramathaim, chap. 1.1.) or elſe, that having been abroad about ſome employments, he was this day returned to Ramah.
For there is a ſacrifice of the people to day in the high place.] To wit, a ſacrifice of peace-offerings, wherewith the offerers were wont to feaſt together with their friends: and it may be Samuel had purpoſely appointed this ſacrifice for the entertainment of the man that was to be anointed king; and for the procuring of Gods favour in that great and weightie buſineſſe: for it is evident, verſ. 15, 16. that God had the day before told Samuel, that he would this day ſend him a man out of the land of Benjamin, whom he ſhould anoint Captain over his people Iſrael. But what was this high place where they offered their ſacrifices? were not the Iſraelites bound by the law onelyonly to offer up ſacrifices on the altar that was in the Tabernacle? Deut. 12.4, 5. Ʋnto the place which the Lord your God ſhall chooſe out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation ſhall ye ſeek, and thither thou ſhalt come; And thither ye ſhall bring your burnt-offerings and your ſacrifices, &c. I anſwer, Many Expoſitours hold, that this was meant onelyonly of the Temple; and that till the Temple was built, the people might lawfully offer their ſacrifices in any other places: but yet, firſt, becauſe Jer. 7.12. Shiloh is called the place where God ſet his name at the firſt: and ſecondly, becauſe it was to no end to have an altar in the Tabernacle, if the people might ſet up altars and offer ſacrifices where they liſted themſelves: and thirdly, becauſe in the beginning of Solomons reigne before the Temple was built, it is mentioned as the onelyonly blemiſh of the Iſraelites in thoſe flouriſhing times, 1. Kings, 3.2. OnelyOnly the people ſacrificed in high places; therefore many other Expoſitours hold, that even before the Temple was built, the people uſed to bring their ſacrifices to the Tabernacle, as afterwards to the Temple till the Ark was taken by the Philiſtines in the dayes of Eli; but that afterwards the Tabernacle and Ark being ſtill kept in ſeverall places, the people began to queſtion whether they were then tied to bring their ſacrifices to any of thoſe places; and ſo by degrees did at length offer their ſacrifices in ſuch places as they judged meeteſt for ſuch ſervices, to wit, upon hills and clifts, which were therefore called high places.
Verſ. 15. Now the Lord had told Samuel in his eare, a day before Saul came, &c.] Before the ſtory relates the meeting of Samuel and Saul, this is here inſerted, that the day before Saul came, the Lord had told Samuel in his eare, that is, by the ſecret inſtinct of his ſpirit, that the next day he would ſend him a man out of the land of Benjamin, whom he ſhould anoint to be king of Iſrael; firſt, to intimate that this was the occaſion of the ſacrifice and feaſt which Samuel had appointed, knowing that the man choſen of God to be their king was to come thither this day, he had appointed this feaſt for his entertainment; and ſecondly, to ſhew that it was no wonder that Samuel ſhould preſently entertain Saul as the elect king of Iſrael, becauſe the Lord having told Samuel the day before, that he would ſend him a man out of Benjamin the next day, when this came to paſſe as God had told him, this muſt needs be a notable means to ſtrengthen Samuels faith.
Verſ. 16. 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.] It ſeems the Philiſtines, who had been quiet all Samuels time, chap. 7.13. So the Philistines were ſubdued, and they came no more into the coaſt of Iſrael: and the hand of the Lord was againſt the Philistines all the dayes of Samuel; began now again to raiſe warre againſt the Iſraelites, having happely made an agreement to that purpoſe with the king of Ammon, that the one ſhould invade the land on one hand, and the other on the other ſide: for that the Ammonites did alſo invade the land at this time, is evident chap. 12.12. And when ye ſaw that Nahaſh the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye ſaid unto me, Nay, but a king ſhall reigne over us; when the Lord your God was your king. This made the people cry, and their cry the Lord heard, and taking pitty on them, promiſed now to ſave them from the Philiſtines, (of whom it ſeems they were moſt afraid) and that by the hand of Saul. And indeed, though the warre betwixt Saul and the Philiſtines continued all his dayes, and at his death they prevailed much, yet oftentimes he prevailed againſt them, and ſo ſaved them from much of that oppreſſion which otherwiſe the Philiſtines would have laid upon them: wherein alſo obſervable it is, that God intended mercy to them in that, which they notwithſtanding had ſinned in deſiring, to wit, the raiſing up of a king amongſt them.
Verſ. 19. 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 tell thee all that is in thine heart.] Though Samuel knew that Sauls ſoveraignty would deprive him of that ſupreme dignity he had formerly enjoyed, yet knowing it was Gods will that Saul ſhould be king, we ſee that inſtead of looking with an envious and malignant eye upon him, he entertained him with all poſſible courteſie, and did what he could to honour him amongſt the people. As for that clauſe, And will tell thee all that is in thine heart, thereby is meant, either that he would tell him all that he had a purpoſe to enquire of him, or elſe he would tell him many ſecret things which no body knew but himſelf onelyonly; and indeed, though for the preſent he told him of the aſſes onelyonly, as it follows in the next verſe, And as for thine aſſes that were loſt three dayes ago, ſet not thy mind on them, for they are found, (which doubtleſſe he did, to free him from that care, and that he might be the more willing to ſtay with him) yet it may well be that afterward when they were together alone, he told him many other ſecret things, for the greater confirmation of his faith, concerning the promiſe of the kingdome, as Chriſt did to the woman of Samaria, to make her know he was the Meſſiah. Joh. 4.29. where we have an expreſſion much like this of Samuel, Come ſee a man, ſaith ſhe, that hath told me all that ever I did.
Verſ. 20. And on whom is all the deſire of Iſrael? is it not on thee, and on all thy fathers houſe?] That is, on whom muſt the kingdome and royall dignity, which all Iſrael deſire may be reared up amongſt them, be conferred but on thee and on thy fathers houſe?
Verſ. 21. And Saul anſwered and ſaid, Am not I a Benjamite, of the ſmalleſt of the tribes of Iſrael, &c.] Though Samuel had in the foregoing words ſpoken very covertly, concerning Sauls being king, And on whom is all the deſire of Iſrael, &c. yet the peoples eagerneſſe at this time to have a king being ſo famouſly known, Saul might well hereby gueſſe at Samuels meaning, and the ſtrangeneſſe of ſuch tydings makes him therefore as one aſtoniſhed, ſo debaſe himſelf, Am not I a Benjamite, of the ſmalleſt of the tribes of Iſrael, &c. Nor need we wonder that he calls the tribe of Benjamin, the ſmalleſt of the tribes, if we remember that this tribe was almoſt wholly deſtroyed not many years before, in that warre that was between this tribe and their brethren of the other tribes, Judg. 20. Long it was, it ſeems, ere this tribe recovered the deſolation that was then made amongſt them, if ever they recovered it; for even in regard that there were ſo few of this tribe, it may well be, that when this tribe kept faithfull to the houſe of David in the dayes of Jeroboam, as well as the tribe of Judah, yet ſtill the Scripture ſpeaks but of one tribe that did cleave to the houſe of David, to wit, the tribe of Judah, as we may ſee, 1. kings 11.32. and ſo in many other places; Benjamin not being mentioned becauſe of their paucity, but comprehended under the men of Judah.
Verſ. 22. And Samuel took Saul, and his ſervant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them ſit in the cheifeſt place among them that were bidden.] Doubtleſſe thoſe invited were of the Elders and cheif of the city: by placing Saul therefore above them, he began to give a ſigne of the dignity he ſhould be raiſed too; and withall, ſhewed how farre he was from envying him, becauſe he ſhould be obſcured by his advancement.
Verſ. 23. And Samuel ſaid unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I ſaid unto thee, Set it by thee.] Samuel it ſeems had given order to the cook, for one ſpeciall extraordinary meſſe that ſhould be ſet by & reſerved, as for ſome extraordinary gueſt, and not ſent up till Samuel ſent for it: and hereupon therefore he now called upon him to bring him that meſſe, that it might be ſet before Saul. As for the cuſtome of thoſe times in allotting a ſeverall meſſe to every gueſt, ſee the note upon Gen. 43.34.
Verſ. 24. And the cook took up the ſhoulder, and that which was upon it, and ſet it before Saul.] To wit, the left ſhoulder; for the right ſhoulder of all peace-offerings was the prieſts portion, Levit. 7.32, 33. The ſhoulder was it ſeems in theſe times accounted the cheif peice, and therefore doubtleſſe was it alloted for the prieſts portion, and here at this time appointed for Sauls meſſe. It is hard to ſay what is meant by thoſe words, and that which was upon it, to wit, whether it be meant of any thing that was poured or laid upon it as ſauce, or onelyonly for garniſhing the meat, or of any other joynt that was here brought in, together with the ſhoulder, as the neck or breaſt which before they are ſevered are upon the ſhoulder; but becauſe the ſhoulder is the onelyonly joynt mentioned, the firſt I conceive is moſt probable.
Behold, that which is left, ſet it before thee, and eat; for unto this time hath it been kept for thee, ſince I ſaid, I have invited the people.] That is, ſince I firſt gave order to the cook that he ſhould prepare this proviſion for thoſe that were invited. Now this is expreſſed, that hereby Saul might ſee that God had beforehand revealed his coming thither to Samuel; for how elſe could Samuel have purpoſely ſet apart this portion for him?
Verſ. 25. Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the houſe.] Where they might be moſt private; for thence alſo is that, Acts 10.9. Peter went up upon the houſe to pray, about the ſixth houre. Both this, and his chooſing the ſpring of the day to anoint Saul in, verſ. 26. before any bodie was ſtirring; and his going forth to the end of the citie, and ſending his ſervant away, verſ. 27. they all ſhew how carefull Samuel was, that it ſhould not yet be known that Saul was anointed king, to wit, that when he was afterward choſen by lot, no body as yet thinking of any ſuch thing, it might be the more manifeſt that he was choſen of God, and that no body elſe had any hand in it: and ſecondly, that Saul might hereby be taught to wait upon God, to content himſelf with the promiſe for a time, and to ſtay Gods leiſure for the performance of what was promiſed.
Verſ. 26. And Saul aroſe, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.] The calling up Saul therefore to the top of the houſe mentioned in the foregoing words, Samuel called Saul to the top of the houſe, &c. was onelyonly that Samuel might will him to make ready preſently to be gone; which Saul accordingly did; and ſo then Samuel went along with him out of the citie, intending at their parting to anoint him king.