A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Commentary on 1 Samuel · Chapter 9
1 Samuel, CHAP. IX.
CHapter the Ninth relateth, How Saul came to be called the firſt King over Iſrael.
N. B. Here beginneth the ſecond part of this Book, and here properly begin the Books of the Kings of Iſrael, as ſome ſay, &c. The Remarks hereupon are,
Firſt, The Subject matter of this Divine Call to Kingly Authority; to wit, Saul, who is here deſcribed, (1.) By his Anceſtors and Parentage, v. 1. Kiſh his Father is call'd a Benjamite, and a Mighty Man of Power, which tended much to Saul's Commendation, Fortes creatur à fortibus, Mighties beget Mighties, like Father, like Son; his Father was Heros fortis, a ſtout Hero, and ſo was fitter to be Father to a King. (2.) By his Name and Stature, v. 2. his Name Saul ſignifies deſired or ſought after, his Nomen was his Omen, Conveniunt Rebus Nomina ſaepe ſuis: He was both deſired and ſought after, and the rather becauſe he was a comely perſonable Man, and of a Kingly preſence and poſture; his tall Stature made him more valuable according to the Cuſtom of the Eaſtern Countries, who chuſed their Kings thereby in Antient Times.
N. B. Enquiry; But why muſt Iſrael's firſt King be a Benjamite, ſeeing God had promiſed the Kingdom to Judah? Gen. 49.10.
Anſwer 1. God did this to demonſtrate his Soveraignty in raiſing a Throne out of the very Rubbiſh of a diminiſhed Tribe, which had been all cut off ſave ſix hundred, Judg. 20. That Blow they never recovered, but was, as a fragment incorporated into Judah, and thereby in ſome ſort loſt their Name, they in conjunction with Judah being reckon'd but one Tribe, 1 Kings 11.32. and again 12.20.
Anſwer 2. Is that of Mendoza, ſaying, God would have conferred an everlaſting Kingdom upon Benjamin by a Conditional Decree, if Saul had obſerved the Divine Law, chap. 13.13. and becauſe God foreſaw, that Saul would fail in the condition, therefore did the Lord abſolutely decree to transfer the Throne to the Tribe of Judah.
The Second Remark is, The prodigious paſſages of Providence whereby Saul came to be call'd to the Kingdom, v. 3. to v. 15. ſo marvelous in all its Circumſtances concurring hereunto, that 'tis become a Proverb, [While Saul ſought his Fathers loſt Aſſes, which he could not find, yet found he a Kingdom, which he ſought not,] Quarens Aſinos, reperit Regnum; this was the Riſe of Saul's Royalty.
N. B. The moſt Wiſe God can bring about great matters by ſmall and contemptible means; as God call'd Saul from ſeeking Aſſes, ſo David from keeping Sheep: God oft erects ſtately Fabricks upon weak Foundations, but he forbids us to do ſo, when we are to build the Tower of Godlineſs, Luke 14.28. then in ſolido exſtruendum eſt, as is the Rule of Vitruvus, we muſt build upon the Rock, and not on Sand, Matth. 7.24. &c. The notable paſſages of Providence here may briefly be Remarked upon. As,
Firſt, Saul's Father muſt at this Juncture loſe his Aſſes, and He the Son muſt be ſent to ſeek them.
N. B. Behold the ſimplicity and lowlineſs of thoſe times; tho' Saul was in perſonage a Prince's-fellow, yet was it not below him to ſeek his Fathers Goods when loſt.
Secondly, Thoſe loſt Aſſes Saul can find in no part of the Country, therefore he bethinks himſelf that his Aged Father would begin to fear he had loſt his Son and Servant, as well as his Aſſes; and this latter loſs would double his Fathers perplexity; ver. 5. Herein Saul ſhewed moſt filial-like Affection to his Old Father, in taking ſuch care to prevent his Grief; 'tis well obſerved. Hence,
N. B. That Saul was a better Son to his Father, than afterwards he proved a Father to his own Son: He can here be ſerviceable to his Father, and ſollicitous for his comfort; but when himſelf became a Father, even of a good Son Jonathan, Oh how curriſh and cruel became he to him!
Thirdly, The Servant ſeeing Saul at a Non-plus, ſaith to him, Here is a Seer hard by us, let us conſult him, perhaps he can help us to our loſt Aſſes, ver. 6.
N. B. So low ſometimes did the moſt high God ſtoop to his Peoples meanneſs, as to give Anſwers in ſuch Caſes (below a Prophet of God) by his Prophets, to keep them from ſeeking unto Sorcerers, and the Devils Prieſts; as he did in a caſe of Sickneſs, 1 King. 14.2. and 2 King. 1.3. God's telling truth in Natural things, made them believe in Supernatural, Joh 3.12.
Fourthly, Saul ſaid to his Servant, But we have ſpent our Stock, and 'twill not be Manners for us to go to a Man of God, without a Preſent in our hand, v. 7.
N. B. Not as any wage of Divination, but as an honourable gratuity from us, that are Strangers to him. Jeroboams Wife would not go empty-handed to the Lord's Prophet, 1 King. 14.3. Nor Naaman the Syrian to Eliſha, 2 King. 5.5. which was more to be admired than that Man's bringing him Bread, &c. 2 King. 4.42.
N. B. 'Tis pity the Word and the World ſhould now be changed for the worſe. The Word in the World was then [What Preſent ſhall we bring to the Man of God? What have we?] But alas, now the Word in the World is quite contrary; a Goſpel-Miniſter is called a Man of God, 2 Tim. 3.17. And now the Word is, [What ſhall we take, or keep back from him?] To Rob a Miniſter of that which is due by the Rule of Juſtice, and not of Charity, is looked upon as neither ſin, nor ſhame, nor pity.
Fifthly, The Servant ſaid, [He had about a Groat by him; this he would give the Man of God, &c. v. 8. it ſeems, Times were not ſo Luxurious, as they are now; wherein ſuch a trifle would be ſcorn'd by Men of raiſed expectations after greater thing, whereas our Lord looked more at the will of the Offerer, than at the worth of the Offering; and hereupon, two Mites from a Poor Widow, went farther with him than two Millions from the Rich Dons; Mark 12.42.
Sixthly, The Maſter ſaid to the Man [Well ſaid, come, let us go,] v. 10. Heb. Thy word is good: Saul here was ſo far obſequious and condeſcending, that he Diſdained not ſeaſonable Advice out of the Mouth of his Servant: No more did a better Man than he was ever, Namely, Job, Job 31.13. No nor a greater Man than he was now; Namely, Naaman, 2 King. 5.13, 14.
Seventhly, In their going up to Ramah, they meet the Maidens coming down to draw Water at the Well below, and of them they ask, [is the Seer here.] v. 11. To whom one of them told a long tale, v. 12, 13. And the Reaſon of her long Diſcourſe, Rabby Solomon, (quoted by Lyra) renders thus, That this Damſel (who thus largely Anſwered their Queſtion) did it not only out of common Courteſie to Strangers, which is every where, and in all Perſons very commendable; but ſhe was moreover ſo Enamoured. N. B. With Saul's comely Perſonage, that ſhe ſtaid him with her large Reply, uſing more Words than were needful, that ſhe might look upon him the longer. However, God made uſe of her to make Saul and Samuel Happily meet together.
The Third Remark is, The Marvelous meeting of Saul and Samuel, whom God had prepared over-night, by a ſecret Revelation for Sauls Reception, v. 14, 15, 16, 17, &c. Saying to him [Behold the Man.] when Saul ſaw Samuel, he knew him not, but Asks the Seer himſelf, [where the Seer was] v. 18.
N. B. 'Tis a wonder Saul ſhould not know ſo publick a perſon as Samuel, that had ſo oft Rode his Circuits up and down the Countrey. It may well be ſuppoſed here, that both Saul (tho' a great Mans Son) did not much frequent the Aſſizes, either as Plaintiff or Defendant, &c. But lived privately and peaceably, and loved not litigious Suits, ſo as to be acquainted with the Judge, minding only his Fathers Huſbandry at home.
N. B. And on the other hand 'tis plain, that Samuel met Saul here as a plain Man in a plain Dreſs, and bore no great port in his outſide, like a Judge of Iſrael, ſo that Saul knew him not either by his Habit, or by his Attendants: Oh the plainneſs of theſe times, wherein a Judge walked like an ordinary Fellow in Saul's ſight, ſo asks him for the Seer! This condemns the Pomp, Pride and Luxury of our times.
The Fourth Remark is, The Signal Circumstances of this marvelous Meeting both before, at, and after the Feaſt, unto which Samuel invited Saul and his Servant as his ſpecial Gueſts.
N. B. Firſt, Before the Banquet a Conference is held betwixt them; Samuel firſt makes himſelf known to Saul, v. 19. and not only obliges him to be his Gueſt at the Feaſt, but alſo comforts him about his loſt Aſſes, telling him that they were found; therefore (ſaith he) mayeſt thou lodge with me one Night more, without any Anxiety, and I will tell thee whatever elſe thou askeſt me: Moreover he premoniſhes him, that though he had not found the Aſſes for his Father, yet he had found a better thing for himſelf, namely, a Kingdom, ſaying, [The Deſire of Iſrael is towards thee,] a Branch of our Saviour's Honour (who is call'd, The Deſire of Nations, Hag. 2.7.) is put upon Saul here.
N. B. And the Kingdom is promiſed to his Poſterity too, v. 20. if Saul by his ſin did not cut off the Entail, as chap. 13.13. Samuel tells Saul here, that Iſrael deſired a King, and God had pitch'd upon him. Secondly, Saul's Modeſt Anſwer to Samuel's Premoniſhment, v. 21. wherein he uſeth Three Arguments for his making a modeſt Refuſal of Royalty propoſed to him by the Prophet.
His firſt Argument is taken from his Tribe, a Benjamite, the leaſt of all the Twelve Tribes ſince the fatal blow upon it, Judg. 20 as above, hereupon he is call'd little Benjamin, Pſal. 68.27.
His ſecond Argument for his Humility, is drawn from his Family in that Tribe, which he calls the leaſt of the Families thereof, which helps us to underſtand what is ſaid, v. 1. that Saul's Family was not ſo Noble and Wealthy as ſome imagine.
His third Argument in conjunction with the two former, was drawn from his Perſon, [Am not I a Benjamite?] And therefore Contemptible, as if he had ſaid, [Why doeſt thou feed me with hopes of the Kingdom? God promis'd it to the Tribe of Judah, and not to my Tribe; and if a King be Elective, the Numerous Tribes will carry it by multiplicity of Voices from my ſmall Tribe.] All this Saul ſpeaketh in Humility (as one ſenſible of his own Incapacity of Royal Dignity) and not in Hypocriſie, whereof afterwards he became groſly guilty.
N. B. None know their own Treacherous Hearts. What they may prove upon Tryal, &c.
Secondly, At, or in the Banquet, v. 22, 23, 24. Obſerve here how Saul hath a double Honour conferred upon him, which verifies Solomon's Saying, [before Honour is Humility,] Prov. 15.33. 'Tis God's Work and way to exalt the Humble, Jam. 4.10. 1 Pet. 5, 6. Here Humble Saul is, (1.) Preferred to the principal place at the Feaſt by Samuel, and that above Thirty Gueſts that probably were the Nobleſt Citizens of that City: This is a Mark of Honour, Luke 14.8. and Samuel thus honours Saul, becauſe he knew God had deſign'd to honour him: Nor doth he envy his new Dignity (as many would have done) becauſe it tended to a Diminution of his own: Nor doth Samuel give this precedency to Saul only, but to his Servant alſo Saul's ſake, v. 22. (2.) Saul's ſecond Honour is, He muſt have the principal Diſh (as well as Place) which Samuel had purpoſely prepared for him, knowing of his coming the Day before, which was but a Shoulder, v. 23, 24. to ſhew the Temperance of thoſe times, a fair rebuke to the foul Gluttony of our Days.
Thirdly, After the Banquet. (1.) Samuel takes Saul from the Banquet, down to his own Dwelling-Houſe, and diſcourſing him about the Kingdom upon the flat Roof (a fit place for private Conference, or Secret Prayer, Acts 10.9.) He Lodged him Honourably that Night, v. 25. (2.) Samuel calls him up early to the Houſe top again to Impart more of God's Mind to him, and ſo diſmiſſes him, v. 26. Yet, (3.) Goes part of his way for Honours ſake, but the Servant is ſent before, v. 26. for yet more private Diſcourſe in ſo weighty a matter: Samuel could not prepare Saul well enough by two former Secret Conferences, he muſt have this third alſo.
N. B. This ſecrecy Samuel uſed, leſt Iſrael ſhould think ſome Colluſion in the caſe, and ſuſpect that he who before had deny'd them a King, was now about to impoſe one on them; but this ſuſpicion was prevented when Saul was choſen by Lot, which was immediately ordered by God: What Samuel ſaid and did to Saul at this Conference, is declared in the next Chapter.