1 Samuel10
World English Bible · Public Domain
1Then Samuel took the vial of oil and poured it on his head, then kissed him and said, “Hasn’t Yahweh anointed you to be prince over his inheritance?
2When you have departed from me today, then you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb, on the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will tell you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found; and behold, your father has stopped caring about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do for my son?”’
3“Then you will go on forward from there, and you will come to the oak of Tabor. Three men will meet you there going up to God to Bethel: one carrying three young goats, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a container of wine.
4They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hand.
5“After that you will come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is; and it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a lute, a tambourine, a pipe, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.
6Then Yahweh’s Spirit will come mightily on you, then you will prophesy with them and will be turned into another man.
7Let it be, when these signs have come to you, that you do what is appropriate for the occasion; for God is with you.
8“Go down ahead of me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings. Wait seven days, until I come to you and show you what you are to do.”
9It was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all those signs happened that day.
10When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them.
11When all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said to one another, “What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
12One from the same place answered, “Who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
13When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.
14Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” He said, “To seek the donkeys. When we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel.”
15Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”
16Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys were found.” But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he didn’t tell him.
17Samuel called the people together to Yahweh to Mizpah;
18and he said to the children of Israel, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, says ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’
19But you have today rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, ‘No! Set a king over us!’ Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes and by your thousands.”
20So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.
21He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families and the family of the Matrites was chosen. Then Saul the son of Kish was chosen; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.
22Therefore they asked of Yahweh further, “Is there yet a man to come here?” Yahweh answered, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.”
23They ran and got him there. When he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
24Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom Yahweh has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” All the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
25Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before Yahweh. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
26Saul also went to his house in Gibeah; and the army went with him, whose hearts God had touched.
27But certain worthless fellows said, “How could this man save us?” They despised him, and brought him no tribute. But he held his peace.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Samuel 10.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Samuel anoints Saul. (1–8). Saul prophesies. (9–16). Saul chosen king. (17–27).
vv1-8
The sacred anointing, then used, pointed at the great Messiah, or Anointed One, the King of the church, and High Priest of our profession, who was anointed with the oil of the Spirit, not by measure, but without measure, and above all the priests and princes of the Jewish church. For Saul's further satisfaction, Samuel gives him some signs which should come to pass the same day. The first place he directs him to, was the sepulchre of one of his ancestors; there he must be reminded of his own mortality, and now that he had a crown before him, must think of his grave, in which all his honour would be laid in the dust. From the time of Samuel there appears to have been schools, or places where pious young men were brought up in the knowledge of Divine things. Saul should find himself strongly moved to join with them, and should be turned into another man from what he had been. The Spirit of God changes men, wonderfully transforms them. Saul, by praising God in the communion of saints, became another man, but it may be questioned if he became a new man.
vv9-16
The signs Samuel had given Saul, came to pass punctually; he found that God had given him another heart, another disposition of mind. Yet let not an outward show of devotion, and a sudden change for the present, be too much relied on; Saul among the prophets was Saul still. His being anointed was kept private. He leaves it to God to carry on his own work by Samuel, and sits still, to see how the matter will fall.
vv17-27
Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employments to which the Lord and the church call them. The greater part of the people treated the matter with indifference. Saul modestly went home to his own house, but was attended by a band of men whose hearts God disposed to support his authority. If the heart bend at any time the right way, it is because He has touched it. One touch is enough when it is Divine. Others despised him. Thus differently are men affected to our exalted Redeemer. There is a remnant who submit to him, and follow him wherever he goes; they are those whose hearts God has touched, whom he has made willing. But there are others who despise him, who ask, How shall this man save us? They are offended in him, and they will be punished.
Key Words
שְׁמוּאֵל: Shemuel, the name of three Israelites
לָקַח: to take (in the widest variety of applications)
פַּךְ: a flask (from which a liquid may flow)
שֶׁמֶן: grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richness
יָצַק: properly, to pour out (transitive or intransitive); by implication, to melt or cast as metal; by extension, to place firmly, to stiffen or grow hard
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
רֹאשׁ: the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)
נָשַׁק: to kiss, literally or figuratively (touch); also (as a mode of attachment), to equip with weapons
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
מָשַׁח: to rub with oil, i.e. to anoint; by implication, to consecrate; also to paint
Cross References
1 Samuel 10The Mosaic law regarding the duties and limitations of kingship which Samuel writes in a book.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The fateful command to wait seven days at Gilgal, which Saul famously fails to keep later.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The repeating origin of the proverbial question, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Samuel's kiss of Saul represents the royal kiss of subjection and homage.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies the location of Rachel's sepulchre, confirming the geographical path and sign Samuel predicted.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Links instrumental music and singing praises to the technical biblical term 'prophesying'.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Reiterates the fundamental theological critique that in demanding a king, Israel rejected Yahweh.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Re-emphasizes Saul's distinctive, towering physical stature first introduced during his search.
Supported by JFB
The critical subsequent event where Saul's supporters suggest executing the detractors who despised him.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Establishes the pattern of a prophet privately anointing a king from a vial of oil.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies Bethel as the ancient sanctuary and place of Jacob's vision.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Demonstrates the judicial process of selection by lot, shifting from tribe to family to individual.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrasts God's warning to Samuel against looking at height, after Saul's towering height was praised.
Gibeah of Saul is identified as his home town to which he modestly returned.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Reminds readers of the lost asses that initiated Saul's journey to Samuel.
Defines the term 'children of Belial' as worthless, rebellious, and lawless men.
Supported by Matthew Poole