Jonathan Defeats the Philistines

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 14:1) Now it came to pass one day that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side." But he did not tell his father.

At the end of the last chapter, three companies of Philistines had pretty much surrounded Saul, Jonathan, and their small army of six hundred men.  The Philistines were busy plundering the land and not immediately intent on attacking Saul and his men.  It appears they must have remained like that for at least a couple of days or more, because "one day" Jonathan, Saul's son, decided it was time to do something.  He told his armor-bearer that they should go over to the Philistine garrison that was on the other side of them.  However, he did not tell his father of his plan.

(2) And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron, and the people with him were about six hundred men, (3) And Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord's priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone.

Saul waited in the uppermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron which was north of Gibeah in the field of Gibeah.  He still had his six hundred men, no more or no less, and that included Ahijah the priest.  He came from the line of Eli who had been the Lord's priest in Shiloh.  Ichabod was the child that Phinehas's wife bore prematurely on hearing the news that the ark had been taken and that her husband and Eli, her father-in-law, had died (1 Samuel 4:19).  Ichabod apparently had an older brother named Ahitub, whose son was Ahijah.  Saul and the people with him did not know that Jonathan was gone.

(4) And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison, a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side, and the name of the one Bozez and the name of the other Seneh. 

I believe "the passages" refers to the common passageways from one place to another that were now obstructed by the Philistines.  Jonathan had to find another way to cross over to the Philistine garrison.  Between the passages were two large sharp rocks that were known and even named, one Bozez meaning "shining" which might suggest smooth and slippery, and the other Seneh meaning "thorn" or "bramble."  

(5) The forefront of the one was situated northward opposite Michmash and the other southward opposite Gibeah.

I believe the sense is that both rocks were in the way between the passages, not across from each other, but the northern one faced Michmash and the southern one faced Gibeah.

(6) And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us, for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few."

Jonathan again told his armor bearer that they should go over to the garrison of the Philistines, and in additional encouragement, he said that the Lord might do the work for them, as there was no limit to God's power.  God could save with an army or with just a few men.  That shows that Jonathan had great faith in the Lord.  He hadn't said that the Lord would definitely do the work for them, because he had not received a word from the Lord, but he had no doubt that his Lord was well able if it was in His will to do so.

(7) And his armorbearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart; turn, behold, I am with you according to your heart."

Jonathan's armor bearer told Jonathan to do what was in his heart to do, to turn the way he wanted to go, and he would willingly follow him.

(8) Then Jonathan said, "Behold, we will pass over to these men, and we will let them discover us. (9) If they say thus to us, 'Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place and will not go up to them. (10) But if they say thus, 'Come up to us,' then we will go up, for the Lord has delivered them into our hand, and this be a sign to us."

Jonathan told his armor bearer that they would pass over to the Philistines and let them discover them.  Then if the Philistines told them to wait there until they came to them, they would stand there and not go to them.  However, if they said, "Come up to us," they would see that as a sign that the Lord had delivered the Philistines into their hands, and they would indeed go to the Philistines.  That would be a sign from the Lord telling them what they should do.

It's funny; my first instinct was that Jonathan should have prayed to the Lord, that it was a bit arrogant to set up his own scheme and expect the Lord to go along with it.  Well, for one thing, we don't know that Jonathan didn't pray first.  He probably did have some sort of leading to make him take such a bold step.  But then I also realized that I have done the same thing.  When the Lord doesn't speak directly to you, then asking Him to show you the right way between two choices with a sign from Him seems perfectly acceptable and shows faith in Him to direct your paths, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:6).  Jonathan did acknowledge God and His power to save them (verse 6), and he had faith that He would direct them in the way they should go.

(11) And both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, and the Philistines said, "Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves."

Jonathan and his armor bearer did indeed reveal themselves to the Philistines at that post, and the Philistines took note among themselves that the Hebrews had come out of hiding.

(12) And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you something." And Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel."

The men at the garrison responded to Jonathan and his armor bearer's presence, by telling them to come up to them and they would show them something.  Jonathan told his armor bearer to follow him, as he had full faith and confidence that the Lord had delivered those Philistines into Israel's hand.  Not that it made a difference in the way the Philistines told them to come to them, but they did use the exact phrase "Come up to us" that Jonathan had put forth in his plan (verse 10). 

(13) And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor bearer after him, and they fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer slew after him.

Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees in a way not easily accessible.  He didn't go the way the Philistines would have expected him to go on the main passageway.  He evidently caught the men off guard, and they fell before him.  Obviously, we know Who really knocked them down.  His armor bearer then killed the men.

(14) At that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were a half acre of land.

Jonathan and his armor bearer killed about twenty men at that garrison and within half an acre from it.

(15) And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked, so it was a very great trembling.

The Philistine host trembled with fear, those in the field, and among all the people.  Men inside the garrison who had not been outside and killed, and the plunderers who ravaged the land, were also terrified and panic-stricken, especially when the earth began to quake, as well, which was surely by God.

(16) And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on stampeding.

The watchmen of Saul at Gibeah saw the Philistine army melting away, as they fled and stampeded over one another.

(17) Then Saul said to the people with him, "Number now, and see who is gone from us." And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

Saul then ordered a roll be taken, and when it was, it was discovered that Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

(18) And Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here" (for the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel).

Saul told the priest Ahijah to bring the ark of God to him, for the Israelites had brought the ark with them.

(19) And it came to pass, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise in the host of the Philistines went on and increased, and Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."

While Saul was talking to the priest, the noise of the Philistines grew louder, and Saul told the priest to stop what he was doing, which was surely to inquire of the Lord over the ark.  Saul once again showed some impatience.

(20) And Saul and all the people with him assembled themselves, and they came to battle, and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, very great confusion.

Saul and his men assembled themselves to battle against the Philistines, but they witnessed their enemy fighting themselves because there was so much confusion.  God, whom Saul was too impatient to hear from, had already taken care of the matter.

(21) Moreover, the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

The Israelites who had been with the Philistines as their servants, had also gone with the Philistines to their camp from the areas round about the camp.  They then went and joined Saul and Jonathan.

(22) Likewise, all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in Mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.

Additionally, the men of Israel who had been hiding in Mount Ephraim, in caves, rocks, thickets, and pits (1 Samuel 13:6), when they heard that the Philistines had fled, they also joined Saul's army and chased after the fleeing Philistines.  The historian Josephus wrote that at this time Saul's army had increased to 10,000.

(23) So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle passed over to Beth Aven. 

So the Lord had saved Israel that day with only two men, as Jonathan had had faith He could (verse 6).  Now the battle shifted to Beth Aven. 

(24) And the men of Israel were distressed that day for Saul had adjured the people, saying, "Cursed the man who eats food until evening, that I may be avenged on my enemies." So none of the people tasted food.

It appears that when Saul had assembled his people to pursue the Philistines (verse 20), he had given them a strict order that none of them was to eat anything until the evening so that no time would be lost in making victory over the Philistines, that "he" might be avenged on "his" enemies.  That sounds a bit arrogant and self-centered considering it had been Jonathan and his armor bearer who had thus far done the avenging.

(25) And all the land came to a wood, and there was honey on the ground. (26) And when the people had come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

As the people were pursuing the Philistines, they came into a wooded area where there was honey on the ground.  Honey was dripping all over, but no one dared pick up any to eat because of the severe command of Saul that carried with it a curse (verse 24).

(27) But Jonathan had not heard when his father charged the people with the oath; therefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened.

Jonathan had not heard his father's order, and he took his rod and dipped the end of it in a honeycomb and ate the honey.  His eyes brightened as he became refreshed.

(28) Then answered one of the people who said, "Your father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, 'Cursed the man who eats food this day.'" And the people were faint.

Someone spoke up and told Jonathan that his father had ordered that no one eat until the evening and had issued the order with a curse. And all the people were faint with hunger.

(29) Then Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. See, I pray you, how my eyes have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey. (30) How much more, if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?"

Jonathan said that his father had distressed the people with his order.  He told the people to observe how his eyes had brightened because he was refreshed with a little bit of honey.  He added that had the people been allowed to eat freely of the spoil of the Philistines as they came upon it, there would probably have been a much greater slaughter of their enemies by that time.

(31) And they struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very faint.

The people struck the Philistines from Michmash, the place where the camp of the Philistines was when Jonathan first attacked them, to Aijalon in Judah, about twelve miles.  It appears the people did not eat the honey as Jonathan had encouraged them to do.  By this time, they were extremely faint.  

(32) And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and killed them on the ground, and the people ate them with the blood.

The people were so starved they rushed upon the spoil of the Philistines and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and killed them on the spot and ate them raw with the blood still in them, which was against God's law.  

(33) Then they told Saul, saying, "Behold, the people sin against the Lord in that they eat with the blood." And he said, "You have transgressed; roll a great stone to me this day." (34) And Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, 'Bring me here every man's ox, and every man's sheep, and slaughter them here, and eat, and do not sin against the Lord in eating with the blood.'" And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night and killed them there.

It was told to Saul that the people had sinned against the Lord in eating flesh with the blood.  Saul then told the people that they had sinned and asked that a large stone be rolled to him.  He then sent word among the people to bring their oxen and their sheep, whatever they intended to eat, and slaughter them there on the stone where they could properly drain the blood, and thusly not sin against the Lord.  All the people brought their animals that night to the stone and killed them there. 

So it was night by the time the people flew upon the spoil of the Philistines and ate ravenously flesh of the animals with the blood.  So they had waited to eat until the evening.  Note that the people feared the order of Saul more than they feared sinning against the Lord.   

(35) And Saul built an altar to the Lord; the same was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

Saul built an altar to the Lord.  It was the first one he had built himself.  He had before sacrificed at altars that were already there, but this was the first he built himself.   

(36) And Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them." And they said, "Do whatever seems good to you." Then the priest said, "Let us draw near here to God."

Saul then proposed that they go after the Philistines by night and plunder them all night long until the morning light and not leave a man of them alive.  The people agreed to do whatever Saul thought was right.  Then the priest suggested that they should draw near to God to ask what He wanted them to do.

(37) And Saul asked counsel of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But He did not answer him that day.

Saul had already made up his mind what he wanted to do.  He just wanted God to bless his plan.  He had not inquired of God first what he should do.  He went through the motions now that the priest had suggested it, and he asked God if he should go after the Philistines, and would He deliver them into the hand of Israel.  But God did not answer him.  From the beginning, Saul had not waited for instruction from the Lord.  In verse 19, he was too impatient to wait for the priest to inquire of the Lord and had gone through with his own plan.  He had made a foolish strict order that caused the people to sin.  He now made a decision to go after the Philistines that night and now made a show of pretending that he sought the Lord's guidance.  The Lord did not play that game.

(38) And Saul said, "Draw near here, all the chief of the people, and know and see where this sin has been this day. (39) For as the Lord lives who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But not a man among all the people answered him.

Saul called all the chiefs of the people together to determine what sin had been committed that day, for he concluded that the reason the Lord didn't answer was because there was sin among them.  He never considered it might be his own.  Then Saul made another rash oath.  He said as the Lord who saved Israel lived, even if the sin was found in his own son, even he would die.  But none of the people answered him.  They knew Jonathan had eaten honey against his father's order, but he had done it unknowingly, and besides, they probably had affection for him as he was the one who had truly saved them that day.

Saul did proclaim that the Lord was the one who saved Israel, but in his arrogance, he was more concerned about someone not obeying his order than any real sin against God.  If someone disobeyed his order, was that really a sin?  It always seems that Saul gives a show of religion, but God is not the true object of his heart.  It always seems to be about Saul first.  Jesus said in Matthew 15:9, "But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."  James said in James 1:26, "If any man among you seems to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain."  Those seem to sum up Saul pretty well.

(40) Then he said to all Israel, "You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side." And the people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you." (41) Therefore Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, "Give a perfect lot." And Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped.

Then Saul spoke to all the people, instructing them to divide into two groups, he and Jonathan on one side against all the people on the other.  The people again told Saul he should do what seemed good to him.  Saul then asked the Lord to give a perfect lot, as if He didn't always, and have it land on the guilty party.  The lot showed that the guilty party was among Saul and Jonathan, and the people were shown to be innocent.

(42) And Saul said, "Cast between me and Jonathan my son." And Jonathan was taken.

Saul, having no sense of his own guilt, would have his own son put to death because he did not obey his order.  It's interesting that God would show Jonathan as the guilty one.  Eating the honey was not a sin against God.  However, it wasn't God's intention that Jonathan be killed, but rather to reveal Saul's arrogant rashness in making such an oath.

(43) Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." And Jonathan told him, and said, "I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod in my hand; lo, I must die."

Saul asked Jonathan what he had done to have the lot fall to him, what "sin" had he committed?  Jonathan told him that he had only tasted a little honey with the end of his rod, and for that, he must die.  Jonathan didn't even try to defend himself with the fact he had not heard his father's order.  He willingly accepted his fate.  Or was he rather pointing out that for so trivial a matter, he must die, pointing out the absurdity of so harsh a punishment for something that was not a sin against God.  Since God was using this as a lesson for Saul, I'm sure His spirit could have been directing responses.

(44) And Saul answered, "God do so and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan."

Saul's point was that God may do even more evil if he did not follow through with his oath, so he told Jonathan he must surely die.

(45) And the people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day." So the people rescued Jonathan that he did not die.

The people spoke up for Jonathan, asking if Jonathan with whom God had surely worked to bring salvation to Israel should die.  It was obvious that he had not offended God, but God had used him mightily to save Israel.  Adam Clarke put it this way, in his Commentary on the Bible, "Here was a righteous and impartial jury, who brought in a verdict according to the evidence."  After all, no man should die except for a breach of the law of God, and Jonathan had not broken any law of God, so he should not die.  So the people rescued Jonathan from his death penalty, but actually, it was God who saved him by exposing Saul's arrogance and recklessness.

(46) Then Saul went up from following the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

Saul gave up following the Philistines since he did not get an answer from the Lord, and he probably thought he had lost the opportunity, since his plan had been to attack at night.  The Philistines who remained went back to their own place.

(47) So Saul took the kingdom over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines, and wherever he turned himself, he vexed them. (48) And he gathered a host and struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.

Saul established his sovereignty over Israel.  It seemed to have been taken from him when he was in Gibeah with only 600 men and surrounded by Philistines.  Having obtained victory over the Philistines, he recovered his kingdom and resumed his administration.  He fought his enemies on all sides, defending Israel against them.  Wherever he turned, he troubled his enemies.  He assembled an army and struck the Amalekites, as well, delivering Israel out of the hands of all who plundered them.

(49) Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Malchishua, and the names of his two daughters were, the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.

Saul had three sons, Jonathan, Ishui, and Malchishua, and two daughters, Merab and Michal.  Actually, Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, pointed out that Saul had other children.  He had another son named Ishbosheth, sometimes called Eshbaal.  The commentators I study presume that the reason he wasn't mentioned here is because the author intended to mention only Saul's sons who went with him into the battles.  Saul also had other children by a concubine, or second wife, Rizpah.

(50) And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz, and the name of the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. (51) And Kish, the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abner, were the sons of Abiel.

Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz.  The captain of his army was Abner, the son of Saul's uncle Ner, making Abner his cousin.  Saul's father Kish and his uncle Ner were brothers and the sons of Abiel.

(52) And there was fierce war against the Philistines all the days of Saul, and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.

Saul continued to fight fierce battles against the Philistines all the days of his life.  Whenever he saw any strong or valiant man, he took them for his purposes, just as Samuel had forewarned the people he would do, in 1 Samuel 8:11, "This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them for himself..."

Saul is Chosen as King

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 9:1) Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.

In the last chapter, the Israelites decided they wanted a king to rule over them instead of God and His judges.  God told Samuel to go ahead and find the people a king even though He did not approve.  Meanwhile, we learn of a Benjamite named Kish who came from a long line of Benjamites.  He was a man of great strength.

(2) And he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice young man and goodly, and not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he, from his shoulders and upward higher than any of the people.    

Kish had a son named Saul who was a fine man probably in stature and looks, and a good man, as good a man to be found among the Israelites.  He was a very tall man, as well, taller than any other.

(3) And the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, "Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go look for the donkeys."

Kish's donkeys were lost, and he told his son Saul to take a servant and to go look for them.

(4) And he passed through Mount Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and not there, and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them. (5) When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come and let us return lest my father cease caring for the donkeys and take thought for us."

Saul and his servant passed through Mount Ephraim, Shalisha, Shaalim, and all through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find the donkeys.  When they came to the land of Zuph (where Ramah was), Saul told his servant that they should go back before his father started worrying about them.

(6) And he said to him, "Behold now, in this city there is a man of God, and an honorable man; all that he says comes surely to pass. Now let us go there; perhaps he can show us our way that we should go."

Saul's servant told him that there was a man of God there in that city in Zuph.  He was an honorable man and a prophet whose words always came to pass.  He suggested that they go to him and see if he could tell them which way they should go.  With that city being Ramah, the honorable prophet was, of course, Samuel.

(7) Then Saul said to his servant, "But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and no present to bring to the man of God. What have we?" (8) And the servant answered Saul again, and said, "Behold, I have here at hand one fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give that to the man of God to tell us our way."

However, Saul told his servant that they had nothing to give the man.  It was a custom that if one asked a great man for a favor, he should bring a gift for him.  Or perhaps, as a prophet, he expected the man to charge for his prophecy.  But they had no bread nor any money nor anything of value to give such a man.  However, his servant said that he did have a quarter of a shekel of silver, and he would give that to the man of God in exchange for telling them how they should go.

(9) (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, he spoke thus, "Come and let us go to the seer," for he now called a prophet was beforetime called a seer.)

As this is a parenthetical statement, I believe it is made to explain how people might seek seers and perhaps it was customary to pay them.  It also explains why Saul and his servant ask for a seer in verse 11.

(10) Then Saul said to his servant, "Well said, come let us go." So they went to the city where the man of God was.

Saul agreed with his servant that that was a good plan, and they went to the city, Ramah, where the man of God, Samuel, was.

(11) As they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, "Is the seer here?" (12) And they answered them, and said, "He is, behold, he is before you. Make haste now for he came today to the city for a sacrifice of the people today in the high place."

As they went up the hill to the city, they saw some young maidens going down the hill to fetch some water, and they asked them if the seer was there.  They answered that indeed he was, and he was ahead of them also going up to the city for a sacrifice of the people that day in the high place at the top of the hill.

(13) "As soon as you come into the city, you shall straightway find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes because he blesses the sacrifice; afterwards, they eat who are invited. Now therefore, get up, for about this time you shall find him."

The maidens went on to tell Saul and his servant that the seer had gone up to the high place to eat, but they would find him before he went to the feast to bless the sacrifice, if they hurried and went straight there.

(14) And they went up into the city. When they were coming into the city, behold, Samuel came out opposite them to go up to the high place.

Indeed, when Saul and his servant went up into the city, they saw Samuel coming toward them from his place into the high place in the city.

(15) Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, (16) "Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin and you shall anoint him captain over My people Israel that he may save My people out of the hand of the Philistines, because their cry has come to Me."

The Lord had told Samuel the day before that He would send to him the next day a man out of Benjamin whom He wanted Samuel to anoint as captain over His people Israel.  He had heard the cries of His people, and He wanted that man to save His people out of the hand of the Philistines.

(17) And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, "Behold the man of whom I spoke to you. This same shall reign over My people."

When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord spoke to him again and told him that Saul was the one He had spoken of the day before, the one He chose to reign over His people Israel.

(18) Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, "Tell me, I pray you, where is the seer's house?" (19) And Samuel answered Saul, and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today, and tomorrow I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart."

Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate and asked him where he might find the seer.  Samuel told him that he was the seer he sought.  He told him to go on up to the high place and participate in the feast, for Samuel would have Saul eat with him that day.  Then he could depart the next day when and after Samuel would answer all his questions for which he had sought the seer in the first place.

(20) "And as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and all your father's house?"

Samuel went on to tell Saul not to worry about his donkeys, for they had been found.  He also rhetorically asked on whom was the desire of all Israel, meaning the king they wanted.  Was it not on him and his father's house, indicating Saul was the one to be king.

(21) And Saul answered and said, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me so?"

Saul answered Samuel, pointing out he was from the smallest tribe in Israel, and from a family that was least among the families in that tribe.  Therefore, he asked why Samuel would talk to him in that manner.

(22) And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the parlor and made them sit in the chiefest place among them who were invited, which were about thirty persons.

Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the parlor which was the dining room of the house of the high place.  He placed them in the most honored places at the table among the thirty people who had been invited.

(23) And Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, 'Set it by you.'"

Samuel told the cook to bring the portion which he had given the cook earlier, instructing him to set it aside by him, not serving it to anyone else.

(24) And the cook took up the shoulder and what was on it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, "Behold that which is left, set before you, eat! For until this time has it been kept for you since I said, 'I have invited the people.'" So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

The cook took up the shoulder and the meat attached to it, which some Biblical scholars think meant the breast, and he set it before Saul.  The right shoulder and breast in peace offerings were given to the priest.  In this case, it was Samuel's portion, and he gave it to Saul as a token of the highest honor.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, wrote that "it was an emblem of the government to which he was now called."  He referred to prophecy in Isaiah 9:6, which said a child would be born, and the government would be upon His shoulder.  That of course, referred to Jesus Christ.  However, the government would now be upon the shoulder of Israel's king.  Samuel told Saul that he had set back that portion ever since he had invited the people to the feast.  So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

(25) And when they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul on the top of the house. (26) And they arose early, and it came to pass about the spring of the day that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, "Up, that I may send you away." And Saul arose, and they went out, both of them, he and Samuel, outside.

After the feast at the high place, Samuel and Saul went back to Samuel's house where they communed on the roof of Samuel's house.  The houses back then were all flat allowing people to sit, commune, and sometimes even sleep in the fresh air.  The next morning about daybreak, Samuel called Saul again to the roof from where he apparently wanted to send Saul on his way.  They both went outside on the roof.

(27) As they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to pass on before us" (and he passed on), "but stand here awhile that I may show you the word of God."

It seems going out on the roof took them outside where they walked together to the end of the city.  Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead, which he did, but asked him to stay behind while Samuel shared with him the word of God.

(1 Samuel 10:1) Then Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it upon his head and kissed him, and said, "Is it not because the Lord has anointed you captain over His inheritance?"

Then Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it on Saul's head.  He kissed him in reverence and respect to him, asking him rhetorically if that was not because the Lord Himself had anointed Saul captain over His inheritance, His people Israel.

(2) "When you have departed from me today, then you shall find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, 'The donkeys which you went to seek are found, and lo, your father has left the care of the donkeys and sorrows for you, saying, "What shall I do for my son?"'"

Samuel, the seer, the prophet of God, told Saul when he had departed from him, he would come to two men at the tomb of Rachel which was on the border of Benjamin and Judah, at a place called Zelzah.  They would tell him that his donkeys had been found, but now his father had ceased worrying about the donkeys, and was worried and sorrowful for him, Saul, wondering what had happened to his son.

(3) "Then shall you go on forward from there and you shall come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet you three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine. (4) And they will salute you and give you two loaves of bread which you shall receive of their hands."

Samuel continued prophesying, telling Saul that after he left Zelzah, he would come to the plain of Tabor (not the foot of Mount Tabor, but a different place).  There he would meet three men going up to Bethel to worship God, probably at Jacob's altar (Genesis 28:19).  One man would be carrying three kid goats, another three loaves of bread, and the other a bottle of wine.  The men would greet Saul and give him two loaves of bread which Saul was to accept.  

(5) "After that you shall come to the hill of God where the garrison of the Philistines is, and it shall come to pass, when you have come there to the city, that you shall meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them, and they shall prophesy; (6) And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you shall prophesy with them and shall be turned into another man."

After leaving the three men, Saul would come to "the hill of God."  The word translated as "hill" is "gibah" and is the same word as Gibeah, the place.  There was a high place in Gibeah, probably hence the name, and this was closer to Saul's home, and it makes good sense he would have reached there by that time.  Apparently, there was a garrison of the Philistines there.  It being a hill, the Philistines probably kept a watch on the top of the hill, with a company of soldiers to keep the Israelites in check.  When he came into the city, Saul would meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with several musical instruments, and they would prophesy.  The Spirit of the Lord would come upon Saul, and he would prophesy with them.  And he would be turned into another man.  Perhaps a "new man" as one becomes after accepting Christ, "renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created him" (Colossians 3:10).

(7) "And let it be, when these signs are come to you, you do as occasion serves you, for God is with you."

When those signs had all come to Saul, he was to do as the occasion required, for he would then be furnished with the wisdom to undertake what was necessary for his office, and God would be with him.  How incredibly detailed was Samuel's prophecy!  There could be no doubt he was a true prophet of God, and Saul could have great confidence to trust everything Samuel had said.

(8) "And you shall go down before me to Gilgal, and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings, to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings; seven days shall you tarry till I come to you and show you what you shall do."

Samuel then told Saul that he was to go before him to Gilgal, wait there seven days, and Samuel would come to him and offer burnt offerings and sacrifices and then show Saul what to do, surely as shown him by inspiration of God.  However, this was not to be immediately, as we will see in the forthcoming scriptures.  Most Biblical scholars agree that "it may be this was a general rule to be observed by Saul, that whenever anything turned up of importance to the children of Israel, and was a difficulty with him, he should go to Gilgal, and there wait seven days for Samuel, from the time he gave him notice of it, who would come at the appointed time, and would give him what advice and instructions were necessary" (Dr. John Gill); thus he would be guided by God through Samuel.

(9) And it was so that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart, and all those signs came to pass that day.

Interestingly, the Biblical scholars whom I study who chose to comment on this, made it a point to say that this new heart was not the new heart and new spirit as in conversion, but rather another heart and wisdom fit for government.  This was probably due to the fact we may later discover by his actions, that Saul was not a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), or I should say in His Holy Spirit, as the person of Christ was not available to Saul at that time.  All of Samuel's prophesies for that day came to pass.

(10) And when they came there to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

"They" came to the hill or Gibeah.  I'm not sure if Samuel had rejoined Saul at this point, or if this was Saul and his servant, but when they came to that place, indeed a company of prophets met Saul, and the Spirit of God came upon him so that he prophesied among the prophets.

(11) And it came to pass, when all who knew him beforetime saw that behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, "What is this come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"

When the people who knew Saul before then saw him prophesying, they wondered among themselves how the son of Kish had come to be among the prophets.  They had known Saul to be a herdsman who took care of his father's farm and flock, and now he was among the prophets performing as well as any of them.

(12) And one of the same place answered and said, "But who is their father?" Therefore it became a proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

Some other people asked rhetorically who the father of the prophets was.  It was God who inspired them and instructed them; their gift did not come from their parents.  God inspired and used whom He wished so He could just as easily have inspired Saul as anyone else.  Therefore it became a saying among the people, "Isn't Saul also among the prophets?"  That saying could be used as encouragement that even Saul was among the prophets, so anyone could be.  However, it could also be used to diminish the father or leader who would admit such a person as Saul into his company.  I can't help but relate this to the people during Jesus's time who were offended by Him because they knew Him only as the carpenter's son (Matthew 13:54-57).  Jesus had said then that a prophet did not have honor in his own home among his own people, and that is because they did know him so well as an ordinary person that they could not comprehend that he had become a prophet of God.

(13) And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

Saul made an end of prophesying.  His place was not to be a prophet of God.  One can only truly prophesy when inspired by God's Holy Spirit.  Saul was given the gift for a short time to make him respectable among the people because God had honored him with a special gift, and when he was chosen as king, the people would more readily receive him.  When he had stopped prophesying, Saul went to the high place where the prophets had come from (verse 5), probably to thank and praise God for the honor He had bestowed on him.

(14) And Saul's uncle said to him and to his servant, "Where did you go?" And he said, "To seek the donkeys and when we saw they were nowhere, we went to Samuel."

It would seem that Saul's uncle was at the high place, as well.  He asked Saul where he and his servant had gone as they had been gone for so long.  Saul told him that they had gone to look for his father's donkeys, but when they could find them nowhere, they went to Samuel.

(15) And Saul's uncle said, "Tell me, I pray you, what Samuel said to you." (16) And Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys were found." But of the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he did not tell him.

Saul's uncle asked Saul to tell him what Samuel had said to him.  He told him that he had told them that the donkeys had been found.  However, he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about his being made king.

(17) And Samuel called the people together to the Lord to Mizpeh, (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 out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all kingdoms, of them who oppressed you.' (19) And you have this day rejected your God, who Himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations, and you have said to Him, 'No, but set a king over us.' Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands."

Samuel called all the people together at Mizpeh, the one in the tribe of Benjamin, where he had called the people to pray for them in 1 Samuel 7:5.  He told all the people the words of the Lord, that He had brought them out of Egypt and delivered them from the Egyptians and had continued to deliver them out of the hands of all kingdoms that had oppressed them.  Yet they had rejected their Lord who had always saved them from their adversities and had decided they now needed a king to save them.  Samuel told the people to present themselves before the Lord in groups by their tribes and by the rulers of the thousands into which their tribes were divided.

(20) And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

When Samuel had brought all the tribes together before him, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by Urim and Thummim, or by casting lots to reveal the will of God.

(21) When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken, and when they sought him, he could not be found.

The tribe of Benjamin came forward by their families, and the family of Matri was chosen.  Nowhere else in the Bible is the name Matri mentioned, but he was undoubtedly head of a family within the tribe of Benjamin, of which Kish and his son Saul were a part.  The lot eventually came down to Saul, but when the people looked for him, they could not find him.

(22) Therefore they enquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come there. And the Lord answered, "Behold, he has hidden himself among the stuff."

The people inquired of the Lord again, probably through the same means He had been showing them who their king should be.  They wondered if their king was there or if they should expect him to come.  The Lord answered that he was hiding behind some stuff, household tools, equipment, arms, baggage the people may have brought, whatever stuff was there.  I don't know if Saul felt unworthy, unwilling, or embarrassed, but I can't help but think about the people's rejection of their Lord as their king to have this man in hiding be their king.

(23) And they ran and fetched him from there, and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

The people ran to him and brought him among them.  He was a very tall man, head and shoulders above the rest of the people.  The people probably thought him very majestic.  I still can't rid myself of the image of their tall majestic king in hiding.  They wanted that instead of their Lord God who was greater than all (Exodus 18:11, John 10:29).

(24) And Samuel said to all the people, "See him whom the Lord has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?" And all the people shouted and said, "God save the king!"

Samuel pointed out to the people that the Lord had chosen Saul, and they could see that there was none like him among all the people.  In stature and appearance, that was true, but I wonder if there wasn't a part of Samuel that thought, "See what you have chosen above the Lord?"  After all, he had been most displeased that the people wanted a king.  Whether he was thinking it or not, I believe it is a perfect illustration of what people get when they choose anyone or anything over God.  Even though he was the best among men, their desired king was a sniveling coward compared to Almighty God.

(25) Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom 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.

Samuel told the people the laws and rules by which the kingly government was to operate, and he wrote it down in a book and laid it before the Lord, which probably meant before the ark of the covenant.  Then Samuel sent the people back to their homes.

(26) And Saul also went home to Gibeah, and there went with him a band of men whose hearts God had touched.

Saul also went back to his home in Gibeah, not yet to any grand palace.  A group of men went with him, men whose hearts God had touched and made them inclined to show honor and respect to their king.

(27) But the children of Belial said, "How shall this man save us?" And they despised him and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

The children of wickedness, which is what Belial means, despised Saul and did not think him able to save them.  Without God, he would not be able to, that is true, but we are told these were wicked men, so their reasoning was not because they preferred God to man, but they had no faith in God's choice.  They brought him no presents as others did, but Saul took no notice, or at least he acted as if it did not matter to him.

The Israelites wanted to be as the other nations and have a king to rule over them, and God provided one, although He saw it as a rejection of Him.  How patient and good is our Lord!  This shows how people do not know what is best for them.  I think about this with regard to prayer all the time.  I don't know what is best; only God does.  I may think I know what is best, but my desire may just get in the way of a more perfect plan of God.  If only we could just trust in God's will, that it be done, and let go, and let God.  However, God still acts in love for us, sometimes giving us what we want, and letting us learn for ourselves why it is not always best.  Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, pointed out that those who knew the scriptures back then would be able to foresee that the family of Saul would not succeed for long.  It was the tribe of Judah that would rule as a lion, and "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes" (Genesis 49:10); Benjamin was just a ravenous wolf (Genesis 49:27).