Unless otherwise stated, all citations are taken from the New International Version (NIV).
1 Samuel 8 (Israel Wants a King)
Summary: Samuel appointed his two sons as judges in Israel, but they proved corrupt by accepting bribes (v.3; cf. Deut. 16:19). This echoes the situation with Eli, who forfeited his leadership due to his sons’ immorality. Samuel faced the risk of repeating history.
Despite God’s guidelines for kingship (Deut. 17:14-20), Israel desired a king for all the wrong reasons, wanting to emulate the surrounding nations (v.5). Another motive emerged when faced with the threat of Nahash, the king of the Ammonites (1 Sam. 12:12). Fear prompted them to demand a king, despite God being their rightful ruler.
Samuel cautioned about the consequences of kingship (v.10), predicting high taxes and authoritarian dominance (vv.11-18). But the people disregarded his warnings (vv.19-20), and God allowed their choice.
(8:1) When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.
Samuel was old, but the text doesn’t describe his death until chapter 25. So, he must’ve had a long life as a prophet.
“He appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.” Unfortunately, Samuel never learned the lesson that he should discipline his own sons. Perhaps, he learned this from Eli’s poor example. Regardless, Samuel installed his sons as leaders, and they end up being ungodly men (v.3).
(8:2-3) The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
“Dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.” This was forbidden by the law (Ex. 23:8; Lev. 19:15; Deut. 16:19). Ironically, Joel’s name meant, “The Lord is God,” and Abijah’s name meant, “My [Divine] Father is the Lord.”[1] Samuel stayed in a small circuit in Bethel, Gilgal, Mizpah, and Ramah (1 Sam. 7:16-17). But his boys stayed far away from their father in the south at Beersheba. They must’ve wanted to have the freedom to cheat and steal away from the watching eyes of their father.
These two sons are similar to Eli’s sons. A key difference in Samuel’s parenting is that he was far away (Beersheba is 57 miles from Ramah).[2] However, why didn’t Samuel do something to correct the sin of his sons?—especially after seeing this exact same scenario occur in Eli’s family line?
(8:4) So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
The elders had to tell Samuel about this. He wasn’t engaged enough with his sons to know what they were doing.
(8:5) They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
“Appoint a king to lead us.” The people recognized the problem adequately, but they didn’t offer a solution. Instead of running these bad men out of office, they decide to give over more control to a king, who would have even more control and power. In this case, the medicine was worse than the disease itself.
“Such as all the other nations have.” They were also succumbing to assimilation with the culture, which God prohibited (Lev. 20:26; Num. 23:9). The reason for their solution was faulty as well. After all, the nations were horrible!
(8:6) But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.
Samuel could tell something was wrong with this. After all, God was their king (Deut. 33:5). Instead of taking his anger out of Samuel, he took the request to God in prayer for counsel.
(8:7) And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.
Surprisingly, God tells Samuel to “listen” to the people three times (vv.7, 9, 22).
(8:8) As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.
(1 Sam. 8:7-8) Why would God say he was rejected as the king, if he included instructions for a king (Deut. 17:14-20)? The people wanted a human king for the wrong reasons. They wanted to be like the other nations (v.5). Moreover, they wanted to trust in a visible and finite leader, rather than the invisible and infinite God. This is why Samuel reminds them that God was the one who rescued them from Egypt—not a human person (v.19). Moreover, God would be the one to appoint a king (Deut. 17:15), but the people wanted to choose their own king. While God also chose Saul (1 Sam 9:16; 10:1, 24; 12:13), the people were choosing him for the wrong reasons (e.g. stature, good looks, etc.).
(8:9) Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
God was willing to condescend to their request, but not without thoroughly warning the people of what they were asking.
Samuel’s warning
There isn’t a single positive reference to having a king in this warning. Moreover, this description fits the contemporary Canaanite kings, giving evidence that this accurately captures the historical setting.[3]
(8:10) Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.
Samuel spoke authoritatively from God. These weren’t his private opinions, but divine predictions of what would happen.
(8:11) He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.
King Saul made people serve just like this (1 Sam. 14:52). Moreover, Absalom (2 Sam. 15:1) and Adonijah (1 Kings 1:5) adopted this exact practice of having “frontrunners” with their chariots.
(8:12) Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
The king would gather an army, as well as gather money (food).
(8:13) He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
The kings wouldn’t even spare the women from conscription into service (albeit, non-military service). He wouldn’t just take their sons, but also their daughters.
(8:14-15) He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants.
The king would take their property. After all, he would need to sustain all of the people in his army (v.15).
(8:16) Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use.
The king would take the servants from the people (i.e. he would take their “employees” from their businesses), and he would take their “best” livestock.
(8:17) He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
The king would take their money, as well as their livestock.
(8:18) When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
This is in stark contrast to how Samuel cried out to God on behalf of the people, and the people were given protection (1 Sam. 7:8-9). This prediction came to fruition through David (2 Sam. 6:1; 8:15-18) and Solomon and his son (1 Kin. 12:4). It only became worse as Israel’s history progressed.
The people’s response
(8:19) But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us.”
How could you go ahead after such a horrible description? Clearly, they already had their minds made up. If God added another negative to the list, it wouldn’t change their minds at all.
(8:20) “Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
God himself wanted to fight their battles (2 Chron. 32:8). The people wanted a physical and tangible person to “lead” them and “go out before them” and “fight their battles.” They wanted a man, rather than God.
(8:21-22) When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.” Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”
Samuel took their response back to God, rather than asserting himself. God acquiesced to their desire. Samuel later reminds them of their faulty decision in the rest of this book (1 Sam. 10:19; 12:12).
Concluding insights
We should trust in God—not in man-made structures. God seems to condescend to work through structures. But God doesn’t want us trust in our structures. In the church, we should depend on God, rather than our structures for how to do his work.
Perhaps, a king was a lesser of two evils. Life in Judges was awful because “there was no king in Israel” (Judg. 21:25). But the problem wasn’t with the monarchy. The problem was with the people not trusting God. When they stayed on track with God, everything went well. When we choose our own path, it might be a lesser of two evils, but it is always second best compared to God’s plan.
This concept of a king shows the problem of having a perfect king in character. Who could possibly have all of the power necessary to lead, but will also be a man of character? This shows that we need God to rule. This is ultimately fulfilled in Christ, who is humble and gentle in heart (Mt. 11:29), but is also unbelievably powerful (Col. 1:16).
1 Samuel 9 (Saul meets Samuel)
Summary: The people desired a worldly leader, and Saul fit the bill perfectly. Coming from a wealthy family (v.1), Saul was described as tall, dark, and handsome (v.2). When Saul’s father, Kish, lost his donkeys, he sent Saul to find them (v.3). Their search led them to Samuel, who had been informed beforehand that Saul would be Israel’s first king (v.16). Samuel informed Saul that the donkeys had been found (v.20), but also conveyed that God had greater plans for him.
According to Youngblood, Saul is “one of the most complex figures in Scripture,”[4] a sentiment that rings true. Like many leaders, Saul exhibited a mix of virtues and flaws. While generally regarded as a deficient king, there were moments of faithfulness, godliness, and integrity that we will explore to present a balanced view of Israel’s first king. It’s noteworthy that Paul touches on this matter, stating simply that God granted the people’s wish for a king: “Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years” (Acts 13:21).
(9:1) There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.
“A man of standing.” This refers to military standing.[5] While Benjamin was the smallest tribe in Israel, Saul came from good stock.
(9:2) Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.
Saul’s name literally means, “Asked of God.”[6]
Saul has the external appearance of a leader. He is “handsome” (ṭôḇ), which is a term also used of David (1 Sam. 16:12) and Moses (Ex. 2:2). He is “taller than anyone else” in Israel. He is also a young man with a bright future. Here is a good leader, right? Young, tall, and goodlooking. Not necessarily. This is what the people wanted to see as a leader, but when God selected David, he challenged Samuel not to look at the external appearances (1 Sam. 16:7).
(9:3) Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.”
It’s funny that this divine meeting between Samuel and Saul was precipitated by Saul looking for some missing donkeys. God can use anything to bring people together.
Bergen[7] thinks Saul’s failure as a shepherd foreshadows his future failure as a king. After all, the leaders of Israel are often referred to as “shepherds,” and Saul shows himself to literally be an “incompetent shepherd.” Perhaps. But the shepherd motif for Israelite leaders doesn’t come until much later—in the days of the prophets. So, the original audience wouldn’t have understood this allusion.
(9:4-5) So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them. 5 When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”
The missing donkeys led Saul and the servant to where God wanted them to meet Samuel.
(9:6) But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.”
The expression “man of God” is equivalent with a “prophet” or “seer” (v.9). The people could recognize prophets based on their short-term predictions: “everything he says comes true.”
(9:7) Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
It was customary to give a prophet some sort of gift. Saul doesn’t want to show up emptyhanded.
(9:8) The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.”
A fourth of a shekel wasn’t much money, but this was enough. A quarter shekel was a tenth of an ounce—or three grams (see NET note).
(9:9) (Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)
Again, the terms “man of God,” “seer” and “prophet” were all synonymous (1 Chr. 9:22; 26:28; 29:29).
(9:10-11) “Good,” Saul said to his servant. “Come, let’s go.” So they set out for the town where the man of God was. 11 As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water, and they asked them, “Is the seer here?”
They probably went to Ramah, where Samuel lived. Ramah was on a hill, so this explains why they “were going up the hill to the town” to see him.
Bergen[8] sees foreshadowing of Saul’s future failure as a king: (1) Saul is ignorant of Samuel—the most influential spiritual leader who was known to “all Israel” (1 Sam. 3:20; 4:1). (2) Saul doesn’t seek out God’s guidance when he runs into trouble with his lost flock. (3) Saul thinks that Samuel needs to be bought off in order to help him.
(9:12-13) “He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place. 13 As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time.”
Saul “hurries” to see Samuel. Later, he “hurries” to eat without Samuel. This statement later comes back to haunt Saul in chapter 13, when he doesn’t wait for Samuel to perform the sacrifice (1 Sam. 13:10).
(9:14-16) They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place. 15 Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel: 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.”
Clearly, this was a divine appointment. God sent Saul to Samuel at the same time that Samuel was coming to Saul.
God was using this fallen man (Saul) to accomplish his purposes in protecting Israel. God uses fallen people like us to accomplish his plan. God doesn’t need to do this, but he chooses to do so.
God calls Saul a “ruler,” rather than a “king.” This is a subtle omission “because Yahweh was Israel’s king.”[9]
(9:17) When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”
“He will govern my people.” The term “govern” (ʿṣr) normally means to “restrain” or “hold back” or even “imprison.”[10] This context is the only one where it can be legitimately translated “govern” or “rule.” Thus, Bergen comments on the irony of this term when he writes, “By employing the verb here, the writer was suggesting that the Lord had determined to use Saul’s career as a means of punishing the nation.”[11]
(9:18) Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”
God sends Saul directly to Samuel. This shows divine intervention and leading, because Saul doesn’t even know what Samuel looked like. This is reminiscent of Luke Skywalker meeting Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back (1980).
At the same time, this doesn’t seem like mere ignorance on Saul’s behalf. It is a conspicuous ignorance that Saul doesn’t know Samuel. Bergen comments, “Saul, the paragon of spiritual blindness, knew nothing of the most famous man in Israel even after he encountered him.”[12]
(9:19-20) “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?”
Saul left that day looking for donkeys, but Samuel presents him with something far more important. Samuel had supernatural knowledge of (1) Saul’s thoughts and (2) the location of Saul’s donkeys.
(9:21) Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?”
It’s common for people to focus on their inadequacies when God calls them into service (cf. 1 Sam. 10:22).
(9:22-24) Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. 23 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.” 24 So the cook took up the thigh with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.’” And Saul dined with Samuel that day.
Samuel prepares a meal for Saul, and they eat together in the presence of thirty witnesses. Saul must’ve been mystified as to why he was being treated with such honor. He still didn’t know that he was going to be the first king of Israel.
(9:25-27) After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house. 26 They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. 27 As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—”but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.”
Samuel meets with Saul privately to tell him that he has a message for him from God. As it turns out, he will make Saul the first king of Israel.
Concluding insights
Why did God choose Saul of all people? Saul’s tribe (Benjamin) was small—from one of the youngest sons of Jacob. It was also a tribe that was recently massacred (Judg. 20). So, it fits with God’s backwards wisdom to transform the smallest into the greatest. It also fits with God who works with the meager offerings that we bring him (9:7).
Why wouldn’t God pick a good king? Saul wasn’t bad at the beginning, but he freely chose to be evil. At the time, Saul might have been the best option. Moreover, God picked the king that the people wanted—tall, dark, and handsome (1 Sam. 9:2; 10:23). Saul looks good, but he lacks the necessary character to lead the nation. They wanted this, and this is why God warned them (1 Sam. 8:12-20). Later, God chooses his first-round draft pick: David. In other words, God lets the people get what they want, and then, he shows them the king who is actually good, humble, and pliable to God’s leading (1 Sam. 16:7).
1 Samuel 10 (Saul Becomes King)
Summary: Samuel anoints Saul as king (v.1) and sends him back to Gibeah (v.5), where he receives the Spirit of God (v.6). Saul is transformed into “a different person” (10:6), and the Spirit “changed Saul’s heart” (10:9). Upon receiving the Spirit, Saul prophesies, leading people to wonder if he had become a prophet (v.11). As Saul assumes kingship, he faces immediate challenges, with people questioning his leadership, though Saul disregards them (v.27). This marks a significant transition in Israel’s history as we move from the era of the judges to that of the monarchy.
(10:1) Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over his inheritance?”
By putting oil on his head (Ps. 89:20) and kissing him (Ps. 2:11-12), Samuel was anointing Saul as king. This authority came with great responsibility, because Samuel calls God’s people “His inheritance.” Like a kindergarten teacher watching over someone’s son on the first day of school, God was allowing Saul to watch over his people. This was a sacred trust being given to Saul as the first king of Israel.
Next, Samuel makes three predictions about what would happen in the near future. This only confirms Samuel’s propheticity, as well as Saul’s kingship.
Prediction #1: Meet two men with his donkeys
(10:2) “When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about you. He is asking, ‘What shall I do about my son?’”
Samuel gives incredible specificity in this prediction: He accurately predicts the number of men, the location, the words, the donkeys, and even the feelings of Saul’s father.
Prediction #2: Meet three men with bread
(10:3-4) “Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to worship God at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine. 4 They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them.”
Once again, Samuel gives incredible detail in this prediction: the number of men, the location, the goats, and the bread and wine. He even predicts what these men will freely do to Saul (i.e. greet him and give him food and wine).
Prediction #3: Meet a group of prophets and the Holy Spirit
(10:5) “After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, timbrels, pipes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying.”
“Where there is a Philistine outpost.” This reminds the reader that Saul is being raised up as a king to fight the Philistines.
“Prophesying.” Youngblood understands this as a “possessive trance” or an “ecstatic phenomena.”[13] Baldwin also refers to this as an “ecstatic state.”[14] These authors state that this form of worship was different from pagan and occult practice.
This still seems like a mischaracterization of the event. To begin, the text never explains what prophesying actually looked like. Moreover, in context, God spoke through the prophet Samuel clearly and reasonably—not in some type of possessive trance or ecstatic state. If God spoke articulately through a prophet like Samuel, why would we believe that he spoke differently through these other prophets? Later, Saul prophesies in an ecstatic state—even getting naked (1 Sam. 19:23-24). Yet, this was a form of God’s judgment on Saul during his murderous attack against David. This later event shouldn’t be the standard for defining what prophesying looked like.
(10:6) “The Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.”
God doesn’t call Samuel to become a king without giving him the power to change into that person. The Holy Spirit is the key to his transformation.
(10:7) “Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.”
As the inaugural king of Israel, Saul must’ve felt insecure and afraid. This explains why Samuel goes to such great lengths to predict all that will happen to Samuel in the immediate days ahead. As Saul saw these predictions coming to fruition, this must have built up his confidence as a king.
(10:8) “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.”
Saul didn’t fulfill this obligation (1 Sam. 13:9-14), and it was the beginning of the end for him. Even amidst all of these accurate predictions, Saul couldn’t listen to Samuel’s long-term prediction at Gilgal. Saul’s sin is not that he acted, but that he couldn’t wait.
(10:9-10) As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. 10 When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying.
Imagine being Saul as you watch all of this coming to fruition. This must’ve built up his confidence as a king.
The people’s reaction
(10:11-12) When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
12 A man who lived there answered, “And who is their father?” So it became a saying: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
The people didn’t believe what they were seeing. Of all of the miracles listed in 1 Samuel, the people had the hardest time believing that God could change a person’s life.
Saul’s inhibition
(10:13-16) After Saul stopped prophesying, he went to the high place. 14 Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?”
“Looking for the donkeys,” he said. “But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”
15 Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.” 16 Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.
Even after seeing all of these miraculous predictions come to fruition, Saul was still inhibited in wanting to share this with his family (v.16). Saul was a big, strong, and handsome man, but he still felt insecurity in sharing about how God had changed his life and given him a unique calling as king.
Saul’s public recognition
(10:17-19) Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the LORD at Mizpah 18 and said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’ 19 But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your disasters and calamities. And you have said, ‘No, appoint a king over us.’ So now present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.”
Saul gives the people a history lesson to remind them of God’s goodness and their rejection of him. God saved the Israelites from “the kingdoms that oppressed” them. But now, they were freely choosing a new “oppressor” through a king. God was giving them what they wanted.
(10:20) When Samuel had all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.
“Taken by lot.” Commenting on the “lot” used here, Youngblood writes, “The lots, known as Urim (‘Curses,’ providing negative responses) and Thummim (‘Perfections,’ providing positive responses), were stored in the breastplate attached to the ephod of the high priest (Exod 28:28-30) and were brought out and cast whenever a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ would suffice.”[15] These were under God’s control: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD” (Prov. 16:33).
(10:21-22) Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri’s clan was taken. Finally Saul son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. 22 So they inquired further of the LORD, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies.”
This is a sort of comical picture: On the big announcement day, the Great Kiing Saul is hiding in the baggage! Youngblood notes that the term “inquired” (šāʾal) is a Hebrew pun for Saul’s name.[16]
(10:23) They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others.
Saul was big, strong, and handsome. He had Samuel make many predictions to confirm his kingship. He even had God himself changing him into the man he needed to be. But none of this stopped his insecurity! Our gifts and talents have very little to do with whether we will lead as insecure people.
(10:24) Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.”
Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
At this time, this must’ve been the best candidate for the job. Time must’ve transpired before David was old enough to lead—especially since Saul’s son, Jonathan, was David’s age.
(10:25) Samuel explained to the people the rights and duties of kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the LORD. Then Samuel dismissed the people to go to their own homes.
Was Samuel reading Deuteronomy 17:14-20 to the people? This seems likely. This chapter from the Pentateuch explains the “ordinances” of the kings of Israel. Perhaps Samuel wrote additional documents that were later used in the writing of this book.
(10:26) Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched.
Gibeah was three miles north of Jerusalem.[17]
David would later have “mighty men” who would follow him too.
(10:27) But some scoundrels said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent.
If Saul was insecure about his leadership, these cynics didn’t help. Some of the people were skeptical that God could change the life of this man (see vv.10-11). These same people wanted a king, but now, they were questioning the provision God had given them. Saul kept silent like he did earlier (v.16).
Concluding insights
Why did Saul hide himself, when he’s going to be selected as king? Throughout this book, Samuel is a profoundly insecure leader. You can have the Holy Spirit, but still be afraid. You can be directly in God’s will, but still be afraid. Saul lacked faith in God’s credible promises.
One of the biggest difficulties in leading others is to handle their second-guessing, complaining, ungratefulness, and critiques (v.27). Saul didn’t respond to their taunting by saying anything. Instead, he decides to do something to prove himself. Our lifestyle and actions speak louder than our words.
[1] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 612.
[2] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 612.
[3] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 614.
[4] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 618.
[5] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 618.
[6] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 618.
[7] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 121.
[8] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 122.
[9] Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 95-96.
[10] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 123.
[11] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 123.
[12] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 124.
[13] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 625.
[14] Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 98.
[15] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 630.
[16] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 630.
[17] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 632.