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1 Samuel Chapter 9
Saul Chosen to Be King
- 1Samuel 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.
- 2 And he had a son,
whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there
was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he:
from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the
people.
Saul started out to be a fine person to
whom God filled with the Holy Spirit. He was good looking and
strong. What happens to him later is tragic but it does show us how
we can by disobedience get away from God and open the door to Satan
being able to defeat us. Jealousy was Saul's downfall.
Trying to take the place of Samuel in
the office of priesthood later was the beginning of his disobedience
to God by departing from God's laws and commandments. Jealousy came
later. It seems as if Saul starts out though with insecurities.
Perhaps that same trait causes the jealousy later because he fears
someone else better than he being chosen as king. However we shall
see that Saul was rejected later not because of his weaknesses or
insecurities but because of disobedience. We discover that obedience
and listening to the word of God is better than sacrifices and burnt
offerings.
- 1Samuel 9:3 And the
asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his
son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek
the asses.
- 4 And he passed
through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha,
but they found them not: then they passed through the land of
Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land
of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
- 5 And when they were
come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with
him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for
the asses, and take thought for us.
- 6 And he said unto
him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is
an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now
let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we
should go.
Saul was ready to give up searching and
return home because he feared his father would start worrying about
them instead of the asses. The servant of Saul, however, knew of a
prophet that they could go to first and make inquiries for them.
Someone knew the way to get to God it seems. Samuel had a reputation
of being a prophet of the Lord whose word would come to pass if he
spoke it.
-
1Samuel 9:7 Then said Saul
to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the
man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a
present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
It was tradition in those days when
inquiring of a prophet or person who represented God, to bring him a
gift. It probably wasn't something they had to do but it was the
custom of that day to show respect.
- 1Samuel 9:8 And the
servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at
hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to
the man of God, to tell us our way.
- 9 (Beforetime in Israel,
when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let
us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was
beforetime called a Seer.)
- 10 Then said Saul to his
servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city
where the man of God was.
A prophet was called a seer in those
days. I seldom hear the word seer myself. It is interesting that the
servant was willing to give of the silver he had to give the
prophet. He seems to be a faithful and helpful servant.
- 1Samuel 9:11 And as
they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens
going out to draw water, and said unto 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 to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the
people to day in the high place:
- 13 As soon as ye be
come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go
up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until
he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards
they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about
this time ye shall find him.
These maidens were very hospitable and
gave them the information they needed to find the prophet they
sought. It seems as if God arranged all this for them. I've always
admired people who are helpful in this manner. They could have said
the word yes and not offered any further information so they could
find the prophet.
- 1Samuel 9:14 And
they went up into the city: and when they were come into the
city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the
high place.
- 15 Now the LORD had
told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
- 16 To morrow about
this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin,
and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel,
that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines:
for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto
me.
God grants them their request for a
king and prepares Samuel ahead of time to anoint Saul to be the
captain over the people to deliver them from the Philistines.
Perhaps he had to prove himself in battle before becoming the
permanent king.
- 1Samuel 9:17 And
when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man
whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
- 18 Then Saul drew
near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee,
where the seer's house is.
Saul as yet didn't know Samuel was the
prophet he was looking for. God revealed again to Samuel that Saul
was the one to reign over the people.
- 1Samuel 9:19 And
Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me
unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to
morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in
thine heart.
- 20 And as for thine
asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them;
for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is
it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?
Samuel even knew why Saul had come and
knew where his father's animals were found already. Imagine being
able to have God speak to us like that. It is possible to any one of
us but we must seek Him through faith in Jesus as our savior, the
one who died for our sins and rose again and now is seated on the
right hand of God the Father. To those that believe is given the
Holy Spirit to abide within us. Now we can hear from God by the
written word and the Holy Spirit but it is a constant seeking and
having fellowship with God in prayer that enables us to hear from
Him. God doesn't have to be someone who is afar off and remote from
any one of us.
-
1Samuel 9:21 And Saul
answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the
tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of
the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
Saul felt unworthy of this calling
because he considered his family the least in the tribe of Benjamin.
- 1Samuel 9:22 And
Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the
parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that
were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
- 23 And Samuel said
unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I
said unto thee, Set it by thee.
Samuel was treating Saul as if he was a
person who deserved the best. He was preparing him to be a king.
Respect and honor should be given to prophets as well as kings if
they prove themselves worthy by being faithful to the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 9:24 And
the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and
set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left!
set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been
kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul
did eat with Samuel that day.
- 25 And when they
were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel
communed with Saul upon 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 thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of
them, he and Samuel, abroad.
- 27 And as they were
going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the
servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou
still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.
Samuel wanted to speak privately to
Saul probably to convince him that God has chosen him to be king and
to instruct him in this. We read more of this in the next chapter.
Saul at this time seems to be reluctant to think of himself as a
king so it seems that Samuel is trying to boost his confidence and
assure him of the Lord's calling on his life. -DC
1 Samuel Chapter 10
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