26 And they arose early: H7925 and it came to pass about the spring H5927 of the day, H7837 that Samuel H8050 called H7121 Saul H7586 to the top of the house, H1406 saying, H559 Up, H6965 that I may send thee away. H7971 And Saul H7586 arose, H6965 and they went out H3318 both H8147 of them, he and Samuel, H8050 abroad. H2351
And Lot H3876 went out, H3318 and spake H1696 unto his sons in law, H2860 which married H3947 his daughters, H1323 and said, H559 Up, H6965 get you out H3318 of this place; H4725 for the LORD H3068 will destroy H7843 this city. H5892 But he seemed as one that mocked H6711 unto H5869 his sons in law. H2860
And when they were gone out H3318 of the city, H5892 and not yet far off, H7368 Joseph H3130 said H559 unto his steward, H1004 Up, H6965 follow H7291 after H310 the men; H582 and when thou dost overtake H5381 them, say H559 unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded H7999 evil H7451 for good? H2896
Up, H6965 sanctify H6942 the people, H5971 and say, H559 Sanctify H6942 yourselves against to morrow: H4279 for thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 There is an accursed thing H2764 in the midst H7130 of thee, O Israel: H3478 thou canst H3201 not stand H6965 before H6440 thine enemies, H341 until ye take away H5493 the accursed thing H2764 from among H7130 you.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Samuel 9
Commentary on 1 Samuel 9 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 9
Samuel had promised Israel, from God, that they should have a king; it is strange that the next news is not of candidates setting up for the government, making an interest in the people, or recommending themselves to Samuel, and, by him, to God, to be put in nomination. Why does not the prince of the tribe of Judah, whoever he is, look about him now, remembering Jacob's entail of the sceptre on that tribe? Is there never a bold aspiring man in Israel, to say, "I will be king, if God will choose me?' No, none appears, whether it is owing to a culpable mean-spiritedness or a laudable humility I know not; but surely it is what can scarcely be paralleled in the history of any kingdom; a crown, such a crown, set up, and nobody bids for it. Most governments began in the ambition of the prince to rule, but Israel's in the ambition of the people to be ruled. Had any of those elders who petitioned for a king afterwards petitioned to be king, I should have suspected that person's ambition to have been at the bottom of the motion; but now (let them have the praise of what was good in them) it was not so. God having, in the law, undertaken to choose their king (Deu. 17:15), they all sit still, till they hear from heaven, and that they do in this chapter, which begins the story of Saul, their first king, and, by strange steps of Providence, brings him to Samuel to be anointed privately, and so to be prepared for an election by lot, and a public commendation to the people, which follows in the next chapter. Here is,
1Sa 9:1-2
We are here told,
1Sa 9:3-10
Here is,
1Sa 9:11-17
Here,
1Sa 9:18-27
Providence having at length brought Samuel and Saul together, we have here an account of what passed between them in the gate, at the feast, and in private.