3 And the asses H860 of Kish H7027 Saul's H7586 father H1 were lost. H6 And Kish H7027 said H559 to Saul H7586 his son, H1121 Take H3947 now one H259 of the servants H5288 with thee, and arise, H6965 go H3212 seek H1245 the asses. H860
Speak, H7878 ye that ride H7392 on white H6715 asses, H860 ye that sit H3427 in judgment, H4055 and walk H1980 by the way. H1870
And he had thirty H7970 sons H1121 that rode H7392 on thirty H7970 ass colts, H5895 and they had thirty H7970 cities, H5892 which are called H7121 Havothjair H2334 unto this day, H3117 which are in the land H776 of Gilead. H1568
When thou art departed H3212 from me H5978 to day, H3117 then thou shalt find H4672 two H8147 men H582 by Rachel's H7354 sepulchre H6900 in the border H1366 of Benjamin H1144 at Zelzah; H6766 and they will say H559 unto thee, The asses H860 which thou wentest H1980 to seek H1245 are found: H4672 and, lo, thy father H1 hath left H5203 the care H1697 of the asses, H860 and sorroweth H1672 for you, saying, H559 What shall I do H6213 for my son? H1121
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.