Chapter 9

1 Saul despairing to find his father’s asses, 6 by the counsel of his servant, 11 and direction of young maidens, 15 according to God’s revelation, 18 cometh to Samuel. 19 Samuel entertaineth Saul at the feast. 25 Samuel, after secret communication, bringeth Saul on his way.

1. Kish. According to Gesenius the word transliterated Kish is from qosh, “to lay lay a snare,” or “to set a trap” (see Isa. 29:21). A related Arabic word means “to be bent as a bow.” If Kish be taken to mean “bow,” then Kishi (1 Chron. 6:44) would mean “my bow” (see also the name Elkoshite in Nahum 1:1, from Хelkoshi, “God is my bow”). Sometimes the name was compounded with that of the Deity as Kushaiah, “the bow of God” (1 Chron. 15:17). The father of Kish was Abiel, “God is my father,” and his grandfather’s name was Zeror, “bound together.” The same root word is used in 1 Sam. 25:29–31, where Abigail pleads with David to forgive Nabal’s trespass against him. Zeror’s father was Bechorath, from bekor, “first-born,” and his grandfather’s name as Aphiah, of uncertain meaning. Thus the ancestry of Saul is traced for more than a century.

Son of Abiel. See on ch. 14:50.

2. Saul. Heb. shaХul, from the verb shaХal, “to ask for,” “to request.” One of the dukes of Edom also bore the name Saul (Gen. 36:37, 38). If Kish be thought of as “the bow of God” (see on 1 Sam. 9:1), for delivering Israel from the hand of the surrounding nations, there must also be arrows for His quiver. Zechariah speaks of Judah as God’s bow and Ephraim as is arrows; Zion is “as the sword of a mighty man” (Zech. 9:13).

Towering head and shoulders above his fellows, Saul had a regal bearing that won him the favor of the multitude. What better lesson could God give those who wished to be like the nations about them than to select for them a king who should be judged after man’s standards? Thus the disciples of Jesus looked to Judas as a leader, little knowing the darkness that shrouded his heart. Is it not time for God’s people today to ask for that heavenly eyesalve that will enable them ever to discern clearly the qualifications of true leadership?

3. The asses. On what apparently inconsequential incidents does the destiny of races and peoples does the destiny of races and peoples often depend! Saul set out to find the lost asses (Heb., “she-asses”), little dreaming that the day had come for him to assume the responsibilities of a kingdom! Future events proved him ill-prepared for the task to which God called him. Few people are prepared for such leadership. Moses was not fully prepared for leadership even when he met God at the burning bush. But the encouraging aspect of a call to leadership is that God takes men as He finds them, with the purpose of training them as they work. All that God expects of any man is “to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly” with his God (Micah 6:8); literally, “to humble thyself to walk with God.” Peter did this; Judas did not. David did so; Saul refused. It is not that God cannot train man, but rather that man will not humble his heart before God so that in due time God may exalt him (1 Peter 5:6).

4. Mount Ephraim. Approached from either the valley of the Jordan or the rolling hills of the Shephelah to the west, Mt. Ephraim loomed ahead, the central mountain range that ran north from the environs of Bethel toward Salim, a few miles east of Shechem. These mountains formed a watershed some 2,500–3,000 ft. above sea level, from which streams ran east to the Jordan and west to the Mediterranean.

Land of Shalisha. Nothing is known as to the location of the “land of Shalisha.” Some have suggested that it was in the western foothills, to the northwest of Bethel; others think it may have been in the Jordan valley to the northwest of Jericho.

Shalim. Or, Shual (ch. 13:17), from shuФal, “fox,” or “jackal,” or from shoФal, “hollow of the hand.” The district of Shalim was probably thought of as a land of jackals. The eastern slopes of the mountains of central Palestine were for the most part wild, rugged, and desolate, and chiefly the habitat of wild animals.

After traversing the districts mentioned, on the third day of search Saul and his servant came to Ramah, about 6 mi. north of Gibeah (v. 20; see on ch. 1:1). The animals had been lost but two full days (ch. 9:20; see p. 136), and could have wandered no more than a few miles from home. In his search for the lost asses Saul would have investigated all the hills, valleys, and ravines, and would have stopped here and there to inquire concerning the animals. The area thus covered in two or three days would obviously be of limited extent. It is therefore probable that Saul and his servant were never far from Gibeah and Bethel, in northern Benjamin and southern Ephraim. According to ch. 13:17, “the land of Shual” lay in the vicinity of Ophrah, about 5 mi. to the northeast of Bethel. He did not make a thorough search of all the regions named, but only of those parts where the asses may conceivably parts where the asses may conceivably have strayed. During the two days or more he had been away from home he may easily have traveled 30 or 40 mi. by the time he met Samuel, including side trips to the tops of hills and down into valleys and ravines.

5. The land of Zuph. See on ch. 1:1.

6. This city. That is, Ramah, the home of Samuel (PP 608–610; see on ch. 1:1).

11. Up the hill. Naturally the asses would not be in the towns. Saul and his servant would be looking for them in the fields, where the people had their gardens, or in the open countryside.

14. Came out against them. Or, “came out toward them”; possibly, “came out to call them.” Each of these translations is possible, according to the Hebrew text and also the context.

16. I will send. This gives the background of v. 14. A careful study of the preceding verses indicates that Saul was not sure of the propriety of coming to the seer without a gift, and that it took some persuading on the part of the servant before he consented to go into the city. This illustrates the guiding of the Holy Spirit, whereby men in perplexity are brought into contact with those who can give them assistance. In a similar way Ruth was providentially guided to the field of Boaz (Ruth 2:3), and Philip was directed to the eunuch on his way from Jerusalem to Ethiopia (Acts 8:26–29). It is a sacred privilege to be so fully surrendered to the control of the Holy Spirit that He can guide us, even as he guided Samuel, to those souls who need our help.

18. In the gate. Having already been instructed by the Lord, and remembering the time of day the message came to him, Samuel perhaps set out to find the young man of whom the Lord had spoken. The two met “in the gate,” the place where the elders sat and gave counsel, or assisted the stranger in finding his way. Here Samuel could expect to secure information concerning any stranger who might have come to the town. The timing was exact. Before Saul spoke, Samuel knew that he was the man of whom the Lord had told him the previous day (v. 17). What a thrill it must have given Samuel to realize that he was being led by God, whom he had served faithfully for so many years Is there any reason why one may not experience that same thrill today if he will surrender himself to God as completely as Samuel did? Verses 18, 19 are perhaps a detailed explanation of v. 14.

20. They are found. Samuel states that the asses had been lost for three days, literally, “today, three days.” Before telling Saul of his high calling, Samuel put his mind at rest concerning the practical purpose of his visit. Christ always ministered to the physical needs of His hearers as well as to their spiritual yearnings. The very fact that He was interested in their physical welfare did much to cause them to listen while He ministered to their spiritual needs. Thus the information that the asses were found did much to convince Saul of the divine origin of Samuel’s message concerning the kingdom.

The desire of Israel. Though himself a prophet and a judge, Samuel accepted the counsel of the Lord that Israel be granted the desire of their hearts. He expressed no feelings of regret or jealousy at meeting the young man who was to take over the responsibility of delivering Israel from the hand of the Philistines (v. 16). Instead, he accorded Saul evidences of honor and respect (see vs. 20–24). Here Samuel demonstrated the true spirit of unselfishness. Like Moses, he was anxious that the Spirit of the Lord come upon all men (Num. 11:29). Christ did not count equality with God the Father a thing to be grasped after, but manifested the true principle of selflessness, in order that the overcome might sit with Him on His throne (Rev. 3:21). Similarly, Samuel not only indicated that he was willing to give Saul the responsibility, but also that he would do all in his power to prepare the future king for his duties.

22. The parlour. Meaning the room attached to the high place where the sacrificial meal was eaten. Saul and his servant were ushered to the seats of honor in this room, with some 30 of the elders present. Saul had been persistent in the work of finding his father’s asses, and perhaps the elders, as they looked upon him and heard his story, felt that here was a man who could as persistently find a way of deliverance from the hostilities of the Philistines.

24. The shoulder. The feast to which Saul had been invited was evidently a sacrifice of peace offerings in which the elders of Ramah took part (see Vol. I, p. 700, and on Lev. 3:1). Such sacrifices were made by the children of Israel at Sinai when they ratified the covenant (Ex. 24:4–8). At this sacrifice the breast and the right “shoulder” (or thigh) belonged to the officiating priest (Lev. 7:33, 34). The flesh of the sacrifice must be eaten the day it was slain; none could be left over (Lev. 7:16). Whether the “shoulder” presented to Saul was the left, of which the laity might eat, or the right, which belonged to the priest, is not mentioned. But it was the portion reserved for Saul as the guest of honor.

Samuel said. Though the word “Samuel” is not in the Hebrew, he was apparently the speaker. It was obvious to Saul that his coming had been foreseen and carefully planned for, and he must have been convinced of God’s invitation to assume the responsibilities of leadership.

25. Communed with Saul. Saul was not told of his high calling that day. Evidently Samuel spent some time in explaining to his guest the great principles of the theocratic government that had now been in operation for centuries, and the implications of the changes urged by the elders. But the unexpected events of the day did not apparently weigh heavily on the heart of Saul, for he slept until called by the prophet the next morning.

Ellen G. White comments

1–27PP 608–610

2–8PP 608

11, 12, 14–21PP 609

22–24, 27PP 610