d In the way to Bethlehem, Gen. 35: 19. which City was in Ju- dah; and her Sepulchre might be either in Judeh, or in Benjamin ; for the poſſeſſions of thoſe rwo Ti1ibes were bordering one upon a- nother, and oft intermixed tegether. See Joſh. 18: 11:
3 Then fhalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou ſhalt come to the plain of Tabor e, and there (halt meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel f, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread g, and another carrying a bottle of wine bh, |
e Not that at the foot of Mount Tabor, which was far from theſe parts; bur another belonging to ſome other place, or Man, called Tabor. f Properly fo called, which was in Ephraim, where there was a noted higi place, famous for Jacebs Viſion there, Gen. 28. 19. where it is provable they offered Sacrifices, in this confuſed ſlate of things, when the Ark was in one place 2nd the Tabernacle, if rot deſtroyed, in ariorhzr, Or, to the houſe of God ; i. e. to Kiriaths Jearim, where rhe Ark, the habitation of God, now was, 1 Sam. 7. 8, 2, 16: g Which mighr be cffcred, either by themſclves, as Levit. 2. 4- or with oth r Szcrifices. þ Which was pourcd forth in Drink-cff:rings. See Levis. 23: 15: Numb. 15. 5.
4 And they will + falute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread i, which thou ſhale receive of their hand.
# Two of tho'e three deſigned for Sacrifice, ſuppoſing they could eaſily prccure atupply of uther Loaves at Bethel. Bur the more
S4AMUREK
5 After that thou ſhalt come to the hill of God Z, where is the gariſon of the Philiſtines : and it ſhall come to paſs, when thou art come thither to the city 4, that thou ſhalt meet a company of prophets mw coming down from che high place », with a plaltery, and a tabrer,
and a pipe, and a harp before them o, and they ſhall pt opheſhie p. ONE
k an Hill near Gebs, or Gibeab of Binjamin, where a Gariſon of Philiftines was, 1 Sam- 13, 3» Called here che Hill of God, becauſe it was a place devcted to the Service of God ; either for Sacrifice, this being an high place, as it here follows; or, for a School or College of Prophets. ! Adjoyning to thar Hill. # By Prophets here, and in ſach like places, he underſtands Perſons that did wholly devote rhemſclves to Religious Studies and Exerciſes, ſuch as Preachings Praying, Praiſing of Ged, &:, For the term of propheſying isnor on:y given to the moſt eminent a& of ir, viz. Foretelling things to come ; but alſo to Preaching, as Rom. 12. 6. 1 Cor. 14: 31, 32+ t Theſ, 5: 20: and to the making or ſinging of Pſalms. or Songs of Praile to God as 1 Chron, 25: 1, 2, 3- And they that wholly at- repded upon theſe things, are oft called Sons of :he Prophets, which were commonly combined into Companies or Colledges, as 2 King. 2: 3, 5- that they might more conveniently edifie and afſift one as nother in Gods work. Which Inſticution Gcd was pleaſed ſo far to honour and bleſs, that ſometimes he communicated unto thoſe perſons the knowledge of future things, as 2 Kings 2: 3, 5- # Wherey either, their habitation was, or they had now teen offering Sacri- fice. And althwugh they uſed to perform this following Exercile, either in their Colledge, er in the place of their Sacrificesz yet now they d1d it in the deſcent of the til], which probably was be- ſide their Cuſtom, and therefore more proper for a ſign ro Saul of a more than ordinary hard of God towards him. # Such Inſtru- ments of Muſick being then uſed by prophets and other perſons, for the exhilaration and excitaticn of their {pirits in Gods tervice. See _ 3* 15- p Either fing Gods praiſes, or ſpeak of the things of God.
6 And the ſpirit of the LORD will come upon thee
4, and thou ſhalt propheſie with them, and ſhalt be turned into another man 7.
q Heb. wil leap or ruſb upon thee, to wit, for a ſeaſon. So it may be oppoied to the Spirits reſting upon a Man, as Numb. 11: 25+ Iſhe 11: 2. Y 1.e. Thou ſhalt be ſuddenly endowed and ated with a» nother Spirit, filled with $kill of Divine things. with Courage, and Wiſdom, and Magnanimity ; and other qualificatioas befitting thy Digaity.
7 AndFf let it be when theſe ſigns s are come unto
God x with thee.
Kingdom, becauſe they were all future Contingencies, which none
which had been prepoſterous and dangerous; but that he ſhould diſpoſe his Mind to a readineſs of undertaking any publick ſervice wh<n neceſlity required it, and he ſhould be called to his Office.
8 And thou ſbalt go down before me to Gilgal, and behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt- offerings, and to ſacrifice ſacrifices of peace-offerings :
(hew thee what thou ſhalt do.