The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 163

gntcwa~·. As Ramah occupied t"·o hills, the Samud coming out, and accost him in the Bnmah would he on the summit of one, while vory port~!. the city probably nestled between them. Vers. 19, 20. -Go up before me. Ad- Yer. 15.-Now Jehovah had told Samuel in dressed in the singular to Saul to whom as his ear. Literally," had uncovered his car," the future king, Samuel pays ~very mark of as in Ruth i,·. 4 ; 2 Sam. vii. 27. 'l'he phrase honour. The next words, Ye shall eat, in- is taken from the pushing aside of the head- clude Saul's servant. I will tell thee all, dress in order to whisper, and therefore means &c. Intended not merely to set Saul's mind that Jeho,·ah had secretly told Samuel. at rest, but also to prepare him for the great Y~r. 16-.-That he may save my people news he was to hear. So, too, the informa- out of the hand of the Philistines. Though tion that the asses were found, given to him Samuel had lightened the yoke of the Philis- before he had even hinted at the object of tines by his victory at Mizpah, yet he had his visit, would convince him of the reality by no means altogether broken their power. of Samuel's prophetic powers. On wnom It is so constantly the habit of the historical is all the desire of Israel 1 Rather, "To books of the Bible to include the distant and whom belongs all that is desirable in Israel 1 ultimate results of an act in their account of Is it not for thee, and for thy father's it, that we must not conclude that what is house 1" The words were intended to indi- said in eh. vii. 13-15 was the immediate cate to Saul, though in an obscure manner, consequence of Samuel's victory. Especiallv, that the supreme power in Israel would bo when it said that "the hand of Jehovah his. Why trouble about she-asses 1 They was against the Philistines all the days of might be beautiful, and a valuable property Samuel," it is plain that Saul's successful for a husbandman ; but he was about to wars are included in the writer's summary of become a king, to whom would belong every- events, inasmuch as Samuel's life was pro- thing that was best and most precious. longed until nearly the close of that monarch's Ver. 21.-Wherefore then speakeat thou reign. The words further show that Saul's so to me 1 Though Samuel's words contained office was essentially military, though this is the promise of supreme pc;>wer,-for to whom too much emphasised in the A. V., which less than a king could all that was desirable renders by captain a word which really means in Israel belong 1-yet Saul probably regarded prince, chief. Saul, as a Benjamite, belonged them as a high-flown compliment, such as to the bravest and most warlike tribe of Orientals love to use, and gave a modest and Israel, and one whose country was the seat proper answer. Benjamin, already the small- of perpetual combat "ith the Philistines. est tribe, had been so crushed that its power Their cry is come unto me. Plainly, there- must have been very small, and Saul's house, fore, Israel was again suffering from Philistine though opulent, was not a leading one ; how domination. then could one of its members expect so high Yer. 17.-J'ehovah said unto him. Liter- a dignity I For families of the tribe of ally," Jehovah answered him." ,Vben Samuel Benje.mill the Hebrew has "tribes," pro- saw the young stranger, struck by his tower- bably owing to some confusion with the ing height, he wondered within himself whe- words "tribes of Israel" just before. ther this were the destined hero who was Vers. 22, 23. -Into the parlour. Strictly to win freedom for Israel The affirmation, the cell or room attached to the chapel of therefore, came in answer to the question the high place, now used as the guest-cham- asked by his heart. The same shall reign ber, wherein the thirty chief men, who came over my people. More literally, the margin, as invited guests, were to dine. The rest of ' restrain i.n," i. e. coerce, control The A. the people would be in the open oir. There V ., prefemng as usual a general to an exact Samuel not only placed Saul in the seat of rendering, loses this plain indication that honour, but also his servant, as representing Saul's would be a strict and stern rule. the king's officers of state, and commanded Yer. 18.-In the gate. The same prepo- the cook to set before him a portion that sition is used here as that translated "into had been reserved. This was the shoulder ; the city" in ver. 14. The contradiction but whether it was the left shoulder, of \\'hich many commentators suppose that they which the laity might cat, or the ri/!ht fiud between the two verses arises from their shoulder, which was sacred, as belonging to not remembering that prepositions constantly the priest (Levi.t. vi.L 32), is not mentioned, lose their original meaning. Literally the If the latter, it was Samuel's own share, and preposition means in the middle, but its he may oy his prophetic authority have c·.ommon meanin" is simply within. So with assigned it to Saul, in token that the priest- UJ irnrnediately has lost all reference to the hood would be subject to the royal power. middle, though derived from that word, and Be this, however, as it may, it was the por- signifies directly, at once. Saul, then, and tion of honour, and it seems that Samuel, his servant were just going (it is a present on receiving intimation the previous day 1articiple) wii!iin the city when they meet of Saul's visit (ver l 6), had given orders CH. IX. 1---27.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 161