The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 178

EXPOSITION. elon, of Tabor. Many attempt to connect CHAPTER X. this elon-Taborwith the allon, or oak, under SAUL ANOINTED TO DE JUNG, AND SIGNS which Deborah, Rachel's nnrse, was buried ·OIVEN HIM OONVINCINO HIM OF THE TTIUTil (Gen. xxxv. 8), and suppose that Tabor is a OF HIS APPOINTMENT (vers. 1-16). Ver. 1. corruption of the name Deborah. This is -A vial of oil. Hebrew, "the vial of oil," scarcely possible, and it is better to ackno,v- because it was that same holy oil with which ledge that we know nothing of the site of the priests were anointed (Exod. xxix. 7). this tree, ex:cept that it was on the road t(, Throughout Holy Scripture the office of king Bethel. This was one of the places which ·appears as one most sacred, and .it is the Samuel used to. visit n,s judge (eh. vii. 16); king, and not the priest, who is especially but these rnen were on a pilgrimage thither called Messiah, Jehovah's anointed (eh. ii. because since the clays of Jacob it had been 10, 35; xii. 3, 5; xvi. 6, &c.), because he a sacred spot, and a chief sent of the old Tcpresented the authority aml power of Goel. patriarchal worship, for which see eh. ix. 12. And. kissed him. J. e. did homage to him, Ver. 4. -These pilgrims woulcl salute -and gave him the symbol and token of allc-· ~aul, i. e. give him the usual friendly greet- giance (see Ps. ii. 12). Is it not l . . . A mg of travellers, and would then present to -strong affirmation often takes the form of a him, a stranger, two loaves of the brea<l question, especially when, as probably was intended for their offering at Bethel. By so the case here, surprise is .manifested. Saul; doing, in the first place, they acknowleclged -on whom the occurrences of the previous him as their lord (see eh. ix. 7 ; xvi. 20), day must have come as strange and unin- and, secondly, they indicated that the king telligible marvels, was no doubt still more would henceforth share with the sanctuary embarrassed when one so old and venerable, the offerings of the people. And Sanl was both in person and office, as Samuel solemnly to receive of their hands the present, as consecrated him to be Israel's prince (see being now his due, for by anointing him eh. ix. 16), and gave him the kiss of fealty Samuel had designated him as king. and allegiance. Samuel, therefore, answers Ver. 5.-The third sign was to be his -Saul's inquiring looks with this question, taking part with the prophets in their re- and, further, gives him three signs to quiet ligious exercises in the hill of God-really his doubts, and convince him that his ap- Gibeah, his own home. Gibeah is strictly pointment is from God. a rounded hill, while Ramah is a height. Ver. 2.-The first sign-Thou shalt :find This Gibeah ha-Elohim was probably that two men by Bachel'a sepulchre. In Jer. part of the hill on which the "high place" xxxi. 15 (quoted in Matt. ii. 18) Rachel's was situated, and which was evidently out- sepulchre is connected with Ramah, but side the city ; for Saul, on his ronte home- in Gen. xxxv. 19 it is placed near Bethle- ward, met the troop of prophets descending hem. The whole of the geography of Saul's from it. For "Gibeah of Saul" see eh. ix. wanderings is very obscure, but Wilson I ; but, as Conder remarks, this name was (' Lands of the Bible,' i. 401) places Zelzah given to a district as well as to a town, inas- at Beit-jala, to the west of Bethlehem, in much ns Ramah is described as situated the neighbourhood of the Kabbet Rahil, or within it-eh. uii. 6 (' Tent Work,' ii. 111). ,l'omb of Rachel. Though both nre now in The garrison of the Philistines was probably the tribe of Judah, yet by a slight rectifi- on some height in this ,listrict, and, coupled cation of the frontier, in conformitv with with the mention of similar military posts ,Tosh. xviii. 11-28, Zelzah wonld be'on the elsewhere (eh. xiii. 3; xiv. 4), shows that bonier of Benjamin, and there mny have most of the tribe of Benjamin was subject to been local reasons for Saul and his companion that nation, and disarmed (eh. xiii. 19); bnt not taking the most direct route for Gibeah. probably, ns long as the tribute was paid, its 'The news given by these men, that the asses internal administration was not interfered were found, would set Saul's mind at rest, with. A company of the prophets. At and, freecl from lower cares, he would be Gibeah Samncl had established one of his able to girn his thouuhts entirely to prepara- "schools of the prophets," by means of tion for the higher duties that were before which ho did so much to elevate the whole him. For an interesting note upon the mental and morni state of the Israelites. iourncv of Saul home see Wilson, ii. 36. The won! rendered company literally meam Ver: 3.-The second sign was to be the a cord or line, and so a band of people. presenting of an offering to him out of their These prophets were descending from the sacrificial gifts by three men going on n Bamnh (sco on eh. ix. 12), where they had pilgrimage to Bethel. He would meet them been engagecl iu some religious exercise, nnd oot iu the plain of Tabor, but at the oak, were chanting a psalm or hymn to the 1,f> THE FIRST BOOK m• SA~IUEL [en. x. 1-1~