On seeing this, the people of Gibeah, who have inherited these gifts, and if Saul can knew him beforetime,-Hehrew, "from take part in their prophesyings, why should yesterdny and the day before," but equiva- he not 1 Kish, his father, is no worse than lent to our phrase "for years,"-asked in theirs. Is Saul also among the prophets! surprise, What is thie that is come onto the Under very different circumstances Saul once son of Kieh ! What makes him thus act in again took part in the exercises of these a manner unlike all our long past experience youthful prophets (eh. xix. 24), and evi- of him 1 le Saul aleo among the prophets l dently on both occasions with such skill and From this question two things are evident: success as prove the readiness of his genius ; the first, that the schools founded by Samuel and so struck were the people at the strange already held a high place in the estimation power which he thus evinced, that their ex- of the Israelites ; the second, that Saul had pression of wonder became fixed in the not shared in that education which so raised n<ltional mind as a proverb. Saul was a the prophets as a class above the mass of the man of great natural ability, and yet not people. Probably also Saul's character was the sort of person whom the people expected. not such as would have made him care for would be made king. He probably could education. A young man who, while living neither read nor write, and from his extreme in his neighbourhood, knew so little about height was perhaps awkward and bashful; as Samuel (eh. ix. 6}, could not have had a he suffered afterwards from fits of insanity very inquiring or intellectual frame of mind. (eh. xvi. 14), he may always have been flighty Of course Samuel could not, by gathering and 'l',illul ; and altogether, though possessed young men together, and giving them the of marvellous gifts, was certainly the very best education the times afforded, gain opposite of Samuel's well-trained and orderly for them also the highest and rarest of scholars. gifts, that of direot inspiration. Even when Ver. 13.-He ea.me to the high place Elisha, the friend and attendant upon Elijah, Saul had met the prophets coming down asked his master for an elder son's portion of from the Bamah ; but the same religious the Divine spirit, Elijah told him that he fervour, which had made him take so earnest had asked a hard thing (2 Kings ii. 10). a part in the prophesyings of the young The disparity then that the people remarked men, urged him now, after parting from their between Saul and the prophets was that company, himself to go up to the high place, hetween a rich young farmer's son, who had there to offer his prayers and praises to God. been brought up at home, and cared only Vers. 14-16.-Se.ul'e uncle. According for rnstic things, and these young colle- to eh. xiv. 50, 51 ; 1 Chron. viii. 33, this gians, who were enjoying o. careful educa- would be Abner. The conversation pro- tion (comp. John vii. 15). How good that bably took place after Sanl had returned education was is proved by th_e fact that from the Ba.mah and gone to his own home, at David's court all posts which required for in so brief a summary much necessarily literary skill were held by prophets. No is omitted. It is curious that the conversa- man could found schools of inspired men ; tion should have taken place with the uncle, but Samuel founded great educational insti- and not with the father ; but possibly the tutions, which ended by making th~ Israelites latter was too well pleased to have his son e. highly-trained and literary people. Saul's back again to be very particular in his prophesying was not the result of training, inquiries. Not so Abner. He was evidently but came to him by e. Divine influence, excited by his nephew's visit to the prophet, rousing the slumbering enthusiasm of an and struck perhaps by the change in Saul energ~tic but fitful nature. himself, and would gladly have heard more. Ver. 12. -One of the same pla.ce-i. e. But Saul does not gratify his curiosity. Of Gibeah-a.nswered and ea.id, :But who is their the matter of the kingdom . . . he told father! The Septuagint, Syriac, and Vul- him not. It was not merely prudent, but gate read, But who is his father r But this right to keep the matter secret. An able would be a foolish reply to the question, man like Abner would probably hnve be~un '' Who.t has happened to the son of Kish ! " to scheme for so great an end. Saul's silence The meaning rather must be, You nsk about left the fulfilment of the prophet's words the son of Kish ; but what has birth to do entirely to God. with prophecy 1 None of these young men
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-8.-Supports to faith and duty. The facts are-1. Samuel priv11tel_v anoints Saul as the chosen of God. 2. He gives him four signs of the Divine sanc- tion of the act of anoint.ing. (1) The safety of the asses, ancl his father's sorro\\'. (2) The spontaneous gift of sacrificial bread near Bethel. (3) A welcome by t:,e1 1 BAM N 178 THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. [cH. X. 1-16