1 Samuel 10
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
1 Samuel 10
NJB (MT versing) Saul Among the Prophets Saul Anointed King The Secret Choice of Saul (9:1-10:16) Samuel Anoints Saul As Ruler Consecration of Saul 9:27-10:8 9:26d-10:8 9:26-10:8 10:1-8 Return of Saul 10:9-13 10:9-13 10:9-13 10:9-13 10:9-12 10:13-16 10:14-16 10:14-16 10:14-16 10:14a-b 10:14c-d 10:15 10:16 Saul Publicly Chosen King Saul Proclaimed King Saul Chosen King by Lot Saul Is Acclaimed As King Saul Is Designated King by Lot 10:17-19 10:17-24 10:17-19 10:17-19 10:17-19 10:20-24 10:20-24 10:20-22a 10:20-21 10:22-24 10:22b 10:23-24 10:25-27 10:25-27 10:25-27b 10:25-27 10:25-27 10:27c-f Etc.
1 Samuel 10:1-8
10:1 Notice the elements of this anointing. a flask of oil (cf. Exod. 30:23-33; 1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Kgs. 9:3,6) poured it on his head (for High Priest in Exod. 29:7; it is a symbol of giving the Spirit, cf. 1 Sam. 16:13; Isa. 44:3) kissed him (i.e., sign of acceptance and affection; see NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 196-197) made pronouncement statement (i.e., in the form of a question that expects a "yes" answer) SPECIAL TOPIC: "ANOINTING" IN THE BIBLE ▣ "ruler" See note at 1 Sam. 9:16. ▣ "His inheritance" Israel belonged to YHWH. He was the creator of the nation (cf. Deut. 32:9; 1 Kgs. 8:51,53; Ps. 78:71; Jer. 10:16). He created Israel for a purpose and a future (cf. Romans 9-11). SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN 10:2-6 These verses describe a series of predictive signs which gave Saul confidence that YHWH had chosen him to be king. two men near Rachel's tomb with a message (v. 2) three men at the oak of Tabor with gifts (vv. 3-4) meets a group of prophets at a specific hill (i.e., Gibeah) and joins them in prophesying (vv. 5-6) Samuel mentions these signs specifically in vv. 7,9. Saul will know his new role (v. 7b) and he must wait for Samuel to give him guidance (v. 8). 10:2 "is anxious for you" Saul was worried about this very thing in 1 Sam. 9:5. 10:3 "the oak of Tabor" This special tree was located in the tribal allocation of Benjamin and has no geographical connection with Mount Tabor in the allocation of Issachar, Naphtali, Zebulun (cf. Josh. 19:12,22,34). 10:5 "a group of prophets" Originally prophets lived in groups apart from Israeli society. SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHECY (OT) 10:6 "the Spirit of the Lord" The NT revelation of three Divine persons is not clearly revealed in the OT. The Spirit is often imagery of YHWH's power being given and equipping someone to do His will. Moses (Num. 11:25) the seventy elders (Num. 11:25,29) Eldad and Medad (Num. 11:26) Balaam (Num. 24:2) Othniel (Jdgs. 3:10) Samson (Jdgs. 14:6) Saul (1 Sam. 10:6,10; 11:6) David (1 Sam. 16:13) SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PERSONHOOD OF THE SPIRIT ▣ "he changed into another man" This phrase occurs only here. It is a literary way of expressing the unusual event of Saul prophesying. It is parallel to "God changed his heart" in 1 Sam. 10:9. 10:7 "for God is with you" In this context this phrase refers to the new king of Israel. It is used of Isaac ‒ Gen. 26:3 Jacob ‒ Gen. 28:15; 31:3 Moses ‒ Exod. 3:12; 33:14 Joshua ‒ Deut. 3:6,8; Josh. 1:5; 5:7 Gideon ‒ Jdgs. 6:16 Saul ‒ 1 Sam. 10:6 Rehoboam ‒ 1 Kgs. 11:38 But it is also a universal truth about YHWH's presence and guidance in the lives of all faithful followers (i.e., Pro. 3:5-6). 10:8 "burnt offerings" See SPECIAL TOPIC: BURNT OFFERING. ▣ "peace offerings" See SPECIAL TOPIC: PEACE OFFERING. ▣ "seven" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SYMBOLIC NUMBERS IN SCRIPTURE, #4.
1 Samuel 10:9-13
10:9 "God changed his heart" Verses like this affirm the life changing event of knowing YHWH personally show how God equips His servants for their assigned tasks illustrate the absolute necessity of the Spirit to bring about a change in fallen mankind (cf. John 6:44,65) show how a new relationship with YHWH affects how one acts/lives (cf. 1 Sam. 10:11)
1 Samuel 10:14-16
10:14-16 Josephus (Antiq. 6.4.3) has added to the biblical account by naming the uncle (Abner) and adding, "whom indeed he loved better than the rest of his relations." Josephus also adds that the reason he did not tell Abner everything is because it might cause envy it would not be easily believed 10:16 "He told us plainly" This is an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and an IMPERFECT VERB of the same root (BDB 616, KB 665, Hiphil) to show intensity.
1 Samuel 10:17-19
10:18 This verse is referring to both the exodus the conquest 10:19 "But you have today rejected your God" The "rejected" (BDB 549, KB 540, Qal PERFECT) refers to 1 Sam. 8:6,7, where Israel wants a king like the surrounding nations, thereby rejecting YHWH as their King. ▣ NASB, NRSV, NJB, REB, JPSOA, NET, LXX "No" "to him, No" "not so" The MT has "to him" (לו) but many later Hebrew texts and ancient versions emend it to "no" (לא). The UBS Text Project, p. 166, gives "to him" a "B" rating (some doubt). Notice how the NKJV puts both options in the text. ▣ NASB, NKJV, NRSV, TEV, JPSOA, LXX "clans" NJB, REB "clan by clan" "thousands" The MT has "thousands." This Hebrew term (BDB 48) has several meanings. SPECIAL TOPIC: THOUSAND (eleph)
1 Samuel 10:20-24
10:20 "by lot" One wonders if this refers to the Urim and Thummim or another form of lots. It was a physical way to know YHWH's will. YHWH's will was known by personal encounters (i.e., visions, dreams, physical events) the High Priest's Urim and Thummim later the word of a prophet SPECIAL TOPIC: URIM AND THUMMIM 10:21 "Matrite" This family (BDB 565) appears no where else in the lineage of Saul or the clans of Benjamin. Its uniqueness speaks to its genuineness! SPECIAL TOPIC: TEXTUAL CRITICISM 10:22 This could be interpreted in several ways. Saul's humility (Josephus, Antiq. 6.4.5) Saul's fear at YHWH's call ▣ NASB, NRSV, NJB, REB, JPSOA, LXX, Peshitta "baggage" "equipment" "supplies" The MT has a NOUN (BDB 479) with a wide semantic field (article, utensil, vessel, weapon, musical instrument, furniture, pitcher). Josephus does not mention where Saul was hiding. 10:23-24 "he was taller" Israel wanted a large, powerful, handsome man to be king (cf. 1 Sam. 9:2 and 2 Sam. 14:25-26 for Absalom). 10:24 "the Lord has chosen" The VERB (BDB 103, KB 119, Qal PERFECT) denotes YHWH's will be expressed in human actions. In Scripture God's will is in a covenant relationship with His people's choices. Covenant links God's sovereignty and human free will. SPECIAL TOPIC: HE CHOSE US SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT SPECIAL TOPIC: PREDESTINATION VS. HUMAN FREE WILL SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE
1 Samuel 10:25-27
10:25 "the ordinances of the kingdom" Some scholars think it refers specifically to the warnings and restrictions of Israel's king (cf. Deut. 17:14-20; 1 Sam. 8:11-18), but I think it may refer to some, if not all, of the revelations to Moses (cf. 1 Sam. 9:27). The term "ordinances" (BDB 1048) means "judgments" and is used often in the Pentateuch. SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATIONS, #VI. ▣ "and wrote them in a book" A book that has been very helpful to me as I try to understand how oral cultures pass on their traditions is John Walton and D. Brent Sandy, The Lost World of Scripture. ▣ "and placed it before the Lord" This is also where Moses' writings were put (cf. Deut. 31:26). It shows their revelatory nature. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BIBLE (it's uniqueness and inspiration) 10:26-27 Notice the contrast between those who accept YHWH's revelation and those who do not. "the valiant men whose hearts God touched" for "valiant" see note at 1 Sam. 9:1 (BDB 298) God had impacted them by Samuel's prophetic word "certain worthless men" see note at 1 Sam. 2:12 (BDB 116). Josephus (Antiq. 6.4.6.) says the majority of the crowd was in the second group. See full note at 2 Sam. 20:1. 10:27 "But he kept silent" This could refer to Saul Samuel The DSS and LXX connect this phrase with chapter 11.