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1 Samuel 10

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1Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?

2When you leave me today, you will find two men at Rachel’s tomb in Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you seek have been found, and now your father has stopped worrying about the donkeys and started worrying about you, asking, “What should I do about my son?”’

3Then you will go on from there until you come to the Oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.

4They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hands.

5After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.

6Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be transformed into a different person.

7When these signs have come, do as the occasion demands, for God is with you.

8And you shall go before me to Gilgal, and surely I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you are to do.”

9As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all the signs came to pass that day.

10When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied along with them.

11When all those who had formerly known Saul saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”

12Then a man who lived there replied, “And who is their father?” So the saying became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

13And when Saul had finished prophesying, he went up to the high place.

14Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where did you go?” “To look for the donkeys,” Saul replied. “When we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”

15“Tell me,” Saul’s uncle asked, “what did Samuel say to you?”

16And Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But Saul did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.

17After this, Samuel summoned the people to the LORD at Mizpah

18and said to the Israelites, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the hands of the Egyptians and of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’

19But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions, and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.”

20Thus Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected.

21Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the clan of Matri was selected. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected. But when they looked for him, they could not find him.

22So again they inquired of the LORD, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD replied, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.”

23So they ran and brought Saul, and when he stood among the people, he was a head taller than any of the others.

24Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

25Then Samuel explained to the people the rights of kingship. He wrote them on a scroll and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, each to his own home.

26Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, and the men of valor whose hearts God had touched went with him.

27But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him and brought him no gifts; but Saul remained silent about it.

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1 Samuel 10:1-8 Verses 1-8

The sacred anointing, then used, pointed at the great Messiah, or Anointed One, the King of the church, and High Priest of our profession, who was anointed with the oil of the Spirit, not by measure, but without measure, and above all the priests and princes of the Jewish church. For Saul's further satisfaction, Samuel gives him some signs which should come to pass the same day. The first place he directs him to, was the sepulchre of one of his ancestors; there he must be reminded of his own mortality, and now that he had a crown before him, must think of his grave, in which all his honour would be laid in the dust. From the time of Samuel there appears to have been schools, or places where pious young men were brought up in the knowledge of Divine things. Saul should find himself strongly moved to join with them, and should be turned into another man from what he had been. The Spirit of God changes men, wonderfully transforms them. Saul, by praising God in the communion of saints, became another man, but it may be questioned if he became a new man.

1 Samuel 10:9-16 Verses 9-16

The signs Samuel had given Saul, came to pass punctually; he found that God had given him another heart, another disposition of mind. Yet let not an outward show of devotion, and a sudden change for the present, be too much relied on; Saul among the prophets was Saul still. His being anointed was kept private. He leaves it to God to carry on his own work by Samuel, and sits still, to see how the matter will fall.

1 Samuel 10:17-27 Verses 17-27

Samuel tells the people, Ye have this day rejected your God. So little fond was Saul now of that power, which soon after, when he possessed it, he could not think of parting with, that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; but men should not go into the contrary extreme, by refusing the employments to which the Lord and the church call them. The greater part of the people treated the matter with indifference. Saul modestly went home to his own house, but was attended by a band of men whose hearts God disposed to support his authority. If the heart bend at any time the right way, it is because He has touched it. One touch is enough when it is Divine. Others despised him. Thus differently are men affected to our exalted Redeemer. There is a remnant who submit to him, and follow him wherever he goes; they are those whose hearts God has touched, whom he has made willing. But there are others who despise him, who ask, How shall this man save us? They are offended in him, and they will be punished.

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Anointing in Consecration: Saul 1 Samuel 10:1

Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?

Bread was Formed Into: Loaves 1 Samuel 10:3, 4

Then you will go on from there until you come to the Oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. / They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hands.

Bread: How Prepared: Made Into Loaves 1 Samuel 10:3

Then you will go on from there until you come to the Oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.

Citizens: Wicked: Israelites 1 Samuel 10:27

But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him and brought him no gifts; but Saul remained silent about it.

Contempt: Children of Belial 1 Samuel 10:27

But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him and brought him no gifts; but Saul remained silent about it.

Harp used in Worship 1 Samuel 10:5

After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.

Harps 1 Samuel 10:5

After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.

Heart: Change of Saul 1 Samuel 10:9

As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all the signs came to pass that day.

Ingratitude of Man to God 1 Samuel 10:19

But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions, and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.”

Joy: when Saul Was Presented As Their King 1 Samuel 10:24

Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

King by Lot 1 Samuel 10:20, 21

Thus Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected. / Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the clan of Matri was selected. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected. But when they looked for him, they could not find him.

King: Constitutional Restrictions of 1 Samuel 10:24, 25

Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!” / Then Samuel explained to the people the rights of kingship. He wrote them on a scroll and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, each to his own home.

King: Presents 1 Samuel 10:27

But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him and brought him no gifts; but Saul remained silent about it.

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Peace offerings (Heb. shelamim), detailed regulations regarding given in Lev. 3; 7:11-21,… Philistines (Gen. 10:14, R.V.; but in A.V., "Philistim"), a tribe allied… Afflictions Common to all (Job 5:7; 14:1; Ps. 34:19); are for… High place An eminence, natural or artificial, where worship by sacrifice or… Sacrifice The offering up of sacrifices is to be regarded as… Benjamin Son of my right hand. (1.) The younger son of… Proverb A trite maxim; a similitude; a parable. The Hebrew word… Mizpah Or Miz'peh, watch-tower; the look-out. (1.) A place in Gilead,… Father A name applied (1) to any ancestor (Deut. 1:11; 1… Bethel House of God. (1.) A place in Central Palestine, about… Chosen Spoken of warriors (Ex. 15:4; Judg. 20:16), of the Hebrew… Israel The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at… Samuel Heard of God. The peculiar circumstances connected with his birth… Spirit (Heb. ruah; Gr. pneuma), properly wind or breath. In 2… Gibeah A hill or hill-town, "of Benjamin" (1 Sam. 13:15), better… Gilgal Rolling. (1.) From the solemn transaction of the reading of… Rachel Ewe, "the daughter", "the somewhat petulant, peevish, and self-willed though… Egypt The land of the Nile and the pyramids, the oldest…