Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 10

Then Samuel took a vial of oil. — The vial was a narrow-necked vessel, from which the oil flowed in drops. It was, of course, no common oil which the prophet used on this momentous occasion, but the oil of holy ointment, the sacred anointing oil which was used at the consecration of the priests, and also of the Tabernacle and the sacred vessels. (Exodus 30:23–33, etc.) The solemn anointing took place in the ceremony of consecration in the case of some, but not of all, the Hebrew sovereigns.

We hear of it at the accession of David, Absalom, Solomon, Joash, Jehoahaz, and Jehu. In cases of regular succession, the anointing was supposed to continue its effect—that is, the regular succession needed no new anointing. Hence it is that only the above-named kings are mentioned as having been anointed, all founders of dynasties or irregularly advanced to the throne. (See Erdman in Lange here.)

And kissed him. — Rather as a customary sign of reverential homage than as a mark of affection, which at that early date of their acquaintance it was hardly possible to assume that the old man felt for the younger. (Compare Psalm 2:12: Kiss the son, lest he be angry; that is, “Do homage, O you kings of the earth, to Him who is your anointed King.”)

The Lord has anointed you. — Samuel replies to the look and gesture of extreme astonishment with which the young Saul received the anointing and the kiss with these words: “Do you mutely ask me why I pay you this formal homage? why I salute you with such deep respect? Is it not because you are the chosen of the Eternal? Are you still incredulous respecting your high destiny? See now, as you go on your way home, you will meet with three signs; they will prove to you that what I do, I do not of myself, but in obedience to a higher power.”

You will find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre. — This tomb of the loved wife of the patriarch does not appear to have been very far from Ramah, from where Saul started. The words of Jeremiah 31:15, which speak of the future massacre of the Bethlehem innocents by Herod, connect Ramah and Rachel’s tomb: A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping: Rachel weeping for her children.

At Zelzah. — This locality has never been identified. Some have supposed it was the same as Zela in Benjamin, the place where the bodies of Saul and Jonathan were eventually buried. The Septuagint curiously renders it as though it were a verb, “dancing (literally, springing) vehemently,” or, as Ewald would translate the Greek words, “in great haste,” of course, with reference to the two men who brought Saul the news of the recovered asses.

Thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor. —The accurate translation of the Hebrew is “to the terebinth or oak of Tabor.” There was evidently a history, now lost, connected with the “terebinth of Tabor.” Ewald suggests that “Tabor” is a different form for Deborah, and that this historic tree was the oak beneath which Deborah, the nurse of Rachel, was buried (Genesis 35:8).

Going up to God to Beth-el. —This had been a sacred spot since the old patriarchal days. Samuel used to visit it as judge and hold his court there annually, no doubt because of the number of pilgrims who regularly visited it. These men were evidently on a pilgrimage to the old famous shrine.

After that thou shalt come to the hill of God. —These words should be rendered as Gibeah of God. The writer here is alluding to Saul’s own city, afterwards known as “Gibeah of Saul.” The name of Gibeah, or Hill of God, was given to it on account of a well-known high place or sacrificial height in or near the town. We know that this sacred place was chosen by Samuel as the site of one of his “schools of the prophets.”

Where is the garrison of the Philistines. —These warlike Phoenician tribes seem gradually, after their great defeat at Mizpeh, to have again established themselves in various stations of the land, from which they harassed the Israelites. A parallel to these marauding soldiers, so long the plague of Israel, might be found in the countless freebooters’ strongholds which, in the Middle Ages, were the curse especially of Germany, the terror of the peaceful trading people of the rich countries of Central Europe.

A company of prophets. —These evidently belonged to one of those seminaries called “schools of the prophets,” founded by Samuel for the training of young men. The founding of these schools in different parts of the country was one of the greatest works of this noble and patriotic man. These schools seem to have flourished during the whole period of the monarchy and greatly contributed to the moral and mental development of the people. Some of the youth of Israel who received their training in these schools became public preachers of the Word; for after all, this, rather than foretelling future events, was the grand duty of the prophet’s calling.

It is a grave mistake to conclude that all, or even the greater part, of these young men trained in the “schools of the prophets” were inspired in the usual sense of the word. The aim of these institutions, besides high mental culture, seems to have been to train the youth of Israel to love and then live noble, pure lives.

Dean Payne Smith calls attention to the remarkable fact that at David’s court all posts which required literary skill were held by “prophets.” He considers that it was because of these great educational institutions which Samuel founded that the Israelites became a highly trained and literary people. “Prophets,” in the awe-inspiring sense of the word as we use it—men who, compared to their peers, had a different relationship with the Most High, who heard things that other men did not hear, and saw visions unseen by anyone but themselves, men before whose eyes the veil hiding the dark future was occasionally raised—were, after all, even among the people of God, very rare.

In the course of a generation, one or two, or perhaps three, appeared, were listened to, and their words, we know, were preserved in many cases. These, for the most part, we may assume, received their early training in the “schools of the prophets.” However, these famous institutions were never, as has often been popularly supposed, established in the hope of training and developing such men. Instead, they were founded and supported with the intention of fostering what we would call higher education in Israel; and in this, we know from the outset, these schools were eminently successful.

Dr. Erdmann, in Lange’s Commentary, accounts for this special mention of the music—which we know from this and other passages was carefully cultivated in these seminaries of the sons of the prophets—by suggesting that in these societies religious feeling was nourished and heightened by sacred music. It would be a mistake to attribute to this carefully cultivated music and singing that condition of ecstatic inspiration into which some of these companies appear to have at times fallen.

We understand and know, however, very little about this state of ecstasy—what produced it, and how it affected those who had fallen into this strange condition. The purpose of the musical teaching of the schools of the prophets was undoubtedly to enable those who had studied in the seminaries to guide and direct the religious gatherings of the people—gatherings into which, as we know from the subsequent Temple service (the model for all popular sacred gatherings for worship), music and psalmody played such a large part.

With a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them.—The four instruments mentioned here indicate that even in this—which is often termed a semi-barbarous age—music had been long and carefully studied. The psaltery (nevel) was a species of lyre with ten strings, shaped like an inverted delta V, and was played with the fingers. The tabret (toph) was a hand-drum—a tambourine. Miriam (Exodus 15:20) is represented as using it to accompany her song of triumph. The pipe (chalil) was a flute made of reed, wood, or horn, and seems to have always been a favorite instrument among the children of Israel. The harp (cinnor) was a stringed instrument, like the psaltery, only apparently larger, and was usually played with a plectrum. David, however, is represented in several psalms as playing on the cinnor with his fingers.

And they shall prophesy. —In this case, the company from the “School of the Prophets” were undoubtedly singing some hymns or psalms in praise of the Eternal to the accompaniment of their musical instruments. Saul, as he drew near his home at Gibeah, would meet these men coming down from sacrificing on the high place of God. As he listened to the sweet, pure sounds, he would be aware of something indescribable taking possession of his whole being; new thoughts—high, grand thoughts—would chase away the aspirations and hopes of the past.

Through his heart (see 1 Samuel 10:9) would flash the memory of what Samuel had told him when alone on the housetop at Ramah—of the glory and future of Israel. A conviction would steal over him that he was the man of the future chosen by the Eternal to work His will among His people.

The Saul of the vineyards and the cornfields of the farm on the Ephraim hills would die, and a new hero-Saul would be born. Although quite untrained and untaught in the elaborate music of the choirs of the sons of the prophets, the truly inspired Saul would lift up his voice in the choruses singing before him and join with a new, strange power in their glorious hymn to the Eternal—he would pour out his whole heart and soul in thanksgiving to his God. In this way, the Spirit of the Lord would come upon him.

When these signs are come unto thee. —When these varied circumstances have happened to you, then be sure that the splendid and glorious life which I have foretold as your lot will assuredly lie before you in the immediate future. I will give you no imperious directions by which you are to shape your course. Go bravely on; do well and truly whatever thy hand findeth to do, being confident that God will be with you, and that His glorious Arm shall be your guide along that road of honour and of peril which you are destined to travel.