The Israelites desire a king.

Before CHRIST cir. 1095.

*See Deut. 17. 16, &c.

ch. 10. 25.

1 ch. 14. 52.

1 Kings 21. 7.

See Ezek. 46. 18.

+ Heb. eunuchs. Gen. 37. 36.

"Prov. 1. 25,

26, 27, 28.

Isai. 1. 15.

Mic. 3. 4. • Jer. 44. 16.

P ver. 5.

rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and 'shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.

11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

Saul sent to seek his father's asses.

"Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

CHAPTER IX.

1 Saul despairing to find his father's asses, 6 by the counsel of his servant, 11 and direction of young maidens, 15 according to God's revelation, 18 cometh to Samuel. 19 Samuel entertaineth Saul at the feast. 25 Samuel, after secret communication, bringeth Saul on his way.

NOW

a

Before CHRIST cir. 1095.

¶ ver. 7. Hos. 13. 11.

a ch. 14. 51. 1 Chron. 8. 33. & 9. 39.

OW there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benja-Or, the son mite, a mighty man of || power.

2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he "from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.

3 And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.

of a man of Jemini. || Or, sub

stance.

b ch. 10. 23.

4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not then 2 Kings 4.42. they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.

5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.

d

e

6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way our way that we should go.

7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, 'what shall we bring the man? for the bread † is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what † have we?

d Deut. 33. 1. 1 Kings 13.1. e ch. 3. 19.

! See Judg. 6. 18. & 13. 17. 1 Kings 14.3. 2 Kings 4. 42. & 8. 8.

+ Heb. is gone out of, &c.

us.

8 And the servant answered Saul again,+Heb. is with and said, Behold, † I have here at hand +Heb. there is the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us

our way.

g

9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)

h

found in my hand.

Gen. 25. 22.

h 2 Sam. 24.11. 2 Kings 17. 13.

1 Chron. 26.
28. & 29. 29.
2 Chron. 16.
7, 10.

Isai. 30. 10.
Amos 7. 12.

Samuel entertaineth Saul.

Before CHRIST cir. 1095.

+ Heb. Thy word is good. + Heb. in the ascent of the city.

1 Gen. 24. 11.

* Gen. 31. 54.

ch. 16. 2. || Or, feast.

11 Kings 3. 2.

13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore +Heb. to day. get you up; for about † this time ye shall find him.

ch. 15. 1. Acts 13. 21. +Heb. revealed the ear of Samuel ch. 20. 2.

n ch. 10. 1.

Exod. 2. 25. & 3. 7, 9.

P ch. 16. 12. Hos. 13. 11.

+ Heb. re

strain in.

4 ver. 3.

+ Heb. to day three days.

ch. 8. 5, 19.

& 12. 13.

ch. 15. 17.

47, 48.

Ps. 68. 27.

" See Judg. 6.

17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, "Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall † reign over my people.

18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.

19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. 20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?

r

q

t

21 And Saul answered and said, 'Am Judg. 20. 46, not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and "my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou + so to me? 22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour,

15.

+Heb.according to this word?

Samuel anointeth Saul.

and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.

X

Before CHRIST cir. 1095.

23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee. 24 And the cook took up the shoulder, Lev. 7.32,33. and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is || left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.

26 And they arose early and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.

27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still ta while, that I may shew thee the word of God.

CHAPTER X.

1 Samuel anointeth Saul. 2 He confirmeth him by prediction of three signs. 9 Saul's heart is changed, and he prophesieth. 14 He concealeth the matter of the kingdom from his uncle. 17 Saul is chosen at Mizpeh by lot. 26 The different affections of his subjects.

2 Sam. 11. 2.

Acts 10. 9.

+ Heb. to day.

ch. 9. 16, &
16. 13.
2 Kings 9.
3, 6.

b Ps. 2. 12. Acts 13. 21.

d Deut. 32. 9. Ps. 78. 71.

• Gen. 35. 19, 20. Josh. 18. 28.

2 When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left † the care of the asses, and sorroweth + Heb. the bu for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

g

3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine :

siness.

8 Gen. 28. 22.

& 35. 1, 3, 7.

of peace: as Judg. 18. 15.

4 And they will † salute thee, and give +Heb.ask thee thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.

10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and "the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said † one to another, What is this this neigh that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

+ Heb. a man

bour.

* ch. 19. 24. Matt. 13. 54, 55.

John 7. 15. Acts 4. 13. + Heb. from thence.

Isai. 54. 13.
John 6. 45.
& 7. 16.

X

12 And one † of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets

13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

14 And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.

15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.

16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

a

17 And Samuel called the people toJudg. 11.11. gether unto the LORD to Mizpeh; 18 And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I

ch. 11. 15.

⚫ ch. 7. 5, 6.

Judg. 6. 8, 9.

Saul chosen king at Mizpeh.

brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you :

с

Before CHRIST

1095.

c & 12. 12.

19 And ye have this day rejected your ch. 8. 7, 19. God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.

16, 17.

20 And when Samuel had caused all Josh. 7. 14, the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

e

Acts 1.24,26.

10, 11.

21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they enquired of the ch. 23. 2, 4, LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff. 23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the ch. 9.2. people from his shoulders and upward.