Chapter Nine

Saul, son of the Benjaminite Kish.

1 Samuel 9:1. Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. “Of the sons of Benjamin,” that is, of the tribe of Benjamin.

1 Samuel 9:2. And he had a son whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly one; 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. “From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people,” that is, he was higher than others by a head.

1 Samuel 9:4. And he passed through Mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found them not; then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there; and he passed through the land of Benjamin, and found them not. 1 Samuel 9:5. When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him: Come, let us return; lest my father cease caring about the donkeys, and become anxious about us. Beginning from the Jezreel plain, the mountains of Ephraim extend along the southern border of the territory of Ephraim to Jerusalem, and here they join the mountains of Judah. Shalishah, Shaalim, Zuph — localities near the city of Ramah of Samuel (see the note to 1 Sam 1:1).

1 Samuel 9:6. And his servant said to him: Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honor; all that he says surely comes to pass; let us go there now; perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have gone. “In this city,” that is, Ramah of Samuel. “Man of God” — the prophet Samuel. “Perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have gone,” to find that which is lost (1 Sam 9:3).

1 Samuel 9:7. Then said Saul to his servant: But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is gone from our bags, and there is no present to bring to the man of God; what have we? 1 Samuel 9:8. And the servant answered Saul again, and said: Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God, to tell us our way. Some say (remarks the blessed Theodoret) that Samuel prophesied for money, concluding this from what Saul said: “We will go, but what shall we bring to the man?” but this is only an indication of Saul’s assumption, not of the prophet’s avarice. Saul thought that he ought to bring something to Samuel, as a leader and prophet; however, he brought nothing; but he was received by Samuel with great favor. The disinterestedness of the prophet is also shown by the words which he spoke (later) to all the people: “Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? or whose donkey have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? and I will restore it to you.” And the people said: “You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, nor taken anything from anyone’s hand.” (1 Sam 12:3-4) (Commentary on 1 Samuel, question 16). “A fourth part of a shekel of silver” — slightly more than twenty kopecks.

1 Samuel 9:12. And they answered them and said: Yes; he is here before you. Make haste now, for he came today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today on the high place; “Today the people have a sacrifice on the high place”: see the note to 1 Sam 7:9.

1 Samuel 9:13. As soon as you come into the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that are bidden. Now therefore get up; for about this time you will find him. A peace offering is meant. See the note to 1 Sam 1:4.

1 Samuel 9:16. Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be ruler over My people Israel; and he shall save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me. “Because I have looked upon My people, for their cry has come to Me.” The situation of the Hebrews at the time of their election of a king was far from brilliant. From the west they were inexorably pressed by the Philistines. They had succeeded in seizing some of the fortified places (heights) of the Hebrews, supplying them with their own guard posts (1 Sam 10:5). To deprive the Hebrews of the ability to make weapons, the Philistines destroyed all the blacksmiths in their land; so that even for repairing agricultural tools the Hebrews had to go to their enemies, the Philistines (1 Sam 13:19-22). From the east the Ammonites threatened them.

1 Samuel 9:18. And Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate and said: Tell me, I pray, where is the seer’s house? “In the gate” of the city.

1 Samuel 9:20. And as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be concerned about them; they have been found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel set? Is it not on you and on all your father’s house? “And as for your donkeys, do not be concerned.” And indeed, how can one be solely concerned about them who, by the determination of God, already possesses all the “desire of Israel?”

1 Samuel 9:21. And Saul answered and said: Am I not a Benjaminite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me thus? After the internecine strife (Judg 19-21) the tribe of Benjamin was considerably reduced in its numbers.