1 Samuel 9:1-27 - The Man Who Would Be King

1 Samuel 9:1-27

Saul Chosen to Be King

1 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 Benjamite, a mighty man of power. 2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, “Please take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.” 4 So he passed through the mountains of Ephraim and through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.

5 When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us return, lest my father cease caring about the donkeys and become worried about us.”

6 And he said to him, “Look now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he says surely comes to pass. So let us go there; perhaps he can show us the way that we should go.”

7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread in our vessels is all gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”

8 And the servant answered Saul again and said, “Look, I have here at hand one-fourth of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he spoke thus: “Come, let us go to the seer”; for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.)

10 Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

11 As they went up the hill to the city, they met some young women going out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?”

12 And they answered them and said, “Yes, there he is, just ahead of you. Hurry now; for today he came to this city, because there is a sacrifice of the people today on the high place. 13 As soon as you come into the city, you will surely find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up, for about this time you will find him.” 14 So they went up to the city. As they were coming into the city, there was Samuel, coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.

15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying, 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”

17 So when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, “There he is, the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall reign over My people.” 18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, “Please tell me, where is the seer’s house?”

19 Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and tomorrow I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 But as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father’s house?”

21 And Saul answered and said, ”Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?”

22 Now Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and had them sit in the place of honor among those who were invited; there were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it apart.’” 24 So the cook took up the thigh with its upper part and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here it is, what was kept back. It was set apart for you. Eat; for until this time it has been kept for you, since I said I invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the top of the house. 26 They arose early; and it was about the dawning of the day that Samuel called to Saul on the top of the house, saying, “Get up, that I may send you on your way.” And Saul arose, and both of them went outside, he and Samuel.

Saul Anointed King

27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” And he went on. “But you stand here awhile, that I may announce to you the word of God.”

After the LORD told Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king,”  the man who would be king was found as revealed to the prophet.  This man was a Benjamite named Saul, son of Kish.  He was outwardly tall, dark, and handsome.  Taller than any other Israelite and more good looking on the outside as well.  A good choice for a trophy king as the people had desired to make themselves proudly palatable among the nations.  God arranged it by having the donkeys of Kish wander off somewhere and then sending son Saul to track them down.  He searched high and low all over without a hoof to be seen anywhere.  One of the servants advised Saul to turn in at the town they neared to approach a seer, a prophet of old, for help in finding them.  The man of God was actually Samuel who was forewarned of Saul’s coming the previous day and the prophet was told to prepare for his arrival at the time of sacrifice.  He was to anoint this Saul as the king of Israel to save His people from the Philistine enemies because the LORD had looked upon them and heard their cries for long-awaited deliverance.  God pointed out Saul as he came to face him and asked where the prophet was.  He must have thought it odd that the seer was standing right there in front of him by divine appointment!  Samuel invited Saul for dinner and would “tell him all that was in his heart” the next day.  He also told him not to worry about the lost donkeys that had been found after wandering off three days ago and simultaneously blessed Saul and his house in a prophetic announcement that Saul could not grasp.  After having a lavish meal and resting for the night, they arose at dawn and Samuel was about to send Saul on his way home.  He sent the servant of Saul on ahead in preparation for the anointing of the first and future king.  This chapter ends with the prophet then telling him he was about to pronounce the word of God to him.  The man who would be king followed the word of the seer as he would the words of the LORD as well.  This was God’s work to coincide these events of lost donkeys, futile searching, and divine leading to draw these together for His divine predetermined purpose to give the people what they asked for as a lesson to better have the LORD as their sovereign King instead of a man like all the other godless nations.  May we hear and heed this wisdom and look to God alone as our Savior to deliver us and not a president or king as a cheap and ineffective substitute.  Kings are put in place by God to reward good and punish evil (Romans 13:1-2, 3-4), not to give spiritual prosperity or protection.  We therefore are to follow them only as far as they follow God’s word with our inward eyes wide open and our desire for Jesus Christ as our only true divine man who is King of kings and to whom we hold absolute and final allegiance to over any other who would be king.  This is an example for our loyalty and devotion.