Saul had an interesting life as Israel’s first king. In a manner similar to David, Saul did not aspire to be king. Samuel anointed Saul as king before choosing lots for a king, from amongst the tribal leaders. Then it may have taken a year before Saul did anything as king for Israel. Yahweh gave him men but it seemed that Saul was happy just plowing the fields. We see in Saul’s story that there are some alterations of the text by the Masoretes and we’ll take a look at that. Saul seems like an unlikely person to become king because he didn’t want to be king and he hid from everyone instead. We see that he was a good man. We know that for 396 years which includes the wandering in the desert, Israel did not have her own king. Israel’s tribes banded together when they needed to, but they didn’t have a central leader. The last sentence in the book of Judges tells us how everyone lived.
Judges 21:25 G1722 In G3588 G2250 those days G1565 G3756 there was not G1510.7.3 G935 a king G1722 in G* Israel. G435 A man G3588 [2the G2112.3 3upright thing G1722 4in G3788 5his eyes G1473 G4160 1did].
“In the days those no not was king in Israel. Humans every one the straight in his eyes do.”
The LXX-WH notes a double negative and the added word “every one” here, as well as translates ευθες as “straight lines”. Everyone walked a straight line on their own. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Imagine if everyone focused their attention on Yahweh, then lived according to righteousness. As we see from the book of Judges, people did not always live according to Yahweh. Then because of their own sins, Satanas had an opening and used surrounding nations to attack the tribes of Israel. Back and forth, from being under Philistine rule, to their own rule, Israel struggled. After 396 years the people wanted a king.
Yahweh gives Israel Saul as their first king. Saul and a servant were searching for his father’s donkey’s and were having some trouble finding them when they decided to go find a “seer” to help locate the lost donkeys. Samuel is told by Yahweh that Saul would be coming and he was to be anointed king.
1 Samuel 9:15 G2532 And G2962 the lord G601 uncovered G3588 the G5621 ear G* of Samuel G2250 [2day G1520 1one] G1715 before G3588 G2064 [2came G4314 3to G1473 4him G* 1Saul], G3004 saying,
16 G5613 At G3588 G2540 this time G3778 G839 tomorrow G649 I will send G4314 to G1473 you G435 a man G1537 from G1093 the land G* of Benjamin, G2532 and G5548 you shall anoint G1473 him G1519 for G758 ruler G1909 over G3588 G2992 my people G1473 G* Israel, G2532 and G4982 he shall deliver G3588 G2992 my people G1473 G1537 from G5495 the hand G246 of the Philistines. G3754 For G1914 I looked G1909 upon G3588 the G5014 humiliation G3588 G2992 of my people, G1473 G3754 for G2064 [2came G3588 G995 1their yelling] G1473 G4314 to G1473 me.
17 G2532 And G* Samuel G1492 beheld G3588 G* Saul, G2532 and G2962 the lord G611 answered G1473 him, G2400 Behold, G3588 the G444 man G3739 whom G2036 I said G1473 to you, G3778 This one G2677.1 shall rule G1909 over G3588 G2992 my people. G147
Samuel was to anoint Saul as ruler over Israel in order to save them from allophulos, “another of a different kind of foreign tribe’. We have studied the ‘another of a different kind of race’ and allophulos is the actual word here. The word Philistine means a “mixed tribe of the heirs of the Nephilim”. As Joshua was driving the Canaanites out, some were not killed and some hybrids congregated along the coast, forming a tribe of mixed races descended from the Nephilim. The group was known in the region as the “Philistines”, also known as a “tribe of giants”. Remember the report on the Canaanites? The Israelites were like grasshoppers comparatively. However Saul was also “sizable” according to the literal translation of ευμεγεθης, translated here as “huge”, but Saul was not a giant.
There is something else here that we do not understand until later in this story. Saul becomes another different man due to the Holy Spirit. What we see is that when a person has the Holy Spirit in or on them, they themselves become another different human. On earth we have humans, human/angel hybrids, and humans with the Holy Spirit.
1 Samuel 9: 2 G2532 And G3778 to this one was G5207 a son, G2532 and G3686 his name G1473 G* was Saul, G2129.1 a huge G435 [2man G18 1goodly], G2532 and G3756 there was not G1510.7.3 G1722 among G5207 the sons G* of Israel G18 one good G5228 above G1473 him. G5252.3 He was head and shoulders G2532 and G1883 [2above G5308 1high] G5228 over G3956 all G3588 the G1093 land.
Brenton’s Greek ὑπερωμίαν means “excessively”. The AP uses υπερωμίαν as “head and shoulders”. The LXX-WH uses two words, υπερ and ωμιαν. The last phrase in the Greek: ὑπερωμίαν καὶ ἐπάνω ὑψηλὸς ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν “over and above high above all the earth”. There is no mention of head or shoulders here, nor in verse 10:23 where Saul is described this way again. This word is only used twice so it seems the English translators tried to take a cue from the Masoretic Text which was written over eight hundred years after the Septuagint, from the Septuagint itself. Therefore we cannot conclude that Saul was head and shoulders taller than everyone else but he was a huge or sizable goodly man. The previous sentence gives us a clue. In speaking of Kish, Saul’s father, it is said that he is mighty (donates) in strength (ischus). This tells us that Saul’s father had some muscle. He was not a scrawny person. Saul may have had more muscle.
Today an average height for men is five foot nine inches tall. Saul might have been taller. That does not make him a giant. A giant would be Goliath’s size, or ten feet, or Og’s size of thirteen feet. Since the tribe of Benjamin was nearly eradicated, Saul’s lineage may have had some generic mixing, but he was not overly tall, just big among his peers. But Saul was also goodly, and no one was good above him. The idea is that he may well have been excessively good, over and above high above the earth. The “excessively above” part seems to correlate more with his goodness. There was no punctuation in the written greek text so this most likely reads “in sons Israel good above him excessively above and high above over all the land.”
Saul’s father was muscular, mighty and strong, and Saul was a huge goodly man who was excessively good above others in the land. Yahweh was not hiring Saul as king because he was bigger than everyone else, or stronger than everyone else. Yahweh was hiring Saul because of his own moral goodness. Previously, the Philistines had stolen the ark of the covenant, keeping it for seven months, and then then returned it. The people kept worshipping idols as well, which is why they were not getting free from the enslavement of the Philistines. Yahweh wants them free from the Philistines because of the Philistine influence on Israel. Saul was to free Israel.
Samuel now tells Saul what Yahweh wants him to do. Samuel says not to worry about the donkey’s, they have been found. Samuel then asks of Saul if the desire of Israel is not to him and his family? Saul says that he is from the smallest tribe, the least of all Israel. Samuel tells him to eat with him and thirty other men, giving Saul and his servant the seat of honor. Saul ate the shoulder portion and then slept on the roof. The next morning as they are leaving the city Samuel sent the servant ahead and anointed Saul.
1 Samuel 10:1 G2532 And G2983 Samuel took G* G3588 the G5316.2 flask, G3588 G1637 of oil G2532 and G2708 poured down G1909 upon G3588 G2776 his head, G1473 G2532 and G5368 kissed G1473 him. G2532 And G2036 he said G1473 to him, G3780 Is it not G3754 that G5548 [2anointed G1473 3you G2962 1 the lord] G1519 as G758 ruler G1909 over G3588 G2817 his inheritance? G1473
Samuel is now going to give Saul a couple of “proofs” for Saul to recognize that this is all from Yahweh.
1 Samuel 10:2 G5613 As soon G302 as G565 you should go forth G4594 today G575 from G1473 me, G2532 that G2147 you shall find G1417 two G435 men G4314 near G3588 the G5028 burying-places G* of Rachel, G1722 on G3588 the G3725 borders G* of Benjamin, G242 leaping G3173 greatly. G2532 And G2046 they shall say G1473 to you, G2147 [3have been found G3588 1the G3688 2donkeys] G3739 which G4198 you went G2212 to seek. G2532 And G2400 behold, G3588 G3962 your father G1473 G660 brushed off G3588 the G4487 matter G3588 of the G3688 donkeys, G2532 and G1160.4 is worried G1223 about G1473 you, G3004 saying, G5100 What G4160 should I do G5228 about G3588 G5207 my son? G1473
This is proof number one. It pertains to wrapping up Saul’s former business of searching for his father’s donkey’s.
1 Samuel 10:3 G2532 And G565 you shall go forth G1564 from there, G2532 and G1900 beyond. G2532 And G2240 you shall come G2193 unto G3588 the G1409.2 oak G* of Tabor, G2532 and G2147 you shall find G1563 there G5140 three G435 men G305 ascending G4314 to G3588 G2316 God G1519 unto G* Beth-el, G1520 one G142 taking G5140 three G2056 kids, G2532 and G1520 one G142 taking G5140 three G30 containers G740 of bread loaves, G2532 and G1520 one G142 taking G779 a leather bag G3631 of wine.
4 G2532 And G2065 they shall ask G1473 you G3588 the things G1519 for G1515 peace; G2532 and G1325 they shall give G1473 to you G1417 two G536 first-fruits G740 of bread loaves, G2532 and G2983 you shall take them G1537 from out of G3588 G5495 their hand. G1473
This is proof number two. This pertains to provision from Yahweh for the future tasks.
1 Samuel 10:5 G2532 And G3326 after G3778 these things G1525 you shall enter G1519 unto G3588 the G1015 hill G3588 G2316 of God, G3739 of which G1510.2.3 is G1563 there G3588 the G389.1 height G3588 of the G246 Philistines. G2532 And G1510.8.3 it will take place G5613 when G302 ever G1525 you should enter G1563 there G1519 into G3588 the G4172 city, G2532 that G528 you will meet G5525 a company of dancers G4396 of prophets G2597 coming down G1537 from out of G3588 G* Bama, G2532 and G1715 in front of G1473 them G3476.1 a stringed instrument, G2532 and G5178.2 tambourine, G2532 and G836 pipe, G2532 and G2796.1 lute; G2532 and G1473 they G4395 are prophesying.
6 G2532 And G2177 [3shall spring G1909 4upon G1473 5you G4151 1spirit G2962 2 of the lord], G2532 and G4395 you shall prophesy G3326 with G1473 them, G2532 and G4762 you shall turn G1519 into G435 [2man G243 1another].
This is proof three. It pertains to the prophetic, that Yahweh will be with Saul. Notice here that the Holy Spirit springs upon Saul and he prophesy’s with all the prophets. The word ephallomai literally means to “leap on”. Since Saul was a goodly man, good-er than all other men, the Holy Spirit could dwell on Saul. Saul then strephō turns, twists, or converts into allos another of a different kind of human. With the Holy Spirit on him Saul converts into another different human being.
Let’s pay close attention here. First of all, we are talking about humans as compared to manfaced. Manfaced differentiates us from the other sons of God, such as angels, cherubim, seraphim, ophanim, etc. The word used here, anēr, means human or individual male. When the Holy Spirit is on or in a human being, the Holy Spirit changes that human being into another different kind of human. The idea is a comparison between humans and humans with the Holy Spirit. Manfaced was created in the image and likeness of the Elohim, so that every manfaced looks like the Elohim. A human with the Holy Spirit is a different kind of human. Therefore humans with the Holy Spirit in or on them are a different class of human among human beings. This is the conversion or turn around that Saul made. He went from an excessively goodly man to a man with the Holy Spirit.
1 Samuel 10:7 G2532 And G1510.8.3 it will be G3752 whenever G2240 [2shall come G3588 G4592 1these signs] G3778 G1909 upon G1473 you, G4160 do G3956 all G3745 as much G302 as G2147 [2should find G3588 G5495 1your hand], G1473 G3754 for G2316 God G3326 is with G1473 you!
Samuel gives Saul further instructions.
1 Samuel 10:8 G2532 And G2597 you shall go down G1715 in front of G1473 me G1519 unto G* Gilgal. G2532 And G2400 behold, G1473 I G2597 come down G4314 to G1473 you, G3588 G399 to offer G3646.1 a whole burnt-offering, G2532 and G2380 to sacrifice G2378 sacrifice offerings G1516 of peace. G2033 Seven G2250 days G1257 you shall stop G2193 until G3588 G2064 my coming G1473 G4314 to G1473 you, G2532 and G1107 to make known G1473 to you G3739 what G4160 you shall do.
Saul is to go to Gilgal and wait for Samuel for seven days, who will then offer a burnt offering and peace offerings for Saul.
1 Samuel 10:9 G2532 And G1096 it came to pass G5620 so as G1994 [2turned G3588 G5606 1his shoulder] G1473 G565 to go forth G575 from G* Samuel, G2532 that G3344 [2converted G1473 3his G3588 G2316 1God] G2588 heart G243 to another. G2532 And G2064 came to pass G3956 all G3588 G4592 these signs G3778 G1722 in G3588 G2250 that day. G1565
The word metastrephō means to convert, turn around, or transmute. The prefix meta, means “with, after or behind”. It implies that Saul’s heart did turn around after the Elohim to allos, another different heart. Now we know where the transformation takes place, in the heart. The Holy Spirit changes the hearts of men so that those with the Holy Spirit are very different from ordinary men.
1 Samuel 10:10 G2532 And G2064 he comes G1564 from there G1519 unto G3588 the G1015 hill. G2532 And G2400 behold, G5525 a company of dancers G4396 of prophets G1828.2 right opposite G1473 him; G2532 and G242 [3leaped G1909 4upon G1473 5him G4151 1spirit G2316 2of God], G2532 and G4395 he prophesied G1722 in G3319 the midst G1473 of them.
With a changed heart Saul prophesies.
1 Samuel 10:11 G2532 And G1096 came to pass G3956 all G3588 the things G1492 being made known to G1473 him G5504 yesterday G2532 and G5154 the third day before . G2532 And G2400 behold, G1473 he was G1722 in G3319 the midst G3588 of the G4396 prophets G4395 prophesying. G2532 And G2036 [4said G3588 1the G2992 2people G1538 3each] G4314 to G3588 G4139 his neighbor, G1473 G5100 What is G3778 this, G3588 the thing G1096 having happened G3588 to the G5207 son G* of Kish? G2228 Or G2532 is also G* Saul G1722 among G4396 the prophets?
12 G2532 And G611 [4answered G5100 1a certain one G1537 2of G1473 3them], G2532 and G2036 said, G2532 And G5100 who G3962 is his father? G1473 G1223 On account of G3778 this G1096 it became G1519 for G3850 a parable, G1510.3 Might G2532 also G* Saul G1722 be among G4396 the prophets?
The people did not know that Saul had been anointed king. They knew him as a beefy man, son of Kish, another beefy man, who had not been prophetic thus far in his life. Now it is a juxtaposition that Saul is in the prophets. It would be like saying Arnold Schwarzenegger, the “Terminator”, is in the prophets. The two things don’t normally go together. The prophets were not body builders, but skinny musicians. The terminator was a machine fighter not a prophetic person with a connection to the Elohim. Not only did it look odd it felt odd to people.
1 Samuel 10:13 G2532 And G4931 he completed G4395 prophesying, G2532 and G2064 comes G1519 to G3588 the G1015 hill.
14 G2532 And G2036 [2said G1473 3to him G3588 G3963.1 1his uncle] G1473 G2532 and G3588 to G3808 his servant-lad, G1473 G4226 Where have G4198 you gone? G2532 And G2036 he said, G2212 To seek G3588 the G3688 donkeys, G2532 and G1492 we saw G3754 that G3756 they are not around, G1510.7.6 G2532 and G1525 we entered G4314 unto G* Samuel.
15 G2532 And G2036 [3said G3588 1the G3963.1 2uncle] G4314 to G* Saul, G518 Report G1211 indeed G1473 to me G5100 what G2036 [2said G1473 3to you G* 1Samuel]!
16 G2532 And G2036 Saul said G* G4314 to G3588 the G3609 member of his family, G1473 G518 By reporting G518 he reported G1473 to me G3754 that G2147 [3were found G3588 1the G3688 2donkeys]. G3588 But the G1161 G4487 matter G3588 of the G932 kingdom, G3756 he did not G518 report G1473 to him, G3739 what G2036 Samuel said. G*
Saul did not tell his uncle that Samuel anointed him king over Israel. He did not tell his uncle that his heart was changed and that he prophesied with the prophets.
Samuel now gathers the representatives from all the tribes and scolds them for wanting a king. Remembering that everyone did what was straight in his own eyes, they should have been fine with keeping things the way they were.
1 Samuel 10:17 G2532 And G3853 Samuel summoned G* G3956 all G3588 the G2992 people G4314 to G2962 the lord G1519 in G* Mizpeh.
18 G2532 And G2036 he said G4314 to G3588 the G5207 sons G* of Israel, G3592 Thus G2036 said G2962 the lord G3588 G2316 God G* of Israel, G3004 saying, G1473 I G321 led G3588 G* Israel G1537 from out of G* Egypt, G2532 and G1807 I rescued G1473 you G1537 from G5495 the hand G* of Pharaoh G935 king G* of Egypt, G2532 and G1537 from G5495 the hand G3956 of all G3588 the G932 kingdoms G3588 of the G2346 ones afflicting G1473 you.
19 G2532 And G1473 you G4594 today G1847 treat with contempt G3588 G2316 your God, G1473 G3739 who G1473 he himself G1510.2.3 is G1473 your G4990 deliverer G1537 from out of G3956 all G3588 G2556 your bad things, G1473 G2532 and G3588 G2347 your afflictions. G1473 G2532 And G2036 you said, G237.1 But only G935 a king G2525 you shall place G1909 over G1473 us. G2532 And G3568 now, G2525 stand G1799 before G2962 the lord G2596 according to G5443 your tribes G1473 G2532 and G2596 according to G5505 your thousands! G1473
This next part seems backwards to us. Samuel was walking out prophetically as Yahweh led, so that “backwards” was really forward.
1 Samuel 10:20 G2532 And G4317 Samuel led forward G* G3956 all G3588 the G5443 tribes G* of Israel, G2532 and G2624.2 [3was chosen by lot G5443 1 the tribe G* 2of Benjamin].
The word κατακληρούται is two parts, meaning “downward and drawn”. They chose lots or rolled dice. Wait, Saul was already anointed king and now had a converted heart, and was prophesying. But the downward draw randomly selected the family line of Benjamin.
1 Samuel 10:21 G2532 And G4317 he led forward G3588 the G5443 tribe G* of Benjamin G2596 according to G3965 family, G2532 and G2624.2 [3was chosen by lot G3965 1 the family G* 2of Matri]. G2532 And G2624.2 [4was chosen by lot G* 1Saul G5207 2son G* 3of Kish]. G2532 And G2212 he sought G1473 him, G2532 and G3756 he was not G2147 found.
The people of Benjamin come forward and another downward drawing chooses the family of Matri. Then another downward drawing chooses the son of Kish. Three times lots were drawn, and three times the field narrowed until Saul was chosen. The people now know that this is from Yahweh. If Samuel had called Saul “king”, the people would have blamed Samuel when things went badly, but Yahweh chose Saul by lot. Where was Saul?
1 Samuel 10:22 G2532 And G1905 Samuel asked G* G2089 again G1722 to G2962 the lord, G1487 Shall G2064 [4come G2089 3still G1778.2 5here G3588 1the G435 2man]? G2532 And G2036 the lord said, G2962 G2400 Behold, G1473 he G2928 hides G1722 among G3588 the G4632 equipment.
Saul hid from his own tribe, Samuel, and all the other people. He was hiding among equipment or vessels. Saul was a big guy hiding from everyone. Even with another different heart with the Holy Spirit on him, he didn’t want to be king. But it seems that he didn’t have a say in the matter. The lots were drawn in all fairness, even though Saul was pre-anointed.
1 Samuel 10:23 G2532 And G5143 he ran G2532 and G2983 took G1473 him G1564 from there, G2532 and G2525 placed him G1722 in G3319 the midst G3588 of the G2992 people, G2532 and G5312 he was high G5228 above G3956 all G3588 the G2992 people -- G5252.3 head and shoulders G2532 and G1883 above.
Samuel, the old man, ran and grabbed Saul and put him in the middle of everyone. Again we see the idea of “head and shoulders” which is not in the text. Saul was raised up above, and in superiority and rank above all the people. He was king over and above the people. He may have looked like the terminator, and he was prophesying among the prophets which may have seemed strange, but he was raised up and elevated with pre-eminence over the tribes of Israel. He was not tall but good above all others.
1 Samuel 10:24 G2532 And G2036 Samuel said G* G4314 to G3956 all G3588 the G2992 people, G3708 You see G3739 whom G1586 [3has chosen G1438 4for himself G3588 1the G2962 2 lord], G3754 that G3756 there is not G1510.2.3 G3664 one likened G1473 to him G1722 among G3956 all G1473 you? G2532 And G1097 [4knew G3956 1all G3588 2the G2992 3people], G2532 and G2036 said, G2198 Let [3live G3588 1the G935 2king]!
Yahweh chose Saul. Yahweh had Samuel anoint Saul a week before he was chosen by lots. The people now have a king.
1 Samuel 10:25 G2532 And G2036 Samuel spoke G* G4314 to G3588 the G2992 people G3588 the G1345 ordinance G3588 of the G932 kingship. G2532 And G1125 he wrote G1519 in G975 a scroll, G2532 and G5087 put it G1799 before G2962 the lord . G2532 And G1821 Samuel sent out G* G3956 all G3588 the G2992 people, G2532 and G565 [2went forth G1538 1each] G1519 unto G3588 G5117 his place. G1473
Samuel spoke all the statutes of the king and his rulership and wrote it down and established it before the face of Yahweh. Yahweh and Samuel confirmed the ordinances of kingship. All the people heard it then left for their own tribes. Saul went home too.
1 Samuel 10:26 G2532 And G* Saul G565 went forth G1519 unto G3588 G3624 his house G1473 G1519 in G* Gibeah. G2532 And G4198 [4went G3588 1the G5207 2sons G1411 3of power] G3739 (whom G680 the lord touched G2962 G2588 their hearts) G1473 G3326 with G* Saul.
The sons of power (dunamis) went with Saul. This was Saul’s government. Yahweh haptomai touched or adhered to their hearts along with Saul’s heart. This is interesting because we know nothing about these people. We know that Yahweh was with them as well. They were going to Saul’s house to establish the kingship.
1 Samuel 10:27 G2532 And G3588 G5207 [2sons G3061 1 the mischievous] G2036 said, G5100 Who is G4982 [2 that shall deliver G1473 3us G3778 1this]? G2532 And G818 they dishonored G1473 him, G2532 and G3756 did not G5342 bring G1473 him G1435 gifts. G2532 And G1096 he became G2973.1 one being silent.
There were people who didn’t like Saul or those tribes that were with Saul. They are called the “sons of plague or pestilence”. They are pestilent fellows or pests. These people did not believe that Saul could save them so they did not honor Saul. They treated Saul disgracefully. Maybe they saw Saul hiding from Samuel and didn’t think he was qualified for the job. They did not bring gifts or sacrifices for Saul. The last statement does not appear in the Septuagint. We are speaking of multiple people here, not one, and no one became deaf over not bringing gifts.
Saul has his first battle. He has to establish his army for the nation.
1 Samuel 11:1 G2532 And G305 [4ascended G* 1Nahash G3588 2the G* 3Ammonite], G2532 and G3924.2 camped G1909 against G* Jabish G* Gilead. G2532 And G2036 [5said G3956 1all G3588 2the G435 3men G* 4of Jabish] G4314 to G* Nahash G3588 the G* Ammonite, G1303 Ordain G1473 with us G1242 a covenant! G2532 and G1398 we will serve G1473 you.
The Ammonites descended from Lot and his younger daughter. Remember, Jabish Gilead was the tribe that did not fight against Benjamin so the other tribes slaughtered them except for four hundred virgins to repopulate Benjamin. This is a really slimy political trick that Nahash is proposing.
1 Samuel 11:2 G2532 And G2036 [4said G4314 5to G1473 6them G* 1Nahash G3588 2the G* 3Ammonite], G1722 By G3778 this G1303 I will ordain G1473 with you G1242 a covenant, G1722 in G3588 the G1846 gouging out G1473 of all of you G3956 G3788 [2eye G1188 1 the right], G2532 and G5087 I will make G1473 it G1519 for G3681 scorn G1909 upon G3956 all G* Israel.
Nahash says that they should gouge out their right eye as a scorn to Israel and then the Ammonites would serve them. The idea is that Jabish Gilead would separate themselves from Israel in disgrace. Nahash didn’t think that anyone would come to save them.
1 Samuel 11:3 G2532 And G3004 [4spoke G1473 5to him G3588 1the G435 2men G* 3of Jabish], saying, G447 Spare G1473 us G2033 seven G2250 days, G2532 and G649 we will send G32 messengers G1519 unto G3956 every G3725 border G* of Israel. G2532 And G1437 if G3361 there might not G1510.3 be G3588 G4982 one delivering G1473 us, G2532 then G1831 we will come forth G4314 to G1473 you.
4 G2532 And G2064 [3came G3588 1the G32 2messengers] G1519 into G* Gibeah G4314 to G* Saul, G2532 and G2980 they spoke G3588 G3056 these words G3778 G1519 into G3588 the G3775 ears G3588 of the G2992 people; G2532 and G142 [4lifted up G3956 1all G3588 2the G2992 3people] G3588 G5456 their voice, G1473 G2532 and G2799 they wept.
They ask Nahash for seven days, and if no one helps them then they would go out to the Ammonites. Jabish sent messengers to tell the people and everyone started crying. It is a good thing that this took place in Saul’s backyard.
1 Samuel 11:5 G2532 And G2400 behold, G* Saul G2064 came G2733.5 from behind G3588 the G1016 oxen G1537 from out of G68 the field. G2532 And G2036 Saul said, G* G5100 Why G3754 is it that G2799 [3weep G3588 1the G2992 2people]? G2532 And G1334 they described G1473 to him G3588 the G4487 words G3588 of the G435 men G* of Jabish.
Saul was not doing king stuff, he was out plowing the fields. It seems that even though he was anointed king and had other people with him who had changed hearts, he was going about his own business.
1 Samuel 11:6 G2532 And G2177 [3sprang up G4151 1spirit G2962 2 of the lord] G1909 upon G* Saul, G5613 as G191 he heard G3588 G4487 these words, G3778 G2532 and G2373 [3enraged G1909 4over G1473 5them G3709 1his anger G1473 G4970 2 was exceedingly].
The Holy Spirit leaped on Saul and he became angry, so much so that he cut up his oxen.
1 Samuel 11:7 G2532 And G2983 he took G1417 two G1016 oxen, G2532 and G3192.1 dismembered G1473 them, G2532 and G649 sent them G1519 unto G3956 every G3725 border G* of Israel G1722 by G5495 the hand G32 of messengers, G3004 saying, G3739 Whosoever G3756 is not G1510.2.3 G1607 going forth G3694 after G* Saul G2532 and G3694 after G* Samuel, G2596 according to G3592 thus G4160 they shall do G3588 to G1016 his oxen. G1473 G2532 And G4098 there fell G1611 a change of state G2962 of the lord G1909 upon G3588 the G2992 people, G2532 and G994 they yelled G5613 as G435 [2man G1520 1one].
Saul gathered an army by threatening the people. He said that if the people did not gather to battle Nahash, then he, Saul, would cut them up. Then look what happened, a change of state or an ekstasis, ecstasy, came over the people. They were all motivated to fight this battle.
1 Samuel 11:8 G2532 And G1980 he numbered G1473 them G* in Bezek, G3956 all G435 the men G* of Israel -- G5145 three hundred G5505 thousand, G2532 and G435 the men G* of Judah -- G5144 thirty G5505 thousand.
(Brenton) And he reviews them at Bezec in Bama, every man of Israel six hundred thousand, and the men of Juda seventy thousand.
We have a discrepancy in the numbers here. The Septuagint reads εξακοσιας, “six hundred thousand” not three hundred thousand from Israel and ἑβδομήκοντα seventy thousand from Judah.
1 Samuel 11:9 G2532 And G2036 he said G3588 to the G32 messengers, G3588 to the ones G2064 coming, G3592 Thus G2046 you shall say G3588 to the G435 men G* of Jabish G* Gilead, G839 Tomorrow G1510.8.3 there will be G1473 deliverance to you G3588 G4991 G1241.1 at the warming through G3588 of the G2246 sun. G2532 And G2064 [3came G3588 1the G32 2messengers] G1519 into G3588 the G4172 city, G2532 and G518 they reported G3588 to the G435 men G* of Jabish, G2532 and G2165 they were glad.
The messengers told the people of Jabish Gilead that they would be delivered by high noon.
1 Samuel 11:10 G2532 And G2036 [4said G3588 1the G435 2men G* 3of Jabish] G4314 to G* Nahash G3588 the G* Ammonite, G839 Tomorrow G1831 we shall come forth G4314 to G1473 you, G2532 and G4160 you shall do G1473 to us G3588 what G18 is good G1799 before G1473 G1473 you.
The people announced that they would surrender to Nahash.
1 Samuel 11:11 G2532 And G1096 it came to pass G3326 with G3588 the G839 morning, G2532 that G5087 Saul put G* G3588 the G2992 people G1519 into G5140 three G746 companies, G2532 and G1531 they entered G1519 into G3319 the midst G3588 of the G3925 camp G1722 in G3588 the G4407 early morning G5438 watch, G2532 and G5180 they struck G3588 the G5207 sons G* of Ammon G2193 until G1241.1 [3warmed through G3588 1the G2250 2day]. G2532 And G1096 it came to pass, G3588 the ones G5275 being left behind G1289 were scattered, G2532 and G3756 there was not G5275 left behind G1722 among G1473 them G1417 two G2089 together. G3588 G1473
Saul’s army delivered Jabish and there weren’t enough people left to walk together. That was a great defeat of the Ammonites. Remember the ones who didn’t want Saul as king?
1 Samuel 11:12 G2532 And G2036 [3said G3588 1the G2992 2people] G4314 to G* Samuel, G5100 Who is G3588 the one G2036 saying, G* Saul G3756 shall not G936 reign G1909 over G1473 us? G3860 Deliver up G3588 the G435 men! G2532 and G2289 we will kill them. G1473
13 G2532 And G2036 Saul said, G* G3756 Not G599 shall [2die G3762 1any one] G1722 in G3588 G2250 this day, G3778 G3754 for G4594 today G4160 the lord produced G2962 G4991 deliverance G1722 in G* Israel.
Samuel says that Yahweh manufactured deliverance in Israel. Those men who opposed Saul were spared.
1 Samuel 11:14 G2532 And G2036 Samuel said G* G4314 to G3588 the G2992 people, G3004 saying, G1205 Come, G4198 we should go G1519 unto G* Gilgal, G2532 and G1457 we should renew G1563 there G3588 the G932 kingdom.
The only reason that Samuel would want to renew or consecrate the kingdom is if the kingdom was not really consecrated or dedicated. They cast the lots but Saul went back to the fields with the men that Yahweh gave him. They didn’t do anything for the kingdom. They didn’t organize it. It wasn’t until the Ammonites wanted to take over Jabish that the kingdom came together. It seems that there is some “added” text in chapter thirteen where it says that Saul was at home for a year before this battle. We cannot tell as the text is not in the Septuagint, but we know that there is a period of time here from when he was first chosen as king to the time that he actually did something as king.
1 Samuel 11:15 G2532 And G4198 [4went G3956 1all G3588 2the G2992 3people] G1519 unto G* Gilgal; G2532 and G5548 Samuel anointed G* G1563 Saul there G3588 G* G1519 as G935 king G1799 before G2962 the lord G1722 in G* Gilgal. G2532 And G2380 he sacrificed G1563 there G2378 sacrifice offerings G2532 and G1516 peace offerings G1799 before G2962 the lord . G2532 And G2165 [2was glad G* G1563 3there G* 1Saul] G2532 and G3956 all G435 the men G* of Israel G4970 greatly.
Samuel anoints Saul again and offers sacrifices and peace offerings. Saul was euphrainō, “glad or in a good frame of mind”. This tells us that Saul seemed to not like that some people didn’t like him. This incident turned things around for Saul in his mind. The people were exceedingly glad as well. At this event, Samuel will give a long speech and charges everyone to walk with Yahweh.
We don’t know why the Masoretes changed the book of Samuel to reflect Saul as a tall man. We don’t know why they changed the number of people in the armies, why they decided Saul’s opposers became deaf, or that Saul was home for a year or so not doing king type things. What we do see is that Saul united the kingdom when there was a threat, and now the kingdom will function with more fluidity for future battles. Saul starts out as a shy, goodly man. He doesn’t want to be a king, but he would rather plow fields instead. Samuel knew before the lots were chosen that Saul was to be king. What then took place to change Saul’s heart? Right now he has the transformation of the Holy Spirit but is changed to a crazy man trying to kill David. How did Saul lose the kingdom? Next week.
