Day 81: 1 Samuel 10-12

(The previous post covered Samuel becoming Judge, the peoples' request to be led by a king like the other nations, and God granting this request.)

1 Samuel 10
¹ Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not that Jehovah hath anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance?

(Verses 1-8: Samuel anointed Saul, which was confirmed by three signs. Notice, Saul didn't facilitate his own purpose and progress. Saul was declared king by Samuel. Saul didn't state he wanted to be king or try to convince the people he ought to be king. When a leader facilitates their own attainment of a leadership role, they prove they are not a leader, they are a boss.)

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 off caring for the asses, and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

(1st sign: Two men would say that the donkeys had been found.)

³ Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the oak of Tabor; and there shall meet thee there three 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:

(2nd sign: Saul would meet three men carrying offerings.)

⁴ and they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread, which thou shalt receive of their hand.
⁵ After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying:
⁶ and the Spirit of Jehovah will come mightily upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

(3rd sign: Saul would meet a company of prophets and the Spirit of God would come upon him. It also stated that Saul would "be turned into another man." What would that process be?)

⁷ And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion shall serve thee; for God is with thee.

(These signs confirmed to Saul that God was with him.)

⁸ And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt-offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come unto thee, and show thee what thou shalt do.
⁹ And it was so, that, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

(Saul left Samuel. God gave Saul another heart. This was the process of Saul turning into another man. What comes out of your heart is an effect of what you believe. Physically, Saul was the ideal king. However, his heart would have resulted in bad actions. God gave another heart to Saul so he would have the best possible opportunity to be a successful king. If God had not given Saul another heart, we could make the case that God was unjust, that God knew Saul's heart would hinder him and Israel. Remember, Pharaoh had a hard heart and every interaction with a Right and Just God only resulted in Pharaoh choosing to make his heart harder. Everything that goes wrong for Saul from this point on was caused by Saul, it was his choice.)

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

(All the signs came to pass that day. Saul prophesied among the prophets!)

¹¹ And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
¹² And one of the same place answered and said, And 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.

(The people were aware of the change in Saul's heart and it became a proverb: a popular saying that people knew. The people were aware that Saul had the heart to be a right and just king.)

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 not found, 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 concerning the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

(Saul's uncle asked him what Samuel said. Saul told him that the donkeys were found but did not tell him about the kingdom. Saul didn't facilitate his becoming king. That was Saul's choice.)

¹⁷ And Samuel called the people together unto Jehovah to Mizpah;

(Samuel gatherered the people together at Mizpeh.)

¹⁸ and he said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you:
¹⁹ but ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saveth you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Jehovah by your tribes, and by your thousands.

(Samuel reiterated that they had rejected God by asking for a king. This would have removed Israel's ability to complain about their king if/when the king became a "boss" to the people.)

²⁰ So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
²¹ And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found.
²² Therefore they asked of Jehovah further, Is there yet a man to come hither? And Jehovah answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the baggage.

(That was Saul's choice to hide himself. However, it again showed Saul had a leader's heart because he refused to facilitate becoming king in his own strength.)

²³ And they ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
²⁴ And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom Jehovah hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, Long live the king.

(Samuel presented Saul before the people. God specifically told the people to look at his appearance.)

²⁵ Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Jehovah. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

(What "book" was this that Samuel wrote?)

²⁶ And Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the host, whose hearts God had touched.
²⁷ But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

(Notice, in verse 26 the people who supported Saul were men "whose hearts God had touched." Again, in verse 27 the KJV translated "worthless fellows" as "the children of Belial." This is not a translation error but a difference in perspective. The "children of Belial" were an example of a group of men who were "worthless fellows." The ASV translated the cause while the KJV translated an effect/application. These men despised Saul but Saul remained calm. Israel now looked to a man for leadership, instead of God. From this point on in the Bible, notice how the role of women went from being valued and excellent, to being treated like property.)




1 Samuel 11
¹ Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.

(The people of Jabesh-gilead were negotiating for their lives. This offer to covenant with Nahash was their way of trying to prevent being conquered.)

² And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
³ And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the borders of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to thee.

(Nahash only agreed to covenant with them if he could have their right eyes. The elders of Jabesh essentially asked for a week to think about it and to wait for potential aide from the rest of the nation.)

⁴ Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
⁵ And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.
⁶ And the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.

(The Spirit came upon Saul when he heard this and his anger was kindled. This was Saul's first major conflict as king.)

⁷ And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the dread of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
⁸ And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

(After king Saul "encouraged" the Israelites to come out, he had 330,000 men.)

⁹ And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance. And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
¹⁰ Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.
¹¹ And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they that remained were scattered, so that not two of them were left together.

(Total victory.)

¹² And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.

(The Israelites smote the Ammonites and then wanted to kill the men of Belial, the "worthless fellows." They asked Samuel to bring these men to them.)

¹³ And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for to-day Jehovah hath wrought deliverance in Israel.

(Saul wanted this day to be remembered for God's victory. God's judgment could happen a different day.)

¹⁴ Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
¹⁵ And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

(They renewed the kingdom in Gilgal. The people were able to see Saul in the best possible light.)




1 Samuel 12

(This chapter covered Samuel's speech at Saul's coronation.)

¹ And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.
² And now, behold, the king walketh before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth unto this day.
³ Here I am: witness against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
⁴ And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand.
⁵ And he said unto them, Jehovah is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they said, He is witness.

(Samuel asked Israel if they recognized how he had not been unjust towards them. The men and God were witnesses that Samuel walked in the ways of God and was about Israel's best interest even though Israel requested something out of God's Will. Next, Samuel reviewed God's Will towards Israel...)

⁶ And Samuel said unto the people, It is Jehovah that appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
⁷ Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which he did to you and to your fathers.
⁸ When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.
⁹ But they forgat Jehovah their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
¹⁰ And they cried unto Jehovah, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
¹¹ And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and ye dwelt in safety.

(Samuel reminded the people how their ancestors forgot God and resulting affliction. Then also reminded them of what God had done for them after they confessed their sin. This would have built their faith in God.)

¹² And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us; when Jehovah your God was your king.

(However, Samuel also reminded them how/why they chose their own will instead of God's Will.)

¹³ Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for: and, behold, Jehovah hath set a king over you.
¹⁴ If ye will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of Jehovah your God, well:
¹⁵ but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then will the hand of Jehovah be against you, as it was against your fathers.

(God would still be for the people if they walked in His commandments but would be against them if they did not. The people were going to be led by a king. God established that this did not change how/why He would respond to the king and the people. God would continue to be Right and Just. If the king/people obeyed His commandments, then it would still go well for the king/people. If the king/people rebelled against God, then God would be against the king/people. God was warning the people not to make the king the focus of their worship. This warning came immediately after the people could have looked to Saul for the victory that he brought to Israel, just like a Judge would have done.)

¹⁶ Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Jehovah will do before your eyes.
¹⁷ Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto Jehovah, that he may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking you a king.
¹⁸ So Samuel called unto Jehovah; and Jehovah sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.

(God sent thunder and rain and all the people feared Samuel and God. This was confirmation that the people asking for a king was a sin. It was not God's Will for the people to be led by a king.)

¹⁹ And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto Jehovah thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.

(The people confessed. The people asked Samuel to pray that they would not die for the evil they did in asking for a king. The people confirmed this was a sin. Do people today realize this?)

²⁰ And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil; yet turn not aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart:
²¹ and turn ye not aside; for then would ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain.

(Samuel told them to not turn from God to things that could not profit them. God was about profitability. Vain things were “unprofitable” things. God established that His Law superseded their "king doctrine.")

²² For Jehovah will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because it hath pleased Jehovah to make you a people unto himself.
²³ Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

(Samuel continued to pray for the people but he would also teach them the good and right way. Samuel realized he was still acting as Judge towards the people. He was still facilitating the purpose and progress of Israel.)

²⁴ Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you.
²⁵ But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.

(Israel was warned about the effects of doing evil. Notice, the cause of profitability was determined in the heart of the individual.)

(This post covered Saul becoming king, God giving Saul a new heart, Saul leading Israel in victory over the Ammonites, God's warning through Samuel to the Israelites to continue to look to God, and the Israelites confession that they sinned when they asked for a king.)

Day 82