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if need were, defenders of their national rights and of their national religion. Such,
no doubt, was also the father of Abner. And yet there was exquisite simplicity about
the family-life of these great, strong men. Kish had lost his she-asses - a loss of some
consequence in times of such poverty that a man would consider "the fourth part of a
shekel," or a sus - about 6 and 1/2d. of our money - as quite an adequate gift to offer
a "seer" in return for consulting him (1 Samuel 9:8). To find, if possible, the straying
animals, Saul, the only son of Kish,^82 as we infer from the text, was sent in company
with a servant. Saul, "the asked-for," was not only "choice^83 and goodly," like all his
race, but apparently as handsome as any man in the land, and taller than any by head
and shoulders. In any country and age this would tell in favor of a popular leader,
but especially in ancient times,^84 and more particularly in Israel at that period.
From his home at Gibeah^85 Saul and his servant passed in a north-westerly direction
over a spur of Mount Ephraim. Thence they turned in their search north-eastward to
"the land of Shalishah," probably so called from the circumstance that three Wadys
met there,^86 and then eastwards to the land of Shaalim -probably "the hollow," the
modern Salem. Having traversed another district, which is called "the land of
Yemini," - either "the right hand," or else "of Benjamin," though apparently not
within the territory of Benjamin - they found themselves in the district of Zuph,
where Samuel's home at Ramah was.^87
For three days had the two continued their unsuccessful search, when it occurred to
Saul that their long absence might cause his father more anxiety than the straying of
the she-asses. But before returning home, Saul's servant suggested that since they
were just in view of the city where "the seer" lived, they might first consult him as to
"the way" they "should go" in order to find the she-asses.^88
Having ascertained that the seer was not only in the city, but that the people had had
"a sacrifice" on the "height" outside, where, as we know (1 Samuel 7:17), Samuel
had built an altar, the two hastened on, in the hope of finding him in the city itself,
before he went up "to bless," or speak the prayer of thanksgiving, with which the
sacrificial meal would begin. For, amidst the guests gathered there, the two strangers
could have little expectation of finding access to the president of the feast. They had
just entered the city itself, and were "in the gate," or wide place inside the city-
entrance, where the elders used to sit and popular assemblies gathered, when they
met Samuel coming from an opposite direction on his way to the "Bamah," or
sacrificial "height." To Saul's inquiry for "the seer's house," Samuel replied by
making himself known.^89 He had expected him - for the day before the Lord had
expressly intimated it to him. Indeed, Samuel had prepared for it by ordering the
choicest piece of that which was to be eaten of the sacrifice to be set aside for his
guest - so sure was he of his arrival. And now when he saw before him in the gate
(^)