and his servant went toward the north-west over Mount Ephraim, and
then turning north-east they came to “the land of Shalisha,” and thence
eastward to the land of Shalim, and at length came to the district of Zuph,
near Samuel’s home at Ramah (9:5-10). At this point Saul proposed to
return from the three days’ fruitless search, but his servant suggested that
they should first consult the “seer.” Hearing that he was about to offer
sacrifice, the two hastened into Ramah, and “behold, Samuel came out
against them,” on his way to the “bamah”, i.e., the “height”, where
sacrifice was to be offered; and in answer to Saul’s question, “Tell me, I
pray thee, where the seer’s house is,” Samuel made himself known to him.
Samuel had been divinely prepared for his coming (9:15-17), and received
Saul as his guest. He took him with him to the sacrifice, and then after the
feast “communed with Saul upon the top of the house” of all that was in
his heart. On the morrow Samuel “took a vial of oil and poured it on his
head,” and anointed Saul as king over Israel (9:25-10:8), giving him three
signs in confirmation of his call to be king. When Saul reached his home in
Gibeah the last of these signs was fulfilled, and the Sprit of God came
upon him, and “he was turned into another man.” The simple countryman
was transformed into the king of Israel, a remarkable change suddenly took
place in his whole demeanour, and the people said in their astonishment, as
they looked on the stalwart son of Kish, “Is Saul also among the
prophets?”, a saying which passed into a “proverb.” (Comp. 19:24.)
The intercourse between Saul and Samuel was as yet unknown to the
people. The “anointing” had been in secret. But now the time had come
when the transaction must be confirmed by the nation. Samuel accordingly
summoned the people to a solemn assembly “before the Lord” at Mizpeh.
Here the lot was drawn (10:17-27), and it fell upon Saul, and when he was
presented before them, the stateliest man in all Israel, the air was rent for
the first time in Israel by the loud cry, “God save the king!” He now
returned to his home in Gibeah, attended by a kind of bodyguard, “a band
of men whose hearts God had touched.” On reaching his home he
dismissed them, and resumed the quiet toils of his former life.
Soon after this, on hearing of the conduct of Nahash the Ammonite at
Jabeshgilead (q.v.), an army out of all the tribes of Israel rallied at his
summons to the trysting-place at Bezek, and he led them forth a great
army to battle, gaining a complete victory over the Ammonite invaders at
Jabesh (11:1-11). Amid the universal joy occasioned by this victory he