1 Samuel 9 Dinner Guest!

seekeroftruth

Well-Known Member
1 Samuel 9:17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”

18 Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

19 “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?”

21 Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?”

22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. 23 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.”

24 So the cook took up the thigh with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.’” And Saul dined with Samuel that day.​

Did you notice? Saul didn't ask Samuel about the donkeys. He asked if Samuel was the "seer". It was Samuel who blurted out everything. It's as if God was whispering in Samuel's ear.... "look, there he is... isn't he pretty? Tell him a little about the donkeys so he'll stay for dinner" Meanwhile Saul is trying to figure out how he won all this attention.... [I bet it's driving him crazy]...

I took these comments from the blueletterbible.org site.

At the same time, Samuel proved to Saul that he was a true prophet from God. He did this by showing Saul he knew things that he probably could not have known unless it was revealed to him supernaturally (But as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago …).

This was a genuinely humble response from Saul, even if it wasn't completely honest. Saul could not figure out why the prophet would say God wanted him to be king.

Saul's statement and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin is more an example of his modesty than his truthfulness. Saul's father and family were actually prominent men (1 Samuel 9:1).​

I got this input from the easy English site.

Saul went to Samuel to ask about the donkeys. Samuel knew about the donkeys before Saul asked him. Saul knew that the people had asked Samuel for a king. Samuel said to Saul, ‘They want you and your father’s family’. Samuel meant that Saul would be the king. Saul probably understood what Samuel said. But Saul was surprised. After this, Samuel dealt with Saul as a man who deserves honour. He made Saul sit in the most important place. Then he gave him the special piece of meat. The priest usually ate this meat (Leviticus 7:34). The ‘hall’ was probably a small building at the place of worship.

The Israelites built houses with flat roofs. They often slept on the roof in the summer. Sometimes they built a small room on the roof. Their guests slept in this room. The stairs up to the roof were on the outside of the house. Saul stayed at Samuel’s house that night. Samuel did not explain anything to Saul until the morning (verse 19). Then he spoke to Saul in private.

Quite a dinner.... I bet Saul is just crazy about this new adventure.....

:coffee:
 
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