1 Samuel 9

1 Samuel 9

Morris notes that "Worship in high places was forbidden in the Mosaic law (Leviticus 26:30) because of its universal association with the idolatrous polytheistic pantheism of other nations. Such practice probably originated at the Tower of Babel and then was carried worldwide by the subsequent dispersion." A sad phrase that is repeated again and again (speaking of Israel) is "the high places were not taken away" (1Ki 15:14, 2Chr 15:17 = King Asa but notice he did remove some of them - 2Chr 14:3, 5, 1Ki 22:43, 2Chr 20:33 = King Jehoshaphat, 2Ki 12:3 = King Jehoash, 2Ki 14:4 = King Amaziah, 2Ki 15:4 = King Azariah, 2Ki 15:35 = King Jotham son of Uzziah and look what his son did in 2Ki 16:1-4!, 2Chr 20:33). In many of these passages the context was of a king doing "spiritual house cleaning" so to speak and yet still failing to remove the high places. Isn't sin that way? We confess one or two sins but we have a little pet sin (better a "venomous viper") that we just don't have the heart to kill! God grant us spiritual eyes and hearts to learn from Israel's mistakes. Amen! Some kings like Hezekiah (1Ki 18:4, 2Chr 31:1, Isa 36:7) and Josiah (2Ki 23:4,8, 13, 15, 19-20, 2Chr 34:3 cp prophecy about Josiah 300 years earlier = 1Ki 13:2) did destroy the high places, but in Hezekiah's case his own son Manasseh rebuilt them (2Ki 21:1-2, 3, 2Chr 33:3) and in Josiah's case the people rebuilt them! We see the spiritual effect of high places on the people when King Jehoram (2Chr 21:5-10) "made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot and led Judah astray." (2Chr 21:11) One of the most incredible (and saddest) verses in the OT (in my opinion) is "Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon." (1Ki 11:7, cp 1Ki 3:3 = Solomon had "half a heart" for God!) This was too much for Jehovah and He declared that the 12 tribes would be split as a result of Solomon's sin! Sin is costly. You may think you are getting away with it, but you are not! You may think you are the wisest man in the world (like Solomon) but you are really the most foolish (as Solomon was)! There was one high place that was not idolatrous (at least not at the outset) - "Then Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place which was at Gibeon; for God's tent of meeting was there, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness." (2Chr 1:3, cp 1Ch 16:39-40, 21:29). 1 Samuel 9:13 "As soon as you enter the city you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up for you will find him at once." BGT 1 Samuel 9:13 ὡς ἂν εἰσέλθητε τὴν πόλιν οὕτως εὑρήσετε αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ πόλει πρὶν ἀναβῆναι αὐτὸν εἰς Βαμα τοῦ φαγεῖν ὅτι οὐ μὴ φάγῃ ὁ λαὸς ἕως τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτόν ὅτι οὗτος εὐλογεῖ τὴν θυσίαν καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐσθίουσιν οἱ ξένοι καὶ νῦν ἀνάβητε ὅτι διὰ τὴν ἡμέραν εὑρήσετε αὐτόν KJV 1 Samuel 9:13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him. NET 1 Samuel 9:13 When you enter the town, you can find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people won't eat until he arrives, for he must bless the sacrifice. Once that happens, those who have been invited will eat. Now go on up, for this is the time when you can find him!" CSB 1 Samuel 9:13 If you go quickly, you can catch up with him before he goes to the high place to eat. The people won't eat until he comes because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests can eat. Go up immediately-- you can find him now." ESV 1 Samuel 9:13 As soon as you enter the city you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat till he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately." NIV 1 Samuel 9:13 As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time." NLT 1 Samuel 9:13 Hurry and catch him before he goes up there to eat. The guests won't begin eating until he arrives to bless the food." NRS 1 Samuel 9:13 As soon as you enter the town, you will find him, before he goes up to the shrine to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those eat who are invited. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately." YLT 1 Samuel 9:13 At your going in to the city so ye do find him, before he doth go up in to the high place to eat; for the people do not eat till his coming, for he doth bless the sacrifice; afterwards they eat, who are called, and now, go up, for at this time ye find him.' bless: Mt 26:26 Mk 6:41 Lu 24:30 Joh 6:11,23 1Co 10:30 1Ti 4:4 1 Samuel 9 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE SACRIFICE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A MEAL As soon as you enter the city you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up for you will find him at once - NET has "for this is the time when you can find him!" The women give Saul and his servant detailed guidance and implied they needed to go quickly. TECHNICAL NOTE - NET NOTE - The MT has “him” (אֹתוֹ, ’oto) here, in addition to the “him” at the end of the verse. The ancient versions attest to only one occurrence of the pronoun, although it is possible that this is due to translation technique rather than to their having a Hebrew text with the pronoun used only once. The present translation assumes textual duplication in the MT and does not attempt to represent the pronoun twice. However, for a defense of the MT here, with the suggested translation “for him just now—you will find him,” see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 72–73. 1 Samuel 9:14 So they went up to the city. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the high place. BGT 1 Samuel 9:14 καὶ ἀναβαίνουσιν τὴν πόλιν αὐτῶν εἰσπορευομένων εἰς μέσον τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἰδοὺ Σαμουηλ ἐξῆλθεν εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτῶν τοῦ ἀναβῆναι εἰς Βαμα KJV 1 Samuel 9:14 And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place. NET 1 Samuel 9:14 So they went up to the town. As they were heading for the middle of the town, Samuel was coming in their direction to go up to the high place. CSB 1 Samuel 9:14 So they went up toward the city. Saul and his attendant were entering the city when they saw Samuel coming toward them on his way to the high place. ESV 1 Samuel 9:14 So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place. NIV 1 Samuel 9:14 They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place. NLT 1 Samuel 9:14 So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship. NRS 1 Samuel 9:14 So they went up to the town. As they were entering the town, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the shrine. YLT 1 Samuel 9:14 And they go up in to the city; they are coming in to the midst of the city, and lo, Samuel is coming out to meet them, to go up to the high place; 1 Samuel 9 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries A PROVIDENTIAL MEETING OF PROPHET & FUTURE KING So they went up to the city - They followed the instructions of the women. This is not small detail as women were not held in high esteem in the ancient world. Nevertheless, Saul and his servant were satisfied with their statements. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the high place - The timing was perfect. The God of providence left nothing to chance in this "chance meeting." Brian Bell on providence - (see also 1 Samuel 10:2 commentary) - Perfect timing - they would have missed Samuel if they came to the gate a minute or 2 later. Let's talk about the providential hand of God: You don’t hear of any cities being named Providence anymore. Providence, R.I. - was 1st settled in June 1636 by Roger Williams, and was one of the first cities established in the U.S. and one of the original 13 Colonies. He named the area in honor of "God's merciful Providence" which he believed was responsible for revealing such a haven for him and his followers to settle. Providence = to see in advance or beforehand. It’s used to summarize God’s ongoing relationship to His creation. Four common errors regarding God and His relationship to creation: [1] Deism (God created the world and then essentially abandoned it); [2] Pantheism (creation doesn’t have a real, distinct existence in itself, but is only part of God); [3] Chance (or randomness); [4] Fate (impersonal determinism). Big difference between the Providence of God and fortune, fate, or luck. The key to this difference is found in the personal character of God: Fortune is blind while God is all-seeing. Fate is impersonal while God is a Father. Luck is dumb while God can speak. There are no blind, impersonal forces at work in human history. All is brought to pass by the invisible hand of Providence. R.C.Sproul, “There is no such thing as chance. Chance does not exist. It is merely a word we use to describe mathematical possibilities. But chance itself has no power because it has no being. Chance is not an entity that can influence reality. Chance is not a thing, It is nothing.” Providence teaches: God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that He keeps them existing & maintaining the properties with which he created them cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do; and directs them to fulfill his purposes. Or, Preservation, Concurrence, & Government. Preservation - Providence includes God’s work of sustaining His creation. Concurrence - We are creatures w/a will of our own. We make things happen. Yet the causal power we exert is secondary. God’s sovereign providence stands over & above our actions. He works out His will through the actions of human wills, w/o violating the freedom of those human wills. Clear example: in the case of Joseph & his brothers. Though his brothers incurred true guilt through their treachery against him, the providence of God was working even though their sin. Joseph said to his brothers, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Government - He rules His creation w/absolute sovereignty & authority. (The earth is His ball, & He can take it & go home when He wants! He governs everything that comes to pass, from the greatest to the least. He makes the rain to fall & the sun to shine. He raises up kingdoms & brings them down. He numbers the hairs on our heads & the days of our life. Q: How does this doctrine increase your trust in God? Q: How will this changed the way you think about the future? Q: Do you sometimes think of luck or chance as causing events that happen in your life? Does it increase or decrease your anxiety about the future? Q: Do you see how little superstitions won’t prevent or bring good luck? Like, walking under a ladder; worrying when a black cat walks across your path; stepping on a crack in the sidewalk; or carrying a certain good luck charm? In him(God) we live, move, & have our being. Acts 17:28 So God uses here, in our story: run away donkeys; young women fetching water; hurrying up; & right time/right place...for his glory 1 Samuel 9:15 Now a day before Saul's coming, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel saying, BGT 1 Samuel 9:15 καὶ κύριος ἀπεκάλυψεν τὸ ὠτίον Σαμουηλ ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὸν Σαουλ λέγων KJV 1 Samuel 9:15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, NET 1 Samuel 9:15 Now the day before Saul arrived, the LORD had told Samuel: CSB 1 Samuel 9:15 Now the day before Saul's arrival, the LORD had informed Samuel, ESV 1 Samuel 9:15 Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed to Samuel: NIV 1 Samuel 9:15 Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel: NLT 1 Samuel 9:15 Now the LORD had told Samuel the previous day, NRS 1 Samuel 9:15 Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed to Samuel: YLT 1 Samuel 9:15 and Jehovah had uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before the coming of Saul, saying, the Lord: 1Sa 9:17 15:1 Ps 25:14 Am 3:7 Mk 11:2-4 14:13-16 Ac 13:21 27:23 told Samuel in his ear: Heb. revealed the ear of Samuel, 1Sa 20:2 2Sa 7:27 Job 33:16 1 Samuel 9 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION GIVEN Now a day before Saul's coming, the LORD had revealed (literally - uncovered the ear) this to Samuel saying - More literally this reads "Jehovah had uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before the coming of Saul" (1Sa 9:15YLT) The Spirit inspires the writer to give us some background in 1Sa 9:15-17 concerning God's revelation to Samuel the previous day. How did Yahweh reveal these truths? The text does not say. One is reminded of the words in Amos 3:7 that "Surely the Lord GOD does nothing Unless He reveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets." And so Yahweh revealed His will to His prophet in preparation for the meeting with Saul. Guzik spares no words in describing Saul as a man who "had no relationship with the Lord, so God spoke to Saul through lost donkeys. But Samuel knew and loved the Lord, so God spoke to Samuel in his ear." Cyril