Глава 9

Saul, son of Kish the Benjamite. 1 Samuel 9:1. There was one of the sons of Benjamin, his name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeron, the son of Behorath, the son of Aphi, the son of a certain Benjamite, a noble man. “Of the sons of Benjamin”, i.e. from the tribe of Benjamin. 1 Samuel 9:2. He had a son, his name was Saul, young and handsome; and there was none of the Israelites more beautiful than he; from his shoulders he was higher than all the people. “From his shoulders he was higher than all the people,” i.e. head taller than others. 1 Samuel 9:4. And he passed through Mount Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalisha, but he was not found; and they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there; and he passed through the land of Benjamin, and was not found. 1 Samuel 9:5. When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him: Let us go back, so that my father, leaving the donkeys, will not worry about us. Originating from the plain of Ezdrilon, the mountains of Ephraim extend along the southern border of Ephraim's inheritance to Jerusalem and here they connect with the mountains of Judah. Shalisha, Shaalim, Zuph - areas near the city of Rama Samuel (see note to 1 Samuel 1:1). 1 Samuel 9:6. But the servant said to him: here in this city there is a man of God, a respected man; whatever he says comes true; Let's go there now; maybe he will show us our path along which to go. “In this city”, i.e. Rama Samuilova. "Man of God" - the prophet Samuel. “Perhaps he will show us the way in which we should go” to find what is lost (1 Samuel 9:3). 1 Samuel 9:7. And Saul said to his servant, “Now we are going, but what will we bring to the man?” for there is no bread in our bags, and there is no gift to give to the man of God; what do we have? 1 Samuel 9:8. And again the servant answered Saul and said, Behold in my hand is a quarter of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God, and he will show us our path. Others say (notes Blessed Theodoret) that Samuel prophesied for money, concluding this from what Saul said: “Here we go, but what will we bring to that man?” , but this is only an indication of Saul’s assumption, and not of the prophet’s bribery. Saul thought that he needed to bring something to Samuel, as a leader and prophet, but he did not bring anything; Meanwhile, he was received with great favor. The prophet’s unworthiness is also shown by his words, spoken (subsequently) to all the people: “Here I am; bear witness against me before the Lord and before His anointed, from whom I took an ox, from whom I took a donkey, from whom I offended and oppressed, from whom I took a gift and closed my eyes in the matter, and I will return it to you. And the people answered: you did not offend us, and you did not oppress us, and you did not take anything from anyone” (1 Samuel 12:3-4) (Interpretation of 1 Samuel, question 16). “A quarter of a shekel of silver” is a little over 20 kopecks. 1 Samuel 9:12. They answered them and said: there is; behold, he is ahead of you; just hurry up, for today he has come to the city, because today the people’s sacrifice is on high; “Today the people’s sacrifice is at its highest”: see note. to 1 Samuel 7:9. 1 Samuel 9:13. when you come to the city, you will find him before he has gone to that height for lunch; for the people will not begin to eat until he comes; because he will bless the sacrifice, and after that those who are invited will eat; So go, now you will still find him. This refers to a peace offering. See note. to 1 Samuel 1:4. 1 Samuel 9:16. Tomorrow at this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you anoint him as a ruler over My people Israel, and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, since their cry has reached Me. “For I have looked upon My people, because their cry has reached Me.” The situation of the Jews around the time of their election of a king was far from brilliant. From the west they were irresistibly pressed by the Philistines. They managed to take control of some fortified places (hills) of the Jews, providing them with their own security detachments (1 Samuel 10:5). To deprive the Jews of the opportunity to make weapons, the Philistines destroyed all the blacksmiths in their land; so that even to repair agricultural implements, the Jews had to go to their enemies, the Philistines (1 Samuel 13:19–22). The Ammonites threatened from the east. 1 Samuel 9:18. And Saul came to Samuel at the gate and asked him, Tell me, where is the house of the seer? 1 Samuel 9:20. but don’t worry about the donkeys that have been missing from you for three days; they were found. And who has all the coveted things in Israel? Is it not to you and to all your father's house? “Don’t worry about donkeys.” And can someone who, according to God’s definition, already owns everything “coveted in Israel?” take care of them exclusively? 1 Samuel 9:21. And Saul answered and said, Am I not the son of Benjamin, one of the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my tribe the smallest among all the tribes of the tribe of Benjamin? Why are you telling me this? After the internecine strife (Judges 19–21), the tribe of Benjamin was significantly reduced in number. You might be interested in: