Commentary - 1 Samuel 10:1-8

Bird's-eye view

This passage details the private anointing of Saul by the prophet Samuel, an act that formally designates him as Israel's first king. This is not yet the public coronation, but rather the quiet, authoritative word of God that precedes all public manifestations. The anointing is immediately followed by a series of three prophetic signs given by Samuel to Saul. These signs are not arbitrary wonders; they are carefully orchestrated encounters designed to confirm God's calling on Saul's life and to assure him of God's presence and power. The signs build in intensity, moving from simple information (the donkeys are found), to a provision of sustenance (receiving bread), to a radical spiritual transformation (prophesying with the prophets). The climax of these signs is the coming of the Spirit of Yahweh upon Saul, changing him into "another man." The section concludes with a crucial command for Saul to wait for Samuel at Gilgal, a test of obedience that will, in the future, prove to be a critical turning point in his reign. This entire episode is a profound display of God's grace to a man who did not seek the office, providing him with every confirmation and spiritual enablement necessary to fulfill his calling.

At its heart, this is a story about divine initiative and confirmation. God chooses, God anoints, God confirms, and God empowers. Saul is largely a passive recipient throughout this chapter. The signs are not things he achieves, but rather things that happen to him. This underscores the fact that the monarchy, though requested in sin by the people, is being established and ordered by God's sovereign hand. He is giving Saul everything he needs to succeed, including a new heart for the task. The final command to wait at Gilgal sets the stage for future drama, establishing from the outset that this new king, empowered as he is, remains under the authority of God's prophetic word.

Outline

Context In 1 Samuel

This chapter follows directly on the heels of Saul's "chance" meeting with Samuel while searching for his father's lost donkeys (1 Samuel 9). That entire narrative was orchestrated by God to bring Saul, the man who looked the part of a king, to Samuel, God's prophet. The people had demanded a king "like all the nations" (1 Sam 8:5), a request that Samuel knew was a rejection of Yahweh's direct rule. Nevertheless, God instructed Samuel to grant their request, demonstrating His ability to work His sovereign purposes even through the sinful desires of men. Chapter 10 is the execution of that command. The private anointing here will be followed by a public selection by lot at Mizpah (1 Sam 10:17-27) and then a military confirmation after Saul's victory over the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11). This passage, then, is the foundational moment of Saul's kingship. It is the point where the divine call is made manifest, not to the nation, but to the man himself. It provides the spiritual basis and confirmation for the public events that will follow.

Key Issues

God's Provision for the King

Before we dive into the particulars, we need to see the grand movement here. God is not just setting up an office; He is equipping a man. Israel wanted a king, and in their carnality, they were thinking in terms of military might and political pomp. God, in His grace, knows that a true king needs far more than that. He needs divine confirmation, divine sustenance, and divine empowerment. The three signs given to Saul are a picture of God's provision for leadership. First, God handles the mundane details (the donkeys), freeing the leader to focus on his high calling. Second, God provides sustenance for the journey from a holy place (the bread from men going to Bethel), showing that the king is to be supported by the worship of God's people. Third, and most importantly, God provides the internal transformation necessary for the job. He doesn't just give Saul a crown; He gives him a new capacity to lead by pouring out His Spirit. This is a pattern for all whom God calls. He does not send a man out to do a job without first providing everything necessary for that job, with the most crucial provision being the presence of God Himself.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1 Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, kissed him, and said, “Has not Yahweh anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?

The action begins immediately and with great significance. The oil is not just symbolic; it is a sacramental act. In the Old Testament, priests and sacred objects were anointed, setting them apart for God's special use. By anointing Saul, Samuel is formally consecrating him to the office of king. This is God's choice, not Samuel's or the people's. The pouring of oil signifies the pouring out of God's favor and Spirit for the task. The kiss from Samuel is a sign of personal affection, fellowship, and allegiance. It shows that Samuel, despite his earlier warnings about the monarchy, is fully submitted to God's will and is welcoming Saul as the Lord's chosen. The question, "Has not Yahweh anointed you?" is a rhetorical one. It is a formal declaration: Yahweh has done this. Saul is not just any ruler; he is a ruler over "His inheritance," meaning Israel. He is being appointed as a steward, a manager of God's own treasured people.

2 When you go from me today, then you will find two men close to Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to search for have been found. Now behold, your father has ceased to be concerned about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?” ’

Here begins the series of signs. This first one is designed to settle Saul's mind and anchor the supernatural anointing in the reality of his everyday life. The search for the donkeys was the providential excuse that brought him to Samuel. Now, God shows him that the very problem that started his journey has been resolved. God is a God who cares about lost donkeys. This sign, being the first, is a gentle confirmation. It is a specific, verifiable prophecy about a mundane matter. Notice also the tender detail: his father is no longer worried about the property, but about his son. This news would free Saul from his earthly obligations and anxieties, allowing him to turn his full attention to the staggering new reality of his calling.

3 Then you will go on further from there, and you will come as far as the oak of Tabor, and there three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine;

The second sign elevates the significance. Saul will encounter men on a religious pilgrimage. They are going "up to God at Bethel," a place with deep historical and spiritual meaning, going all the way back to Jacob. The items they carry, goats, bread, and wine, are all elements used in worship and sacrifice. This is not a random encounter; it is a worship procession. Saul, the newly anointed king, is being met by the substance of Israel's worship. This signifies that his rule is to be intertwined with the spiritual life of the nation.

4 and they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread. And you will take them from their hand.

This is the heart of the second sign. These worshippers will not just pass him by; they will greet him and offer him provisions. They will give him two of their three loaves. This is a tributary gift, an act of honor. It is the first recognition, albeit unwitting, of his new status. Coming from men on their way to worship God, it is a tangible sign that God will provide for His anointed king through His faithful people. Saul is instructed to accept it, to receive this first taste of the honor and provision that comes with his office. He is being taught to see God's hand in the gifts of men.

5 Afterward you will come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is; and it shall be as soon as you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre before them, and they will be prophesying.

The third sign is the spiritual climax. Saul is directed to the "hill of God," likely a place of worship ("high place") that was, ironically, also occupied by a Philistine garrison. This detail is crucial. The king's spiritual empowerment will occur right under the nose of Israel's oppressors, a foretaste of the deliverance he is called to bring. He will meet a group of prophets, a prophetic band, coming down from worship. Their worship is not silent or stoic; it is exuberant, filled with music and prophetic utterance. This is the Old Testament equivalent of a Spirit-filled worship service. This is the environment into which Saul is about to be thrust.

6 Then the Spirit of Yahweh will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man.

This is the promise that undergirds the whole enterprise. The previous signs were external confirmations; this is an internal transformation. The Spirit of Yahweh, the personal, empowering presence of God, will "come upon" Saul mightily. This is not a gentle nudge; it is a rushing, overwhelming experience. The result is that Saul, the shy man from Benjamin, will join in their prophesying. He will be caught up in the ecstatic worship. The outcome is radical: he will be "changed into another man." This doesn't mean he gets a new soul, but rather that he is given a new heart, a new disposition, a new set of abilities and desires fit for a king. God is equipping him from the inside out with a kingly spirit, with the courage and wisdom needed to lead.

7 Now it will be when these signs come to you, do for yourself whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.

This is the commission based on the confirmation. Once these signs have come to pass, Saul is no longer to be passive. He is given a mandate to act with initiative. "Whatever your hand finds to do" is a call to decisive, kingly action as circumstances require. The reason he can act with such confidence is the assurance that "God is with you." The signs were not the end goal; they were the foundation for his future work. God has authenticated his calling, and now he is to step out in faith and lead. This is a blank check for godly action, a release into the responsibilities of his new office.

8 And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come to you and make you know what you should do.”

After the glorious empowerment and the open-ended commission comes a very specific and restrictive command. This is the crucial test. Amidst the freedom to do whatever his hand finds, there is this one boundary. He is to go to Gilgal, a place of great historical significance for Israel (the place of first circumcision in the land and the base of operations for Joshua), and he is to wait. He must wait a full seven days for Samuel. His authority as king, great as it is, is still subordinate to the prophetic word of God delivered through Samuel. This command establishes the proper relationship between king and prophet, state and church. The king's initiative must operate within the bounds of God's revealed will. Saul's ultimate failure will hinge on his disobedience to this very type of command, right here in this very place, Gilgal.

Application

This passage is a rich display of how God calls and equips His people for the tasks He gives them. While we are not anointed as kings of a geopolitical nation, all believers are anointed by the Holy Spirit as members of a royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9). God does not call anyone to a task without providing the necessary grace and confirmation.

First, we see that God's calling often comes in the midst of our ordinary duties. Saul was looking for donkeys, not a kingdom. We should be faithful in the small things, for it is often there that God meets us with a higher calling. Second, God provides confirmation. For Saul, it was a series of undeniable signs. For us, confirmation comes through the clear teaching of Scripture, the counsel of the godly, and the circumstances providentially arranged by God. We are not to be presumptuous, but we can and should ask God for assurance that we are on the right path.

Third, and most centrally, true fitness for God's service requires a work of the Holy Spirit. Saul was "changed into another man." This is the language of regeneration. We cannot serve God in our own strength. We need the Spirit to give us a new heart, new desires, and new abilities. The Christian life is not about trying harder; it is about being transformed by the power of God. Finally, all our freedom and initiative in the Christian life must be exercised within the boundaries of obedience to God's Word. Saul was given great freedom, but it was tethered to one crucial command: wait. Our freedom in Christ is not a license to do as we please, but a liberation to do what pleases God. We must learn to act boldly where Scripture gives us freedom, and to wait patiently and obediently where Scripture gives us a command.