Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 9:16
Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him [to be] captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
16. out of the hand of the Philistines ] See note on 1Sa 7:13.
I have looked upon my people ] Sept. “I have looked upon the affliction, of my people.” The word might easily have fallen out of the Hebrew text. Cp. Exo 3:7; Exo 3:9.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines, etc. – These words are not very easily reconcileable with 1Sa 7:13. It is possible that the aggressive movements of the Philistines, after the long cessation indicated by 1Sa 7:13, coupled with Samuels old age and consequent inability to lead them to victory as before, were among the chief causes which led to the cry for a king. If this were so the Philistine oppression glanced at in this verse might in a general survey be rather connected with Sauls times than with Samuels.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 16. Thou shalt anoint him to be captain] Not to be king, but to be nagid or captain of the Lord’s host. But in ancient times no king was esteemed who was not an able warrior. Plutarch informs us that Alexander the Great esteemed the following verse the most correct, as to its sentiment, of any in the whole Iliad of Homer: –
‘ ,
‘ , ‘ .
“The king of kings, Atrides, you survey;
Great in the war, and great in acts of sway.”
POPE.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I will send thee a man; I will by my secret providence so dispose of matters, and of the hearts of Saul and his father, that Saul shall come to thee, though with another design.
That he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for though they were now most pressed with the Ammonites, as we read, 1Sa 12:12, yet they looked upon these as a land-flood, which they hoped would be soon up, and soon down again; but the Philistines, their constant, inveterate, and nearest enemies, they most dreaded. And from these Saul did in some measure save them, and should have saved them much more, if his and the peoples manifold sins had not hindered it.
I have looked on my people, to wit, with compassion and resolution to help them; a usual synecdoche.
Their cry, i.e. their earnest prayers to me for help.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin,…. Who without any thought or design of his own, but merely directed by the providence of God, should come to him, not expecting a kingdom; at most only to hear of his father’s asses, and which way he should take to find them; missing the finding of which would and did bring him thither:
and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel; the leader, ruler, and governor of them; to which high office he was to be appointed by pouring oil upon him, and was the first king on whom this ceremony was performed, and from whence he was called the Lord’s anointed:
that he may save my people out of the hands of the Philistines; who, since Samuel was grown old, made encroachments upon them, built garrisons on their borders, and made, it is very probable, incursions upon them, and ravages and oppressions of them:
for I have looked upon my people; with an eye of pity and compassion:
because their cry is come unto me; by reason of the oppressions of the Philistines, and the war they were threatened with by the Ammonites; though Abarbinel thinks this refers to their importunate cry, supplication, and request to have a king set over them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(16) The Philistines.This statement evidently points to the factof which, a little later, we have such ample evidencethat at this juncture the Philistines were again harassing the Israelite territory with their destructive raids. The power of the Philistines was broken, but by no means destroyed, in the great battle of Mizpeh. We know that all through King Sauls reign, and in the early days of King David, these invasions were repeated with varying success. The statement of 1Sa. 7:13 must be understood not as representing that the victory of Mizpeh once and for all destroyed the Philistine power, but that from that day the power of these determined enemies of Israel began to decline. The words of 1Sa. 7:13 must be taken as including the ultimate result of the great Hebrew victory. It is clear that the annoyance of these Philistine raids and incursions were the immediate cause of the prayer for a king. The desire for this form of government, no doubt, for a very long while had existed among the people, but this pressing need for a younger and more warlike leader than their old prophet. judge prompted the request to Samuel.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. Save my people out of the hand of the Philistines This does not imply that Israel was now in subjection to the Philistines, for after the triumph of Mizpeh (chap. 7) the Philistines were not successful in their attempts to invade the land of Israel as long as Samuel lived; but this verse, as well as chap. 1Sa 7:13, shows that the Philistines continually harassed Israel by attempts to regain their lost dominion over them.
I have looked upon my people With an eye of compassion, and with intent to help them.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Sa 9:16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him [to be] captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
Ver. 16. I will send thee a than out of the land of Benjamin. ] Arcana gubernatione mea ipso aliud agente. a Little did Saul think of the kingdom when he came to Ramah. And as little do we think of heaven, when God by effectual calling “delivereth us from the power of darkness, and translateth us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” Col 1:13
And thou shalt anoint him to be captain.
Out of the hand of the Philistines.
For I have looked upon my people.
.Because their cry is come unto me.
a Piscat.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
captain = leader.
My people. Aramaean and Syriac read “the oppression”. In that case the Figure of speech Ellipsis should be supplied after it, “of My People” being implied.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
thou shalt: 1Sa 10:1, 1Sa 15:1, 1Sa 16:3, 1Ki 19:15, 1Ki 19:16, 2Ki 9:3-6
looked upon: Exo 2:23-25, Exo 3:7-9, Psa 25:18, Psa 106:44
Reciprocal: Deu 26:7 – looked 1Sa 5:12 – the cry 1Sa 13:14 – captain over 1Sa 16:1 – horn with oil 1Sa 22:2 – a captain 2Sa 5:2 – a captain 2Sa 7:8 – ruler 2Sa 21:6 – whom the Lord did choose 2Ki 20:5 – the captain Psa 102:1 – let my Jer 14:2 – the cry Jer 32:8 – Then I
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 9:16. To-morrow I will send thee a man, &c. This shows still that all was done by Gods direction. Out of the hand of the Philistines Though driven out of the country by Samuel, they were now ready, as appears by the following history, to invade it again; and being the constant and nearest enemies of the Israelites, they were most dreaded by them. And from these did Saul in some measure save them, and would have saved them much more, if his and the peoples sins had not hindered. For I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me Though he would not hear their cry to relieve them from the oppressions of their kings, (1Sa 8:18,) yet he was so gracious as to make those kings instruments of their deliverance from the oppression of their cruel neighbours.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
9:16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him [to be] captain over my people Israel, that he may {i} save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
(i) Despite their wickedness, yet God was ever mindful of his inheritance.