1Sa 9:6-10 | KingComments | STEP | This chapter is full of details about Saul. In his long and fruitless search, the Holy Spirit shows what kind of a man Saul is. He is a man full of inability, but also full of unfamiliarity with the things of God. Not Saul, but his servant noticed that they are near a man of God and suggests the idea of visiting him. The servant takes the initiative. He knows of the man of God and gives a good testimony of him, of his honor among the people and of the trustworthiness of his words. Samuel is really a “letter, … known and read by all men” ( ), but apparently not by Saul. Saul does not seem to know about Samuel’s existence. That sheds a questionable light on his mindset. It seems that he has never heard of Samuel, or at least has shown no interest at all. Saul does not know the generally known prophet, although Samuel lives not far from him, about forty kilometers. On all his tours Samuel never visited the estate of Saul’s father and never enjoyed hospitality there. Saul will not have left the farm for the first time but will have had contacts somewhere more often. The subject of conversation may have been Samuel. His servant knows quite a bit about it. But in the whole history of Saul we see nowhere that he has a personal relationship with the LORD. Saul also depends on his servant to work out the suggestion, while he should lead his servant. He does not lead but is led. He believes that a service of the prophet of God should be paid for. The poor, ignorant man is not able to rise above the idea of payment. An appeal to mercy is unknown to him. The flesh has no understanding of God as Giver.

‏ 1 Samuel 9:6-10

Suggestion to Ask Samuel for Advice

This chapter is full of details about Saul. In his long and fruitless search, the Holy Spirit shows what kind of a man Saul is. He is a man full of inability, but also full of unfamiliarity with the things of God. Not Saul, but his servant noticed that they are near a man of God and suggests the idea of visiting him. The servant takes the initiative. He knows of the man of God and gives a good testimony of him, of his honor among the people and of the trustworthiness of his words. Samuel is really a “letter, … known and read by all men” (2Cor 3:2), but apparently not by Saul.

Saul does not seem to know about Samuel’s existence. That sheds a questionable light on his mindset. It seems that he has never heard of Samuel, or at least has shown no interest at all. Saul does not know the generally known prophet, although Samuel lives not far from him, about forty kilometers.

On all his tours Samuel never visited the estate of Saul’s father and never enjoyed hospitality there. Saul will not have left the farm for the first time but will have had contacts somewhere more often. The subject of conversation may have been Samuel. His servant knows quite a bit about it. But in the whole history of Saul we see nowhere that he has a personal relationship with the LORD.

Saul also depends on his servant to work out the suggestion, while he should lead his servant. He does not lead but is led. He believes that a service of the prophet of God should be paid for. The poor, ignorant man is not able to rise above the idea of payment. An appeal to mercy is unknown to him. The flesh has no understanding of God as Giver.

Prophet and Seer

Suddenly, as it seems, the writer says something about the difference between a prophet and a seer. The word “seer” appears here for the first time in the Bible. The difference between a prophet and a seer is that a prophet sends a message from God to the people, while a seer sees what other people do not see. A seer has insight into God’s thoughts, he receives revelations, even in cases as earthly as lost donkeys. A seer communicates what he sees (cf. Eze 13:3).

A seer is always a prophet, but a prophet is not always a seer. With “seer” the emphasis is more on the result, with “prophet” more on the source. Samuel is both. Saul and his servant ask for the seer (1Sam 9:11). They are more interested in the result than in what God thinks of it.

Opposite the seer is the blind Saul. When we see the Lord Jesus in glory (Heb 2:9), we have something to communicate. If we are “seers” in this respect, we can also be “prophets”. If we are blind to the glory of the Lord Jesus, we cannot pass on anything about Him.

Girls Show Saul the Way

Saul is convinced by his servant. They go on their way to the city where Samuel is. To get to the city they must climb a hill. We can see in it the symbol that Saul must reach a certain spiritual height to receive certain revelations.

To find the way to Samuel, Saul again depends on others, this time on girls they meet on the way. In a spiritual sense it appears that he does not know the way to God’s Word, represented in Samuel. The girls know where Samuel is and what he is going to do. They tell about it with enthusiasm.

The girls are on their way to draw water. This speaks of getting refreshment from the Word as the preparation to testify of the man of God. They are familiar with the source and the sacrifice, about which they also tell. Girls represent weakness, humility and dependence, the right characteristics to be able to draw from the source. Thus young believers, men and women, can, if they are dependent on the Lord, be used by Him to testify of Him through what they have drawn from God’s Word (cf. 2Kgs 5:2-3).

Saul and his servant follow the instructions of the girls. Then the meeting takes place between the future king and the prophet. This meeting takes place at the very moment that a public sacrifice festival is being held. This is no coincidence. It indicates that the basis of government is the sacrifice. What is known for the whole city, turns out to be unknown for Saul. It seems as if he is hearing of the sacrifice for the first time.