1 Samuel 9:18 Commentary and Bible Study

Saul asks, and Samuel tells him quite simply, ‘I am the seer.’ Saul had never seen Samuel. Forty years of age, offspring of a wealthy and powerful family in Benjamin, just down the road, five miles away, and he had never seen Samuel. Samuel toured for six months of the year all the towns, and had no doubt visited Saul's town, but he had never seen him, and he didn't recognise him. This is the first king of Israel. ‘Go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart’, which probably means I will tell you your life story: it is going to be one of the signs. Saul is going to be given certain extraordinary signs that Samuel is indeed a prophet of God, who has rightly identified him and designated him to be king over Israel, and the first is that this remarkable seer will know all about him. He is going to tell Saul about himself, and that will authenticate Samuel's word to him when he anoints him to be king. Samuel incidentally tells him that the asses are found: ‘Take your mind off them’; they are not the reason you are here.