1 Samuel 9 ~ Behold

If you want directions to the Prophet Samuel 's the site of his 1100 B.C.house or tomb, the Prophet who anointed David and Saul, you would need to read the directions in the Bible to find this - Today.. One of the biblical proof''s would be Judas Maccabeus, in 167 B.C., honored the site as Samuel's tomb. In 1 Samuel 25, Samuel was buried at his house in Ramah. Today Nebi Samuel and the surrounding archeological excavations are now part of a National Park. Samuel's house was also where Saul went to meet him for the first time.

1 Samuel 9

There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. 2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.” 4 And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.

5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us.” 

 6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”

7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” 

8 The servant answered Saul again, “Here, I have with me a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer,” for today's “prophet” was formerly called a seer.)

 10 And Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

11 As they went up the hill to the city, they met young women coming out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?” 

12 They answered, “He is; behold, he is just ahead of you. Hurry. He has come just now to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place. 13 As soon as you enter the city you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat till he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately.” 

14 So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.

15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.” 

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.” 

18 Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?”

19 Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind. 20 As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?” 

21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”

22 Then Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited, who were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Put it aside.’” 

24 So the cook took up the leg and what was on it and set them before Saul. And Samuel said, “See, what was kept is set before you. Eat, because it was kept for you until the hour appointed, that you might eat with the guests.”

So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 And when they came down from the high place into the city, a bed was spread for Saul [and he spoke with Saul] on the roof, and he lay down to sleep. 26 Then at the break of dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Up, that I may send you on your way.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.

27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”

Behold ! This is a word we don't hear enough. The ability not just to hear & see, but to observe and reason!

Life moves faster and faster. My oldest son was fortunate to go to a very privileged school when he was young; we routinely received school messages from the principal, or the priest, or guidance counselor saying it is wonderful to have all types of lessons & athletic competitions, but every child really learns from having time to themselves. We need to have time to discover for ourselves our...soul.

When you read this passage of Saul do you rush through it because Saul didn't turn out to fulfill his potential? Handsome, wealthy, tall, considerate of his father, polite, diligent for the needs of his family, faithful and humble. I really had forgotten Saul had so many blessings.

Proverbs 14:10
The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.

Of all Saul's attributes, the most important, Saul understands to seek direction from God. By Samuel 15 (notice the Scriptures do not have a book of Saul) the Lord is replacing Saul, Saul transferred his respect for God to the ability to make fast decisions for himself. Saul began to honor all of his own decisions as wise.


We may rush through the Biblical chapters of Saul, but even Samuel cared for Saul and mourned his trouble. Saul may have made a hash of it all, even murdering the priests for doing God's will. At the end of Saul's life, Samuel tells Saul he will be with him.

God knew and saw all of Saul's life; as we would recall a movie we have already seen. Saul did not do well all of his days, yet the Lord lived with Saul in Saul's heart, knowing his joy and his bitterness. The Lord loved Saul and gave us his life as lesson to remember to seek the Lord and realize He is close to us, even when we feel invincible, or overwhelmed, un-blessed, and pressed for a decision.

How will we keep God's Holy Presence with us? Solomon wanted God and spent a lot of time in High Places, not the Temple asking God to speak with him. Saul too felt the need for God. Father God tells us He can be found doing His Will.


Matthew 28:20
Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
 And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Remember Samuel loved Saul and mourned him.

John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another


The Bible is Living and Active.

This is a story for TODAY:
Saul is the story of loyalty. Saul was honored as king. Saul killed priests or the idea of holiness and holy decisions. Saul mocked his son and swore at him. The nation was not led by a well man. He had evil tempers and they were soothed by music and now he had chased away the one who soothed him.

Saul is a story that David, Israel, his sons stood by Saul and lived God's plan with him. Perhaps 1 Samuel 9 reminded them of where they started. And what was important in Saul.

This is a story of honoring, loyalty and God's Plan. We can substitute this name for the person we have loyalty and honor towards them, not whitewashing what is true. This is a complicated part of God and He gives us road maps of Bible Saints who are in difficult situations and challenges us to keep love (like Jonathon) in faith and hope and understand with gratitude Scriptures point out complications and honor. God gives us work just like David, Jonathon and Israel.




May the Lord Father God bless us and keep us as we entrust our cares to Him. May He make His Face shine upon us as we live trustfully and faithfully in Jesus.  May the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY LIFT HIS FACE and be Gracious to us and give us Peace. Telling us He blesses us as a blessing of Him, not what we deserve or earn. And may we have this Peace as we Believe His Word. In Jesus for us, the people we love, the people He gives us and this Nation. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †