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Is it not because ... - Samuel answers Saul's tacit or expressed wonder, by telling him why he did as he did. (Compare 1 Samuel 9:21.)

How should Saul know that what Samuel said was the word of the Lord? Samuel gives him a sign, "Thou shalt find two men," etc. (Compare Judges 6:36-40; Isaiah 7:11-14; John 6:30; Mark 11:2; Mark 14:13, etc.)

Zelzah - A place absolutely unknown.

The plain of Tabor - It should be "the oak or terebinth"" of Tabor" (Judges 4:11 note). It has been ingeniously conjectured that "Tabor" is either a different form of "Deborah," or a corruption of it, and that the "oak," or "terebinth of Tabor," is the same as "Allon-bachuth," the oak under which Deborah was buried, and which lay "beneath Bethel" Genesis 35:8. The terebinth, where the three men came upon Saul, must have been at some point previous to that where the road leading northward from Jerusalem branches; when they reached that point they would go on with their offerings to Bethel, he would pursue his journey to Gibeah.

Hill of God - Rather, "Gibeah" of God, and so in 1 Samuel 10:10. Two things are clear; "one" that Saul had got home when he got to Gibeah of God, for there he found his uncle, and no further journeying is so much as hinted at, and the same word "Gibeah" describes his home at 1 Samuel 10:26. The "other" that there was a high place at Gibeah just above the city, from which he met the company of prophets "coming down." Hence, it is obvious to conclude that the name "Gibeah of God" (which occurs nowhere else) was sometimes given to Gibeah of Saul on account of the worship on its high place, or, possibly, that the name "Gibeah of God" described the whole hill on a part of which the city Gibeah stood.

Where is the garrison of the Philistines - It seems strange that Samuel should give this description of Gibeah to Saul, who must have been so well acquainted with it. Possibly they may be explanatory words inserted by the narrator with reference to 1 Samuel 13:2.

Musical instruments were the accompaniments of the prophetic song 1 Chronicles 13:8; 1 Chronicles 25:3. The "Psaltery" is a kind of lyre with ten strings, in the shape of an earthen wine bottle (נבל nebel, whence νάβλα nabla) which was something like a sugar-loaf or a delta. The tabret is a kind of drum or tambourine, or timbrel, usually played by dancing women (Exodus 15:20; Judges 11:34. Compare Jeremiah 31:4). The pipe חליל châlı̂yl, literally the "bored" or "pierced" instrument) is a kind of flute used on occasions of joy and mirth Isaiah 5:12; 1 Kings 1:40; Psalm 68:25. The "harp" כנור kı̂nnôr, whence the Greek κινύρα kinura was a stringed instrument, and that played upon by David 1 Samuel 16:16; 1 Samuel 19:9; Psalm 43:4; Psalm 57:8.

Will come upon thee - The word rendered "come," means to "come" or "pass upon," as fire does when it breaks out and spreads Amos 5:6; hence, it is frequently used of the Spirit of God passing upon anyone. (See Judges 14:19; Judges 15:14; below 1 Samuel 10:10; 1 Samuel 11:6; 1 Samuel 16:13.)

Shalt be turned into another man - This is a remarkable expression, and occurs nowhere else. It describes the change in point of mental power and energy which would result from the influx of the Spirit of the Lord 1 Samuel 10:9. In the case of Samson it was a supernatural bodily strength; in the case of Saul a capacity for ruling and leading the people of which before he was destitute, and which the Spirit worked in him. (Compare Acts 1:8; Isaiah 11:2-4.)

Seven days shalt thou tarry ... - The appointment here made is not to be confounded with that mentioned in marginal reference.

But who is their father - This is a very obscure phrase. If by "father" be intended the head or leader (compare 1 Chronicles 25:6; 2 Kings 2:12) of the prophets, the question means: "What kind of leader can they have to admit such a person as Saul into the company?" Some versions read "Who is his father?" in the sense: "Who would have expected Kish to have a son among the prophets?" (Compare Matthew 13:54-55.)

From the order of the narrative, and the mention of Saul's servant, it looks as if Saul found his uncle at the high place. Perhaps some solemnity similar to that mentioned in 1 Samuel 9:19 was going on at this time, in which the prophets had been taking part.