Comentário do capítulo
1 Samuel Capítulo 9
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1Sa 9:1-14.
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Original em inglês
1Sa 9:1-14.
SAUL, DESPAIRING TO FIND HIS FATHER'S ASSES, COMES TO SAMUEL.
1. a mighty man of power--that is, of great wealth and substance. The family was of high consideration in the tribe of Benjamin, and therefore Saul's words must be set down among the common forms of affected humility, which Oriental people are wont to use.
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2. 掃羅——一個俊美的少年人——他相貌堂堂；因為顯然他身高必接近七英尺。在那個時代的那個地方，魁梧的身材和健壯的體格必是百姓所推崇的。
Original em inglês
2. Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly--He had a fine appearance; for it is evident that he must have been only a little under seven feet tall. A gigantic stature and an athletic frame must have been a popular recommendation at that time in that country.
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3節. 掃羅的父親基士丟了幾頭母驢。基士對掃羅說……起來，去尋找驢. 很可能是按照純牧區東方牧人自古以來的慣例，基士家在放牧季節任牲畜自由遊蕩，季節一過便派人尋找。這樣的旅行搜尋很常見；每個主人都在自己的牲畜上打有自己的印記，向所遇見的牧人提及此事，便能逐步發現走失的牲畜。掃羅的這趟遊蕩本無特別之處，只是其更高的指引與結局是例外，把不確定的事變成確定的事。
Original em inglês
3. the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul . . . arise, go seek the asses--The probability is that the family of Kish, according to the immemorial usage of Oriental shepherds in the purely pastoral regions, had let the animals roam at large during the grazing season, at the close of which messengers were despatched in search of them. Such travelling searches are common; and, as each owner has his own stamp marked on his cattle, the mention of it to the shepherds he meets gradually leads to the discovery of the strayed animals. This ramble of Saul's had nothing extraordinary in it, except its superior directions and issue, which turned its uncertainty into certainty.
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4、5節. 他穿過以法蓮山地. 這地位於便雅憫之北，表明掃羅行程的方向。他所探索的地區，包括以法蓮所屬的全境山地，連同其中的山谷和隘口。他顯然轉向南——也許經過示羅與約旦谷之間青翠的山丘（沙利沙和沙琳）——又走近便雅憫的邊界，搜遍蘇弗地，正打算回去，他的僕人想起他們就在神人的近旁，他必能給他們出主意。
Original em inglês
4, 5. he passed through mount Ephraim--This being situated on the north of Benjamin, indicates the direction of Saul's journey. The district explored means the whole of the mountainous region, with its valleys and defiles, which belonged to Ephraim. Turning apparently southwards--probably through the verdant hills between Shiloh and the vales of Jordan (Shalisha and Shalim)--he approached again the borders of Benjamin, scoured the land of Zuph, and was proposing to return, when his servant recollected that they were in the immediate neighborhood of the man of God, who would give them counsel.
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6. 這城裡有一位神人——拉瑪是撒母耳慣常的住所，但有幾個情況——尤其是提到拉結的墳墓，它位於掃羅回家的路上
[1Sa 10:2]——
使人推斷「這城」並非撒母耳所居住的拉瑪。
或者他能將我們當走的路指示我們——竟然為這樣的事去請教一位德高望重的先知，似乎很奇怪。但很可能在先知職分設立之初，先見們能尋見遺失或被偷之物，因此他們作更高啟示的能力逐漸被確立。
Original em inglês
6. there is in this city a man of God--Ramah was the usual residence of Samuel, but several circumstances, especially the mention of Rachel's sepulchre, which lay in Saul's way homeward
[1Sa 10:2],
lead to the conclusion that "this city" was not the Ramah where Samuel dwelt.
peradventure he can show us our way that we should go--It seems strange that a dignified prophet should be consulted in such an affair. But it is probable that at the introduction of the prophetic office, the seers had discovered things lost or stolen, and thus their power for higher revelations was gradually established.
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7. 掃羅對僕人說：我們若去，要給那人甚麼呢？——按照東方的觀念，任何人空手去見一位地位崇高或有官職的長者，都會被視為失禮，無論所帶之物的價值多麼微薄。
我們器皿裡的餅都吃盡了——牧人出去尋找牛羊時，會在袋中裝夠製餅的麵粉，有時可維持三十日。看來掃羅想從他的旅行袋中給神人一個餅，這就足以履行這不可或缺的禮貌——對官員尊嚴的慣常致敬。
Original em inglês
7. Saul said to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man?--According to Eastern notions, it would be considered a want of respect for any person to go into the presence of a superior man of rank or of official station without a present of some kind in his hand, however trifling in value.
the bread is spent in our vessels--Shepherds, going in quest of their cattle, put up in a bag as much flour for making bread as will last sometimes for thirty days. It appears that Saul thought of giving the man of God a cake from his travelling bag, and this would have been sufficient to render the indispensable act of civility--the customary tribute to official dignity.
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8. 銀子一舍客勒的四分之一——略多於六便士。與我們西方的觀念相反，在東方，金錢是向一位有地位之人致送禮物最受歡迎的形式。
Original em inglês
8. the fourth part of a shekel of silver--rather more than sixpence. Contrary to our Western notions, money is in the East the most acceptable form in which a present can be made to a man of rank.
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9. 先見……先知——後來所公認的區別是：先見是蒙恩得見神異象——看見肉眼所不能見之事的人；而先知是預言未來事件的人。
Original em inglês
9. seer . . . Prophet--The recognized distinction in latter times was, that a seer was one who was favored with visions of God--a view of things invisible to mortal sight; and a prophet foretold future events.
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11-13. 他們上坡進城的時候——現代的村莊 Er-Rameh 位於一個高地上；在路上他們遇見一群年輕女子出城到井邊打水，那井像巴勒斯坦所有類似的地方一樣，是在城鎮範圍之外的。從這些女子那裡他們得知那日是一個節日，撒母耳為此來到了城中；已經獻了祭——這是在遠離帳幕的特殊情況下由先知所作的——並且將要設筵——暗示這是一個平安祭；而且按照以色列人古老的慣例，神人被期望以符合這崇高場合的方式為食物求特別的祝福。
Original em inglês
11-13. as they went up the hill--The modern village, Er-Rameh, lies on an eminence; and on their way they met a band of young maidens going out to the well, which, like all similar places in Palestine, was beyond the precincts of the town. From these damsels they learned that the day was devoted to a festival occasion, in honor of which Samuel had arrived in the city; that a sacrifice had been offered, which was done by prophets in extraordinary circumstances at a distance from the tabernacle, and that a feast was to follow--implying that it had been a peace offering; and that, according to the venerable practice of the Israelites, the man of God was expected to ask a special blessing on the food in a manner becoming the high occasion.
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14. 撒母耳出來迎著他們，要上邱壇去——那時代的風尚如此純樸，這位先知——以色列的首席人物——被看到去主持一個盛大節日，無論在衣著或車馬上都不與任何普通公民有所區別。
Original em inglês
14. Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place--Such were the simple manners of the times that this prophet, the chief man in Israel, was seen going to preside at a high festival undistinguished either by his dress or equipage from any ordinary citizen.
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1Sa 9:15-27.
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1Sa 9:15-27.
神向撒母耳啟示掃羛的來臨，以及他被任命為王。
15, 16. 掃羛未到的前一日，耶和華已經啟示撒母耳說——關於掃羛的描述、他到達的時間、以及他將要擔任的高位，都已從天上暗中通知了撒母耳。以色列未來的王將要為耶和華爭戰並保護祂的百姓。看來他們當時正遭受非利士人極大的騷擾，這是他們迫切要求立王的額外理由（見
1Sa 10:5; 13:3)。
Original em inglês
1Sa 9:15-27.
GOD REVEALS TO SAMUEL SAUL'S COMING, AND HIS APPOINTMENT TO THE KINGDOM.
15, 16. Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before--The description of Saul, the time of his arrival, and the high office to which he was destined, had been secretly intimated to Samuel from heaven. The future king of Israel was to fight the battles of the Lord and protect His people. It would appear that they were at this time suffering great molestation from the Philistines, and that this was an additional reason of their urgent demands for the appointment of a king (see
1Sa 10:5; 13:3).
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18-20. 請告訴我，先見的家在哪裡？——撒母耳滿足了這陌生人的詢問，邀請他赴筵，並留他住宿到次日；為了使他能接受這延遲，向他保證那些走失的驢已經找回了。
Original em inglês
18-20. Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is--Satisfying the stranger's inquiry, Samuel invited him to the feast, as well as to sojourn till the morrow; and, in order to reconcile him to the delay, he assured him that the strayed asses had been recovered.
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20, 21. 以色列眾人所仰慕的是誰呢？不是你和你父的全家嗎？——這是對他將要得著之王尊的含蓄而間接的暗示；雖然掃羛的回答顯示他完全明白，卻假裝懷疑先知是否認真的。
Original em inglês
20, 21. on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?--This was a covert and indirect premonition of the royal dignity that awaited him; and, though Saul's answer shows that he fully understood it, he affected to doubt that the prophet was in earnest.
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21. 掃羛回答說：我不是以色列支派中便雅憫人嗎？ 等——藉著從這最小而幾乎滅絕的支派
(Jud 20:46-48)
中選立一個王，神的智慧旨在消除其他支派之間一切嫉妒的理由。
Original em inglês
21. And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, &c.--By selecting a king from this least and nearly extinct tribe
(Jud 20:46-48),
divine wisdom designed to remove all grounds of jealousy among the other tribes.
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22. 撒母耳領了掃羅和他的僕人，帶他們進了客堂——這位風塵僕僕卻儀表堂堂的旅人，忽然發現自己被安排坐在當地的首要人物之中，被當作最尊貴的客人款待。
Original em inglês
22. Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour--The toil-worn but noble-looking traveller found himself suddenly seated among the principal men of the place and treated as the most distinguished guest.
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24. 廚子就把腿肉……收起來放在掃羅面前。撒母耳說：這是留下的，放在你面前，你吃吧——即特意保留的（參見
Ge 18:7；
Ge 43:34）。
這多半是右腿；作為祭物的歸定份，它是屬於撒母耳的，他已將其留給所期待的客人。在埃及肉鋪的雕刻中，所割下的第一塊也總是右腿，歸給祭司。其他客人必定明白這些特殊禮遇的含義。
Original em inglês
24. the cook took up the shoulder . . . and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left; set it before thee, and eat--that is, reserved (see on
Ge 18:7;
Ge 43:34).
This was, most probably, the right shoulder; which, as the perquisite of the sacrifice, belonged to Samuel, and which he had set aside for his expected guest. In the sculptures of the Egyptian shambles, also, the first joint taken off was always the right shoulder for the priest. The meaning of those distinguished attentions must have been understood by the other guests.
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25-27. 撒母耳和掃羅在房頂上說話——掃羅被留在先知那裡過夜。就寢之前，他們在房屋平坦的屋頂上交談，臥鋪就鋪在那裡（見
Jos 2:6），
毫無疑問，撒母耳在那裡向他啟示了奧秘，並描述了在一個與神聖君王如此密切相關的國家中，君王當盡的特殊職責。第二天清晨，撒母耳叫醒了他的客人，在送他走向城郊的路上，臨別前尋求一次私下的談話——其目的記述在下一章。
Original em inglês
25-27. Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house--Saul was taken to lodge with the prophet for that night. Before retiring to rest, they communed on the flat roof of the house, the couch being laid there
(Jos 2:6),
when, doubtless, Samuel revealed the secret and described the peculiar duties of a monarch in a nation so related to the Divine King as Israel. Next morning early, Samuel roused his guest, and conveying him on his way towards the skirts of the city, sought, before parting, a private interview--the object of which is narrated in the next chapter.
撒上9:1-14。
掃羅絕望地尋找父親的驢，來到撒母耳那裏。
1. 大能的勇士——即擁有大量財富和產業的。這個家族在便雅憫支派中地位崇高，因此掃羅的話只能算作東方人慣用的假意謙卑之辭。