God's enablement of Saul 10:9-16

 

We should probably not interpret the reference to God changing Saul's heart (v. 9) to mean that at this time Saul experienced personal salvation. This always takes place when a person believes God's promise, and there is no indication in the context that Saul did that at this time. Probably it means that God gave him a different viewpoint on things since he had received the Holy Spirit.¹⁰⁷In Old Testament psychology the heart was the seat of the will.

God's Spirit also gave Saul the ability to prophesy (v. 10). This was the outward evidence that God was with Saul. It apparently involved the Holy Spirit controlling these men and their manifesting His control with ecstatic behavior (cf. 19:20-24). The evidence of this new gift surprised people who knew Saul, and they took note of it (v. 11).

The question, "Who is their father?"(v. 12) inquired about the source of the ecstatic behavior of all the prophets including Saul. It was indeed an evidence of God's presence and working in their lives.¹⁰⁸The proverb that evolved from this incident (cf. 19:24) was derogatory. Some of the people felt that the strange behavior of prophets was inappropriate, especially for their king (cf. 2 Sam. 6:13-16). Ironically their question did not express doubt that Saul was a prophet but confidence that God had empowered him.¹⁰⁹

The high place referred to in verse 13 is probably the same one mentioned earlier (vv. 5, 10), namely, Geba. Geba was only four miles from Saul's hometown, Gibeah. Saul's uncle may have been Abner (9:1; 14:50-51) or some other uncle.¹¹⁰

"These passages in 1 Samuel indicate that the writer of Samuel had no problem with high places so long as they were dedicated to Yahweh.

"In Kings, however, the attitude of the historian is clearly hostile to high places. He conceded the necessity of the people worshiping there (and by inference Solomon also) because of the lack of a temple. However, the historian was writing from a later perspective when religion had become syncretistic, and the high places were a snare to the people."¹¹¹

This section closes with another reference to Saul's humility (v. 16; cf. Phil 2:8; James 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:6).