1 Samuel 9:11–18

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

And they answered them and said, “Yes, there he is, just ahead of you. Hurry now; for today he came to this city, because there is a sacrifice of the people today on the high place. As soon as you come into the city, you will surely find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up, for about this time you will find him.” So they went up to the city. As they were coming into the city, there was Samuel, coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.

Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying, “Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”

So when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, “There he is, the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall reign over My people.” Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, “Please tell me, where is the seer’s house?”

This is the moment when all the pieces come together and Samuel sees his king. Everything that happened was to prepare for this moment. Kish’s donkeys wandering off was part of God’s plan. Saul and his servant failing to find them before their bread ran out was another part. The servant having a quarter-shekel of silver in his pocket was also a part. Samuel arriving in town that day was part too.

And at this moment, Samuel knows what’s going on.

But Saul doesn’t have a clue.

The result will be an amusing series of interactions in which Saul is clearly off balance the whole time. Samuel is less than perfectly informed too—he has to depend on the LORD moment-by-moment for the specifics—but he knows where it’s all headed.

But Samuel can’t fill Saul in. There’s nothing specific he can say that would both make sense and be accurate. Thus, he’ll keep Saul in the dark in a way that looks almost cruel, and Saul will have to put up with this and just obey.

But it’s actually all perfectly orchestrated by God. Samuel’s great reputation gives him the credibility and authority to get away with all this mysteriousness.

And Saul is of a mind to follow along.

This is training. Saul is entering a mini-boot camp.

These Monday—Friday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. The Weekend DEEPs are written by Matt Richardson. To subscribe to all the DEEPs click here:

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.