What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 9:9? Formerly in Israel • The narrator pauses to give us a cultural footnote: “Formerly in Israel….” It is a simple reminder that Scripture roots real events in real history. • Similar historical asides appear in Judges 17:6 and Ruth 4:7, anchoring the story in time so later readers can track God’s unfolding plan. • By noting a former practice, the verse quietly underlines God’s faithfulness through changing generations (Psalm 102:24–27). A man on his way to inquire of God would say • Everyday Israelites expected direct guidance from the Lord. When decisions loomed—lost donkeys here in 1 Samuel 9, national crises in Judges 20:18, or personal matters in 1 Samuel 23:9–12—they “inquired of God.” • This expectation flows from promises like Deuteronomy 4:7: “What nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we call to Him?”. • The phrase also foreshadows the New Testament invitation to “come boldly to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16), showing the continuity of God’s accessibility. Come, let us go to the seer • “Seer” highlights the prophet’s role: one who sees what others cannot. God grants him vision into both present circumstances and future events (2 Kings 6:17; Amos 3:7). • In this chapter, Saul and his servant will discover that the seer (Samuel) already knows about their lost donkeys and about Saul’s destiny as king (1 Samuel 9:15–20). • The invitation “Come, let us go” illustrates communal faith—seeking God together, as seen later in Acts 13:2 when the church in Antioch listens to the Spirit while praying and fasting. For the prophet of today was formerly called the seer • The Spirit-inspired editor clarifies terminology for later readers: by Samuel’s era the title “seer” was common; by the time 1 Samuel was finally compiled, “prophet” had become standard (2 Kings 17:13). • While titles shift, the office remains: a mouthpiece of God (Exodus 7:1 with 4:16), commissioned to speak His word accurately (Deuteronomy 18:18–22). • The verse also safeguards continuity—reminding us that the God who spoke through “seers” in the past still speaks through His written Word today (2 Peter 1:19–21). summary 1 Samuel 9:9 is a Spirit-given footnote that bridges generations. It tells later readers that the “seer” Saul seeks is the same kind of “prophet” they know—God’s authorized spokesman. The note highlights Israel’s habit of inquiring of the Lord, underscores God’s readiness to guide His people, and assures us that, though vocabulary changes, the reliability of God’s Word and His servants never does. |
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