1Sa 9:9, 11 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 9. Beforetime in Israel ] This passage could not have been a part of this book originally: but we have already conjectured that Samuel, or some contemporary author, wrote the memoranda, out of which a later author compiled this book. This hypothesis, sufficiently reasonable in itself, solves all difficulties of this kind. Was beforetime called a seer. ] The word seer , roeh , occurs for the first time in this place; it literally signifies a person who SEES ; particularly preternatural sights. A seer and a prophet were the same in most cases; only with this difference, the seer was always a prophet , but the prophet was not always a seer . A seer seems to imply one who frequently met with, and saw , some symbolical representation of God. The term prophet was used a long time before this; Abraham is called a prophet , , and the term frequently occurs in the law. Besides, the word seer does not occur before this time; but often occurs afterwards down through the prophets, for more than three hundred years. See ; . All prophets, false and true, profess to see God; see the case of Balaam , , and . All diviners , in their enthusiastic flights, boasted that they had those things exhibited to their sight which should come to pass. There is a remarkable account in Virgil which may serve as a specimen of the whole; the Sibyl professes to be a seer :- ________________ Bella, horrida bella, Et Tyberim molto spumantem sanguine CERNO. AEN. lib. vi., ver. 86. Wars, horrid wars, I VIEW; a field of blood; And Tyber rolling with a purple flood. I think the 9th verse comes more naturally in after the 11th.

‏ 1 Samuel 9:9

Verse 9. Beforetime in Israel] This passage could not have been a part of this book originally: but we have already conjectured that Samuel, or some contemporary author, wrote the memoranda, out of which a later author compiled this book. This hypothesis, sufficiently reasonable in itself, solves all difficulties of this kind.

Was beforetime called a seer.] The word seer, roeh, occurs for the first time in this place; it literally signifies a person who SEES; particularly preternatural sights. A seer and a prophet were the same in most cases; only with this difference, the seer was always a prophet, but the prophet was not always a seer. A seer seems to imply one who frequently met with, and saw, some symbolical representation of God. The term prophet was used a long time before this; Abraham is called a prophet, Ge 20:7, and the term frequently occurs in the law. Besides, the word seer does not occur before this time; but often occurs afterwards down through the prophets, for more than three hundred years. See Am 7:12; Mic 3:7.

All prophets, false and true, profess to see God; see the case of Balaam, Nu 24:4, 16, and Jer 14:14. All diviners, in their enthusiastic flights, boasted that they had those things exhibited to their sight which should come to pass. There is a remarkable account in Virgil which may serve as a specimen of the whole; the Sibyl professes to be a seer:-

________________ Bella, horrida bella, Et Tyberim molto spumantem sanguine CERNO.

AEN. lib. vi., ver. 86.

Wars, horrid wars, I VIEW; a field of blood;

And Tyber rolling with a purple flood.

I think the 9th verse comes more naturally in after the 11th. 1Sa 9:9, 11

‏ 1 Samuel 9:11

Verse 11. Young maidens going out to draw water] So far is it from being true, that young women were always kept closely shut up at home, that we find them often in the field, drawing and carrying water, as here.