An Odd King and His Baggage

This is the study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting July 25 to study 1 Samuel 10.  This is an interesting chapter.  It has some elements in it that are remarkable, and some that reveal unexpected character.

Read the chapter through several times.  There are plenty of places that should generate questions.  Be sure to use a couple of translations if you have them.  Jot down questions about events that strike you as strange or unexpected.  Look up what you can about any of them.

After reading through and making a list of your questions, review the chapter again using the questions below:

• Samuel gives three signs to affirm his anointing of Saul, meetings along the road; how might each of them affirm Samuel's selection of Saul as king?
• What significance might there be to the places these meetings take place?
• Read the article at this link.  In paragraph 4, Saul is mentioned in his "prophetic" experience here.  But the comment is that he is "entirely estranged" from God.  Why would you agree or disagree with this assessment?
• What are the prophets from the "Hill of God" doing as they come down the "hill"?  What do you imagine it to look and sound like?
• Look at verse 6 in a few translations.  What does that mean for Saul?
• If you were told that you could do anything because God was with you, what would you do?
• The places don't match (Gilgal and Mizpah), why might that be?
• When does the change referred to in verse 6 happen to Saul?  What might be significant about the timing?
• Of the three signs, only 1 is described actually happening.  What might be the significance of this one being described?
• Saul ends up on the high place of worship once he's done prophesying.  His uncle asks him about what he's been doing or what has been happening to him.  Why might Saul's answers not completely answer his uncle's curiosity?
• What do you think about the people's reaction to Samuel's description of why they're there?  Why do you think no one thinks twice about selecting a king?
• Why do you think Saul is scarce now?  What might his reluctance reveal about him?
• What would you call the quick inquiry of God to find Saul's hiding place?
• Who writes the ordinances of the king, and where do they go?  Why might that not have been a good idea?
• Read verse 26 in as many translations as you can.  What is different about the description of the young men?  Why might that be so different?
• Think about verse 27, besides the worthless men, what else is revealed here that wasn't before?
• What does Saul's silence say about his character at this point?

These questions will hopefully get you thinking about the chapter a little differently.  There aren't wrong answers, the point is having an answer for yourself, not guessing mine.  Hopefully, this is where we can see God piecing together views of His character that we all need to better understand Him.