1Sa 9:22-27 | Clarke | STEP | Verse 22 Brought them into the parlour - It might as well be called kitchen; it was the place where they sat down to feast.

1 Samuel 9:22-27

Verse 22

Brought them into the parlour - It might as well be called kitchen; it was the place where they sat down to feast. Verse 23

Said unto the cook - טבח tabbach, here rendered cook; the singular of טבחות tabbachoth, female cooks, 1Sam 8:13, from the root tabach, to slay or butcher. Probably the butcher is here meant. Verse 24

The shoulder, and that which was upon it - Probably the shoulder was covered with a part of the caul, that it might be the better roasted. The Targum has it the shoulder and its thigh; not only the shoulder merely, but the fore-leg bone to the knee; perhaps the whole fore-quarter. Why was the shoulder set before Saul? Not because it was the best part, but because it was an emblem of the government to which he was now called. See Isa 9:6 : And the government shall be upon his Shoulder. Verse 25

Upon the top of the house - All the houses in the East were flat-roofed; on these people walked, talked, and frequently slept, for the sake of fresh and cooling air. Verse 26

Called Saul to the top of the house - Saul had no doubt slept there all night; and now, it being the break of day, "Samuel called to Saul on the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away." There was no calling him to the house-top a second time he was sleeping there, and Samuel called him up. Verse 27

As they were going down - So it appears that Saul arose immediately, and Samuel accompanied him out of the town, and sent the servant on that he might show Saul the word, the counsel or design, of the Lord. What this was we shall see in the following chapter, 1 Samuel 10 (note).