John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. And thou shall go down before me to Gilgal , etc.] Not immediately; for the first summons of the people, and of Saul, and the first meeting of them by Samuel, were at Mizpeh, where Saul was chosen by lot; nor the first time of Saul’s being at Gilgal, when the kingdom was renewed; for Saul had no need to wait seven days there, since he and Samuel went together, ( 1 Samuel 11:14) rather at the second time of his being there, where not staying the time quite up, was reproved for it, which was two years after this, ( 1 Samuel 13:1,8,13), though it may be this was a general rule to be observed by Saul, that whenever anything turned up of importance to the children of Israel, and was a difficulty with him, he should go to Gilgal, and there wait seven days for Samuel, from the time he gave him notice of it, who would come at the appointed time, and would give him what advice and instructions were necessary; and this place was the rather appointed, because it was the place where the Israelites first pitched their camp when they came over Jordan, and where the tabernacle first was; and where prayer and sacrifices were wont to be made; and where the kingdom of Saul was renewed; and which lay convenient for all the tribes, both on the one and the other side of Jordan: and, behold, I will come down to thee to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings ; so he did when the kingdom was renewed, and Saul was confirmed in it, ( 1 Samuel 11:15) but two years after, Saul not staying the full time, he offered them himself by another, for which he was reproved, ( 1 Samuel 13:9-13) seven days shalt thou tarry till I come to thee ; either from the time of the notice he should give to Samuel of his going thither, or from the time of his arrival there; for it can by no means be understood as from the time of his present departure from him, for the reasons before given: and show thee what thou shalt do ; in the then present emergency or difficulty on his hands; and this he said to encourage him under the weight and burden of government laid upon him.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - The sacred anointing, then used, pointed at the great Messiah, or Anointed One, the King of the church, and High Priest of ou profession, who was anointed with the oil of the Spirit, not be measure, but without measure, and above all the priests and princes of the Jewish church. For Saul's further satisfaction, Samuel gives his some signs which should come to pass the same day. The first place he directs him to, was the sepulchre of one of his ancestors; there he must be reminded of his own mortality, and now that he had a crow before him, must think of his grave, in which all his honour would be laid in the dust. From the time of Samuel there appears to have bee schools, or places where pious young men were brought up in the knowledge of Divine things. Saul should find himself strongly moved to join with them, and should be turned into another man from what he ha been. The Spirit of God changes men, wonderfully transforms them. Saul by praising God in the communion of saints, became another man, but it may be questioned if he became a new man.
Original Hebrew וירדת3381 לפני6440 הגלגל1537 והנה2009 אנכי595 ירד3381 אליך413 להעלות5927 עלות5930 לזבח2076 זבחי2077 שׁלמים8002 שׁבעת7651 ימים3117 תוחל3176 עד5704 בואי935 אליך413 והודעתי3045 לך את853 אשׁר834 תעשׂה׃6213
