1 Samuel 9:22

22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the room where they would be eating. He seated them at the head table. About 30 people had been invited.

1 Samuel 9:22 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 9:22

And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into
the parlour
The dining room of the house, which belonged to the high place:

and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden;
and who very probably were the principal persons in the city; and yet Saul was placed at the head of them by Samuel, to convince him that what he had said to him was in earnest, and to do him honour before all the people; and for the sake of him, and to show his respect to him, he placed his servant; his minister, also in the chief place with him; what was reckoned the highest and most honourable places at table, (See Gill on Matthew 23:6). The guests were placed by the master of the feast according to their rank; and the dignity of the person, as Jarchi observes, was known by his manners and place of sitting:

which were about thirty persons;
more or less; Josephus ^F14 says seventy, disagreeing with the text, the Targum, Syriac and Arabic versions, but agreeing with the Septuagint.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 4. sect. 1.

1 Samuel 9:22 In-Context

20 Don't worry about the donkeys you lost three days ago. They've already been found. But who are all of the people of Israel longing for? You and your father's whole family!"

21 Saul answered, "But I'm from the tribe of Benjamin. It's the smallest tribe in Israel. And my family group is the least important in the whole tribe of Benjamin. So why are you saying that to me?"

22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the room where they would be eating. He seated them at the head table. About 30 people had been invited.

23 Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the piece of meat I gave you. It's the one I told you to put to one side."

24 So the cook went and got a choice piece of thigh. He set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, "Here is what has been kept for you. Eat it. It was put to one side for you for this special occasion. We've saved it for you ever since I invited the guests." And Saul ate with Samuel that day.