Shmuel Alef 10:12

12 And an ish from that place answered and said, And who is avihem (their father, cf Amos 7:14)? Therefore it became a mashal (proverb), Is Sha’ul also among the nevi’im?

Shmuel Alef 10:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 10:12

And one of the same place answered, and said
One of the same city, and in the same company, that expressed their admiration at what was come to Saul, and at what he did, and wondering how he came into such company, and to have such a gift, who was of so mean an education:

but who is their father? the father of the prophets;
their fathers were not prophets, no more than Saul's was; their Father that taught them is the Lord, and he was able to teach Saul, and bestow on him the gift of prophecy, as well as on them; and so the Targum, who is their master or teacher; for though they might have an undermaster or teacher, as Samuel, or another prophet, yet their chief teacher was God; who could and did give men the gift of prophecy, and even in the highest sense, who had neither prophets for their fathers, nor were indeed trained up in any of the schools of the prophets, which was the case of Amos:

therefore it became a proverb, is Saul also among the prophets?
that when a person of a mean parentage, and of a low life and education, was raised up to any degree of dignity in sacred and civil things, they used to apply this proverbial expression to him, or speak of him in this manner, is Saul among the prophets?

Shmuel Alef 10:12 In-Context

10 And when they came there to the Giveah (Hill), hinei, a chevel (company, band) of nevi’im met him; and the Ruach [Hakodesh] of Elohim came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, hinei, he prophesied with the nevi’im, then HaAm said one to another, What is this that hath happened unto the Ben Kish? Is Sha’ul also among the nevi’im?

12 And an ish from that place answered and said, And who is avihem (their father, cf Amos 7:14)? Therefore it became a mashal (proverb), Is Sha’ul also among the nevi’im?

13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the bamah (high place).

14 And the dod Sha’ul said unto him and to his na’ar, Where went ye? And he said, To search for the donkeys; and when we saw that they were nowhere, we came to Shmuel.