1 Samuel 10:4

4 And when they have greeted thee, they shall give to thee two loaves, and thou shalt take those of their hand (and thou shalt take their loaves).

1 Samuel 10:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 10:4

And they will salute thee
Not as king, of which they knew nothing, but in a common way; and though a stranger and unknown to them, yet finding their hearts disposed and affected towards him, would inquire of his welfare, and wish him all happiness, peace, and prosperity:

and give thee two [loaves] of bread;
which was pretty much that they should give him two out of three, and leave but one for themselves, and especially if they were going to sacrifice; but perhaps they knew they could buy more bread at Bethel, and so were disposed to give two of their loaves to Saul, one for himself and another for his servant; though Kimchi thinks that these are not the same before called loaves; and indeed the word "loaves" is not in the text, but cakes of bread, which were lesser than loaves, and which they carried for their own use, besides three loaves of bread:

which thou shall receive of their hands;
being sent out by Samuel early that morning without eating any food, and having travelled some miles, might become weary and faint, and which the three men might discern, and so had compassion on them, and relieved them; and Saul was not to refuse the offer of them, but take them at their hands, though he was anointed to be king; and this was to teach him humility, and to be kind to the poor and needy, and relieve them when he was in more elevated circumstances. All these actions also were contingent, and when they came to pass, as they did, must be still more confirming than the former sign.

1 Samuel 10:4 In-Context

2 when thou shalt go from me today, thou shalt find two men beside the sepulchre of Rachel, in the ends of Benjamin, in midday; and they shall say to thee, The female asses be found, which thou wentest to seek; and while the asses be left (off caring about), thy father is (now) busy for you, and saith, What shall I do of my son? (when thou shalt go away from me today, thou shalt find two men beside the sepulchre of Rachel, at Zelzah, in the territory of Benjamin; and they shall say to thee, The female donkeys, which thou wentest to seek, be found; and the female donkeys be no more cared about, but thy father is now concerned about you, and saith, What shall I do about my son?)
3 And when thou hast gone from thence, and hast passed (forth) further, and hast come to the oak of Tabor, three men, going up to God into Bethel (going up to Bethel to worship God), shall find thee there, one man bearing three kids, and another man bearing three cakes of bread, and another man bearing a gallon of wine.
4 And when they have greeted thee, they shall give to thee two loaves, and thou shalt take those of their hand (and thou shalt take their loaves).
5 After these things thou shalt come into the hill of the Lord, where is the standing place, that is, the forcelet, of Philistines; and when thou shalt enter into the city, there thou shalt have meeting thee a flock, or a company, of prophets, coming down from the high place, and a psaltery, and a tympan, and a pipe, and an harp before them, and them prophesying. (After these things thou shalt come to the Hill of the Lord, where the stronghold of the Philistines is; and when thou shalt enter into the city, there thou shalt meet a group of prophets, coming down from the hill shrine, with a lute, and a drum, and a pipe, and a harp going before them, and them prophesying.)
6 And the Spirit of the Lord shall at once fall into thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and thou shalt be changed into another man.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.