1 Samuel 9:22

22 And so Samuel took Saul, and his servant, and led them into the chamber of three orders (of seats, or benches), and he gave to them a place in the beginning of them that were called, (or bidden to the meat); for they were as thirty men. (And then Samuel took Saul, and his servant, and led them into a chamber with three rows of seats, or benches, and he gave them a place at the head of those who were called, or were bidden to the meal; for there were about thirty men there.)

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 And be thou not busy of the female asses, which thou lostest the third day ago, for those be found; and whose shall be all the best things of Israel, whether not to thee, and to all the house of thy father? (And be thou not concerned about the female donkeys, which went missing three days ago, for they be found; and now I ask thee, who shall be regarded as the very best in Israel, whether not thee, and all of thy father's family?)

21 And Saul answered, and said, Whether I am not a son of Benjamin, of the least lineage of Israel, and my kindred is the last among all the families of the lineage of Benjamin? Why therefore hast thou spoken to me this word? (And Saul answered, Am I not a Benjaminite, yea, of the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my kindred, or my family, the least among all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then hast thou spoken such a word to me?)

22 And so Samuel took Saul, and his servant, and led them into the chamber of three orders (of seats, or benches), and he gave to them a place in the beginning of them that were called, (or bidden to the meat); for they were as thirty men. (And then Samuel took Saul, and his servant, and led them into a chamber with three rows of seats, or benches, and he gave them a place at the head of those who were called, or were bidden to the meal; for there were about thirty men there.)

23 And Samuel said to the cook, Give thou the part which I gave to thee (Bring thou out the portion which I gave thee), and commanded, that thou shouldest keep (it) by itself with thee.

24 And the cook took up a shoulder, and he set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Lo! that, that hath (been) left, take before thee, and eat; for of (this) purpose it was kept to thee, when I called the people hither. And Saul ate with Samuel that day. (And the cook took up a shoulder, and he put it before Saul. And Samuel said, Lo! that which was kept, take for thyself, and now eat it; for it was kept for thee for this purpose, when I called the people here. And so Saul ate with Samuel that day.)