1 Samuel 9:25

25 And they came down from the high place into the city; and Samuel spake with Saul in the solar, and Saul arrayed a bed in the solar (for himself), and slept. (And then they came down from the hill shrine into the city; and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof, and then Saul arrayed a bed for himself on the roof, and slept.)

1 Samuel 9:25 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 9:25

And when they came down from the high place into the city,
&c.] After the feast was ended; and though Ramah itself was situated on an eminence, yet it seems this high place was higher than that, being without the city upon an hill, and therefore they are said to come down from the one to the other; or they came down from the high place, and then ascended the hill to the city:

Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house:
of Samuel's house; when they were come thither, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of his house, which was flat, as the roofs of houses in this country were; see ( Deuteronomy 22:8 ) on which they could walk to and fro, and converse together; hence you read of preaching and praying on housetops, ( Matthew 10:27 ) ( Acts 10:9 ) what they communed about is not said, but may be guessed at, that it was about Saul's being made king; of the certainty of it, by divine designation; of the manner of executing that office wisely and justly; about the objections Saul had made of the smallness of his tribe and family; and of Samuel's willingness to resign the government to him, with other things of the like kind.

1 Samuel 9:25 In-Context

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.)
25 And they came down from the high place into the city; and Samuel spake with Saul in the solar, and Saul arrayed a bed in the solar (for himself), and slept. (And then they came down from the hill shrine into the city; and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof, and then Saul arrayed a bed for himself on the roof, and slept.)
26 And when they had risen early, and the day began to be clear, Samuel called Saul into the solar, and said, Rise thou up, that I deliver thee (Samuel called to Saul on the roof, and said, Rise thou up, so that I can let thee go). And Saul rose up, and both went out, that is, he, and Samuel.
27 And when they went down in(to) the last part of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Say thou to the servant, that he go before us, and pass [forth]; forsooth stand thou [still] a little, that I show to thee the word of the Lord (but thou stand here for a little while, so that I can tell thee the word of the Lord).
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.