1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

48 Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 2007 Edition"Had he realized it, Saul could have gained much by the presence of aseasoned prophet like Samuel alongside him, ready to give guidance,instruction and, if necessary, rebuke. Above all, Samuel was an intercessorwho knew the Lord's mind, and saw prayer answered. Samuel wouldindicate the right way, and all Saul had to do was follow. He could haveleant hard on Samuel and he would have found reassurance. In the event,this was exactly what Saul could not bring himself to do." 143Saul's improper response to his predecessor, Samuel, should be a warning to all ministerswhose predecessors remain on the scene after they replace them.1. Saul's disobedience at Gilgal 13:1-15The writer introduced the history of Saul's reign by referring to the king's age andpossibly the length of his reign. Verse one contains a textual corruption in the Hebrewtext. 144 There the verse reads, "Saul was . . . years old when he began to reign, and hereigned . . . two years over Israel." My ellipses indicate omissions (lacunas) in theHebrew text.The first problem is Saul's age when he began to reign. No other text of Scripture givesus his age at this time. The NASB translators have supplied "40" and the NIV and NETtranslators "30." The AV translators wrote, "Saul [was . . . years old]," leaving thenumber undefined.Saul reigned about 40 years (Acts 13:21). If he was about 40 years old when he began toreign, he would have been about 80 when he died in battle on Mt. Gilboa (ch. 31). Thisseems very old in view of the account in chapter 31. Even if Saul was 70 he would havebeen quite old. The account of his anointing by Samuel pictures a young adult with ameasure of maturity. I would suggest that 40 may be the first number that the copyistslost in 13:1. My reasons follow below.The second problem is, what was the second number in 13:1 that is absent in the Hebrewtext? The NASB has "32," the NIV "42," and the AV "2." If the last part of verse 1 givesus the length of Saul's reign, as is customary in similar summaries of kings' reigns (cf. 1Kings 14:21; 22:42; 2 Kings 8:17, 26; et al.), the missing number probably should be42. 145 If the last part of verse 1 gives the year of Saul's reign in which the events ofchapter 13 happened, the number probably should be 2. 146 I think probably the totallength of Saul's reign is in view in verse 1. I prefer the NIV's 42 years here.When did the events of this chapter happen if the last number in verse 1 indicates thelength of Saul's reign? In 10:8, Samuel commanded Saul to go to Gilgal and to wait seven143 Baldwin, p. 102.144 On the many problems with the Hebrew text of Samuel, see Martin, pp. 209-222.145 In this case, 40 in Acts 13:21 must be a round number.146 Wood, Israel's United . . ., pp. 122-23.