a-a Heb. “Ramathaim-zophim.”In 1.19, 2.11, 7.17, 15.34, 19.18, etc., the town is called Ramah; and 9.5 ff. shows that it was in the district of Zuph.
b-b Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
c-c Lit. “Thus he did.”
d Septuagint adds “and stood before the LORD.”
e-e Lit. “Remove your wine from you.”
f Cf. note at Gen. 4.1.
g Connected with sha’ul me’el “asked of God”; cf. vv. 17, 27–28.
h-h Septuagint and 4QSama (a Samuel fragment from Qumran) read “the utterance of your mouth.” The translators express their thanks to Professor Frank M. Cross, Jr., for graciously making available to them copies of his unpublished Samuel fragments.
i-i Septuagint and 4QSama read “a three-year-old [cf. Gen. 15.9] bull and bread”; cf. v. 25.
j From the same root as that of the verb rendered “asked for” in p. 20.
k Heb. “he”; cf. 2.11. A reading in the Talmud (Berakot 61a) implies that Elkanah was there.
a-a Lit. “My horn is high.”
b-b Lit. “My mouth is wide.”
c-c Lit. “And will raise the horn of.”
d See note k at 1.28.
e-e These vessels have not been distinguished precisely.
f-f Targum and Septuagint add “for himself.”
g 4QSama and Septuagint read “repay.”
h 4QSama reads “And.”
i-i Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
i Here a device for obtaining oracles (cf. 14.3; 23.6, 9–12), not a garment as in v. 18 above.
k-k Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “gaze [cf. Septuagint] grudgingly upon the sacrifices and offerings which I have commanded” (connecting ma’on with ‘oyen, “keeping a jealous eye”; see 1 Sam. 18.9); cf. v. 32 and note m below.
l See vv. 15–16.
m Cf. note k-k above.
a-a Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Septuagint reads “against God.”
b-b A formula of adjuration.
c Heb. “his.”
a Preceding this, Septuagint has “In those days, the Philistines gathered for war against Israel.”
b Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
c I.e., as a sign of mourning.
a-a Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
b-b Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Septuagint reads differently from our Heb. text; it also mentions mice swarming in the Philistine ships and invading their fields. Cf. the mention of “mice” in 6.4, 18; and the note at 6.1.
a Septuagint continues “and mice invaded their fields”; cf. vv. 4, 5, 18, and note at 5.6.
b-b Or “and you will know why His hand would not turn away from you.” Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
c Heb. “them.”
d-d Septuagint reads “As they met it.”
e Meaning of vv. 18 and 19 uncertain in part.
f-f Emendation yields “villages, as witness there is.”
g Reading ‘eben with some Heb. mss., Septuagint, and Targum; most mss. and editions ‘abel, “meadow [?].”
h-h Force of Heb. uncertain.
a-a Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
b Otherwise unknown; perhaps identical with “Jeshanah”; cf. Septuagint; also 2 Chron. 13.19.
c I.e., “Stone of Help.”
a-a Septuagint reads “cattle.”
a-a Lit. “taller from his shoulders up.”
b This verse explains the term “seer” in v. 11.
c-c Emendation yields “Hurry, for he has just reached (‘attah kayyom ba, so Septuagint) the gate”; cf. v. 18.
d Emendation yields “gate”; cf. v. 18.
e-e Septuagint and Targum read “the plight of My people”; cf. Exod. 3.7.
f Heb. plural.
g-g Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “the broad tail.”
h-h Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
i-i Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Septuagint reads “They spread a bed for Saul on the roof, and he lay down. At&ldots;.”
a Heb. “his.”
b-b Septuagint and Vulgate read “anoints you ruler over His people Israel, and you will govern the people of the LORD and deliver them from the hands of their foes roundabout. And this is the sign for you that the LORD anoints you.”
c-c Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
d-d Or “Gibeah.”
e-e Others “prophesying”; cf. Num. 11.25 and note.
f-f See 11.5–15.
g-g To refer to a person merely as “the son (ben) of&ldots;” is slighting; cf. 20, 27, 30, 31; Isa. 7.4.
h So many Heb. mss. and ancient versions. Other mss. and editions read “to Him.”
i Septuagint reads “then he brought up the family of the Matrites by their men and.&ldots;”
j-j Septuagint reads “Has the man come here?”
k-k In contrast to “scoundrels” (v. 27); understanding Heb. hayil as the equivalent of bene hayil, as read by Septuagint and 4QSama.
l-l Lit. “But he was as one who holds his peace.” Septuagint and 4QSama read “About a month later,” connecting with what follows.
a-a Septuagint reads “or a pair of sandals? [cf. Amos 2.6] Testify against me.”
b-b Lit. “against you.”
c Heb. “he.”
d-d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
e Septuagint adds “the Egyptians oppressed them.”
f Septuagint “Barak.”
g When thunderstorms do not occur in the land of Israel.
a The number is lacking in the Heb. text; also, the precise context of the “two years” is uncertain. The verse is lacking in the Septuagint.
b So in oldest mss.; other mss. and editions read “Michmash” throughout the chapter.
c Apparently identical with Gibeah in v. 2.
d-d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
e-e Lit. “became malodorous to.”
f Septuagint and other versions read “three thousand.”
g So some Heb. mss.; other mss., Septuagint, and Targum read “said.” Cf. 10.8.
h-h Change of vocalization yields, “You acted foolishly. If you had kept the commandment the LORD your God laid upon you&ldots;.”
i-i Septuagint reads here, “Samuel rose and left Gilgal and went his way. The rest of the people followed Saul to meet the soldiers, and they went from Gilgal.”
j Sometimes called Geba; cf. vv. 3, 16; 14.5.
k Septuagint reads “Geba.”
l Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Septuagint reads “sickle.”
m Meaning of several terms in this verse uncertain.
n I.e., two-thirds of a shekel.
a See note j at 13.15.
b-b Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
c-c Lit. “is in your heart. Incline yourself.” Septuagint reads “your heart inclines to.”
d-d Lit. “with you, according to your heart.” Septuagint reads “with you; my heart is like your heart.”
e-e Lit. “shaken and going thither.” Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
f Septuagint reads “ephod,” and cf. vv. 3, 23.9, 30.7.
g Heb. “and.”
h-h Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Septuagint reads “And all the troops, about 10,000 men, were with Saul; and the battle spread into the hill country of Ephraim. Now Saul committed a rash act.”
i-i Meaning of Heb. uncertain; cf. Song of Songs 5.1.
j I.e., without the proper rites.
k Septuagint reads “here.”
l-l Septuagint reads “whatever he had in his possession.”
m-m Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Septuagint reads “Why have You not responded to Your servant today? If this iniquity was due to my son Jonathan or to me, O LORD, God of Israel, show Urim; and if You say it was due to Your people Israel, show Thummim.”
n Many mss. and Septuagint add “to me.”
o Septuagint and 4QSama read “king.”
p The same as Ishbosheth (2 Sam. 2.8) and Eshbaal (1 Chron. 8.33).
q Usually “Abner.”
a See note at Josh. 6.18.
b-b Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
c Targum and Syriac read “fatlings.”
d-d Lit. “and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD.”
e Idols consulted for oracles; see Ezek. 21.26; Zech. 10.2
f-f From root ma’ad, “to falter”; cf. Septuagint.
a These words are preserved in the Septuagint.
b-b Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
a Lit. “the man of the space between,” i.e., between the armies.
b Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
c-c Heb. “they.”
d I.e., freedom from royal levies.
e Lit. “badness of heart.”
f-f Septuagint reads “not my lord’s.”
g-g Heb. “clothed him in a breastplate” (cf. v. 5), because a breastplate was combined with a leather jerkin.
h-h Septuagint reads “was unable to walk, for.&ldots;”
i Lit. “five.”
j-j Septuagint reads “your carcass and the carcasses.”
k So many Heb. mss. and ancient versions; other mss. and the editions read “to.”
l Septuagint reads “Gath”; cf. end of verse.
m I.e., after David’s capture of Jerusalem (2 Sam. 5).
a-a Meaning of Heb. uncertain; Septuagint reads “the dancing women came out to meet David from all the towns of Israel.”
b Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
c Change of vocalization yields “raised.”
d-d Lit. “and he went out and came in before the troops.”
e-e Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Change of vocalization yields “who are my kin.”
f Septuagint reads “one hundred” and cf. 2 Sam. 3.14.
g-g Septuagint reads “and that all Israel loved him.”
a Heb. “He.”
b-b Cf. note at 10.5.
c-c Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
d-d Septuagint reads “the cistern of the threshing floor on the bare height.”
a-a Septuagint reads “replied to him.”
b-b Septuagint reads “will not sit &ldots; meal. Let. &ldots;”
c Septuagint lacks “third.”
d Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
e The meaning of several parts of vv. 12–16 is uncertain.
f-f I.e., the faithfulness pledged in the covenant before the LORD.
g Septuagint reads “swore to.”
h At the festal meal.
i-i Lit. “very much.”
j-j Lit. “on the day of the incident”; see 19.2 ff.
k Lit. “accept it.”
l See above, vv. 12–17.
m Force of Heb. uncertain; Septuagint “faced him.”
n-n Heb. construction unclear.
o See note at 10.11.
p See 18.11 and note.
q-q Lit. “rose up from beside.”
r Identical with the “Ezel Stone,” v. 19.
a-a Meaning of Heb. uncertain. 4QSamb (cf. Septuagint) reads “made an appointment with [my] young men at.&ldots;”
b Lit. “five.”
c-c Meaning of Heb. uncertain in part.
d-d I.e., excluded from the shrine, perhaps because of ritual impurity.
e-e Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
f-f Lit. “in their hand”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.
a The “care” in v. 1 is referred to as “stronghold” in vv. 4–5; cf. the same variation in 2 Sam. 23.13–14; 1 Chron. 11.15–16.
b-b Targum
