1 Samuel 10 Footnotes

10:8 After anointing Saul, Samuel told him to wait seven days at Gilgal until the prophet would come to him. Their later meeting at Gilgal is recorded in 13:8-10. But the events recorded in 10:9–13:7 could not have occurred within a week’s time. In that section Saul was publicly recognized as Israel’s first king, mustered a fighting force of 330,000 men, led them to Jabesh-gilead, fought and defeated the Ammonites, returned to Gilgal to be publicly inaugurated as king, and prepared to fight the Philistines at Michmash. Based on the wording of 13:1, some interpreters posit a two-year gap between 10:8 and 13:1.

Perhaps the best explanation is to be found in the wording of vv. 7-8: Saul was to do whatever was required to bring deliverance for Israel from the Ammonites. Then when that task was done—and it would probably take a long time—he was to go to Gilgal. The seven-day waiting period for Samuel would not begin until Saul arrived at Gilgal.