1 Samuel 10:16

16 Then Saul said to his uncle, "He told us for certain that the female donkeys had been found." But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingship [of] which Samuel had spoken.

1 Samuel 10:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 10:16

And Saul said unto his uncle
In answer to his question:

he told us plainly the asses were found;
or "in telling told us" ^F8; not only plainly in so many words, but he affirmed it with the greatest certainty that the asses were found, and we need not give ourselves further trouble about them:

but of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told
him not;
he said not one word about that, which is commonly ascribed to his modesty; or he might conceal it, as Josephus ^F9 observes, because he thought it would not be believed by his relations, or might create in them envy to him; and besides, he knew it was the pleasure of Samuel that it should be kept a secret until the election by lot was over, lest it should be thought to proceed from Samuel himself; and Saul chose it should remain so, that it might not be thought to be of his own seeking; and by keeping it from his relations and friends, it would be a clear case that he did not make interest for it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (dygh dgh) "indicando indicavit", Pagninus, Montanus
F9 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 4. scet. 3.)

1 Samuel 10:16 In-Context

14 Then Saul's uncle said to him and to his servant, "Where did you go?" And he said, "To search [for] the female donkeys; and when we saw none, we went to Samuel."

15 So Saul's uncle said to him, "Please tell me, what did Samuel say to you?"

16 Then Saul said to his uncle, "He told us for certain that the female donkeys had been found." But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingship [of] which Samuel had spoken.

17 Then Samuel summoned the people to Yahweh at Mizpah,

18 and he said to the {Israelites}, "Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel: 'I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that [were] oppressing you.'