to incorporate in his own narrative
the piece which he had borrowed from some other quarter: the verses
xi. 12-14 are due to him.
Chapter xi. stood originally in connection with the other
narrative of the elevation of Saul (ix. 1-X. 16). Hero Saul
first appears engaged in searching for strayed she-asses. After
a vain search of several days he arrives in the neighbourhood
of Ramah, and at the suggestion of his servant applies for
information as to the asses to a seer there, to Samuel. His
approach has been announced to the seer by Jehovah the day
before: "To-morrow I will send to thee a man out of the land of
Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be ruler over My people
Israel; he shall save them from the Philistines." He was
accordingly expecting him, and had instituted a sacrificial feast
on the bamah for him even before he arrived. At this moment
Samuel has gone down to the town between the sacrificial act and
the meal which followed it, and just as he is going back to his
guests he meets in the gate Saul, who is asking for him, and at a
whisper from Jehovah he recognises in him his man.
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