He might have refused the request; he might also have
given them a ruler according to his own good pleasure, but as a
correct theocrat he leaves the decision to Jehovah. At the end he
solemnly lays down the government he has hitherto carried on, and
hands it over to his successor. The latter is superior to him in
point of title, but not in point of power: indeed in the latter
respect he is rather inferior to Samuel, being a mere earthly
prince (xii. 23 seq.). But how do matters stand in chap. ix. seq.?
Here Samuel is quite a stranger to Saul, who knows neither his
name nor his residence. Only his servant has heard of Samuel,
who enjoys a high reputation as a seer in his own neighbourhood.
What we are to think of when we read of a seer of that period,
we are clearly and circumstantially informed: for Samuel is
consulted as to the whereabouts of strayed she-asses, and a fee
of a quarter of a silver shekel is tendered to him for his advice.
This seer stands, it is clear, above the average of those who
practiced the same calling; yet his action on the history is quite
within the limits of what was possible, say to Calchas: it
exhibits not a trace of the legislative and executive power of
a regent of the theocracy.
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