John Gill's Exposition on 1 Samuel 9:11

A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.

Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.

And as they went up the hill to the city, etc.] For the city was built upon an hill, from whence it had the name of Ramah, which signifies high and lifted up: they found young maidens going out to draw water: going out of the city, to a fountain which was at the bottom of the hill; and this was the usual business of maidens in those countries to fetch water for the service of the family, (see Gill on “<012411>Genesis 24:11, 15, 16”). R. Akiba f182 makes this observation, that whenever a man meets maidens coming out of a city before he goes into it, it is a token of prosperity to him; and instances in the cases of Abraham’s servant, of Jacob, and of Moses, and here of Saul, who was informed of a kingdom, and anointed for it, (see <012414>Genesis 24:14,21 29:10,11) (<020216>Exodus 2:16), and said unto them, is the seer here? meaning, is he in the city? or is he at home? or is he in the country?

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