Teks -- 1 Samuel 9:9 (NET)

9:9 (Now it used to be in Israel that whenever someone went to inquire of God he would say, “Come on, let’s go to the seer.” For today’s prophet used to be called a seer.)

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: 1Sa 9:9 - Seer

Because he discerned and could discover things secret and unknown to others. And these are the words, either of some later sacred writer, who after Samuel's death, inserted this verse. Or, of Samuel, who, being probably fifty or sixty years old at the writing of this book, and speaking of the state of things in his first days, might well call it before time.

JFB: 1Sa 9:9 - seer . . . Prophet

The recognized distinction in latter times was, that a seer was one who was favored with visions of God--a view of things invisible to mortal sight; and a prophet foretold future events.

Clarke: 1Sa 9:9 - Beforetime in Israel

Beforetime in Israel - This passage could not have been a part of this book originally: but we have already conjectured that Samuel, or some contemporary author, wrote the memoranda, out of which a later author compiled this book. This hypothesis, sufficiently reasonable in itself, solves all difficulties of this kind

Clarke: 1Sa 9:9 - Was beforetime called a seer

Was beforetime called a seer - The word seer, ראה roeh , occurs for the first time in this place; it literally signifies a person who Sees; particularly preternatural sights. A seer and a prophet were the same in most cases; only with this difference, the seer was always a prophet, but the prophet was not always a seer. A seer seems to imply one who frequently met with, and saw, some symbolical representation of God. The term prophet was used a long time before this; Abraham is called a prophet, Gen 20:7, and the term frequently occurs in the law. Besides, the word seer does not occur before this time; but often occurs afterwards down through the prophets, for more than three hundred years. See Amo 7:12; Mic 3:7

All prophets, false and true, profess to see God; see the case of Balaam, Num 24:4, Num 24:16, and Jer 14:14. All diviners, in their enthusiastic flights, boasted that they had those things exhibited to their sight which should come to pass. There is a remarkable account in Virgil which may serve as a specimen of the whole; the Sibyl professes to be a seer: -

Bella, horrida bella

Et Tyberim molto spumantem sanguine

Cerno. Aen. lib. vi., ver. 86

Wars, horrid wars, I View; a field of blood

And Tyber rolling with a purple flood

I think the 9th verse comes more naturally in after the 11th.

TSK: 1Sa 9:9 - inquire // a Seer

inquire : Gen 25:22; Jdg 1:1

a Seer : 2Sa 24:11; 2Ki 17:13; 1Ch 26:28, 1Ch 29:29; 2Ch 16:7, 2Ch 16:10; Isa 29:10; Isa 30:10; Amo 7:12

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: 1Sa 9:9 - Of God // Was called a seer // beforetime

Of God or, a man of God, which signified the same thing.

Was called a seer because he did discern and could discover things secret and unknown to others. And these are the words, either, first, Of some later sacred writer, which, after Samuel’ s death, inserted this verse. Or, secondly, Of Samuel, who, being probably fifty or sixty years old at the writing of this book, and speaking of the state of things in his first days, might well call it

beforetime Or rather, thirdly, Of Saul’ s servant, who might be now stricken in years, and might speak this either by his knowledge of what was in his juvenile years, or upon the information of his father or ancestors. And so it is a fit argument to persuade Saul to go to the man of God, that he might show them their way, and where the asses were, because he was likely to inform them; for the prophets were anciently called seers, because they knew and could reveal hidden things. And the meaning is, that anciently they were not vulgarly called prophets, but seers only; whereas now, and afterwards, they were called seers , yet they were more commonly called prophets .

Haydock: 1Sa 9:9 - A seer // Et Tiberim multo spumantem sanguine cerno

A seer. Because of his seeing, by divine light, hidden things, and things to come, (Challoner) by inspiration. (Worthington) ---

They had the things which they foretold so clearly in view. The Sybil cries out, Bella, horrida bella.

Et Tiberim multo spumantem sanguine cerno. (Virgil)

The Egyptians had their "seers of the gods." (Manetho.) ---

Balaam styles himself "the man seeing visions," Numbers xxiv. 4, 16. Some suppose that Samuel wrote this towards the close of his life, when the title of prophet was become more common, though the former was in use many years afterwards, 1 Paralipomenon xxi. 9., and 2 Paralipomenon xvi. 10. Others think that this verse was added by Esdras, &c.

Gill: 1Sa 9:9 - Before time in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God // thus he spake, come, and let us go to the seer // for he that is now called a prophet was before called a seer

Before time in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God,.... To ask doctrine of him, as the Targum, to be taught by him, to have his mind and will in any affair of moment and importance; which was usually done by applying to some man of God, eminent for grace and piety, and a spirit of prophecy:

thus he spake, come, and let us go to the seer; a man used to say to his friend, when he wanted some instruction or direction, let us go together to such an one, the seer, and ask counsel of him what is proper to be done in such an affair:

for he that is now called a prophet was before called a seer; for though these names are used freely of the same persons, both before and after this time; yet now the more common appellation which obtained was that of a prophet; custom, and the use of language, varied at different times, though the same was meant by the one and the other; such men were called seers, because of the vision of prophecy, because they saw or foresaw things to come; and they were called prophets, because they foretold what they saw, or delivered out their predictions by word of mouth. This verse is put in a parenthesis, and is commonly supposed to be the words of the writer of this book: hence some draw an argument against Samuel being the writer of it, as Abarbinel does, who concludes from hence that it was written by Jeremiah, or some other person long after Samuel, or that this verse was added by Ezra; but as this book might be written by Samuel in the latter part of his life, he might with propriety observe this, that in his younger time, and quite down to the anointing of Saul king, both when there was no open vision, and afterwards when there was scarce any that had it but himself, he was used to be called the seer; but in his latter days, when there were many that had the vision of prophecy, and there were schools set up, it was more common to call them prophets; though perhaps these are the words of Saul's servant, spoken to encourage Saul to go to the man of God, and inquire of him, since in former times, as he could remember, being perhaps an old servant, or he had heard his parents so say, that such men used to be called seers, because they saw what others did not, and declared and made others to see what they did; and therefore there was a probability that this man of God, who was a seer, might show them the way they should go to find the asses.