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would then fall under the judgment of hardening, which would be speedily followed by his destruction. This new occurrence in Saul's life occasioned a renewal of the proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” The words “wherefore they say” do not imply that the proverb was first used at this time, but only that it received a new exemplification and basis in the new event in Saul's experience. The origin of it has been already mentioned in 1Sa 10:12, and the meaning of it was there explained.
This account is also worthy of note, as having an important bearing upon the so-called Schools of the Prophets in the time of Samuel, to which, however, we have only casual allusions. From the passage before us we learn that there was a company of prophets at Ramah, under the superintendence of Samuel, whose members lived in a common building (נוית), and that Samuel had his own house at Ramah (1Sa 7:17), though he sometimes lived in the Naioth (cf. 1Sa 19:18.). The origin and history of these schools are involved in obscurity. If we bear in mind, that, according to 1Sa 3:1, before the call of Samuel as prophet, the prophetic word was very rare in Israel, and prophecy was not widely spread, there can be no doubt that these unions of prophets arose in the time of Samuel, and were called into existence by him. The only uncertainty is whether there were other such unions in different parts of the land beside the one at Ramah. In 1Sa 10:5, 1Sa 10:10, we find a band of prophesying prophets at Gibeah, coming down from the sacrificial height there, and going to meet Saul; but it is not stated there that this company had its seat at Gibeah, although it may be inferred as probable, from the name “Gibeah of God” (see the commentary on 1Sa 10:5-6). No further mention is made of these in the time of Samuel; nor do we meet with them again till the times of Elijah and Elisha, when we find them, under the name of sons of the prophets (1Ki 20:35), living in considerable numbers at Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho (vid., 2Ki 4:38; 2Ki 2:3, 2Ki 2:5,2Ki 2:7, 2Ki 2:15; 2Ki 4:1; 2Ki 6:1; 2Ki 9:1). According to 2Ki 4:38, 2Ki 4:42-43, about a hundred sons of the prophets sat before Elisha at Gilgal, and took their meals together. The number at Jericho may have been quite as great; for fifty men of the sons of the prophets went with Elijah and Elisha to the Jordan (comp. 2Ki 2:7 with 2Ki 2:16, 2Ki 2:17). These passages render it very probable that the sons of the prophets also lived in