Verse 2:[1] When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by (Gen. 35:19, 20) Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin (Josh. 18:28) at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care (Heb. the business[2]) of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
[When thou art departed, etc.] He sets forth three signs; that is, oracles, by the occurance of which Saul might gather the truth of his anointing. All are concerning uncontrolled future events: and hence they are foreknown by God alone, and are infallibly disclosed only by a true Prophet (Mendoza).
[Near the sepulcher of Rachel in territory of Benjamin[3]] Or, in the border of Benjamin [similarly all interpreters]. Question: But how are these things consistent, since Rachel was buried near Bethlehem, Genesis 35:19. But Bethlehem was in the lot of Judah, Micah 5:2, and not, therefore, in the territories of Benjamin (Mendoza). Response 1: Some construe it in this way; thou shalt find two men, who are now near the sepulcher of Rachel, but when thou shalt find them, they will be in the territories of Benjamin (Rabbi Salomon in Lyra). This does not satisfy; for there was not reason to prophesy where the men were at that time, but rather where they were going to be found (Mendoza). Responses: 2. The Tribes of Judah and Benjamin were adjoining, Joshua 18:11 (Mendoza, Lyra). 3. Their borders are sometimes confounded, as one and the same city is read to have been in two coasts, since it was in the bounds of two tribes (Drusius). They are said to be found in the territories, or border, of Benjamin; namely, in that place of the tribe of Judah, where the territories of the two tribes meet (Sanchez). 4. Rachel is not said to have been buried at Bethlehem, but in the journey (Martyr), in the way that leads to Bethlehem (Sanchez).
In the borders of Benjamin; in the way to Bethlehem, Genesis 35:19, which city was in Judah; and her sepulchre might be either in Judah or in Benjamin; for the possessions of those two tribes were bordering upon one another, and oft intermixed together: see Joshua 18:11.
[At midday (thus the Septuagint), that is, at the meridian time (Sanchez), בְּצֶלְצַח] [To others it is the proper name of a place (thus Jonathan, Syriac, Arabic, Munster, Pagnine, Tigurinus, Montanus, Junius and Tremellius, Piscator, Malvenda).] The Vulgate translates it most agreeably, at midday, or at the meridian time; the word צֶלְצָח denotes shadow of brightness.[4] While more and more particular signs are set forth, greater faith is procured for the words (Sanchez). God, accommodating Himself in some measure to the nature of His people, was often giving to them true signs, which sort the superstitious were desiring in a childish manner. See Genesis 24:14, etc. (Grotius).
[With the asses left off] Hebrew: he laid aside or dismissed, or left off, the words, that is, the matter, the business, of the asses (Drusius, Malvenda). He had laid aside, that is, he had neglected; that is, he had laid aside the care of the asses, etc. (Vatablus). That is, before they were found (Malvenda).
[1] Hebrew: בְּלֶכְתְּךָ֤ הַיּוֹם֙ מֵעִמָּדִ֔י וּמָצָאתָ֩ שְׁנֵ֙י אֲנָשִׁ֜ים עִם־קְבֻרַ֥ת רָחֵ֛ל בִּגְב֥וּל בִּנְיָמִ֖ן בְּצֶלְצַ֑ח וְאָמְר֣וּ אֵלֶ֗יךָ נִמְצְא֤וּ הָאֲתֹנוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָלַ֣כְתָּ לְבַקֵּ֔שׁ וְהִנֵּ֙ה נָטַ֤שׁ אָבִ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י הָאֲתֹנ֔וֹת וְדָאַ֤ג לָכֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֥ה אֶעֱשֶׂ֖ה לִבְנִֽי׃ [2] Hebrew: אֶת־דִּבְרֵי. [3] Hebrew: עִם־קְבֻרַ֥ת רָחֵ֛ל בִּגְב֥וּל בִּנְיָמִ֖ן. [4]צֵל signifies shadow; צַח, brightness.