> 20, 21. The prophets are pictured in an assembly (qĕhillat hannĕbî’îm; cf. Deut 33:4; Neh 5:7) over which Samuel is presiding (ʿomēd niṣṣāb, lit. “standing holding a position,” that is, “standing in the position of authority” or “standing in charge”; for niṣṣāb ʿal, “be in charge of,” cf. Ruth 2:5, 6). The activity of the company is prophecy, that is, group ecstasy (see the third Note at 10:5) animated by the spirit of God (the Note at 10:6), which spreads contagiously to each newly arriving troop of Saul’s emissaries in its turn. (*Anchor Bible Commentary, P. Kyle McCarter*).