Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Samuel 10:5

5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God , where is the garison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city , that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place , with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp before them , and they shall prophesie .

An Hill near Geba, or Gibeah of Benjamin, where a Garison of Philistines was, 1 Sam. 13. 3. called here the Hill of God, because it was a place Devoted to the Service of God; either for Sacrifice, this being an high place, as it here follows; or, for a School or Colledge of Prophets.

Adjoyning to that Hill.

By Prophets here, and in such like places, he understands Persons that did wholly Devote themselves to Religious studies and exercises, such as Preaching, Praying, Praising of God, &c. For the term of Prophesying is not onely given to the most Eminent act of it, viz. foretelling things to come; but also to Preaching, as Rom. 12. 6. 1 Cor. 14. 31, 32. 1 Thess. 5. 20. and to the making or Singing of Psalms, or Songs of Praise to God, as 1 Chron. 25. 1, 2, 3. And they that wholly attended upon these things, are oft called Sons of the Prophets, which were commonly combined into Companies or Colledges, as 2 King. 2. 3, 5. that they might more conveniently edify and assist one another in Gods work. Which Institution God was pleased so far to Honour and Bless, that sometimes he Communicated unto those Persons the knowledge of future things, as 2 King. 2. 3, 5.

Where, either, their habitation was, or they had now been offering Sacrifice. And although they used to perform this following exercise, either in their Colledge, or in the place of their Sacrifices; yet now they did it in the descent of the Hill, which probably was beside their Custome, and therefore more proper for a sign to Saul of a more than ordinary hand of God towards him.

Such Instruments of Musick being then used by Prophets and other persons, for the exhileration and excitation of their spirits in Gods Service. See 2 King. 3. 15.

Either sing Gods Praises, or speak of the things of God.