Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying — here the narrative reveals to the reader what Saul does not know: the LORD has already spoken to Samuel about Saul's coming. The phrase 'told...in his ear' (be'azno) suggests intimate, private revelation, the kind of direct communication that characterizes Samuel's prophetic experience. The Hebrew 'azn (ear) implies not just hearing but receptive, intimate knowledge. The revelation occurred 'the day before Saul came' (yom temurah, literally 'the day before the return'), emphasizing God's foreknowledge and preparation. This verse introduces one of the passage's central themes: the contrast between Saul's ignorance and Samuel's knowledge, between human seeking and divine foreknowledge.

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